Josh Hamilton (baseball player) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Joshua Holt Hamilton also known as "Ham Bone" (born
May 21,
1981 in
Raleigh,
North Carolina) is a baseball player for the
Cincinnati Reds. Hamilton, a left-handed outfielder, was selected by the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays as the top overall pick in the 1999
MLB draft. While playing in the minor leagues, his career was derailed by drug problems for several seasons. He was reinstated by
Major League Baseball in 2006 and made the
Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day roster in 2007
Hamilton attended Athens Drive High School (Jaguars) before he was drafted. Considered by scouts as a future superstar, Hamilton was suspended for violating MLB's substance abuse policy on
July 15,
2002. According to the rules of MLB's substance abuse policy, a player suspended for 25 or more days has failed at least two drug tests after being entered into the program, and has been using substances considered more severe than
marijuana (such as
cocaine,
heroin or
LSD). Under the rules of the drug program, players cannot be suspended for use or possession of marijuana.
Since the initial suspension, Hamilton repeatedly failed to complete drug rehabilitation programs. His suspension, officially dubbed "indefinite," was overturned on
June 1,
2006
Hamilton is 6 foot 4, and has extremely large feet---size 12