Darryl Hamilton

Sport: Baseball

Induction Year: 2008

University: Nicholls

Induction Year: 2008

A speedy, left-handed hitting outfielder who didn’t play high school baseball at University High in Baton Rouge because it didn’t field a team (he played football and basketball), Darryl Hamilton went on to star at Nicholls State and played 13 seasons with Milwaukee, Texas, San Francisco, Colorado and the New York Mets. In 1,328 big-league games, he had a .291 career average with 1,333 hits and 454 RBIs. A quiet, unassuming player who possessed a great work ethic, he also had 163 stolen bases — including a career-best 41 in 1992. An 11th-round draft pick of the Brewers in 1986, he played center field primarily, but also played the corner outfield positions and committed just 14 errors in 13 seasons for a .995 career fielding percentage. Hamilton batted .300 four times, hitting a career-high .315 with the Rockies and Mets in 1999. He batted at least .290 seven times. His best all-around seasons were in 1993 when he hit .310 with 161 hits for the Brewers and 1996 when he batted .293 with a career-high 184 hits in 148 games with the Rangers. At Nicholls State from 1984-86, he stole a school-record 140 bases with a career-high 52 in 1985 and led the team in runs all three seasons, finishing with 193 for his career. He also led the Colonels in hits in 1985 (77) and ’86 (82) and topped the 1985 club in hitting with a .379 average.