Texas Rangers, Josh Hamilton included in celebration

I think this is a great story. A true example of understanding, responsibility, & team loyalty. Now, although I am a born and bred Houstonian and Astros fan, I am indeed happy for the success of the Texas Rangers and I am rooting for them all the way!

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Josh Hamilton's teammates weren't going to celebrate without him this time.

As soon as the Texas Rangers hugged on the field and headed for the tunnel following a 5-1 ALDS Game 5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, the clubhouse attendants told Hamilton to get his goggles on.

"I was getting a little worried," Hamilton said. "I didn't know what was going on."

Hamilton, who has battled drug and alcohol addiction, said it's best for him not to be around champagne. So he walked into the clubhouse to find his teammates waiting on him and holding bottles of Canada Dry ginger ale.

"Everybody yelled 'Ginger ale!' and I just jumped in the middle of the pile and they doused me with it," Hamilton said. "It was the coolest thing for my teammates to understand why I can't be a part of the celebration, and for them to adapt it for me to be a part of it says a lot about my teammates."

When the club clinched the AL West title in Oakland in September, many of players grabbed water bottles and tried to find Hamilton to douse him. But he had already changed clothes and was ready to speak to some church groups in the stadium as part of Faith Day in Oakland. This time, he looked as wet as everyone else."

"It was pretty amazing to get a little taste of what the celebration was like," Hamilton said. "The guys really doused me good. This stuff burns your eyes just like the alcohol does."

For the rest of the article, see: http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/news/story?id=5679952&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines