Josh Hamilton's No. 31 Jersey Retired at Raleigh's Athens Drive High School

Athens Drive High School in Raleigh retired Josh Hamilton’s jersey in a pregame ceremony during the early-March weekend, bringing the 1999 No. 1 overall MLB draft pick back to campus for the first time in more than two decades. Local coverage identified the retired number as No. 31 and said the event unfolded before a Saturday afternoon game against Cary High School, drawing family, friends and photo galleries from multiple outlets.

The ceremony, which Wake County’s athletic zone labeled a “long-awaited homecoming” and Highschoolot captioned with March 7, 2026 photos, included a banner presentation, remarks from Hamilton and a ceremonial first pitch. Highschoolot reported that Hamilton “threw out the first pitch,” adding, “It may not have been 97 miles an hour like it was in high school. But it was a strike.” Hamilton told the crowd, “I'm going to try to take it in today.”

WRAL reported that Hamilton was joined by his wife and two daughters, and Hamilton reflected on reunion moments: “It's nice to come home. To be honored for something like this, it truly is special. A lot of family and friends here. I hadn't seen a lot of people in a long time.” Wake County’s account echoed the nostalgia, recalling childhood memories Hamilton shared of serving as a bat boy “wearing a small blue helmet and chasing bats in and out of the dugout,” and quoting him on teamwork: “The camaraderie you build with upperclassmen, on down to the freshmen. We had a great group of guys, so it was pretty special to be involved.”

Hamilton’s Athens Drive resume anchors the local case for the retirement: he graduated in 1999, led the Jaguars to a state runner-up finish as a junior and, according to WRAL, to the school’s first appearance in the baseball championship series. High-school statistics preserved in coverage show a senior season batting .529 across 25 games with 13 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 35 RBIs and 34 runs; he was clocked running the 60-yard dash in 6.7 seconds and threw as hard as 97 miles per hour on the mound.

The ceremony also served as a capstone to Hamilton’s professional honors. Multiple outlets noted he was the 1999 No. 1 pick by Tampa Bay and that his Major League career included five All-Star selections, three Silver Slugger Awards and the 2010 American League MVP. Career aggregates cited in local reporting and biographical profiles include a .290 batting average, 200 home runs and 701 RBIs, with service on the Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim between his MLB debut in 2007 and last appearance in 2015.

Most local reports identified the retired jersey as No. 31, though one broadcast transcript fragment in the materials reviewed mistakenly referenced number 32. Photographs and the school’s athletics office will provide the definitive display; meanwhile the banner and Hamilton’s presence completed a reunion that Wake County described as reconnecting a community to “one of the most decorated baseball careers ever produced by a Wake County high school.”