Josh Hamilton, former Texas Rangers All-Star, carries on his love of baseball with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Nobody seems to remember all the amazing things Hamilton did for the Rangers, both offensively and defensively, yet everyone remembers the negative aspects of his time as a Ranger. Josh Hamilton deserves the same amount of support as everyone else.

The Rangers successfully made it to the World Series in 2010 and 2011 with the help of Josh Hamilton. According to Sports Illustrated Hamilton had a batting average of .329, consisting of 57 home runs and 194 runs brought in (RBIs) for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Without the help of Hamilton, the Texas Rangers wouldn’t have had the same success they did in the 2012-2013 season. The Rangers didn’t make it as far as they planned to, and who was missing? Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton has a difficult past that he lives with everyday. His uplifting story can be found in the biography Beyond Belief, which explains Hamilton’s overcoming of adversities such as drug and alcohol abuse throughout his life. Hamilton has constant memories of his past because of his tattoos. According to his book, Beyond Belief, one of Hamilton’s last tattoos he put on his body was an image of Jesus’s face on a cross, It’s on the same leg as a demon with no eyes, which represents a soulless demon. He knew that a spiritual battle had begun, and it was taking place on his body. People don’t understand how degrading they can be to others, and how little they can make a person feel by constantly bringing up the past experiences. Hamilton has temptations everywhere he goes such as restaurants and even shopping markets because of the alcohol and tobacco available in stores. He must be very disciplined in order to not be tempted to participate in his past doings.

Hamilton’s wife, Katie Hamilton, has been by his side and supports him in his baseball career. Katie Hamilton supports him as the proud father of four children, and by supporting him through thick and thin. No matter what, Hamilton will always have the support of his wife and kids, and he knows that they will always stand by him no matter what the obstacle. The couple has been through a rollercoaster of emotions with Hamilton changing teams and the difficult adversities in the past.

Hamilton has a natural talent when it comes to baseball. He manages to keep moving forward no matter what response he may get from the loud and obnoxious baseball crowds. The few games he played with the Rangers in the 2011 season, he got rambunctious ‘boos’ from his very own so called “fans.” Not only was this belittling to the baseball all-star, it was also heart breaking to see what his “fans” thought of him.

Josh Hamilton admitted to NBC Sports that returning to the Rangers ballpark hurt a bit. When Hamilton made the response that Dallas is a not a baseball town, the town took that to heart. He will be constantly reminded of what he said, but he said what he felt. Even though he has gone through the embarrassment of being booed by an entire stadium, he still manages to keep his ambition alive by playing each game play by play no matter what might be said to or about him.

On May 8, 2012, Josh Hamilton became the sixteenth major league player to hit four home runs in a single game. In the 2012 season, Hamilton hit 43 home runs, more than any other individual on the Rangers team that season. Hamilton has had no problem leaving a legacy as a Rangers All-Star and deserves every bit of appreciation he receives.

Yes, Hamilton left his team of five years and yes, he still goes through a constant battle of being labeled as an addict, but he still manages to play the sport he loves and support and care for his family. As a Ranger, fans only remember the negative aspects of his playing, but as an Angel, he gets booed and name-called everytime he walks into the Rangers ballpark because not only is he labeled as an addict, but because he also holds the label of a trader.