A man who has a legitimate claim to the title of “Greatest Rockdale Athlete of All-Time” has died at the age of 78.
James Leroy Wright Sr. died March 21 in a Charlotte, North Carolina Hospital. A celebration of life for him was held last Friday (March 27) in Charlotte.
Wright, a 1956 graduate of Aycock High School was a key player on the legendary Aycock football and basketball teams of 1955-56.
A 6-9, 205-pound quarterback, he sparked the state-winning 1955 football season with his passing and running.
In basketball the following winter and spring, he averaged 30.5 points per game and led the Tigers to yet another state title.
Widespread illness probably prevented the Tigers from adding a state track title to that school term.
ALL-TIME GREAT—Wright went on to a stellar collegiate career at University of the Pacific where he averaged 21.3 rebounds per game over his collegiate career.
In 2007, when he became a charter member of the Rockdale Athletic Hall of Honor, that was still the fourth-highest per-game career total in NCAA history.
And he accomplished that virtually on one knee, having hurt a knee in track practice as a freshman in college.
Coming out of college he was drafted by no less than the Boston Celtics.
Wright ended up playing in the American Basketball Association and was a member of the Pittsburgh Pipers who won the first ABA title in 1968.
He was also the first African-American assistant coach in ABA history.
SCREEN PASS—At his 2007 Rockdale Hall of Honor induction, Wright recalled how the Tigers were flagged for 245 yards in penalties in their state-winning victory over Texas City and faced a third-and-59.
How did it come out? “We threw a screen pass,” he smiled. “And we picked up 60 yards.”
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