I don't know if any of you know who Josh Hamilton, but he's a athlete you should familiarize yourselves with. Mr. Hamilton is the left fielder for the Texas Rangers. He's 6'4", 240 lbs., and left-handed. Josh is a four-time All-Star, the 2010 AL MVP, and a genuinely nice guy.
He's also (and this is were the story begins) a recovering alcoholic. He'll tell you that without shame.
His tale is a sad one. He began his baseball career in 2001 as a top prospect and a drug/alcohol addict. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays tried to help him, but he successfully drank and used his way out of the MLB by 2004. After being confronted by his grandmother, he entered rehab in 2005.
In 2007, a clean Josh Hamilton returned to baseball as a Cincinnati Red. The next season, the Reds traded him to Texas were his career as taken off and he's one of the most complete players today. But alcoholism is a progressive recovery and one is never wholly cured. Thursday, Hamilton held a press conference and admitted to a recent relapse.
Why did he do this? He could have kept that too himself. I think its because he knows he is a role model to anyone suffering for a addiction. I applaud his candor and strength. It is admirable of him to open up and let others see his weakness. He is brave enough to be the face of addiction.
I openly cheer for Josh Hamilton. The baseball player and the human being.
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