Tennessee first fielded a baseball team in 1897 and Vols Wire takes a look at some of the program’s most successful coaches.
This installment will look back at the career of Bill Wright.
Wright was the Volunteers’ head coach for 19 years and served in that capacity between 1963-81.
Wright played both basketball and baseball at Tennessee. He later played for Duke while serving in the military in North Carolina.
A graduate of old Knoxville High School, Wright remains the program’s longest tenured head coach. At Tennessee, he compiled a head coaching record of 408-308-2.
Before becoming UT’s head baseball coach, Wright served in the same capacity at Knoxville’s West High School. He coached both the Rebels’ baseball and basketball teams.
Wright returned to Tennessee in 1960 where he was hired by Bowden Wyatt to become UT’s first full-time academic advisor for athletes.
Wright passed away in 2011 at the age of 87.
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