Researching David Wright

Wright is a seven-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and a member of the 30–30 club. He holds Mets franchise records for most career runs batted in (RBIs), doubles, total bases, runs scored, walks, sacrifice flies, times on base, extra base hits, strikeouts, double plays, and hits. He was named captain of the Mets in 2013, becoming the fourth captain in the team's history. Wright is the third player after Ed Kranepool and Ron Hodges to have played his entire MLB career with the Mets.

Throughout the latter half of Wright's career, he was plagued by injuries, most notably spinal stenosis, as well as additional ailments in his neck and shoulder. After missing significant time from 2015 to 2018 and receiving word from doctors that his spinal stenosis would not improve, Wright announced that 2018 would be his final season as an active player. Wright finished his major league career with a .296 career batting average, 242 home runs, and 970 runs batted in. Upon completion of his playing career, Wright was then named a special advisor in the Mets front office.

Wright began his playing career at Crewe Alexandra, where he helped the club to promotion to the First Division in 2002–03 following the club's relegation to the Second Division in the previous season. He went on the make over 200 league appearances for the club. He also played over 100 league games for Ipswich Town between 2007 and 2010, as well as representing Wigan Athletic, Norwich City on loan, Crystal Palace, Gillingham on loan and Colchester United.

In 2013, Wright took on his first coaching role at the Ipswich Town Academy, before taking on a similar role at Colchester while also managing Isthmian League side Maldon & Tiptree in 2015. He left the Jammers in December 2015 to team up with new Colchester United manager Kevin Keen as his assistant. After Keen left by mutual consent in April 2016, Wright took temporary charge of Colchester's penultimate league game of the 2015–16 season. He was then appointed manager of the under-18 team, before moving to Norwich City to take up the same role.

However, it is his series of 169 illustrations for The Sketch magazine (from 1941 to 1951) that became most popular. In the 1950s he continued drawing in a similar style for Men Only.

Wright started work at his uncle's studio after leaving school, later becoming the fashion illustrator for a number of women's magazines. He was commissioned in 1941 to draw a series of glamorous women for The Sketch, most of whom were modelled on his wife Esme. The illustrations established him as one of the most popular pin-up artists during World War II. During the war he worked as a driving instructor for the armed forces in Abersoch, Wales, which left him plenty of time to continue his illustration work.

Wright attended public and secondary schools at Mount Forest, then Central Business College in Stratford, Ontario. He was also a city councillor for Stratford at one time.

He operated the McLagan Furniture company and was president of Meaford Manufacturing. In 1929 and 1930, Wright served as Rotary International's Canadian director and during those same years also served on Ontario's provincial Royal Commission of Public Welfare. He was also a representative on the Niagara Falls Park Commission.

Wright was first elected to Parliament at the Perth North riding in the 1925 general election then defeated in the 1926 election. He won back the riding in 1930 and served the full term of the 17th Canadian Parliament before leaving federal politics.

Wright was born in Lawrence, Otago, New Zealand. He attended Wairoa College in New Zealand, Thorp High School in Wisconsin, the United States and Victoria University of Wellington.

Wright is an ASCA International Level 5 swimming coach. He has coached national swimming representatives from New Zealand, the United States Virgin Islands, the United States of America and Saudi Arabia. Most notable students include NZ National and/or US State Champions and/or Saudi Arabian Champions Toni Jeffs, Nichola Chellingworth, Jane Copland, Joseph Skuba, Rhi Jeffrey, Jane Ip, John Foster, Loai Tashkandi, Eyad Massoud and Oswaldo Quevedo. Notable events include the award of US Swimming's Certificate of Excellence in 2007, appointment in 2003/2004 as National Coach for the US Virgin Islands, coach of Toni Jeffs at the Barcelona Olympic Games and the 1992 World Short Course Championships where she placed third, coach of Ozzie Quevedo in 2009 when he set two Master's World records in the 50 meters butterfly (24.17) and 100 meters butterfly (54.9) and in 2016 coached Loai Tashkandi to two silver medals in GCC international meet. Currently coaching Jeddah national swimmers in Saudi Arabia. In association with track coach Arthur Lydiard and New Zealand international swimmer Jane Copland published two books on swimming Swim to the Top, June 2002 and Swimming–A Training Program, April 2004. Contributor to the swimming website www.swimwatch.net.

Prior to his career as a swimming coach, Wright coached track athletes including his wife Alison Wright, who represented New Zealand, Oceania and the United Kingdom over 800, 1500 and 3000 meters.

Wright graduated from Ballard High School. During his prep soccer career, Wright was a two-time high school state champion and the Kentucky High School Player of the Year. Wright attended Creighton University, where he was a 1999 NCAA First Team All American. Wright also played for the Jackson Chargers of the USL Premier Development League during the college off-season. In February 2000, the Miami Fusion selected Wright in the third round (twenty-fifth overall) of the 2000 MLS SuperDraft. Wright was the last player released during the pre-season. However, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds had also drafted Wright in the second round (45th overall) of the 2000 A-League Draft. After leaving the Fusion, Wright signed with the Riverhounds, playing for them until 2003. In 2002, Wright injured his knee in the pre-season and saw time in only nine games during the second half of the season. In January 2004, Wright joined the Rochester Rhinos.