List $24.98

Written by Jim Morris & Joel Engel - Audio book narrated by Kevin O'Rourke - Unabridged Nonfiction - 4 CASSETTES - 6 hours

Publisher, Time Warner Audiobooks (April 2002) - 6 hours

The incredible true story that proves that dreams can come true, even those that seem lost forever.

Jim Morris escaped the desolation of his youth by dreaming of pitching in the Major Leagues. But as with most kids, it was just a fantasy, made all the more impossible by injuries he suffered in his early twenties. Having hoped only for a professional baseball career, Jim found himself facing an adult world he barely recognized. He turned away from baseball, and toward the real world.

Years passed, and on his thirty-fifth birthday Jim Morris found himself settled in as a high school physics teacher in a hardscrabble West Texas town. He had a wonderful wife, three kids, and students who adored him. His baseball career was restricted to coaching, and he believed his purpose in life was to inspire his students and players to dream bigger dreams than their harsh surroundings and homes generally allowed.

Then came the bet.

Jim's young players had a proposition for their coach: if they won the league championship—something their school had never done—he'd try out for a major-league team. Jim laughed, knowing he was way too old to even be considered by a professional squad, but he accepted.

Well, they won. And what happened next surprised everyone, especially Jim Morris. Keeping his end of the bet, he headed off to try out for the Major Leagues. There, he threw faster and better than he had ever thrown before. Suddenly, Jim Morris was reborn. A few months later, he took the mound at Texas Stadium and became the Major Leagues' oldest rookie pitcher in 40 years. Jim Morris's dream had come true.

A book about hope, about fathers and children, about husbands and wives, about players and competition, and about the power of dreams, The Oldest Rookie is more than just a tale of one man's inspiring journey. It is for everyone who refuses to give up, and its moral is that we may very well have succeeded beyond our wildest aspirations without even knowing it.

About the Authors: Jim Morris was a high school physics teacher until becoming a professional ballplayer at age 35. He is currently a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He lives in San Angelo, Texas.

Joel Engel is an author and journalist who lives in Los Angeles.