[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 109 (Tuesday, September 14, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S9217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO COACH SAMMY DUNN

 Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I pay tribute to a great Alabamian 
who has made it his life's work to teach our youth about being great 
athletes, fair sportsmen, and strong members of their community.
  Mr. Sammy Dunn, baseball coach of Vestavia Hills High School, was 
recently inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and named the 
National High School Coaches Association baseball coach of the year. He 
has dedicated his life to coaching young men, not just on the athletic 
field, but in life's lessons.
  For 27 seasons, Coach Dunn served as head baseball coach at Vestavia 
Hills High School, where he built a nationally recognized program. He 
won more games than any baseball coach in the history of Alabama and 
has a 621-159 record, a staggering .796 winning percentage. From 1991 
to 2000, he led the Vestavia Hills Rebels to 10 State titles, including 
a record 7 consecutive titles between 1994 and 2000. In 1998, the 
Rebels were voted national champions by Baseball America and the 
Baseball Coaches Association. In 2000, Vestavia Hills High School named 
its baseball field in honor of Coach Dunn.
  Throughout Coach Dunn's tenure, more than 100 players signed baseball 
scholarships, and some went on to play professionally, including 
veteran Oakland Athletic's pitcher Chris Hammond, Cincinnati Red's 
pitcher Josh Hancock, and New York Yankee pitching prospect Colter 
Bean. Moreover, his leadership inspired a handful of his former players 
to pursue coaching careers, including his son Casey, who is the head 
coach at Samford University.
  Coach Dunn's lifelong devotion to young people and the sport of 
baseball made him an outstanding coach and much deserving of these 
recent accolades. He is a devoted husband to Linda, dedicated father to 
Casey, father-in-law to Marty, and grandfather to Sam. I wish him my 
sincerest congratulations on all of his achievements.

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