Phil Wright

Inducted Class of 2025

It didn’t take long to see that Phil Wright had the “it’’ factor.
As a Canyon del Oro junior in 1979, Wright became the starting shortstop on a team that won the state championship. Wright hit .350, including a double that produced the winning runs in the state title game. Not only that, he participated in 28 double plays with second base partner Murray Hicks, the No. 2, total in the nation.
Wright became a two-time All-City shortstop, part of a team that included future major-leaguers Mark Carreon of Salpointe Catholic and Tom Pagnozzi of Rincon High School. Wright had another banner year as a senior, 1980, helping the Dorados to the state championship game.
Shortly before Arizona won the 1980 NCAA championship, UA coach Jerry Kindall offered Wright a scholarship. After a year at Arizona, he transferred to NAIA powerhouse Emporia State in Kansas, coached by Tucsonan Dave Bingham, an all-Tucson shortstop a generation earlier. Wright did so well for the Hornets, reaching the national championship playoffs, that he impressed Bingham. At 23, Wright was offered a job on Bingham’s coaching staff.
But it didn’t take long for Wright to return home and make his name known in Arizona’s top baseball circles. In 1986, when he was only 24, Wright became the head coach at his alma mater, CDO, one of the youngest head coaches in Tucson prep history.
How did it go? Wright coached the Dorados to a 248-101 record until he stepped away 12 years later. Those 12 years left great memories.
In 1994, CDO won the state championship with a 26-7 record as Wright tutored future major-leaguers like Colin Porter and Jason Stanford, as well as all-stars Russ Brown and Nick Frank. They were so dominant that they beat Brophy Prep 26-4 in the state semifinals and Deer Valley 11-5 in the championship game. CDO had 12 future college players on its ‘94 team.
“We have built one of the greatest homes of baseball talent in Arizona,’’ said Wright. It would only get better.
In 1997, the Dorados repeated as state champions, winning 27 games. Wright’s team was led by the Duncan brothers, Shelley and Chris, both future big-leaguers. Shelley set a Tucson prep home run record and was also a top relief pitcher. They played with future MLB infielder Ian Kinsler. It was Wright’s ability to develop talent that made the whole CDO juggernaut roll.
Wright and his family moved to the Chicago area soon after his final season at CDO, 1998. But he left a legacy that continues to this day.