Rookie mistakes lead to Rookie lessons

Jim Morris, the real man behind the Disney movie based on his life called “The Rookie”, was the guest speaker at my church Sunday.
Morris became famous for becoming the oldest rookie in Major League Baseball history in 1999-2000 when he pitched for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was a 35-year-old high school teacher and baseball coach when his team made him promise to try out for the pros if they won the district championship. They did and he did.
He tried out with a scout, thinking that he was just fulfilling an obligation to the boys and had no chance. But his blistering 98-mph fastballs proved otherwise. What kept Morris from pursuing his dreams in his 20s was the same problem that plagues most of us. He believed what others said about him.
He lived with an abusive father who was a Navy recruiter. He moved a lot and attended 30 schools before graduating high school. Growing up, he was told by his father and several of his teachers that he was stupid and would never amount to anything. He was a standout football player with Major League Baseball ambitions. His football coach told him he would never make it and talked every college that wanted to give him a football scholarship out of their offers.
A high school graduate with less than adequate grades and no hope of going to college, he tried out for the minor leagues, but multiple shoulder surgeries ended that career. He went on to get his degree and became a science teacher and baseball coach in Big Lake, Texas. “By the way, there is no lake in Big Lake,” he said.
In Big Lake, even the teachers said the kids would never amount to anything. They were losers who would never make it out of West Texas. They told Morris the same old pessimistic garbage that he grew up with. His players, however, believed in him. They made a deal with him that if they won the district championship that he would try out for the Majors. The rest, as they say, is history.
Today Morris is a motivational speaker and a devout Christian. He teaches and preaches on the theme of Remember Who You Are. His message is simple: Don’t believe the naysayers and pursue your dreams relentlessly. He said God didn’t close the doors in his life; others did with their words and attitudes. Once he learned to trust God and pursue his dreams, God blessed him beyond his imagination.
As Morris was sharing his story, I was in rapt attention. So were my kids, which is rare. Afterward, I got in line to meet him and told him how much his story meant to me. I told him I couldn’t relate to the part of having athletic power, but I know too well the feeling of being told you’re too stupid to amount to anything.
It hurts, and when you hear it often enough or from someone in a position of authority over you, you believe it. I’ve had teachers who told me I’d never go to college (BA in journalism from Adams State College, 1987). Coming out of college, I had many editors tell me I’d never make it in newspapers. My professional newspaper career spans nearly 23 years.
In elementary school, not only was I last picked for teams, but often there was an argument about who had to take me. I played three sports in high school (four if you count intramural bowling), lettering in two.
As I sat there listing to Morris, I was almost brought to tears. My eyes welled up hearing how he was made to feel worthless. They also welled up with laughter, because he’s a very funny speaker.
Morris is 19 months older than I am. One of his drawbacks in his youth was a cocky self-centeredness. I was that way from high school and well into my 20s. Life can serve up a huge piece of humble pie, especially if you lose sight of your dreams and God’s plan for your life.
I think the key to success is to align your dreams to God’s calling for you and then to pursue them even more aggressively than you think you are capable of. You must be cautious as you do this because you don’t want to do it for selfish reasons. Do all that you do to the glory of God. Serve others before serving yourself. Don’t compromise your beliefs and values.
These are some good lessons to learn, even if they come from a rookie.