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 appointed as part of the 2025 five-person class.
Wright and Edwards will join a prestigious group of 49ers greats who have been enshrined alongside legendary Bay Area sports figures and have joined the prestigious group of 49ers greats already acclaimed by the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, including Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Dwight Clark, Patrick Willis, Keena Turner, John Taylor, Hari Taylor, Harri Taylor, Harri Burton and George Seifeldt.
DB Eric Wright
Originally selected by Missouri in the second round (40th overall) of the 1981 NFL Draft, Wright played a key role in the defensive domination of the 49ers throughout the 1980s. After spending his entire decade-long career in San Francisco, Wright was a key contributor to four Super Bowl-winning teams (1981, 1984, 1988, 1989).
The outstanding defensive back won two Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors from 1984-1985. In over 110 career games, Wright scored 18 interceptions, returned twice for a touchdown, and secured five fumble recovery.
Dr. Harry Edwards
Edwards left a lasting mark not only on the 49ers organization, but also on the broader landscape of sports and social justice. Edwards, a well-known sociologist and human rights activist, served as a longtime staff consultant for the 49ers and Golden State Warriors.
Edwards’ career has been dedicated to the intersection of sport, race and social change. He is a two-sports basketball athlete, a track at San Jose State University, co-founder of the Association for Researching Sports, Society and Social Change at San Jose State University, and has been recognized as Professor Emeritas at the University of California, Berkeley University.
Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame Classes 2025
Wright and Edwards are taking part in this year’s class with three other Bay Area Sports icons.
Mike Montgomery: The revered basketball coach and Golden State Warriors at Stanford University at UC Berkeley have won more than 700 colleges and made their final four appearances. Alex Morgan: Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, Olympic gold medalist and one of the most skilled players in the history of women’s soccer in the US. Joe Rudi: Three-time World Series champion with key figures from Auckland’s Athletics and the 1970s dynasty.
The introductory ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 15th at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero in San Francisco. Proceeds from the event will benefit Northern California’s Special Olympics. Ceremony tables, including seated dinners, can be purchased at bashof.org.
