A mere 3,122 fans showed up to Riverfront Stadium to see Toledo's 4-0 win vs the Seminoles, but for Liberty legend Chris Wright, it was another milestone in his storied career.
The August 25th, 2054 contest represented Wright's 1000th game in a Liberty uniform. Wright contributed to the cause with his 8th home run of the season in the 5th inning, and after the contest a team photo was taken and a plaque presented to the legendary Toledo outfielder. The victory represented the club's 110th win of the season as the squad looks toward its 21st Baxter Upper Midwest Division Title and 11th Pegler League Championship, but Wright was subdued after the contest, pondering his future.
"I love playing for this team," he said, eyes downcast. "It seems like its been my entire life, you know? We've had so many good times here, and hopefully some more to come.
"But I have to face the fact that times are changing. Rules evolve and so must we, I guess. I turn 34 next season, so my only options are AAA or the majors. Sometimes I catch myself thinking whether I really belong up there. This has been my home for what seems like forever, i just can't imagine playing anywhere else.
"Yes, of course, it's all of our dreams to play in the majors. But it seems like I've been living a dream all along down here. I don't know. You.... you just reach a point in your life where everything you knew is gone and you don't know where to go. And, I just see that coming, you know? I... I just...."
With a heavy sigh, Wright got up and slowly walked toward the clubhouse.
In his 1000 games for Toledo, the legendary OF has 983 hits, 118 home runs, 458 RBI, and 704 Runs Scored. His 36.9 WAR averages out to 6.0 per 162 games, and his teams have won 12 division titles and 6 league championships.