Josh Hamilton, the Home Run Derby, and Drug Rehab in Your Workplace...

Looking for a feel good human interest story this week?

Consider the case of Josh Hamilton of baseball's Texas Rangers, a former first-round draft choice who burned through millions after succumbing to nasty drug and alcohol habits, only to get clean after three years and re-emerge in the Major Leagues last season.  Call him the comeback kid. 

Hamilton went from skid row to being named to the American League's All-Star team this season for his work with the Rangers.  As a part of the festivities of the 2008 All-Star game, Hamilton participated in the Home Run Derby, and hit a record 28 Home Runs in the first round of the derby before falling in the finals to Justin Morneau.

Still not feel good enough for you?  When you participate in the Home Run Derby, you get to pick who pitches to you.  Hamilton picked his youth coach to pitch to him at Yankee Stadium:

"Years ago, Josh Hamilton made a promise to Clay Council. They never shook hands or signed a contract. It was just the word of one baseball player to another.  Hamilton, an Athens Drive student at the time, told Council, an American Legion volunteer coach who tossed batting practice, that if he ever reached Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby he would take him along to pitch.

Three weeks ago, Council's phone rang in his Cary home. On the other end was Hamilton, the former Athens Drive High School phenom and now major league All-Star for the Texas Rangers.  "That's the first guy I thought about," Hamilton said on Thursday after batting practice before a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Rangers Ballpark.

Hamilton added, "He's done so much for so many kids and probably hasn't got a lot of thank yous for it. This is a big thank you." Hamilton, voted this season to his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game, called Council to remind him of the promises they made to each other years ago.

"Are you as good as your word?" Hamilton asked.  "Yeah, man," Council answered.

And so 71-year-old Clay Council will travel from the Triangle to New York on Sunday to toss pitches to the Raleigh-born Hamilton during Monday night's Major League Baseball Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium."

If you aren't familiar with the comeback trail of Hamilton, read up on the fall from grace that occurred due to drug addiction.  As a part of the story, you'll read that a little faith and a lot of behavior modification has gone into Hamilton remaining drug-free.  He never has more than $10 in his pocket, fearing carrying cash will test his will power to stay clean.

Here's the Talent angle to the story.  If you've been in an HR generalist role for a significant time period, you've dealt with employees who have struggled with drug abuse.  You're also painfully aware that few make it back from serious addiction, with relapse frequently occurring.

I thought about that at the start of the Home Run derby.  28 home runs later, I'm suddenly more open to wondering if someone with a history of addiction can turn it around, do the 180 and stay in the workplace permanently after returning from rehab, etc. 

Great job, Josh.  On the recovery, not the home runs.  Here's hoping you never look back.   

Comments

[Jason Averbook]

Great story. Brought tears. This guy is a true winner even though he didn't win last night. Kids, pay attention!! Turnarounds do happen!

[Will]

That was an amazing story, I'm extermely happy for Josh but my mind keeps wondering, if he was an African American would he have been given a chance after failing 8 drug tests?

Sorry to be a downer...

[Gary Hopkins]

Jason, had he been black, he would have been given as many chances, if not more. Does the name Terrell Owens sound familiar?

Sorry to bring you the truth.

[Alan]

I am thrilled to see this success story of a sports figure who picked himself up from the gutter and is making a true attempt to get his life in order. It not only took perseverance to get off the drugs and alcohol, but it also took a spiritual journey for this man to believe in something much higher than himself. You heard Josh credit Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior and for the time being, you could say that Jesus is a big part of Josh's successful comeback. But things could change overnight, and Josh seems to be very aware of this fact. So many others have fallen back down in this same situation and Josh is in no way through the woods yet. Only time will tell how he does.

Unfortunately, for every one of these feel-good story lines, there are dozens of other sports figures, movie stars and musical performers who are not able to make such a recovery from their past destructive behaviors. We keep hoping they kick their habits, but in reality the odds are very much against them. What is needed to ensure the best chance of success for recovery is a network of caring individuals (i.e., doctors, family, friends, etc.) as well as a spiritual belief system to fill the void that was occupied by the drugs and alcohol. Only then will the individual have the best chance to overcome their past and remain free from falling back down again so they can begin to excel in life.

The most important part of Josh's recovery is his faith that Jesus can do what the drugs and alcohol couldn't - give him freedom to enjoy the thing he loved most to do, which is to play the great game of baseball and hit home runs, both in the sports arena as well as in life.

[Gary Hopkins]

Sorry, my comment should have been directed to Will.

[KD]

Thanks to all who stopped by. I think the wide range of opinions is based on our different experiences with substance abuse, second chances, and heck, society in general.

Me? I'm going Jason's way. Great story, and I'm rooting for him to keep clean for a long time to come. Youth coach pitching to him in the HR Derby at Yankee Stadium? Priceless....

[Nicotine Addiction]

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[kimrennin]

The Cincy Enquirer seems to think he'll probably start in center this afternoon against the Cubs since Ryan F reel is off to a rough start in 2007. That means that Hamilton will get to face off against the one and only Big Z, who will be hoping to redeem his awful Opening Day start against the Reds and Aaron Ha rang, who got the win against the Cubbies in the opener.

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kimrennin

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

[teenage drug rehab]

Drug rehabilitation is an umbrella term for the processes of medical and/or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines. The general intent is to enable the patient to cease substance abuse, in order to avoid the psychological, legal, financial, social, and physical consequences that can be caused, especially by extreme abuse. Thank you for the post.

-mj-

[detox center]

Drug addiction affects anybody. It wouldn't matter if your are rich, poor, average citizen, or celebrity because it doesn't choose its victims. And may Josh Hamilton's story of survival serve as a reality check to those addicts that drugs would just destroy their life.

[california recovery home]

well good for him, rehabilitation is a good thing, addiction may be hard to escape but with a proper rehab treatment, the willingness to change and of course the support from the family would definitely be a big help.

[AmeliaSykes29]

Set your life more easy get the personal loans and everything you want.