Rangers celebrate AL West title, Josh Hamilton talks about talking about Jesus

By beating the A’s yesterday 4-3, the Texas Rangers clinched the AL West title, punching their postseason ticket as they confirmed their spot in the postseason for the first time since 1999. As usual, the celebration involved the customary champagne-dousing, cigar-smoking and beer-swilling.
One member of the Rangers who was noticeably absent from the drunken revelry and whose contributions were tantamount to the team’s reascension to MLB relevancy, not surprisingly, was John Hamilton. With his battles with drug and alcohol addiction, being well-documented and overly-chronicled, Hamilton felt it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to take part in the partying.

Hamilton, while saying that it was most definitely a “proud day in Texas,” made himself scarce after quickly dressing and making an exit while his teammates carried the celebration into the clubhouse, even talking other players out of dousing him with water. Must not have been Holy Water or something.
Hamilton justified his unwillingness to partake – which is understandable in light of his situation – as follows (via an AP Report on NBC Sports):

“What’s exciting to me is we have faith day here in Oakland and I’m going to give my testimony. So it would be kind of hypocritical of me to come in here and douse myself with alcohol and smoke cigars and then go out there and talk about Jesus.”

Fair enough. You may recall that Hamilton expressed his concern earlier this month about how things would play out if and when the Rangers clinched the division, but back it could have been inferred from his comments that he was planning on participating, albeit with some safeguards in place:

“I’m going to have goggles on, duct tape over the mouth and either a wetsuit or raincoat,” he said. “It can’t get on your skin. It’ll soak through your skin.”

It’s too bad that the demons Hamilton has battled during his life prevented him from sharing in the moment with his teammates, but I suppose it was for the best. Although it would have been hilarious to see Hamilton getting doused with booze while wearing a Hazmat suit.
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‘A Proud Day In Texas’ As Rangers Clinch AL West [NBC Sports/AP]
Josh Hamilton Worried About Beer And Champagne Showers When Rangers Clinch [Sportress of Blogitude]