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Rangers All-Star Josh Hamilton's legendary season grows with spectacular showing in Home Run Derby
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Rangers All-Star Josh Hamilton
Sometimes it's hard to live up to your own reputation, especially when you're the best story in the middle of the Major League season.
But Texas Rangers All-Star Josh Hamilton continued to add to his unscriptable season with one of the most impressive showings in the 23-year history of the Home Run Derby.
Hamilton broke the record for homers in the first round with 28 bombs, many of them in the upper deck. Though he didn't win, getting bested by Justin Morneau in the final round 5-3, Hamilton's first round was enough to cement him as one of the best Derby competitors ever.
After the round, Hamilton was surrounded by the entire All-Star cast and got a standing ovation. His smile did more to brighten Yankee Stadium than the lights ever will. As a longtime fan of the Home Run Derby, I can safely say that was the most special one of these I've ever witnessed.
Hamilton, an American League foe, even got a crowd full of Yankee fans behind him and chanting his name. It wasn't Rocky in Russia, but that fact puts into perspective how incredible Hamilton's performance was.
"With the crowd giving me love like that, it was worth it right there," Hamilton told ESPN's Erin Andrews after the final round.
At one point during his record-breaking first round, Hamilton hit more consecutive home runs than any other hitter. Heck, Hamilton's 71-year-old pitching coach needed a Gatorade when the slugger still had two outs to work with.
"[My arm] is wore out," he said. "We got to go again?"
Hamilton seemed to realize how special his performance was, too.
"It's amazing in the past few years what God's done with my life and how quickly he's done it," Hamilton said. "I got chills, thank you God so much."
Hamilton came into the Home Run Derby as the one person who, if he won, nobody would complain. His trek from first-round draft pick to crack addict to triple-crown threat has been well documented, and he came into this event as THE feel-good story of the season.
It would've been easy for Hamilton to go one-and-done and take a break from the seemingly instant stardom he's attained in 2008. It's not like he would've lost any luster with a dull showing in the Derby.
But Hamilton's in the middle of a dream season.
In fact, the Derby was a dream of his long before he unloaded 28 into Yankee Stadium's seats. Hamilton dreamt of being in the event, in New York, long before he knew either was a possibility.
And by putting on the show he did at this year's Derby and giving the ESPN crew enough time to talk about his story at length, Hamilton showed everybody what we in the Lone Star State have known since the beginning of the season.
"He's incredible, the kind of person he is, not just the kind of player he is." fellow Rangers All-Star Michael Young said during that epic first round. "We love him."
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