Quick, who won the 2008 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby?
If your answer is Justin Morneau, congrats. However, while Morneau took home the hardware, the night is most remembered for the epic performance put on by then-Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, who hit a record 28 first-round homers.
Hamilton, in his first year with the Angels, is known for his power, speed and dynamic catches in the outfield, but here’s more about him.
Gotta have the protein
While most of us indulge in the guilty pleasures of our favorite ice cream or candy bar in the middle of the night, Hamilton keeps it nutritious.
“I do a protein shake before I go to bed,” Hamilton said. “It’s 800 calories. I crush food and I fill in the cracks with that.”
Chocolate is his flavor of choice. Sometimes he’ll dive into a bag of gluten-free chocolate pretzels.
“They’re really good,” he said. “They’re awesome.”
It’s not the gum
Josh’s nickname growing up was “Juicy Fruit,” given by his mother. Perhaps it was after the gum, perhaps not. Who knows? To this day Josh doesn’t know why.
“Who knows why mom’s come up with names?” he said.
Favorite movie
Hamilton is no different than most who love the game of baseball, listing the iconic baseball film, “The Natural” as one of his favorites, but his taste in films extends beyond his favorite pastime.
“Any kind of animated movie,” he said. “Obviously I got kids but I love animated stuff. A lot.”
The Green Monster
The Monster? “Sweet Caroline?” Fenway Park is an American treasure for multiple reasons and happens to be Hamilton’s favorite place to play on the road.
“(I like) the history of it,” he said. “When you walk down that tunnel out of the visiting clubhouse, just to know who’s been there before you. Then you go down underneath the wall and sign the wall (behind the scoreboard) and stuff and see names that have been there in the history of the game.”
Super Bowl Sunday
Hamilton is a baseball guy through and through. He doesn’t have many dreams of competing in any sport outside of baseball, but if he had to choose, it would be:
“Super Bowl,” Hamilton said. “That’d be cool.”
Football guy?
Unlike most kids growing up, there wasn’t a particular baseball team he was enamored with. He was too busy playing in his own games. He also played some basketball, soccer, and of course, football.
“I miss football sometimes,” he said. “I used to love throwing the football and playing receiver.”
He played quarterback and wide receiver growing up.
America’s Team
While he didn’t have a favorite baseball team growing up, there’s no denying his love for his favorite team.
“Cowboys,” he said without hesitation. “(They’re) still my favorite team.”
He was very close to the Cowboys during his time in Texas. Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and New Cowboys Stadium are a parking lot away from one another.
An outdoorsman
Aside from hanging out with his family, he really enjoys going hunting and fishing. He once caught a 10-pound bass.
What’s in your iPod?
Hamilton is a man of tremendous faith and is a born-again Christian. He mentions Christian rapper Lecrae as someone who’s music he enjoys. But he likes a little bit of everything.
“All different genres of Christian music,” he said.
To-do List
Since making his Major League debut in 2007, Hamilton has been named an All-Star five times and won the 2010 American League MVP. There’s still something missing on that list of accomplishments.
“(I’d like) to win a World Series,” he said.
Music to Angels fans ears.
