Joshua Holt Hamilton (born 1981) wasn’t just any baseball player. He was a phenomenon. A raw talent from Raleigh, North Carolina, Hamilton’s prodigious hitting propelled him to stardom. Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 1999, he battled personal demons before finally reaching the majors in 2007.

With the Texas Rangers, Hamilton’s potential exploded. His powerful swing sent baseballs soaring, earning him the nickname “Boomstick.” He won the American League batting title in 2010, smashing 32 home runs in a single month (a Major League Baseball record!).