The Rookie (2002)

A Texas baseball coach makes the major league after agreeing to try out if his high school team made the playoffs.

Director:

John Lee Hancock

Writer:

Mike Rich

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez

5 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid	...	Jimmy Morris
Rachel Griffiths	...	Lorri Morris
Jay Hernandez	...	Joaquin 'Wack' Campos
Beth Grant	...	Olline
Angus T. Jones	...	Hunter Morris
Brian Cox	...	Jim Morris Sr.
Rick Gonzalez	...	Rudy Bonilla
Chad Lindberg	...	Joe David West
Angelo Spizzirri	...	Joel De La Garza
Royce D. Applegate	...	Henry
Russell Richardson	...	Brooks
Raynor Scheine	...	Frank
David Blackwell	...	Cal
Blue Deckert	...	Baseball Scout Dave Patterson
Danny Kamin	...	Durham Manager Mac (as Daniel Kamin)

Storyline

Jim Morris is a Texas high school chemistry teacher and coach of the school's baseball team. He's always loved baseball and as a way of motivating his players, he agrees to go to a professional try-out if they win the championship. He once had aspirations to be a professional baseball player but an injury brought that to an end. Sure enough, the 39 year-old father of three finds himself at a camp for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and he somehow seems to have regained his pitching arm, easily throwing a 98 mph fastball. Signed to a contract, he toils in the minor leagues while his supportive wife stays home raising their children. He soon finds himself called up to the big club and pitching for Tampa which is in Texas playing the Rangers. Based on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

baseball | pitching | texas | coach | high school | 

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Taglines:

It's never too late to believe in your dreams.

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Sport

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Disney

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

El novato

Filming Locations:

Austin Studios - 1901 E. 51st Street, Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$214,718 (Japan) (24 January 2003)

Gross:

$1,173,179 (Japan) (31 January 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

98 MPH Productions, Gran Via, Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Trevor Morgan, who plays Young Jimmy, had to learn how to pitch left-handed.

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Goofs

Several of the players seen in the Rangers game (including the Rangers' Alex Rodriguez and the Devil Rays' Tanyon Sturtze) were not with their respective teams when Jim Morris made his major league debut on September 18, 1999.

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Quotes

Joel De La Garza: [while him and Jimmy play catch] Hey coach, back when you were really pitching, how fast were you throwing it?
Jimmy: I don't know. 85, 86?
Joel De La Garza: That's not too bad.
Jimmy: It is when the other guy's throwing 90.
Joel De La Garza: Coach, let's see you bring one.
Jimmy: Can't. Promised too many doctors.
Joel De La Garza: Come on, coach, one isn't going to kill you. Come on, feed me!
Hunter: Yeah, dad, bring the heat!
Joel De La Garza: [Jim gets himself ready while Joel waits in the catcher's position] Feed me, coach.
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Getaway: Episode #17.5 (2008)

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Soundtracks

"There Is A Light"
Written and Performed by Duane Jarvis

User Reviews

excellent

This was one of the best bio-pics I have seen in years. Dennis Quaid is perfect as Jim Morris, a man who finally gets a shot at his lifelong dream-pitching in the big leagues. He is a high school science teacher/baseball coach whose players make a bet with him:if they win district, he tries out for the majors. You can probably guess what happens next. I found this story made even more powerful by the fact that it was based on a true story.

*** out of ****