Batter Up: A Look at the Inspirational Movie “The Rookie”

For my second and final baseball-related movie review, I took a look at the 2002 Disney movie “The Rookie.” “The Rookie” had received positive reviews from critics and audiences and is based on the true story of Jim Morris, who debuted in Major League Baseball at the age of 35.

A true story about a coach who discovers that it’s never too late for dreams to come true. Jim Morris never made it out of the minor leagues before a shoulder injury ended his pitching career twelve years ago.

Now a married-with-children high school chemistry teacher and baseball coach in Texas, Jim’s team makes a deal with him: if they win the district championship, Jim will try out with a major league organization.

The 2002 movie “The Rookie” was widely praised as a heartwarming, wholesome, and well-acted Disney sports drama that’s based on a true story. Both critics and audiences loved Dennis Quaid’s performance as Jim Morris, often calling the movie an inspirational, old-fashioned, family-friendly story that everyone of all ages will really enjoy.

Throughout the movie, Quaid did bring some emotional honesty and warmth to his portrayal of Jim Morris. Now, while Quaid is older than the real Jim Morris, it actually added to his performance. His somewhat weathered appearance actually enhances the authenticity of a man chasing a long-dormant dream. This is also one of Quaid’s most-likable performances and effectively carries the movie’s simple but truly inspiring plot.

“The Rookie” also delivers a really great core message that dreams do not expire and that perseverance pays off that can really resonate with just about anyone. A major highlight is the realistic, yet difficult relationship between Jim and his father. The movie also explores themes of seeking parental approval and the eventual path toward forgiveness and reconciliation.

Even though the moment where Jim finally gets called up to the majors and takes the mound is a stand up and cheer moment, there’s another moment that is probably one of the most stand out scenes of the movie. The scene involves Jim throwing a baseball

past a highway speed reader at night. While he believes he’s throwing a 76 MPH fastball, as he walks past the reader, the monitor flashes to reveal 96 MPH, proving he still has what it takes to get to the majors.

“The Rookie” is a heartwarming, G-rated Disney sports drama based on the true story of Jim Morris. Dennis Quaid’s “winning” performance anchors this sentimental, well-crafted movie that has been praised for its authentic baseball sequences, small town atmosphere, and its focus on overcoming adversity and chasing dreams.

MPA: Rated G   (runtime 127 minutes)

TRIVIA: Dennis Quaid did much of his own pitching, but he was doubled in shots that required truly fast pitches, by former minor league pitcher Jeff Dowdy. No special effects were used to enhance the speed of the pitches; however, some camera tricks, such as “whip pans” were used to make Quaid’s own pitches appear faster. The scene where Jim walks out to the mound for the first time at The Ballpark in Arlington was filmed during the seventh inning stretch of a real Texas Rangers game. All of the pitching shots were done after the game.

Make sure to catch more fun trivia bits about this movie on my Wyoming County Press Examiner reviews page on Facebook!

Initial release date: March 29, 2002

Streaming services: Disney Plus/various PVOD services

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVhbCA2IXnA

• When Jimmy says to Brooks, "You know what we get to do today? We get to play baseball," it is a reference to a deleted scene, where Brooks tells Jimmy how his father said the same thing before every game he would play as a boy.

• Dennis Quaid did much of his own pitching, but he was doubled in shots that required truly fast pitches, by former minor league pitcher Jeff Dowdy. No special effects were used to enhance the speed of the pitches; however, some camera tricks, such as "whip pans," were used to make Quaid's own pitches appear faster.

• The scene where Jimmy walks out to the mound for the first time at The Ballpark in Arlington was filmed during the seventh inning stretch of a real Texas Rangers game. All of the pitching shots were done after the game.

• Jim Morris was 35 when he was signed with the Devil Rays organization. Dennis Quaid was 47 when the film was shot in 2001.

• Producers contacted Royce Clayton, the first batter Jim Morris faced in the Major Leagues, and got his permission to use his name, etc for the film. It actually took Morris four pitches to strike him out. Clayton managed to hit one foul. But it was too difficult to film a ball going foul, so they left it out.

• The pendant hanging in Jim Morris' locker next to his blue suit coat is of St. Rita, the patron saint of the impossible.

• The film's original movie poster, which features the character of Jim Morris silhouetted by a sunset, is actually a picture of pitching double Jeff Dowdy, not Dennis Quaid.