My Own First Blog

So, just who is Josh Hamilton? Three years ago, the answer would've been that of a former #1 draft pick by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays who couldn't control his own demons, forced from the game due to an addiction to crack cocaine. Now though, he is an inspiration to all those who know his story and is very quickly becoming one of the best players in baseball, finally living up to his nickname, “The Natural”.

Earlier this year he was traded from the Reds to the Rangers for pitcher Edison Volquez, a trade that has turned out extremely well for both players and both teams. Hamilton is hitting .326 and has 14 home runs to go with 61 RBI's, nearly leading in all three triple crown categories, trailing only Matsui in the average department by a mere .011 points. But as impressive as those stats are, the reason they mean so much more is that three years ago Hamilton was out of the league wandering the streets, unaware of where he was or what was going on in his life. He was living the life of a junkie, wandering the streets.

A man with so many gifts tossing it away for drugs seems like such a foolish choice, but the spotlight burns bright for many young stars and the pressure for some is just to much to handle. Josh Hamilton fell into a deadly lifestyle in his tattoo parlor of choice, where he has gotten over 25 tattoos. For most, once you fall into the life and lose as much as Hamilton did, all hope is lost. He admits to having been in rehab 6 times and attempting suicide 3 times, just an example of how hard this young man fell.

But through the ashes, Josh Hamilton managed to confront his demons, and as of October 6^th, 2006, he has been drug free. After a run in an independent league and pushing from the Devil Rays, the MLB officially re-instated him two years ago today, on June 1^st. Ever since then, Josh Hamilton has praised Jesus Christ for the strength to get through his struggles in life and to come out on top alive, something that no matter if you like sports or not, you can appreciate.

Ever since he has been allowed back in the game, Hamilton has been a class act and a top of the line player. But more importantly, he has passed every drug test given to him and continues to stay drug free, not re-lapsing like most do. Sports are always full of great stories; this is the reason that they are so popular and have our undying love. Josh Hamilton's story is nothing short of extraordinary and is something to be spread, heard, read, and consumed by every young person; to show that even if you do fall, you can pick yourself back up. Three years ago, Josh Hamilton was on the streets with no future. Now, he's on top of the world.