The Rookie

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Posted By: jeff

Hello all,

This is slightly off the topic of the board, but I just went to see the new movie "The Rookie," and thought I'd pass along a few comments. Most of you probably know that it's based on a true story -- guy named Jimmy Wilson who had some arm trouble when he was young so ended up coaching baseball and teaching science at a high school in Texas, but then figured out that he could throw faster than ever, and through a deal with his high schoolers, ended up trying out for the Devil Rays in his late 30s, and eventually making it to the big club.

Largely because it is a true story, it's a great baseball movie -- the type of movie, a la Field of Dreams (though certainly not as good as that) that reminds you how great a game it is. It's also nice that you know the outcome going in. Every sports movie with kids has that heartbreaking final game that the movie milks for all the emotion it is worth. This one breaks the pattern (barely) because it's about the coach, not the ragtag group of youngsters.

Sidenote to make this more relevant to the board: at one point in the movie, we get a close-up of the wall in Wilson's kid's bedroom. There are some baseball cards tacked on to the wall, but they are in oversized sleeves, and only the sleeve is tacked. I identified some Classic game cards, and -- !! -- a 1953 Topps Archive Ron Kline.

I'm usually skeptical of the Disney movies that promise to be this inspiring/heartwarming, but this one is worthy of all the baseball fans out there.

Jeff