Josh Hamilton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Josh Hamilton |
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Hamilton with the Texas Rangers in 2012
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 21, 1981 Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 2, 2007, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 2015, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .290 | ||
| Home runs | 200 | ||
| Runs batted in | 701 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
Joshua Holt Hamilton (born May 21, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2007 to 2015. He is best known for his time with the Texas Rangers. With the Rangers, he helped the team win the American League pennant in 2010 and 2011.
Hamilton was a five-time All-Star. He won three Silver Slugger Awards and was named the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2010. He also won an AL batting championship and an AL RBI title. During his career, he also played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays chose Hamilton as the very first pick in the 1999 MLB draft. He was seen as a top young talent. However, injuries from a car accident in 2001 affected his early career. He made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2007. Before the 2008 season, he joined the Texas Rangers. He had a great season in 2008 and helped the team reach the World Series in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, Hamilton received more fan votes than any other player in All-Star Game history. On May 8, 2012, he became one of only 16 players in MLB history to hit four home runs in a single game. He was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2019.
Hamilton signed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2012. His time there was affected by injuries. The Angels traded him back to the Rangers in 2015. He played one more season before injuries ended his career.
Contents
- Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
- Professional Career Highlights
- Personal Life
- See also
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Hamilton was born and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. He played little league baseball with future MLB player Landon Powell. Hamilton went to Athens Drive High School in Raleigh. He was a star player there, both as a pitcher and an outfielder.
As a high school senior, Hamilton was very fast, running the 60-yard dash in 6.7 seconds. He could also throw a baseball very fast, at 97 miles per hour. He hit .529 in 25 games, with 13 home runs and 35 runs batted in (RBIs). He was considered one of the top two young players for the 1999 MLB draft. Hamilton first planned to play college baseball for North Carolina State.
Professional Career Highlights
Drafted by Tampa Bay
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays had the first pick in the 1999 MLB draft. They chose Hamilton as their top choice. Hamilton signed with Tampa Bay and received a $3.96 million bonus. He then joined their minor league system.
He started his minor league career with the Princeton Devil Rays. Later, he played for the Hudson Valley Renegades. He helped them win their first championship. In 2000, Hamilton played for the Charleston RiverDogs. He had a great season, hitting .301 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs. He was chosen for the South Atlantic League All-Star game and was named MVP. He was also named Minor League Player of the Year by USA Today.
Overcoming Challenges
Before the 2001 season, Hamilton was in a car accident. He played only 45 games that year. In 2002, he played well but his season ended early due to toe and neck injuries.
Hamilton faced challenges in the following years. He was out of baseball for almost three years. He worked hard to return to the game. He met a businessman named Michael Chadwick, who helped him. Hamilton also worked at a baseball academy, cleaning and raking the field. He slept on an air mattress there. These experiences helped him get back on track.
In 2006, Hamilton was allowed to play in minor league games again. He played 15 games with the Hudson Valley Renegades.
Joining the Cincinnati Reds
The Chicago Cubs chose Hamilton in the 2006 Rule 5 draft. They then traded him to the Cincinnati Reds. Experts called Hamilton "the biggest name in the Rule 5 in many years."
Hamilton played very well in spring training for the Reds in 2007. He made his Major League debut on April 2, 2007, at age 26. He received a long standing ovation from the crowd. He hit his first Major League hit, a home run, on April 10. He was named the National League Rookie of the Month for April.
Hamilton played most of the season in center field. On December 21, 2007, the Reds traded Hamilton to the Texas Rangers.
Starring with the Texas Rangers (2008–2012)
2008: A Breakout Season
In 2008, Hamilton became the starting center fielder for the Rangers. He led all major league players in RBIs in April. He was named AL Player of the Month for both April and May. This made him the first AL player to win the award for the first two months of a season. Hamilton was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Fans voted Hamilton as a starting outfielder for the AL in the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He also took part in the 2008 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. In the first round, he hit 28 home runs, breaking a record. He hit 35 home runs in total, but lost in the final round. One of his home runs went 518 feet!
2009: Dealing with Injuries
Hamilton led all players in RBIs during spring training in 2009. He made an amazing catch in a game against the Angels, robbing a home run.
He spent part of 2009 on the disabled list with injuries. Even though he was injured, fans voted him to play in the 2009 All-Star game. Hamilton finished the season batting .268 with 10 home runs.
2010: AL MVP Season
In 2010, Hamilton moved to left field. He was again chosen to start in the 2010 All-Star Game. He entered the All-Star Break with a .346 batting average.
Hamilton's skills and popularity earned him nicknames like "The Hammer" and "The Natural." He led the league with a .359 batting average in 2010, winning his first batting title. He also led in slugging percentage (.633) and OPS (1.044). His great performance made him a top choice for the AL MVP Award. Hamilton won the AL Players Choice Award for Outstanding Player.
On October 22, Hamilton and the Rangers won the 2010 ALCS. This was the first time in Rangers' history they reached the World Series. Hamilton won the ALCS MVP Award. On November 23, 2010, Hamilton was voted the AL MVP.
2011: Overcoming Challenges
Hamilton signed a two-year contract for $24 million in 2011. In April, he broke his right arm during a play at home plate. He returned to play in May and was an All-Star again.
On July 7, a fan died after falling while trying to catch a foul ball tossed by Hamilton. Hamilton was very sad when he heard the news. Later, the fan's son threw out the first pitch to Hamilton at a game. Hamilton shared hugs with the family.
In 2011, Hamilton batted .298 with 25 home runs.
2012: Record-Breaking Year
Hamilton had an amazing April in 2012, hitting .395 with nine home runs. He was named the AL Player of the Month. Many thought he might win the Triple Crown.
On May 8, 2012, Hamilton made history in a game against the Baltimore Orioles. He had five hits in five tries, including four two-run home runs and a double. He became only the 16th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in one game. He also set an American League record with 18 total bases in that game.
Hamilton was chosen for his fifth All-Star Game. He received the most fan votes of any player in All-Star Game history at that time, with over 11 million votes.
Time with the Los Angeles Angels (2013–2014)
On December 13, 2012, Hamilton signed a five-year contract worth $125 million with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
2013 Season
In his first year with the Angels, Hamilton played in 151 games. He batted .250 with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs.
2014 Season
In 2014, Hamilton batted .263 with 10 home runs. In the ALDS playoffs, he did not get any hits in 13 tries.
Return to the Texas Rangers (2015)
2015 Season
In February 2015, Hamilton had shoulder surgery. After recovering, he was called back up to the MLB team on May 24. On May 28, he returned to Texas in a Rangers uniform for the first time since 2012. He received a standing ovation and hit a double on his first pitch. On May 29, he hit two home runs in one game.
For the 2015 season, Hamilton hit .253 with eight home runs in 50 games. In the ALDS playoffs, he ended a long streak without a hit.
2016 and 2017 Seasons
In May 2016, it was announced that Hamilton would miss the entire 2016 season due to knee surgery. The Rangers later released him. He did not play in 2017. The Rangers tried to re-sign him, but he had more knee problems and was released again.
Career Statistics and Recognition
In 1,027 games over nine seasons, Hamilton had a .290 batting average. He hit 200 home runs and had 701 RBIs. He was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2019.
Personal Life
Family
Hamilton was married to Katie Chadwick. They started dating in 2002 and married in 2004. They had three daughters together, along with Katie's daughter from a previous relationship.
See also
In Spanish: Josh Hamilton para niños
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award
- List of Major League Baseball single-game records
