Dunn elected to Reds Hall of Fame
CINCINNATI -- Former Reds left fielder Adam Dunn will always be remembered for his large size and big power. As of Wednesday, Dunn will also be forever known as a member of the Reds Hall of Fame.
Dunn was named as the latest inductee after he was selected as the top vote-getter on the modern player ballot by media members along with Reds alumni and fans.
"First off, I know what kind of honor it is to be selected," Dunn said. "There are so many great players, not only for the Reds, but some of the greatest players of all time have played for the Reds. To be in with them, it's obviously humbling. It's a great honor."
During a 14-year career, Dunn spent his first eight seasons with the Reds from 2001-08 after he was their second-round pick in the 1998 Draft. In 1,087 games for Cincinnati, he batted .247/.380/.520 with 270 home runs, 646 RBIs, 920 hits and 678 runs scored. His slugging percentage ranks third in franchise history behind Frank Robinson and Joey Votto, and he is fourth all-time in club home runs behind Johnny Bench, Tony Perez and Robinson.
A National League All-Star in 2002, Dunn led or tied for the lead in homers on the club for seven consecutive seasons, and had four consecutive seasons of 40 or more home runs for the Reds from 2004-07.
On Aug. 10, 2004, Dunn hit the longest home run in the history of Great American Ball Park. The estimated 535-foot shot landed on the shores of the Ohio River outside of the stadium.
Dunn recalled some of his favorite moments in a Reds uniform, which included being on hand when teammate and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 500th and 600th career home runs. His personal favorite feat came June 30, 2006, vs. the Indians, when he hit a walk-off grand slam against Bob Wickman in a 9-8 victory. Cincinnati initially trailed, 5-0, after the top of the first and scored all of its runs in the eighth and ninth innings.
"There's a pretty good story on that one," Dunn explained. "We were sitting in the dugout and Scott Hatteberg said, 'Hey, if you get up we'll have a chance to win it.' I'm like, 'That's 12 hitters away.' Sure enough, it worked out. It couldn't have happened any better because we got to run over next door … to catch the Nickelback concert. I'm almost ashamed to admit that now. But it was fun at the time."
Dunn, 38, was often the target of jeers from frustrated fans as he also accumulated 1,212 strikeouts during his Reds career. That included leading the Majors in strikeouts for three consecutive seasons (2004-06). He also wasn't known for his defensive prowess. Cincinnati did not have a winning record during his tenure.
"It's kind of bittersweet because the ultimate goal was to bring home some hardware, not just personal accolades," Dunn said. "Kind of looking back at my time, it was obviously disappointing because we didn't put the product on the field that we were capable of doing."
Dunn also appreciated his durability as he played 150 or more games in six of his eight Reds seasons, and at least 160 games three times.
"I tried to pride myself on playing every day, no matter what," he said. "I know how hard it is to grind and to play that many games."
After his departure in a 2008 trade to the D-backs, Dunn spent the rest of his career with the Nationals, White Sox and A's. He finished with 462 career home runs.
There could be more inductees who join Dunn in the coming weeks. The Reds Hall of Fame veterans committee will also vote for candidates whose playing careers ended more than 13 years ago, along with managers and executives. Their selection will be announced at a later date.
The induction class of 2018 and be honored during Reds Hall of Fame induction weekend, July 21-22, 2018.