It was the 2011 World Series, Texas Rangers vs. St. Louis Cardinals. Former MLB star Josh Hamilton has claimed that the Holy Spirit told him he was going to hit a home run at the precise moment. “That was the message I got at home because I hadn’t hit one in a while, and I thought, ‘Okay.’ First pitch, wham!”, Hamilton said during an appearance on Fox News’ “Will Cain Country”.
The home run gave the Rangers a 9-7 victory in the 10th inning of Game 6. At that point, they were up 3-2 in the series. However, the Rangers could not close out the game and lost the World Series in seven games. Hamilton has not always been a believer and faithful to the religion he professes. The 2010 American League Most Valuable Player recalled being in an inconvenient state when his grandmother gave him a message that the Lord allowed him to hear.
The signs Josh Hamilton received around the World Series
Among Josh Hamilton’s memories, he has a vivid image of his grandmother and the words of his parents when they told him that as long as he set his mind to it, he could achieve great things. “I remember them saying -We believe in you-, and I was very excited when I was standing at home plate, with the bat in my hands and hearing those words again. I feel like the Lord cleared my mind and allowed me to hear him. And to see your tears,” Hamilton said.
“And it was then that, well, I went to the back room, closed the door, took the Bible out of the closet and threw it on the bed. I read the first verse of James 4:7: Humble yourself before God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. And that’s when I gave my life to the Lord. But I started doing what I was supposed to do. I started praying, reading the Word, fellowshipping with people who were more experienced in their relationship with the Lord. And that’s when things started to change.” In 2019 he was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame.
Josh Hamilton and his struggles to overcome drugs and other addictions
Hamilton, a highly regarded Tampa Bay Rays prospect, dealt with substance abuse issues. In 2003, he walked away from the team for personal reasons. In 2004, he was suspended for violating the drug policy and did not play in 2005 as he attempted to recover and was placed on the Rays’ restricted list. He returned to MLB with the Cincinnati Reds in 2006 and was traded to the Rangers the following season and became a major player until winning the American League MVP in 2010.
Hamilton did not play in MLB after 2015 and shortly thereafter his name hit the headlines for off-field issues. In 2019, Hamilton was charged with injury to a minor after being accused of physically assaulting his eldest daughter. Hamilton pleaded guilty to unlawful deprivation of liberty, a misdemeanor. However, he said he had evidence of his innocence, but did not want his children to testify and his family to sit in front of a jury. A conflicted ending for a player who had a moment of lucidity in a 15-year career.
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