LAURINBURG — Right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher Mike Wright has played in front of thousands of fans, squared off with many star athletes and traveled countless miles throughout his five years in the majors. But he hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
Wright grew up in Scotland County. He attended Pate-Gardner Elementary School, Laurel Hill Elementary, Carver Middle School and Scotland High School before transferring and graduating from Whiteville High. Those who befriended and educated Wright during those years still keep a close eye on him and his baseball career.
One of those people is Kim Brown, Wright’s fifth-grade teacher. Now a media specialist at Sycamore Lane Elementary, Brown still calls calls the pitcher “Michael,” just like she did when Wright was younger.
Brown recently started a new program at Sycamore Lane, “Read Like an Athlete.” She is recruiting local athletes from several different levels of competition to come speak to Sycamore Lane Students about the importance of reading and academics. By having the students interact with athletes they look up to, Brown is hoping to motivate the students to pursue their life goals and stay open to learning about new things.
As the program’s first guest speaker, Wright imparted that message to Sycamore Lane students on Friday morning. He talked about reading, academics, baseball … and his love for the Harry Potter series.
“It’s really cool. Ms. Tracy, as I knew her (in fifth grade), Ms. Brown now, she was a big influence on my life,” Wright said. “I still love Harry Potter. I still watch them and read them to this day.
“That was something I learned in third grade. She read (Harry Potter) to us every morning, and that got me into reading.”
Wright’s love for reading helped him succeed in the classroom, and Wright emphasized to the students that his good grades played a big role in his path from Scotland County to the major leagues.
He also told the students that reading isn’t always about academics.
“You want to keep your mind bright, regardless of what you do,” Wright said.
After giving his presentation, Wright answered a wide range of questions from the students. Topics included his childhood, athletic achievements and video games, as well as several other inquiries relating to his friendships and travels in the MLB. One student even asked Wright about his pitching technique.
Wright reflected on his time as an elementary school student. He remembered playing middle school basketball games inside Sycamore Lane’s gym, which is where the program was held.
And he remembered the joy of climbing the ranks and being able to play with the Fighting Scots for his first two years of high school.
“My whole childhood I had dreamed of playing for Scotland,” Wright said. “My ninth- and 10th-grade years, it was a dream come true. It was really fun. I love the pride they have, especially for just sports in general. My dad went (to Scotland), and my sister went there, so it was really cool to follow in their footsteps.”
After graduating from Whiteville, Wright played college baseball at East Carolina University. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2011 MLB Draft. Wright stayed with the Orioles for a little more than four years. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners early last season. Wright became a free agent after the season ended, and he is currently looking for a new team to sign with.
In the meantime, Wright is staying busy with his training regimen. He is also sharing his love of baseball internationally. Wright and his wife, Madison, recently traveled to Malaysia, where they helped introduce communities to baseball. Many Malaysians had no prior knowledge of the game, so they had to learn the basics. The Wrights are now working on constructing a new baseball field in Malaysia.
That project is fueled by his passion for giving back to the community. Wright showed that passion when he distributed books to the Sycamore Lane students after his session on Friday.
Wright hopes that he can be a “light” for Scotland County students to follow, whether their dreams are based in athletics or in another field.
“Work hard at everything you do,” Wright said. “If you have a goal in mind, don’t let anybody tell you you can’t do it. Don’t let anything interfere with you trying to get there.”
