The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame has announced that former San Francisco 49ers defensive back Eric Wright and staff consultant Dr. Harry Edwards will be inducted as part of a five-person class for 2025.
Wright and Edwards will be enshrined alongside legendary Bay Area sports figures, joining a prestigious group of 49ers greats already honored by Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, including Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Dwight Clark, Patrick Willis, Keena Turner, John Taylor, Harris Barton, George Seifert, and many more.
DB Eric Wright
Originally selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft out of Missouri, Wright played a vital role in the 49ers defensive dominance throughout the 1980s. Spending his entire 10-year career in San Francisco, Wright was a key contributor to four Super Bowl-winning teams (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989).
The standout defensive back earned two Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors from 1984-1985. Over 110 career games, Wright recorded 18 interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, and secured five fumble recoveries.
Dr. Harry Edwards
Edwards has left a lasting mark not only on the 49ers organization but on the broader landscape of sports and social justice. A renowned sociologist and human rights activist, Edwards has served as a longtime staff consultant for the 49ers and the Golden State Warriors.
Edwards' career has been dedicated to the intersection of sports, race, and social change. He was a two-sport athlete in basketball and track at San José State University, a leading architect of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, a co-founder of the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society, and Social Change at San José State University, and has been honored as Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley.
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025
Wright and Edwards are joined in this year's class by three other Bay Area sports icons:
- Mike Montgomery: Esteemed basketball coach at Stanford, University of California, Berkeley, and the Golden State Warriors, with over 700 collegiate wins and a Final Four appearance.
- Alex Morgan: Two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist, and one of the most accomplished players in U.S. women's soccer history.
- Joe Rudi: Three-time World Series champion with the Oakland Athletics and a key figure in the A's 1970s dynasty.
The induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 15, at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero in San Francisco. Proceeds from the event will benefit Special Olympics Northern California. Tables for the ceremony, including a seated dinner, are available for purchase at bashof.org.
