Tom Wright

From BR Bullpen

Thomas Everette Wright

Bats Left, Throws Right
Weight 180 lb.

Debut September 15, 1948
Final Game April 18, 1956
Born September 22, 1923 in Shelby, NC USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Outfielder Tom Wright was signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox before the 1942 season. The six-foot tall, eighteen-year-old would spend his first pro season with the Danville-Schoolfield Leafs of the Bi-State League where he would appear in 107 games and hit .241 for the season. The young man would spend the next three years (1943-45) in the United States Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II.

Wright would waste no time in his quest to get to the majors. His first year back in 1946 he would be with the Durham Bulls of the Carolina League and lead the league with a .380 batting average and 200 base hits along with 14 homers and was chosen for the All-Star team. In 1947 with the New Orleans Pelicans he didn't lead the league in any category but he did hit .325 with 14 homers and again made the All-Star team.

Tom was in a hurry to see the "Green Monster" so he hit .307 with 13 homers for the Louisville Colonels in 1948. He arrived at Fenway Park in September and in his first major league at-bat he tripled off the wall against the Chicago White Sox. He would lead the American Association with a .368 average in '49 and also contributed 9 homers and went back for another quick look at the wall. He appeared at the plate five times, hit .250 and was invited back for the 1950 opening.

As good as Wright was going in 1950 he had a tough nut to crack...the Red Sox had an all .300 hitting outfield of Dom DiMaggio (.328), Al Zarilla (.325) and Ted Williams (.317). Tom, in his first full year in the majors, was over .300 himself at .318 in 54 games in a back-up roll. In 1951, still as a backup, he appeared in only 28 games and fell to .222. On November 28, 1951 The Red Sox traded him along with Les Moss to the St. Louis Browns for Gus Niarhos and Ken Wood. He appeared in 29 games for the 1952 Browns and hit .242. On June 15, 1952 they in turn traded Tom to the Chicago White Sox along with Leo Thomas for Willy Miranda and Al Zarilla.

Tom would be with the 1953 White Sox and hit .250 in 77 games. Before the 1954 season, the White Sox would send Tom to the Washington Senators for Kite Thomas. He would not do well for the Washington club, hitting only .246 in 1954 in 76 games and they would drop him into the minors where he would finish up his pro baseball career with the Birmingham Barons in 1957. Wright finished up his major league career with nine active seasons and a career .255 average. His minor league stats show he finished out there with a .312 average and 80 homers.

After baseball, Wright went home to Shelby, NC, which is just West of Charlotte in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. He worked in the credit department of a clothing store for a few years and then with a polyester fibers company for 20 years before retiring as a production supervisor in 1982. He now has a small farm with a few beef cattle.