Chatham's Eddie Wright Will Be Honoured Saturday
Eddie Wright of Chatham, Ontario - Submitted Photo
Born and raised in Chatham, Eddie Wright has created a legacy that any community would be proud of. From his early years as a local baseball, football and the first Black hockey player on the Chatham Junior Maroons, to earning a Bachelor’s degree and a Masters of Education at the University of Boston, to his tenure as Head Hockey Coach at the University of New York at Buffalo, to the 2010 Dedication of The Edward L. Wright Practice Facility – Alumni Arena Triple Gym at the University of New York campus, Eddie Wright has more than earned the recognition that he will receive on Saturday, June 11th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the WISH Centre located on King Street East in Chatham.
Eddie Wright was inducted into the Chatham Collegiate Institutes’ Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997. His accomplishments as an outstanding, well-rounded athlete and the first Black head hockey coach at the university level are well respected by his family, friends and colleagues around the world. Here in his home-town, his modest, unassuming nature lets his true celebrity status go nearly unnoticed.
The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society will provide an opportunity for you to meet Eddie Wright and learn more about his considerable achievements, at this upcoming Open House in his honour.
The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society invites everyone to join in the celebration of Eddie Wright; a great athlete, an inspiring Canadian and member of the Chatham-Kent community this Saturday from 1pm to 4pm at the Chatham WISH Centre.
Eddie,
You don’t know me. But I certainly remember you growing up in Chatham in the early 60s. Congratulations on your outstanding achievments. I’ve sent the following to my family members:
Dad did shift work with the father of the Wakabayashi boys (links below) at Darling in Chatham, for 12 years. The boys were slightly older than me and I remember being awestruck by their hockey skill the few times that I saw them play (along with a small, lightning-quick, black kid named Eddie Wright). When I found out that dad worked with Mr. Wakabayashi Sr, of course I talked to him about it. I know for sure that Dad considered the father to be more than a colleague … a reliable, hard-working, family man (whose family most likely suffered because they belonged to a visible minority … the “enemy” during WWII). Last I heard of Mel, he was manager of the Westin Prince Hotel in Toronto. If you are ever there, consider leaving a message to say something kind about the father.
http://www.chathamsportshalloffame.com/Membership/bio/Mel%20Wakabayashi.htm
http://www.chathamsportshalloffame.com/Membership/bio/Herb%20Wakabayashi.htm