The William S. Hart High School baseball program inducted alumnus Aaron Dean and long-time team doctor Dr. Jeff Bowne into their “Wall of Fame” as part of the team’s annual alumni game and team preview.

Dean, Hart High School class of 1994, played first base for Hart and went on to play college ball at Lamar University in Texas. The left-hander was eventually drafted by his hometown team the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1997 draft.

Three years into his professional playing career, Dean’s first major injury led him to hang it up and move on to his post-baseball life.

A total of 26 years after he left the halls of Hart High for the last time as a graduating senior, Dean returned to his old stomping grounds for his induction into the Wall of Fame.

“There are a lot of memories here,” Dean said. “I’ve just been looking back on things the past one or two weeks, I’ve been reflecting over my history here, the program, what it’s helped me do in my career, just the character building and molding. I just feel blessed to be back here and be part of this program’s past.”

Related: Hart High Baseball 2020 ‘Wall Of Fame’ Inductees Announced

Dean played under the regime predating current Hart Baseball Head Coach Jim Ozella’s tenure, with former Head Coach Bud Murray.

“The things I remember most when I look back are Coach Murray and a lot of hard-nosed baseball,” Dean said. “I believe that’s what molded me and kind of carried me to today, and shoot, I felt like I passed that on to my family, because we’ve got some hard-working children that are going to go on to do great things as well.”

Since the end of his baseball career, Dean has had a successful 20-year career with United Rentals, been married for 20 years and settled in Temecula.

The second man inducted was Bowne, who is in his 17th season with the Indians as their team physician.

“There was an assistant coach here that I was friends with back in 2003 and they asked me to come out and go over injury prevention for the baseball guys,” said Bowne. “They knew I was a baseball guy, and so I spoke the language. They asked me to come out, and that’s how it all started.”

Bowne was a lifelong baseball player, and played competitively through college with the Gonzaga University baseball team.

After a short stint in the minors, Bowne went on to earn his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Southern California University of Health Sciences, began to practice in 2002 and eventually co-founded Valencia Sports Medicine in 2010.

Despite his professional successes, Bowne still enjoys having the opportunity to be around the game that he loves so much and was so critical to his own development.

“These young guys don’t know it yet, but this is the best time of their life,” Bowne said. “To be able to come back and be a part of their development is huge. It’s inspiring to watch and it’s just good to be a part of.”

While Bowne was never a part of the Hart Baseball program as a player, he noted he recognizes and appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the team at this phase of his life.

“I’m honored to be associated with the program, and it’s not just because they put together great baseball players and they win championships and they’ve got guys in the big leagues, it’s really because they really want to develop young men,” Bowne said. “It’s really about character building and accountability and being responsible and having good work ethic, so I’m just really proud to be associated with this program.”

Hart Baseball opens up their season on Saturday, Feb. 15 at home against La Cañada at 11 a.m.

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