NewsBragan Foundation honors Morris
Former high school coach-turned-pro at 35 to receive awardBy T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
10/28/09 11:01 AM ET
ARLINGTON -- Jim Morris, who made his Major League debut 10 years ago at the age of 35, will be honored at the 2009 Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award Gala on Friday at the new Omni Fort Worth Hotel. Morris pitched two years for the Tampa Bay Rays in 1999-2000 after being out of baseball for 10 years. He was coaching high school baseball in Reagan County and only agreed to try out for the Rays if his team won a district title. Morris, who made his debut against the Rangers, ended up pitching in 21 big league games before having arm troubles. His story was eventually made into a Disney movie starring Dennis Quaid. Oct. 30 will also mark the 92nd birthday of Fort Worth's "Mr. Baseball," Bobby Bragan. Tickets are available for this special evening by calling the BBYF office at 817-870-2300. Tables for 10 are $1,750 each and individual tickets are $200, with all proceeds benefiting the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation. This is the 18th year that the Foundation has given out it's Lifetime Achievement Award. The first winner was Joe DiMaggio in 1992. Rangers broadcaster Tom Grieve was the 2008 winner. Bragan was born 92 years ago in Birmingham, Ala., and spent parts of seven seasons in the Major Leagues with the Phillies and Dodgers as both a shortstop and backup catcher. He also served two years in the Army as a second lieutenant during World War II. A protégé of Branch Rickey, Bragan ended up as a player-manager for the Fort Worth Cats in 1948-52 and also managed in the big leagues with the Pirates, Indians and Braves. He managed Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Warren Spahn and Bob Lemon. Bragan grabbed headlines in 2005 when he managed the Cats for one game, thus becoming the oldest individual to serve as manager in a professional game. Bragan was eight days older than Connie Mack, who managed his last game in 1950. Bragan is the CEO/chairman of the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation, which provides college scholarships to students from public schools across the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Every year, eighth grade students are offered the opportunity to compete for these $2,500 scholarships, which are redeemed once the recipient has graduated from high school and enrolled in college. The foundation has been awarding scholarships to deserving youth from the Texas region since 1992, and to date has promised more than $1 million in scholarships to a total of 437 students.T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
