Apology, Please!

It is no secret that we love the Texas Rangers. My dad raised me on a hearty diet of Steve Buchelle, Jeff Russell, Julio Franco, Nolan Ryan and so many more. On May 1, 1991 we went wild in the stands as Nolan pitched his 7th No-Hitter. His posters plastered my teenaged walls, beating out the Teen Beat pinups of Jared Letto and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Naturally, I fell in love with a baseball player. The night Ryan brought me home from our first date, my dad was sitting on the couch conditioning his glove. Ryan sat down beside him and they struck up an easy conversation. Baseball was his “in” with my dad. It’s something we all have in common, it’s a family affair and has produced a son/grandson who has baseball in his blood.

Now as much as we love TX Rangers Baseball, we love Jesus more. I mean, we are reckless up in this house about our Savior. It’s a rare occasion that you can mix the two, Jesus and baseball. Enter…Josh Hamilton.

Last year Josh rehabbed with Round Rock Express and my dad took Dylan to meet him. Late that night I was awakened by a bouncing 7 year old holding his wrist to my nose. “MOOOMM, LOOK WHAT JOSH HAMILTON GAVE ME!!!” Around his little wrist was a black, “I AM SECOND” bracelet. He was talking 100 miles a minute telling me all about how Josh was wearing the bracelet in the game and gave it to him afterwards. When I asked what they talked about he so casually said, “Jesus”.

Of course I had to Google “I AM SECOND” and see what it was all about. I quickly found Josh Hamilton’s video and wow. He has an amazing testimony, Jesus has redeemed him from a true pit. I won’t spoil it for you, watch it for yourself. You will be blessed. 

If your son is going to have an earthly hero, who better than a player who gives ALL the glory to God? It has been so fun going to the games and hearing “Trust in Jesus” and “Blessing and Honor” as he walks to the plate. His example a great tool when teaching our son sportsmanship and that his talent comes from God alone. When we are explaining adoption and caring for the orphan, we can show him how Josh Hamilton has funded an orphanage in Uganda. Needless to say, we have been very thankful.

NOW, TO THE POINT…(and I will do my best to “Shine for Jesus”)

I am soooo stinkin’ mad right now! SAD and MAD. As I watched, what very well could have been Josh Hamilton’s last games as a TX RANGER, my ears were assaulted with a mass of boos and obscenities coming from the fans. ARE YOU PEOPLE KIDDING ME!? It is not even necessary for me to give the 100,000 reasons this is unacceptable. I won’t even tell you what it did to my son.

When I read his response I was heartbroken to see words like, “it was bad, really bad.”, "Personally, myself, it never would matter how high I was -- if I went to a sporting event, I would never boo somebody or I would never yell obscenities at somebody” and referencing Matthew 10:14, “I think about the bible verse that says if they don’t receive you in a town, then shake the dust off your feet and move on.”

Hey, fair-weathered, TX fans! Is this the way we are going to thank him, possibly say goodbye? 

Josh Hamilton deserves an apology. From every single one of you.

So, Dylan has decided to start a movement, an apology campaign! He wants Josh Hamilton to know what he has meant to him and he wants YOU to do the same! Let’s take pictures and video wearing our Hambone shirts and reliving our best JH moments. Tell him what his example has meant to you and your baseball lovin’ family. Let’s speak on behalf of all the TRUE fans! 

What are you waiting for? Dylan has created the “Please Forgive Us, Josh Hamilton” Facebook page! Let’s blow it up, Hamilton fans! If we must say goodbye, let’s do so with love and not hate! http://www.facebook.com/PleaseForgiveUsJoshHamilton

Dylan’s Letter to Josh