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'''Joshua Holt Hamilton''' is a [[baseballMajor 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]].