Researching Jack Wright

Wright captured the Canadian National tennis tournament singles title three times, in 1927, 1929, and 1931, and the doubles title four times, in with Willard Crocker in 1923, 1925, and 1929, and once with Marcel Rainville, in 1931. At one point he was ranked third in the world and was Canada's top ranked tennis player for five years (1926-29 and 1931).

Wright competed in the U.S. National Championship for singles tennis five times and reached the round of 16 twice, in 1924 and 1927. He lost in the first round of Wimbledon in 1929, to Wilbur Coen in four sets, in his only appearance there.

Wright was inducted into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1955 and the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1972. He was inducted into the McGill Redmen Hall of Fame in 2000.

Wright played 14 Davis Cup ties for Canada, over 11 years. He had 6 wins against 20 losses in singles and went 3 and 11 in doubles.

On seven occasions he trained winners of the Tenants’ Cup at Kinmount coursing, and also the winner of the Corrie Cup during the time of the meetings at Corrie. He had a dog in the last four at Waterloo Cup meetings on three occasions, and while acting as trainer for the late Mr Pilkington he trained "Phoebus," the winner of the £1000 championship at Kempton Park, London. He was a frequent attender at all the principal meetings in the country, where his abilities earned for him many friends by whom he was much respected.

His brothers Joe Wright, and Tom Wright, were well known in sporting circles, and on seven occasions trained winners of the Waterloo Cup.

He died in 1929 aged 79, at Watchhall, Annan, Dumfries and Galloway his youngest son Hardy Wright took over management of the kennels and subsequently won the Waterloo Cup on two occasions.

Wright was born in Toowoomba, Queensland. He was educated at Marist Brothers College in Charters Towers, but left school early to become a shearer by trade. He became involved with the Australian Workers' Union in 1942 and was involved with the union in many capacities throughout his life, including as secretary of their Queensland shearers' strike committee in 1945, variously holding every position in its Broken Hill, New South Wales branch between 1949 and 1957, and then as its organiser in Port Augusta, South Australia from 1957 to 1966. He then variously served as state organiser, industrial advocate, president and secretary between 1966 and 1971.

He was first elected to the House of Assembly at a 1971 by-election and first became a minister under Don Dunstan in 1975. Serving as a minister under both Dunstan and John Bannon, he variously held the ministerial portfolios of Minister Assisting the Premier in Industrial Democracy, Minister for Labour and Industry, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Emergency Services. He retired on health grounds in 1985.

He served as Chairman of the Lotteries Commission after leaving politics. He died in 1998 and was granted a state funeral.

His son, Michael Wright, was a state MP from 1997 to 2014 and a minister under Mike Rann.