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Recovering drug addict and current Texas Rangers outfielder, Josh Hamilton, announced on Friday that he suffered a relapse and consumed a couple of drinks earlier this week at a bar in the Dallas area. He called it a ‘weak moment’ that he will employ specific steps to make sure that this mistake does not happen ever again.
Hamilton was suspended for a little over three years from baseball for various drug and alcohol problems while playing within the Tampa Bay organization. Hamilton missed the entire season in 2004 and 2005 but played on the Texas Rangers last two American League Championship teams and was named the American League MVP in 2010.
Hamilton did announce that he has not taken any drugs and also said that he has been tested twice this week, which is part of his normal routine now. He also announced that he is expecting to meet in New York with doctors from Major League Baseball. In the past three years, this is the second known alcohol relapse for Hamilton. Back in January of 2009, he drank alcohol in excess at a bar located in Tempe, Arizona. Prior to that incident, Hamilton said he had not had even a sip of alcohol since October 6, 2005.
Katie Hamilton, Josh’s wife, tweeted:
“Truly appreciate all the encouraging & supportive tweets we’ve been getting. God is Faithful and forgives- so thankful that you all are.”
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Josh Hamilton said that his life “in general is based on making the right choices, everything as far as my recovery, as far as my baseball goes, it’s all based around my relationship with the Lord.”
“You all know how hard I work on the field, I give it everything I have,” said Hamilton. “When I don’t do that off the field, I leave myself open for a weak moment. I had a weak moment on Monday night.”
Hamilton then went into a little more detail:
“I ended up ordering a drink … probably had three or four drinks, ended up calling (teammate) Ian Kinsler, to just kind to come out hang out with me. Ian did not know I had been drinking.”
Hamilton was acquired by the Rangers in December of 2007 by the Cincinnati Reds, knowing about Hamilton’s previous problems and told Hamilton that they had a zero-tolerance policy regarding his alcohol problems. Three times per week Hamilton is tested for drug use and previously had an accountability partner supporting him during his recovery.
Hamilton’s wife, who gave birth to the couple’s third child over the summer, said that the year was an up and down one for the family:
“It’s been good for me to see all the guys and how they react and how they respond to things I have gone through — injuries, tragedy at the ballpark,” he said in October. “But those things, you learn from them, you learn how to deal with them, how to cope with them, and you move forward.”
