Whadya Say, Whadya Know: The Voice of Pueblo Sports

For more than 25 years, Tony Wright has brought Pueblo’s biggest games, greatest athletes, and most unforgettable moments to life–making memories for generations while giving everything he had to the community he now calls home.

For generations of Pueblo athletes, there are moments they will never forget.

A touchdown under the lights at Dutch Clark Stadium. A game-winning shot as the final seconds disappear. A state championship celebration surrounded by teammates, family and an entire community.

But for thousands of those moments, there has been something else woven into the memory.

A voice.

For more than 25 years, Tony Wright has been the voice of Pueblo Sports, bringing the biggest moments from local high school fields and courts into homes, cars and communities throughout Pueblo. 

He has called championships, rivalries, buzzer-beaters and unforgettable performances. He has watched generations of athletes grow up, graduate and move onto successful careers (one thing he is most proud of). And after through it all, the man behind the microphone has remained focused on the people who made his career possible. 

The kids.

“The kids are the most important,” Wright said. “They’ve made it all possible.”

For more than two decades, Wright has helped make sure Pueblo’s athletes never had to take a back seat to anybody else. 

Now, after spending years telling the stories of others, it is time for Pueblo to recognize the man who has spent a lifetime giving its athletes a voice.

A Dream That Started at Eight Years Old

Long before he became one of the most recognizable voices in Pueblo, Tony Wright was simply a kid with a dream. 

“I wanted to be a broadcaster since I was eight years old,” Wright said. 

That dream eventually brought him to the University of Southern Colorado (now CSU-Pueblo) after graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver. 

But like many careers, Wright’s journey did not begin under the bright lights of a professional studio.

It started with a cassette deck.

Before his voice was heard throughout Pueblo, Wright was recording games and finding ways to develop his craft. He was building toward the opportunity he had dreamed about since he was a young kid playing sports himself.

That opportunity arrived in 1991.

Wright was given a chance at KCSJ Radio, where local games were broadcast on AM 590. Over time, the station and broadcasts evolved, eventually becoming associated with Fox Sports AM 1350.

His first experience came as part of a league game broadcast  in 1991 when Pueblo Central pulled off a  13-7 upset over Pueblo South.

A year later, Wright made his first play-by-play call.

The game? A historic Bell Game class between Centennial and Central. For Wright, his broadcasting career had officially begun in the middle of one of Pueblo’s greatest traditions, and one of the entire country’s longest standing rivalries. 

That year, Centennial would go on to win the Class 4a state championship, but for Wright, something even bigger was beginning. 

A kid who dreamed of becoming a broadcaster at eight years old had finally found his microphone.

The Golden Era of Pueblo Sports

When Wright looks back on his career, he remembers the 1990s as one of the great eras of Pueblo sports.

It was a time when rivalries filled stadiums and gyms, and local teams captured the attention of the entire community.

Of all the rivalries in town, Wright points to Pueblo South and Pueblo Central as one that may not always receive the recognition it deserves.

The schools sit close to one another, separated by the Arkansas River that runs through Pueblo.

For the athletes, students and fans involved, the games carried meaning far beyond the scoreboard. 

Wright had a front-row seat to it all. That became the defining role of his career.

While athletes created the moments, Wright became the person trusted to tell Pueblo exactly what was happening.

His voice became part of the soundtrack of Pueblo sports. 

An Unforgettable Call

After thousands of games, choosing one favorite would be nearly impossible. But, when Wright thinks about the broadcasts that stand out most, one Bell Game immediately comes to mind.

1999. Dogs vs. Cats. Dutch Clark Stadium.

More than 15,000 fans packed the stadium for one of the most memorable nights in the history of the rivalry.

Centennial entered the game ranked No. 1 in the state and brought one of the area’s most dominant teams onto the field.

The Bulldogs were known for their powerful option attack, led by running back Steve Sankey.

While Sankey had his way most of the night, Central refused to go quietly.

The Wildcats answered with an explosive passing attack led by quarterback Daron Williams, who threw for more than 400 yards that fall night.

The shootout between the historic rivals ended with a Bulldogs victory, 69-53. 

The atmosphere, Wright said, is what made the night unforgettable.

More than the touchdowns or statistics, it was the environment. The sea of blue on the stadium’s eastside; the sea of red smothering the stadium’s westside. 

The stadium was overflowing. The community was locked in. Two Pueblo rivals were putting on an absolute show.

And for listeners at home, Tony Wright was there to make it come to life. 

Most Memorable Team

Throughout his career, Wright has covered countless talented teams.

But when asked which group stands out as one of the most memorable, he points to the 2014 Pueblo East boys basketball team.

The Eagles captured the Class 4a state championship, but it was the team chemistry that stood out most for Wright.

During the historic run, East upset No. 1-ranked Valor Christian in overtime during the Great 8 to advance to the final four. Valor Christian had not lost to a 4a opponent all season until that point. 

From there, the Eagles defeated Sand Creek before earning a chance to play for the Class 4a state title. Waiting for them, Denver South, a team Pueblo East lost to earlier in the season. 

The Eagles defeated Denver South at the Coors Events Center in Boulder 58-51 to capture the school’s first ever boys basketball state championship. 

For Wright, that group represented what can happen when talent is matched with chemistry, belief, and a team willing to fight for one another.

Pueblo Never Had to Take a Back Seat

Wright came to Pueblo as a kid from Denver. Over the years, Pueblo became home.

And the community accepted him.

That acceptance is something he has never taken for granted.

When he looks back at everything he has accomplished, Wright does not simply want people to remember the number of games he called or the championships he covered.

He wants people to know he gave everything he had. And he still is.

Wright has no interest in simply looking back at his broadcasting career as if it has already come to an end.

He wants to continue.

He still has games to call.

He still has moments waiting to happen.

Most importantly, he still believes in Pueblo athletes.

While larger cities may have had more cameras, more coverage or more attention, Pueblo had something special.

It had someone who cared enough to show up. Someone who understood that a Friday night touchdown or a game-winning shot could become a memory that lasted forever.

Now It’s His Turn

After all the recognition Tony Wright has given to Pueblo athletes over the years, it’s time for Pueblo to recognize him for the memories he has given so many people.

He has celebrated touchdowns, walk-off hits, game winning shots and goals.

He has called heart-breaking finishes and court-storming celebrations. 

He has watched teenagers become graduates, athletes become parents, and young players become coaches.

His career is woven into the history of Pueblo sports.

There are athletes throughout this city whose biggest moments were heard through Tony Wright’s voice.

There are parents who listened to their children’s games on the radio.

There are fans who can still remember exactly where they were when Wright describes a moment they will never forget.

For decades, he has helped create memories for Pueblo.

Behind the roar of the crowd, and the excitement of the moment, was always a unique voice that told Pueblo what was happening.

That voice belonged to Tony Wright.

The voice of Pueblo Sports.