ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -Josh Hamilton used to run around in the outfield while his older brother’s American Legion team in North Carolina took batting practice against volunteer coach Clay Council.
Later as a teenager, Hamilton would have Council throw him batting practice. And now Hamilton will hit against the 71-year-old coach again – on one of the biggest of baseball’s stages.
Hamilton, the All-Star starting outfielder from the Texas Rangers, chose Council to be his pitcher for the Home Run Derby on Monday night at Yankee Stadium.
“I’ve known him for batting practice forever,” Hamilton said Saturday. “I talked to him a couple of nights ago, and he’s really excited about it.”
Council, who lives in Cary, N.C., still throws BP for the town’s American Legion team.
The only time Council has been to Yankee Stadium before was for Game 5 of the 1956 World Series, when Don Larsen pitched a perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
This time, Council’s goal will be to give up as many home runs as possible, and provide Hamilton plenty of fat pitches to hit.
“That’s all he’s got to do,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said Council was never actually his coach, but threw him a lot of pitches through the years. Hamilton first called Council a few weeks ago about the possibility of taking part in the Home Run Derby.
“He was very surprised,” Hamilton said. “Now that it’s official, he’s got some attention. He knows it’s for real now.”
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