Dream Makers: Surround Yourself with the Best to Be Your Best

Jim “The Rookie” Morris · Mark Stuertz

Jun 2020 · Savio Republic

About this ebook

Jim Morris is no stranger to big dreams. Since he was five years old, he passionately yearned to play baseball in the major leagues. However, despite all his hard work and determination, a series of unfortunate events and injuries scuttled his career before he was twenty-five. Doctors told him he would never play again.

Then at age thirty-five—after a string of highly implausible events and at an age when most players are retiring—Morris found himself on the mound as a relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. His return to the game was so incredible that Disney made his story into a heartwarming film—The Rookie—with a stellar performance by Dennis Quaid. It was released to popular acclaim and was a huge box office success. It won the ESPY for Best Sports Movie in 2002 and the CAMIE award for Character and Morality in Entertainment.

 

Dream Makers picks up where The Rookie left off. This compelling memoir explores the untapped territory of Morris’s life, including his contentious relationship with his father, his incessant and grueling struggle with pain and addiction, the mentorship with his wise and loving grandfather who kept him grounded, and the resolve and faith that drove him to overcome every tribulation. Dream Makers explores the transformative power of surrounding yourself with the best, most accomplished people possible—inspiring you to overcome life’s obstacles and achieve your dreams.

 

Life can come at you fast, but with God, all things are possible. “It’s not about me. It’s what God can do through me.”

About the author

Jim Morris went from high school science teacher and coach to Major League Baseball player. His life story made cinematic history with the 2002 release of The Rookie starring Dennis Quaid. Morris pitched two seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, reaching speeds up to 102 mph before he retired to raise his children. Since 2002, Jim has been traveling around the world inspiring audiences to follow their dreams.

In this book, Morris shares more of his incredible life story including the people who helped make him the success he is today: his dream makers. Morris has been honored to receive a Lifetime Achievement award from the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, and has been involved with BCFS, Arms of Hope, Texas Youth Commission, and other philanthropic efforts. He launched the Jim “The Rookie” Morris Foundation in 2015 to support and serve underprivileged children. Jim and his wife, Shawna, have raised five children and live near San Antonio.

A nationally award-winning journalist, Mark Stuertz has been a Dallas-based writer and author for more than twenty-five years. His writing has appeared in a variety of publications including the Dallas Observer, Texas Monthly, American Way, Spirit, Food & Wine, and American Driver. He is the author of Secret Dallas: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, and editor of the Fearless Critic Dallas Restaurant Guide.