From Addicted to Adored

Josh Hamilton is the ultimate "comeback kid"

Redemption. It’s a word that isn’t heard much these days. With the often sad state of our culture, looming economic and political crises, and the ominous threat of a nuclear holocaust, what’s worth living for anyway?
 
I'll tell you what. Redemption. And stories like that of Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton.
 
By now, you may have heard of Josh Hamilton. Of course, he plays baseball, so then again, maybe you haven’t. If so, then you know his well-documented story. If not, well then, keep on reading.
 
Hamilton was drafted with the first overall pick in the 1999 Amateur Draft by the Tampa Bay (then Devil) Rays. He was a traditional all-American athlete: The kind of kid who would knock out two home runs, praise his opponents for their effort, help direct traffic out of the parking lot, and be at his grandmother’s house for dinner by 7. He was a 5-tool player, the designation that baseball scouts give to someone who can do it all: hit for power, hit for average, run, field, and throw exceptionally well. He signed a contract that included an almost $4 million signing bonus. Josh Hamilton had it all.
 
But not unlike many people in his position, he had nowhere else to go but down the spiral. In this case, his spiral included alcohol and drug addiction.
 
You can read for yourself how bad his life got in his own words, but he now admits that there were times he would go to sleep and pray to not wake up.
 
Redemption came in 2005, when he confronted his own demons, gave his life over to God, and began working at a comeback to the game he loved. He played with Cincinnati last season and hit .292 with 19 home runs in only 90 games. After a December trade to Texas, Hamilton has grabbed the baseball world by the scruff of the neck and staked his claim as one of the best power hitters around.
 
He was named to the All-Star team and will play in his first All-Star game tonight. He leads the major leagues with an astounding 95 RBIs in only 93 games so far this year.  But it was at last night’s Home Run Derby where Josh Hamilton officially became a household name.
 
Participating in Yankee Stadium, affectionately known as the “House that (Babe) Ruth Built,” Hamilton put on his own Ruthian show, smacking a record 28 home runs in the first round.  He had three bombs of more than 500 feet, and, in one night, became an iconic Babe Ruth-like figure to a new generation of youngsters.
 
From addicted to adored, Hamilton has done the unthinkable. In today’s game, as the Steroids Era hangs over baseball like a lingering cloud of doubt and invalidity, it’s refreshing to see someone persevere. Find a new life. Be redeemed. Cheer for Josh Hamilton. He’s proven to be worth the accolades.

Eric Yates, much like the rest of the city, isn’t a native San Diegan. He’s been here for the past eight years and has adopted the Padres and Chargers as his own. Serving as a full-time and freelance sportswriter while in San Diego, he’s covered the beat for both the Padres and Chargers. A sports fanatic, his crowning achievement as a fan was appearing on the ESPN game show Stump the Schwab and coming within one question of toppling the big guy.

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