Okay, so you wanna hear about my Jim Morris baseball journey? Buckle up, it’s a wild one.
It all started when I was coaching high school baseball. Small town, Texas, you know the drill. The team was… well, let’s just say they weren’t exactly world-beaters. But they had heart. And I cared about those kids.
One day, we were just messing around after practice. I hadn’t thrown a real fastball in years, ever since a bunch of arm surgeries basically wrecked my pitching career back in the day. But the kids kept egging me on, “Coach, throw one! Throw one!”
I was like, “Nah, I’m too old, I’ll pull something.” But they kept at it. So, I gave in. Warmed up a bit, you know, stretched. Then I reared back and let one rip.
And…wow. It felt good. Really good. The catcher was like, “Coach! That was like 85 miles per hour!” I laughed it off, thought he was just being nice. But then I threw another one. And another. They were all consistently in the mid-80s.
That got me thinking. The kids were all hyped up, and they made a deal with me. They said if they won the district championship, I had to try out for a professional baseball team. Seemed like a safe bet at the time, because they hadn’t won anything in years. But, crazy enough, they actually did it! They went on a tear and won the whole damn thing.
So, I had to hold up my end of the bargain. I went to a tryout for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. I was terrified. I mean, I was like 35 years old, with a wife and kids, coaching a high school team. What was I doing there?
But I got on the mound and just threw. And I was throwing hard. Like, really hard. The scout there clocked me at 98 miles per hour. 98! I couldn’t believe it. Neither could he, I think. They signed me to a minor league contract right there.
I spent a few months in the minors. It was tough, being away from my family, grinding it out with guys half my age. But I was living a dream I thought was long dead. Then, one day, they called me up to the majors.
My debut was insane. I came in to pitch in the bottom of the ninth, against the Texas Rangers. My hometown team. I struck out the first batter I faced. The crowd went wild. It was the most surreal moment of my life.
I only pitched a few games in the majors. It wasn’t a long career, but it was an incredible experience. It proved that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. And it taught me that sometimes, you just gotta take a chance, even if it seems crazy. That’s my Jim Morris baseball story.
Key takeaways:
- Never underestimate the power of a little encouragement.
- Sometimes, your kids can push you to do great things.
- It’s never too late to try something new.
- Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.
And most importantly, don’t be afraid to throw a fastball, even if you’re old and creaky!
