Class Act

Josh Hamilton's ginger ale shower

ESPN — Josh Hamilton’s teammates weren’t going to celebrate without him this time.As soon as the Texas Rangers hugged on the field and headed for the tunnel following a 5-1 ALDS Game 5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, the clubhouse attendants told Hamilton to get his goggles on.

“I was getting a little worried,” Hamilton said. “I didn’t know what was going on.”

 

Hamilton, who has battled drug and alcohol addiction, said it’s best for him not to be around champagne. So he walked into the clubhouse to find his teammates waiting on him and holding bottles of Canada Dry ginger ale.

There is nothing more I love in sports than when a team rallies around a person or teammate in an act of sportsmanship. This couldn’t have been on better display than the other night when the Texas Rangers won game five of the ALDS, advancing to the Championship Series, and winning their first playoff series in franchise history.

Potential MVP candidate Josh Hamilton had to sit out of the celebration when the team won the division, clinching a spot in the playoffs. Hamilton, who has suffered from drug and alcohol addiction chose to stay away from the celebration after clinching the playoff spot, in order to not tempt himself.

After last nights win, the Rangers as a team, brought Hamilton into the locker room and gave him the traditional series clinching Champagne shower. The only difference, was this shower involved ginger ale, so Hamilton would be able to join in the celebration.

As much as I hate the idea of all these teams celebrating after what seems like every win, it is still good to see the closeness of a team, making sure one of their teammates who has had substance abuse problems in the past, was able to participate.