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Q. Are you still involved in baseball?

I spend some time with the ANGEL organization in the Spring Training, but other than that I am coaching my daughters teams and loving it! I’m just trying to figure out that windmill motion.

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Q. What are you doing these days?

I am doing some speaking these days to a wide variety of audiences. I am honored that so many are still interested in hearing my story. My goal is to encourage people to see the possibilities that life holds. So many great things can happen in life, if we can find our own way of doing things, and believe in ourselves, no matter what challenges surround you.

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Q. How and why did you become a motivational speaker?

Lilly Walters convinced me that my story could serve to inspire people. It has been extremely rewarding to venture out into the real world and see that your baseball experiences can have some resonance with hard working people in many different fields.

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Q. Lilly (Jim's lecture agent) said that a large segment of the American population has no or limited use of one hand. How can you be an inspiration for children like these around the world?

I just try to open people’s eyes to the possibilities in this world. I try to mention the same people I have meet whose courage and determination show a focus on what they have and not on what they don't have.

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Q. When did you become a motivational speaker?

Answer from Lilly: Because of his celebrity, he has been speaking publicly since high school. He began to be paid speaking fees in 2000

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Q. What are some of the topics you speak about?

I try to get people to believe that although life isn't always easy or fair, good things can happen. Baseball can be a great teacher!

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Q.What is the most important message of your speeches?....

I believe there is great potential within all of us to rise up to the challenges we face. My talks center around the idea that adversity can be used in a positive way.

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Q. How many speaking engagements do you attend a year?

I give about 20 keynotes a year.

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Q. What kind of groups do you normally speak to?

Associations and corporations, such as Sony Music, Lucent Technology, Wells Fargo, Toshiba, United Way the March of Dimes, any many others.

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Q. What do you enjoy most about public speaking?

The opportunity to meet people, and see that no matter what our goals are, we face many of the same challenges and obstacles. Using examples from my playing days seems to cross boundaries that I never imagined. I don't enjoy the nervousness!

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Q. Any other stories you'd like to add about your life as a motivational speaker - what's been rewarding about it, etc.

It has been both challenging and extremely rewarding to speak to all sorts of groups all over the U.S. When you get the positive feedback from groups as a whole and individuals come up and ay thanks it is incredibly satisfying. Almost worth the nervousness.

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Q. Describe your role with charities.

I am involved with many charities. Any charity that I have had a role in has had the purpose of providing opportunities to kids, who might not get one other wise.