March 26, 2009

Fourth College Baseball Hall of Fame Class Announced

The College Baseball Foundation released the names of the 10 players and coaches comprising the 2009 College Baseball Hall of Fame induction class.

Branch Rickey is the Vintage-Era member (played or coached prior to 1947). Rickey played at Ohio Wesleyan and coached at both Ohio Wesleyan and Michigan.

Gordie Gillespie is the small-school inductee (two and four-year schools other than NCAA Division I). Gillespie became the winningest coach in college baseball history at Lewis and St. Francis (Ill.). At age 82, he still coaches St. Francis and has 1,783 wins entering the 2009 campaign.

The remaining inductees include Joe Carter, outfielder, Wichita State; Darren Dreifort, pitcher/DH, Wichita State; Kirk Dressendorfer, pitcher, Texas; Barry Larkin, shortstop, Michigan; Keith Moreland, catcher/utility, Texas; Rafael Palmeiro, outfielder, Mississippi State; Ron Polk, coach, Georgia Southern, Mississippi State, Georgia; and Todd Walker, second baseman, LSU.

Carter played at WSU from 1979 to 1981. A two-time first team All-American, he was named National Player of the Year by the Sporting News in 1981. Carter was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection and twice was MVP of the MVC.

Dreifort led WSU to consecutive College World Series appearances from 1991 to 1993, reaching the title game in 1991 and 1993. A two-time first team All-American, Dreifort won the Golden Spikes and Smith Awards in 1993.

Dressendorfer was a three-time first team All-American at Texas from 1988 to 1990. He earned 45 victories and was a three-time MVP in the Southwest Conference as well as a three-time All-SWC selection.

Larkin was a two-time first team All-American at Michigan and led the Wolverines to a pair of College World Series appearances. He was the first two-time Big Ten Player of the Year and was the tournament MVP in 1983.

Moreland was a two-time first team All-American (1973, 1975) and a three-time All-SWC selection at Texas. He led the Longhorns to three College World Series appearances and the 1975 National Championship. UT was 160-21 in his three seasons.

Palmeiro, along with Dressendorfer, was one of 11 three-time first team All-Americans. He was twice named All-Southeastern Conference. In 1984, Palmeiro was the first triple crown winner in the SEC with a batting average of .415, 29 home runs and 94 RBI.

Polk is one of three coaches to take three different schools to the College World Series – Georgia Southern, Mississippi State and Georgia. He compiled a record of 1,373-700-2 in 35 seasons with 23 Regional appearances and eight trips to the College World Series.

Walker played second at LSU from 1992 to 1994 and was a two-time first team All-American. He was a three-time All-SEC selection and was the Most Outstanding Player of the 1993 College World Series for the national champion Tigers.

Hall of Fame inductees were selected on votes of more than 110 representatives, including retired and active coaches, media members and previous inductees.

The 2009 inductees will be honored on July 3 as part of the College Baseball Foundation’s annual celebration of both the past and present of college baseball from July 2 through July 4 in Lubbock, Texas.

Here is a list of previous inductees in the College Baseball Hall of Fame: