Josh Hamilton

2011-12-10T21:03:23Z

JoshMills:

{{MLBPlayer
|name=Josh Hamilton
|position=Outfield
|image=
|bats=Left
|throws=Left
|height=6'4"
|weight=205 lb.
|school=Athens Drive High School
|draft=1999: 1st Round
|debut=Apr 2 2007
|final=
|birth=May 21 1981
|countryoforigin=USA
|death=
|teams=
*[[Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] (1999-2003)
*[[Cincinnati Reds]] (2007-2008)
*[[Texas Rangers]] (2008-)
}}
{| class="toccolours" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 0.5em 0.5em; text-align:center; border: 1px solid #995;"
| style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#EEE8AA;"|'''Career Stats'''
|-
| style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#dee;"|
'''AVG''' - .308
'''HR''' - 118
'''RBI''' - 425<BR>
'''R''' - 368
'''SB''' - 36
'''H''' - 698
|}
'''Joshua Holt Hamilton''' is a [[Major League Baseball]] [[outfielder]] currently playing for the [[Texas Rangers]].<ref>http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hamiljo03.shtml</ref> He is best known for overcoming a drug addiction to reach the Big Leagues with the [[Cincinnati Reds]] in 2007. He often gives credit to [[God]] for his successful turnaround.<ref>http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/amazing/Josh_Hamilton091907.aspx</ref>

==Early Career==
===Draft===
After recording a .529 batting average and 13 home runs in his senior year at Athens Drive High School, Hamilton was selected by the [[Tampa Bay Rays|Tampa Bay Devil Rays]] with the first pick of the 1999 Amateur draft. The Rays chose him over [[Texas]] high school pitcher [[Josh Beckett]] due to Hamilton's strong character. Hamilton attended [[church]] regularly and would kiss his grandmother before his games. The team felt Hamilton was a player they could build their team around and gave him a then record $4 million signing bonus.

===Drug Use===
Prior to the start of his third professional season, Hamilton was involved in a car accident. He suffered a back injury that caused him to miss most of the 2001 season. While rehabbing in Florida, Hamilton was introduced to drugs by people he met in the area. Hamilton: "When I first got into drinking and using drugs, it was because of where I was hanging out, it was who I was hanging out with. You might not do it at first, but eventually, if you keep hanging around long enough, you're going to start doing what they're doing." After several failed drug tests, Hamilton was suspended by MLB for the full 2004 season. The following year he took a job with a Christian baseball academy known as Winning Innings.<ref>http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/223438/the_story_of_josh_hamilton.html?page=2&cat=14</ref> He used the time to get off of the drugs and attempt to resume his baseball career. Hamilton did enough to convince MLB to allow his return. He got into his first game in four seasons, appearing in fifteen games for the 2006 Hudson Valley Renegades. That December, Hamilton was moved to the [[Cincinnati Reds]].

==Major Leagues==
===Cincinnati Reds===
Despite limited game action since 2002, Hamilton showed no rust, hitting six home runs in his first month with the Reds. He finished the year with 19, good enough for fifth on the team. His comeback earned him national attention. Hamilton, on the reason for his success: "How am I here? I can only shrug and say, 'It's a God thing.' It's the only possible explanation."<ref>http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2926447</ref> With outfielders [[Ken Griffey Jr.]] and [[Adam Dunn]], and top prospect [[Jay Bruce]], the Reds opted to trade Hamilton to the Texas Rangers in exchange for pitcher [[Edinson Volquez]].

===Texas Rangers===
Hamilton built off his strong first season by hitting 21 home runs over the first three months of the 2008 season. For his strong play he was named a starting outfielder for the AL in the 2008 All-Star Game at [[Yankee Stadium]]. He participated in the Home Run Derby along with players such as [[Lance Berkman]] and [[Ryan Braun]]. Although he didn't win, he was able to hit 28 home runs in the first round, which set a single-round record.<ref>http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/allstar08/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3487832</ref> He finished the 2008 season with a .304 batting average and 32 home runs, earning him a silver Slugger Award and a top seven finish in the AL [[Most Valuable Player]] voting.

==Trivia==
*His at-bat song is "Saved the Day" by [[Phillips, Craig, and Dean]].<ref>ESPN the Magazine special on at-bat songs</ref>

==References==
<small><references/></small>

==External Links==
*[http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4652 ESPN Bio]

*[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/albert_chen/05/27/hamilton0602/ Sports Illustrated Article]

[[Category:Baseball Players]]
[[Category:Christians]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Joshua Holt}}

Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars

2011-12-10T20:30:26Z

JoshMills:

