At the age of 35 and some 11 years after retiring from minor league baseball, Jim challenged his high school players with the following bet: if the team won the District Championship, something they had never done, he would try out for a Major League Baseball team. Inspired, Jim's players fulfilled their part of the bargain and beat the best team in the area to win the District Championship. Jim then went to an open tryout where he threw 12 consecutive pitches at 98 mph to the amazement of scouts in attendance.

Three months later with his family and students in attendance, Jim returned to Texas as a major league player and struck out all-star Royce Clayton with a 98 mph fastball in his first big league game. Five days later, Jim's life story rights were purchased by Disney, and the critically acclaimed film "The Rookie," starring Dennis Quaid as Jim, went into production shortly thereafter. Jim served as a consultant to the film, which has been rated one of the greatest baseball movies ever made. The film won the first annual ESPY Award for Best Sports Film of the Year and earned in excess of $150 million worldwide.