Adam Troy Dunn was born on November 9, 1979, in Houston, Texas. He was the second of Skip and Pat Dunn's three boys. The oldest was Jason, and the youngest was Brian.
The Dunns lived in Porter, a small town about 40 miles north of Houston on route 59. The family's roots reached deep there. Skip's father and two brothers moved to Porter in the early 1960s, and the Dunn name eventually became synonymous with the town. In all, the family totalled more than 100 members, with a significant number living on Dunn Lane in Porter. During the holidays, Adam and his family would join the rest of their relatives in their own sprawling rec hall.
Life in Porter was pure bliss for Adam. He loved to fish, and made good use of the rivers and lakes in his area. As he got older, he became an avid hunter, too. At home, the Dunns were a close-knit bunch. Skip sold welding equipment for a living, while Pat chose not to work, preferring to be a homemaker. Both parents were completely devoted to their children.
Like most boys in Texas, Adam grew up fanatical about football. The University of Houston had a powerhouse offense led by David Klingler, while the Oilers always boasted an entertaining team. But Adam did more than watch—he played. Tall, athletic and fast, he was a natural on the gridiron, and developed into a gifted quarterback. A righthander, Adam possessed a strong arm and commanding leadership skills. Though easygoing and friendly off the field, he was a fierce competitor on it, a trait that rubbed off on his teammates.
Adam enjoyed baseball as a kid, though it wasn’t his top sport. He took his first cuts when he was four years old. Skip noticed immediately that his son was much more comfortable and powerful from the left side of the plate, and instructed Adam to hit as a lefty. Truth be told, that was the extent of his coaching contribution. It wasn't that Skip was disinterested in his son's baseball career. Rather, Adam was a tireless worker from an early age, and gladly went about learning how to improve as an athlete on his own.
In the fall of 1994, Adam entered New Caney High School, a short drive north of Porter. During the next four years he emerged as one of the nation's most sought after prep stars. As a senior, Adam stood well over six feet, weighed in at more than 200 pounds and posted sub-4.5 times in the 40-yard dash. He called signals for the Eagles during the football season, and played first base for the baseball squad each spring.
Most believed Adam's future lied on the gridiron. During his high school career he threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 44 touchdowns. Even he considered himself a football player at heart. In fact, whenever Adam took to the diamond in New Caney's royal blue and white baseball uniform, he brought the same mentality that he carried with him on Friday nights in the fall.
Adam could hit with power to all fields, and possessed an advanced understanding of the game for someone still in his teens. He was so feared at the plate that opposing managers usually chose to pitch around him. At times he was slotted in the leadoff spot, and even then he normally walked four times a game, including in the first inning. On the advice of his father, Adam resisted the temptation to chase deliveries out of the strike zone. The discipline he showed at the plate earned him as much attention from scouts as did the prodigious blasts he produced when enemy hurlers gave him something decent to hit.
Still, big-league teams were hesitant to take a chance on Adam. Football recruiting experts listed him among the best quarterback prospects in the country, along with Ronald Curry of Virginia and Tyler Watts of Alabama. Adam fueled speculation that he was intent on a gridiron career when he signed a letter of intent to play for coach Mack Brown at the University of Texas.
Months later, though he had all the physical tools to be a Top-10 pick in baseball's amateur draft, Adam was passed over until the Cincinnati Reds tabbed him in the second round. Scout Johnny Almaraz had seen him several times in person, and was floored by his mental makeup and awesome power. If Adam concentrated his full efforts on baseball, Almaraz predicted, he would become a superstar.
|
