the guy the disney movie "the rookie" was about...jim morris.....was he involved in a controversy?

Question

what was that controversy near the end of his time with tampa bay?

Answer 1

He wasn't involved in a controversy it was the way he got into Major league baseball that is the story. He was the oldest rookie in the major leagues I believe. He was teaching in High School and coaching the school's baseball team. The kids saw him pitch at 90 miles an hour and told him that if they won their high school championship then he had to try out for a major league team. They won and he tried out eventually winning a spot on the Detroit Tigers I believe. He went on to play for two seasons. It was this story that they made the Movie Rookie about.

Answer 2

Morris is a real person who lived an incredible story -- the movie is good (as such movies go, and Quaid is excellent in the lead role) and so is the book. He washed out of the minor leagues in the 1980s after a frustrating series of arm injuries and wound up teaching in high school and coaching the baseball team. Morris pitched batting practice to his team, and they were so impressed with his stuff that they wanted him to try out for the pros. He finally struck a deal -- they win their region, he'd go try out. The team did win (and lost in the tournament), which hadn't happened in ages, and Morris, without enthusiasm, went to a Devil Rays tryout with no hopes or interest in success; he was just keeping his promise to his team.

And he threw in the high 90s. Yep, that arm was healed. And the Rays had, essentially out of nowhere, found themselves a southpaw thunderbolt.

He made his major league debut at age 35 in late 1999 (while not the oldest rookie ever, that's pretty durn old for a first-timer). Made the Rays roster out of spring training in 2000, but wasn't as effective as hoped, got sent down to the minors, and eventually had minor surgery that ended his season, some of the same problems that had put his career on extended hiatus years earlier. In his last appearance, he faced one batter with the bases loaded, and walked in the winning run. :(

Morris went to spring training 2001 as a non-roster invitee of the Dodgers, but decided to retire after a few weeks.

I met him during his author tour in 2001. He appeared to be a likeable, genuine fellow who got to live the dream for a while, but didn't miss it because his family was more important to him (and who could argue with that?). He wasn't planning a comeback -- and didn't -- but the Dodgers had retained his rights. He's now a motivational speaker and high-school level baseball coach. Simply a delightful story.

Answer 3

i didnt hear of anything, and i just looked it up and didnt see anything