Tom Wright (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tom Wright |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: September 22, 1923 Rutherfordton, North Carolina |
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| Died: September 5, 2017 (aged 93) Shelby, North Carolina |
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| debut | |||
| September 15, 1948, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 18, 1956, for the Washington Senators | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .255 | ||
| Home runs | 6 | ||
| Runs batted in | 99 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Thomas Everette Wright (born September 22, 1923 – died September 5, 2017) was an American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder who played for nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Tom played for four different teams in the American League between 1948 and 1956. He threw with his right hand and batted with his left hand. As a player, he was about 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 180 pounds.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Tom Wright was born in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. He started his baseball journey when the Boston Red Sox signed him in 1942. This was before he had played for any other professional team.
Serving His Country
After his first year playing baseball, Tom joined the United States Army Air Forces. He served during World War II in the Pacific Ocean area. Because of his service, he missed playing baseball from 1943 to 1945.
Return to the Field
When Tom came back to baseball in 1946, he played really well. He led the Class C Carolina League in batting average with .380. This means he got a hit almost 38% of the time he tried. He also had 200 hits, which was the most in the league. His great playing earned him a spot on the Carolina League All-Star team.
Moving Up in the Leagues
Because of his amazing performance, Tom moved up three levels in baseball in 1947. He played in the Double-A Southern Association. There, he kept hitting well, with a .325 batting average, and was named an All-Star again. In 1948, he continued his streak, hitting .307 in the Triple-A American Association.
Major League Debut
On September 15, 1948, Tom Wright made his first appearance in Major League Baseball with the Boston Red Sox. In his very first time at bat in the big leagues, he hit a triple as a pinch hitter. A pinch hitter is a player who bats in place of another player.
Back to Triple-A
After his debut, Tom spent all of 1949 back in Triple-A. He became the batting champion of the American Association, hitting an impressive .368. He also got 200 hits that season, which was the second-highest in the league. Towards the end of 1949, he played in five more games for the Red Sox as a pinch hitter.
Playing in the Major Leagues
In 1950, Tom was on the Boston Red Sox team for the whole season. He played in 54 games, mostly as a part-time player or a pinch hitter. He had a good batting average of .318. Most of his 34 hits were doubles.
Changing Teams
In 1951, Tom played in fewer games for the Red Sox. After that season, he was traded to the St. Louis Browns. In 1952, he played in his most games ever in a single season, with 89 appearances. He also got 50 hits. However, he was traded again in June 1952 to the Chicago White Sox. He played as a reserve outfielder for the White Sox for about a year and a half.
Final Years in MLB
In March 1954, Tom was traded for the last time to the Washington Senators. Even with the Senators, he found it hard to get a regular spot in the starting lineup. He played in 76 games for them.
Retirement from Baseball
Tom spent most of 1955 and 1956 playing in the minor leagues. He made only a few appearances for the Washington Senators as a pinch hitter or pinch runner. On April 18, 1956, he played his final game in the big leagues. Tom Wright officially retired from baseball after the 1957 minor league season.
Career Statistics
During his nine seasons in Major League Baseball, Tom Wright played in 341 games. He had 175 hits, including 28 doubles and 11 triples. He also hit 6 home runs and helped his team score 99 runs. His lifetime batting average was .255.
Later Life
Tom Wright passed away on September 5, 2017, at the age of 93.
