The Night That Would've Made Babe Ruth Proud

How do you go from being a suicidal heroin addict to hitting 35 prodigious home runs at the most hallowed stadium of all? Just ask JOSH HAMILTON!

How do you win the silvery Home Run Derby trophy despite hitting 13 less bombs than the runner up? Just ask JUSTIN MORNEAU!

Whomever you ask, it was an unforgettable night at Yankee Stadium as 8 of the game's brightest and finest sluggers brought down the House that Ruth Built with some breathtaking long balls. And god forbid, these guys are squeaky clean.

This Home Run Derby marked a changing of the guard in baseball. Young guns like Evan Longoria, Grady Sizemore and Ryan Braun got to show off their mighty muscles. For once, the days of McGwire, Sosa and Bonds seemed like a distant memory.

However, the brightest star of the night was not Longoria, Sizemore nor Braun, heck, it wasn’t even the humbled champion himself, instead, a man named Josh Hamilton stole the show in the Bronx.

It was a feel-good story in every aspect. Hamilton, who two short years ago was addicted to heroin, smashed 28 big flies in the first round alone. Earlier in the day, he had revealed to the media that he once had a peculiar dream, an almost surreal one where Hamilton was at Yankee Stadium participating in the very same Derby he came within three hacks of winning tonight.

Oh and out of all the quality pitching coaches available in the Major Leagues, Josh Hamilton waived all of them and selected 71 year old Claybon Council, who used to toss BP for Josh in North Carolina. Did I mention that the last time Council was in Yankee Stadium, Don Larsen crafted a perfect game?

Perhaps it could've been a perfect night had Hamilton been the one lifting the trophy, but hey, getting the Yankee faithful to chant your name is pretty good! So is blasting 3 homers over 500 feet!

In some ways, it was already too legendarily perfect. After all, in Babe Ruth's own backyard, it was a night that would've made the Sultan of Swat very, very proud.

-D