Former Bahamian pro player Jackie Wright passes

Former Bahamian professional baseball player Jackie Wright passed away on Saturday after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 64.

Wright, who came up through the Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA) in the mid-1970s, reached as high as Double-A baseball in the minors. He played three seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, starting off with the Elmira Pioneer Red Sox in the New York-Pennsylvania League in Short Season-A baseball, moving on to the Winter Haven Red Sox in the Florida State League in Single-A, and then moving up to the Bristol Red Sox in the Eastern League in Double-A before being recalled to Winter Haven.

Wright compiled a career batting average of .247 with two home runs and 80 RBIs (runs batted in) in his 273-game career with Elmira Pioneer, Winter Haven and Bristol. He began playing during the 1978 season and last took the field during the 1980 campaign.

Wright had arguably his best season in 1979, batting .252 with a home run, 51 RBIs and 38 runs scored for Winter Haven. He had a 107-hit season and stole 12 bases while turning in a .323 on-base percentage (OBP), a .294 slugging percentage (SLG) and a .618 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS).

Defensively, he had a career .917 fielding percentage in 257 games between second and third base in the minors. He had 176 putouts, 472 assists and was a part of 42 double plays. Wright never had the distinction to play in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Jackie Wright along with his brother, sports historian and former Member of Parliament (MP) Kendal Wright, played with the Killarney Pros in the BBA, a team sponsored by the late Cardwell Armbrister.

Jackie was an infielder, splitting time between second and third base in the minors.

“From those early days, one could tell Jackie would become a professional player. He possessed all of the athletic tools,” said Tommy Stubbs, a teammate of Wright with the Killarney Pros in the early 70s. “He could hit to all fields, had good speed, good 

base-running skills and his fielding at shortstop was outstanding. Nobody wanted to catch balls thrown from him. He had a great, accurate arm. He was always a team leader and demanded more from his teammates.

“Jackie was always a fierce competitor and didn’t accept losing as an option too well, whether it was in baseball or softball before and after his pro days. He never talked much of his pro baseball experience, but one could tell he possessed tremendous skill.”

Following his time in the minors, Wright returned to The Bahamas, continued playing local league baseball, and gave back to the game as a coach in the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN). He was also the director of the baseball camp that was staged by the Association of Former and Present Professional 

Baseball Players of The Bahamas.

“I knew Jackie was contributing to youth baseball at JBLN for over a decade where I had served as a coach before his time,” said Stubbs. “Jackie wanted to help youth baseball, and he did, and he thanked parents of players at JBLN for their support.”

Stubbs said that plans were underway to raise money for cancer treatment for Wright, and added that Wright appreciated the support and died peacefully.

Jackie Wright is survived by 14 siblings, inclusive of Keith, Kendal, Robert, Edward, Colin, Christopher, Berne, Mervin, Bridgette Wright-Williams, Kimberley Wright-Thurston, Linda Wright-Smith, Nita Wright-Ramsey, Buena Wright and Susan Wright-Cargill, and numerous other family members and friends.

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