June 23, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford head baseball coach Casey Dunn is one of 12 individuals who have been selected for the inaugural class of the City of Vestavia Hills Sports Hall of Fame, the city announced on Tuesday.

The 2010 class will be inducted on September 2, 2010 at an induction banquet at the Vestavia Hills Country Club as part of the events celebrating Vestavia's 60th anniversary as an incorporated City.

Dunn is joined in the inaugural class by his father, Coach Sammy Dunn, Coach Buddy Anderson, Coach Fran Braasch, Chris Hammond, Trey Hardee, David Jordan, Suzanne Olcott, Coach Mutt Reynolds, Jay Waggoner, Jeanne Wilson and Dr. Mike Chandler.

"It's a great honor to be selected, and to be in the inaugural class adds a little bit of a special touch to it," Dunn said. "To have the opportunity to go in with my dad, along with Coach Anderson, Coach Reynolds and Coach Braash, who were at Vestavia when I was growing up and who coached with my father, means a lot.

"Being from Vestavia and with my dad having coached several of the athletes who are going into the inaugural class, and knowing their backgrounds and the quality of the people who have come through that school, really makes it a special recognition.," Dunn said.

Dunn, a 1995 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School, has been Samford's head baseball coach since 2004. Under his leadership, the Bulldogs posted 30-plus wins for three-straight seasons for the first time in program history from 2006-08. The Bulldogs have now posted at least 30 wins in four of the last five seasons. In 2006, Dunn was named the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year.

Prior to coming to Samford, Dunn started the baseball program at Spain Park High School in Birmingham. In three years at Spain Park, he posted a record of 53-41. His teams won two Jefferson County titles and a co-region champion¬ship, and earned two state playoff appearances. In 2003, he was named the Coach of the Year by The Birmingham News.

Dunn played four seasons as a catcher at Auburn University (1996-99). As a senior, he earned All-America honors after batting .379 with a Southeastern Conference-leading 86 RBI. He helped lead the Tigers to a 1999 NCAA Regional Championship, the 1998 SEC Tournament title and the 1997 College World Series. At the end of his senior season at Auburn, Dunn was presented with the Cliff Hare Award for the school's top male athlete.

After graduating from Auburn, Dunn was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 15th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft. He played with Kansas City's minor league teams in Wilmington, N.C. and Spokane, Wash.

The Vestavia 60th Anniversary 14-member Hall of Fame Committee made the selections from hundreds of names submitted. Details of where the Hall of Fame will be located in the City are still being worked out.

On Friday September 3, 2010, the day following the induction banquet, the inaugural inductees will be invited to speak at a community sports clinic and honored at a ceremony prior to kickoff of the Vestavia Hills Rebels first home football game.

To reserve tables ($400) or order individual tickets to the event ($40), mail requests along with a check or money order (payable to City of Vestavia Hills...For Hall of Fame Dinner) to: PBG, Inc. 701 Chestnut Street Vestavia Hills, Alabama 35216. Additional information is available at 205-822-8310 or vestaviahills.net/vestavia60/.