At this point, I think I’m the only one who hasn’t written about the probable 2009 ESPY Award winner Josh Hamilton.  What the hell, if you can’t beat them, join them right?  For starters, let’s break Monday night down shall we? 

He lived out a dream of being in the Home Run Derby; the fans at Yankee stadium were chanting his name; an old friend pitched to him just like he used to back home; he hit a record 28 dingers in the first round; three of those HRs traveled over 500 feet; and to top it off, fans at what is normally hostile territory for a Texas Ranger gave him a standing ovation.  The only thing that would’ve topped it off would have been to win the Home Run Derby right? Maybe not. 

I am sure that Hamilton was somewhat disappointed that he did not win, but you know what? I bet that if you asked him what his most important accomplishment was Monday night he would say that it was staying clean one more day. 

If you didn’t know, Josh Hamilton is a drug addict. He’s not an “ex” or “former” drug addict either.  He is, today and everyday to follow, a drug addict.  The best he can hope for is that in a few years, he will feel comfortable enough with his stability that he can he can refer to himself as a “recovering” addict. 

On Monday night, in what is probably a first for Major League Baseball, an openly admitted addict did everything but win the Home Run Derby and it was without a doubt, a fantastic spectacle in my opinion and many others’ too.  “Gave them an extraordinary show” from Sports Illustrated and “Hamilton sets record” out of Reuters are just two of the many headlines read Tuesday morning read by millions. 

Let’s keep it in perspective though folks; Hamilton’s story is indeed inspiring, but in no way is it unique. In baseball terms yes but, in stories about recovering addicts making comebacks, no.  I point this out not to be slanderous or mean spirited rather I want to be realistic.   

Every day of the week there are addicts doing things for the first time in a long time that they and their respective families thought would never happen again.  Holding down jobs, being a father or mother to their children again, or most importantly, not doing drugs to name a few. 

In every article you read there will be one, maybe two paragraphs about his past and the addiction.  I just wish that there would be more written about the struggle he deals with every minute of every day.  The fact that he did what he did at Yankee Stadium was huge, anyone who is a fan of baseball was impressed. But the fact that he was there at all was that much more impressive. Hell, the fact that he is alive is a feat.   

There is no way you can describe what the desire to use feels like to someone who has never used. I would venture to say that while we were enjoying Josh’s HR display on Monday night, during the actual event, he probably thought about his drug of choice at least one time. Maybe he didn’t, but it would not surprise me in the least that on this night of nights, that demon of a drug didn’t poke its ugly head out and remind him he is an addict while it was happening. 

So when ESPN does it’s inevitable Sportscenter or Outside the Lines “9 Minute Mini-Doc” about Josh’s comeback with Chris Connolly or Tom Rinaldi narrating over soothing background music, try to look at little deeper than they will.  Again, it will be good that they are paying tribute, but they will surely miss the big picture. 

My point in this article is not to take away or ignore Josh Hamilton’s achievement; I am not trying to be a party-pooper. It was an inspiring accomplishment on the field of baseball.  What I want to make sure gets conveyed in all of the hoopla though is that this is one example of an addict who has made it back.  That is an inspiring accomplishment on the field of life.

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