The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Polk Enters College Baseball Hall Of Fame Over Weekend
7/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 6, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Baseball coaching legend and current UAB volunteer assistant Ron Polk became one of the newest members of the College Baseball Hall of Fame over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Polk and the other members of the 2009 class took part in the fourth annual induction ceremony in Lubbock, Texas, bringing the hall's membership total to 44.
Polk was welcomed along with one of his former Mississippi State players in outfielder Rafael Palmeiro. The class also included former players Joe Carter (OF, Wichita State), Darren Dreifort (P/DH, Wichita State), Kirk Dressendorfer (P, Texas), Barry Larkin (SS, Michigan), Keith Moreland (C/Util., Texas) and Todd Walker (2B, LSU). Former player and coach Branch Rickey (Ohio Weslyan, Michigan) and former coach Gordie Gillespie (St. Francis) were also inducted.
After serving 35 years as a head coach between Mississippi State, Georgia and Georgia Southern, Polk joined the UAB staff as a volunteer assistant in the summer of 2008. Blazer head coach Brian Shoop is a former assistant of Polk's during his tenure at Mississippi State.
This spring, Polk helped UAB to its first 30-win season since 2005 as the Blazers posted an overall record of 31-26.
Polk compiled a career head coaching record of 1,373-700-2, making him the seventh all-time winningest coach in Division I history. He is one of only three coaches to take three different schools to the College World Series. Polk's teams made eight CWS appearances, won five SEC championships and appeared in 23 NCAA Regionals.
"I was very fortunate to have great players at Georgia Southern, Mississippi State and Georgia," Polk said at the induction ceremony. "I also had the opportunity to attend the first College Baseball Hall of Fame induction in 2006 to watch Will Clark's (also a former player for Polk) induction and to make some observations about the process. I had no idea I would be standing in front of you as an inductee three years later. It was just an honor to be part of the coaching staff of two U.S. Olympic baseball teams and several U.S. national squads."
Hall of Fame inductees are chosen based on the votes of more than 110 representatives from coast to coast. Voters include retired and active coaches, media members and previous inductees.
Polk was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1995. He is also a member of the Georgia Southern University Hall of Fame, the Mississippi State University Sports Hall of Fame and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