Most sports stars are probably [[conservative]]. Athletes at all levels of competition frequently praise God for giving them the strength to succeed at their sports. Here are some of the greatest:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Athlete
!Sport
![[Conservatism]]
|-
|[[Tim Tebow]]
|football<ref>The first college sophomore to win the [[Heisman Trophy]], and the only quarterback to lead his team to two [[BCS]] college championships.</ref>
|[[pro-life]], outspoken Christian
|-
|Janet Lynn
|figure skating<ref name="Lynn">"Considered One of the Greatest Freeskaters of All Time." [http://figureskating.about.com/od/famousfemaleiceskater1/p/janetlynn.htm]</ref>
|"Before every performance she would close her eyes and give thanks and praise to God. She believed that God had given her the gift of skating and in each performance she worked to glorify God."<ref name="Lynn"/> Lynn, once the highest-paid female athlete, also has written in support of conservative values.
|-
|[[Ted Williams]]
|baseball
|campaigned for Republicans, served as a fighter pilot, and also criticized the media (which was unfair to him, even denying him the MVP when he hit over .400)
|-
|[[Kurt Warner]]
|football
|pro-lifer who led two ''different'' underachieving teams to the [[Super Bowl]]
|-
|Zach Johnson
|golf
|won the [[Masters]] on [[Easter Sunday]] against the heavily favored Tiger Woods,<ref>http://www.fcagolf.org/masters-peace</ref> when he was at the peak of his career, and then gave credit to [[Jesus Christ]]
|-
|Trevor Bayne
|auto racing
|Gave credit to God for being the youngest Daytona 500 winner
|-
|Pete Sampras
|tennis<ref>Winner of 14 Grand Slam singles titles.</ref>
|
|-
|[[Jim Bunning]]
|baseball
|Republican Senator (KY)
|-
|[[Jon Runyan]]
|football
|Republican Congressman (NJ)
|-
|Steve Largent
|football
|
|-
|[[Jack Kemp]]
|football
|
|-
|Drew Brees
|football
|Led his team to victory in the Super Bowl. Professed his belief in Jesus Christ. <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t0buCfbFuHw STV Interview with Drew Brees]</ref>
|-
|Chris Dudley
|basketball
|Republican nominee for Oregon governor
|-
|Curt Schilling
|baseball
|
|-
|[[Jim Ryun]]
|track
|Republican Congressman (KS)
|-
|[[J.C. Watts]]
|football
|Republican Congressman (OK)
|-
|[[John Elway]]
|football
|supporter of Republican candidates
|-
|Lynn Swann
|football
|Republican candidate for governor (PA)
|-
|Jeff Suppan
|baseball
|did a pro-life ad while winning the World Series in 2006
|-
|[[Sandy Koufax]]
|baseball
|Refused to pitch in a World Series game because it fell on Yom Kippur
|-
|Billy Sunday
|baseball
|Left professional baseball and became a famous evangelist
|-
|Dan Hampton
|football
|helped lead the Chicago Bears to their 1985 Super Bowl title, but declined an invitation to an Obama White House publicity stunt
|-
|Paul Azinger
|golf
|PGA champion who criticized Obama
|-
|Jack Lynch
|hurling
|One of the greatest ever dual players. As Taoiseach, reduced taxes and thereby increased employment in Ireland.
|-
|Lewis Hamilton
|auto racing
|outspoken Christian, describing his 2008 world championship win as "a blessing"
|-
|Doug Flutie
|football
|endorsed [[Scott Brown]]
|-
|Michael Jones
|rugby
|His Christian beliefs caused him to abstain from playing or training on Sundays. Recently endorsed the conservative New Zealand National Party
|-
|Ewan Murray
|rugby
|Observes the Sabbath and does not play for his club (Newcastle) or country (Scotland) on Sundays.
|-
|Eric Liddell
|track
|Honoured in both Scotland and China as one of their great-ever athletes, Liddell refused to run in the 1924 Olympic 100m on a Sunday. Instead, he competed in the 400m and though it was not his best event he won the gold medal. Returned to China as a missionary and was devoted to helping the sick and poor.
|-
|Gavin Peacock
|soccer
|Attacking midfielder for Newcastle, Chelsea and QPR then a respected footballer commentator. From 2006, combined commentating with attending a seminary. Now training full-time for the ministry.
|-
|Diego Maradona
|soccer
|Credited a critical goal in the 1986 World Cup to the "hand of God"
|-
|Moe Berg
|baseball
|Spied for the United States during a baseball tour of [[Japan]] before [[World War II]]
|-
|[[Gerald Ford]]
|football
|38th [[President of the United States]], Republican
|-
|Jason Robinson
|rugby
|Becoming a born-again Christian enabled him to reform his messed-up personal life
|-
|Josh Hamilton
|baseball
|Used to be a drug addict, then became a born-again Christian and plays major baseball now
|}

== References ==

<references/>

== See also ==

*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Movies]]
*[[Essay:Greatest Conservative Television Shows]]
[[Category:Essays]]
[[Category:Sports]]

Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Josh Hamilton

Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars