Pictured: Ben Hale, Frank Tallman ’95 P’24 ’26, Wright Thompson, Reed Davis ’95



Author Wright Thompson Visits Woodberry

On April 9 and 10, 2025, Wright Thompson, who was a member of the Woodberry Class of 1995 during the 1992-93 school year, came to Woodberry to work with English classes and speak at a special assembly. Wright is from Oxford, Mississippi, and is an author, senior writer for ESPN, and contributing writer to The Atlantic. Wright's topics have covered a wide range of sports issues, from golf, football, basketball, and baseball, to car racing, sports history, and bullfighting. He is the New York Times bestselling author of Pappyland (which, coincidentally, tells the story of Pappy van Winkle Bourbon, which has a long Woodberry connection) and The Cost of These Dreams. His most recent book, The Barn, explores the 1955 murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till and was the focus of his talk at assembly. In his introduction of the speaker, veteran English teacher Ben Hale recounted how he reconnected with Wright. Here are photos from the talk. During his visit, Wright joined headmaster Byron Hulsey ’86 P’22 for episode number 25 of the Woodberry Podcast.