Like Darrell Porter, Hamilton battled alcoholism and drug addiction for much of his career. Like Porter, he was a very good baseball player when he was clean, but when he didn’t corral his demons, he spiraled out of control. Three times while he was with the Rangers and once with the Angels, Hamilton relapsed. The Angels were so discouraged with Hamilton that they traded him back to Texas, where he was always welcomed with support and understanding.
A knee injury ended Hamilton’s career when he was 34. A series of surgeries were unsuccessful. As recently as 2018, Hamilton was still hoping the Rangers would give him a chance to return. The team has tried to include the former MVP in team events, but Hamilton has frequently been a no-show. In 2019, Hamilton was arrested on domestic violence charges against a daughter, and later received probation for a reduced charge. Porter eventually died from an overdose, let’s hope Hamilton doesn’t suffer the same fate.
The Rangers All-Time Team
C: Pudge Rodríguez
1B: Rafael Palmeiro
2B: Ian Kinsler or Julio Franco
SS: Álex Rodríguez
3B: Adrián Beltré
LF: Juan González
CF: Josh Hamilton
RF: Rubén Sierra
DH: Mark Teixeira
SP: Kevin Brown
SP: Kenny Rogers
SP: Charlie Hough
SP: Nolan Ryan
SP: Yu Darvish
RP: John Wetteland
RP: C.J. Wilson
RP: Francisco Cordero
RP: Ron Kline
MGR: Ron Washington
