Anyone who passed on Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby missed quite a show last night.Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton set a derby record by launching 28 homers in the first round. And they were some moon shots ... huge, towering, 500 foot drives.
For those of you who don't know ... Hamilton's story will be made into a movie someday.
He was the top pick in the draft, but eventually blew all his money on drugs, missing almost two full seasons due to a heroin addiction.
Now, he's back, fighting his demons, and an MVP candidate. A remarkable turnaround.
However, the Hamilton story brought up a pet peeve of mine. The overuse of the word "hero."
I consider "heroes" to be people who put their lives on the line every day ... soldiers, police officers, firemen ...
So, no, I don't consider Hamilton to be a hero.
I do think he's an inspiration, though. If hitting long ball after long ball last night convinces one person battling their addictions to get their life back together, then he's accomplished much more off the field than he has on the diamond.
I just hope that when his movie script is eventually written ... it has a happy ending.
Oh, and if you want to read more on Hamilton, by writers much better than I, check out these stories today:
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