Those Rangers are some stand up guys!

Over the weekend there was an article published in my local newspaper about the Texas Rangers outfielder (and American League Championship Series MVP),  Josh Hamilton. I couldn't find the article that I read on Sunday on my newspapers on-line version but I found another article that is similar. It doesn't tug at the heart strings as much as the print article I read did however, it gives most of the details.

You see... Josh struggled with an addiction to drugs and alcohol for years, which kept him from playing in Major League Baseball.  The night that the Rangers clinched their series against the Tampa Bay Rays his team mates headed back to the locker room to celebrate.

I know from watching the Indians in their hay-day that the locker room celebration is the moments the player live for. The cool new championship t-shirts and hats, reports coming in for interviews and you can't forget about the alcohol. To have the chance to celebrate and crack some champagne with the people who helped you get to the top is surreal in itself. I'm sure that the walk back to the locker room seemed like miles for Josh. His head was probably spinning with emotions... hesitant and unsure of what would happen being surrounded by alcohol as well as overcome with excitement from the victory. So... they entered the locked room and his teammates picked up bottles and starting shaking 'em up! But, much to his surprise his teammates were not shaking bottles of bubbly... they were shaking 2 liters of ginger ale to spray and celebrate together.

This story really struck something in me. I don't know if it's because of all of the negative press and self-centered actions (ahhhemmm LEBRON!)  that you hear about in professional sports or the simple fact that it is nice to hear of people who genuinely care about and support the people around them. Maybe we all should take a second and think, "If I was in that situation... what bottle I would shake?"