 Thomas pictured at Fairmount, c. 1911 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 16, 1887 Lime Lake, Leelanau County, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | May 23, 1977 (aged 89) Northport, Michigan, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Olivet College (B.A., 1909) |
| Playing career | |
| Football | |
| 1905–1908 | Olivet |
| Basketball | |
| 1905–1908 | Olivet |
| Position(s) | Halfback (football) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| Football | |
| 1909–1911 | Fairmount |
| 1913 | Ohio Wesleyan |
| Basketball | |
| 1909–1912 | Fairmount |
| Baseball | |
| 1909–1912 | Fairmount |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 17–15–2 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Awards | |
| Olivet College Athletic Hall of Fame (1972) | |
Roy Kehl Thomas (June 16, 1887 – May 23, 1977) was an American college football, college basketball, and college baseball coach. He was the seventh head football coach at Fairmount College—now known as Wichita State University—serving for three seasons, from 1909 to 1911, and compiling a record of 15–8–2. Thomas coached the football team at Ohio Wesleyan University in 1913.[1]
Thomas was born on June 16, 1887, at Lime Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan. He attended Olivet College—now known as University of Olivet—in Olivet, Michigan, where he captained the football and basketball teams, and was a record-setting distance runner. Thomas earned Bachelor of Arts and Legum Doctor degree from Olivet and did post-graduate work at the University of Chicago Law School.[2] Thomas was hired as the physical director at Fairmount in 1909, succeeding Willis Bates.[3][4] In 1913, he was named football, basketball, and baseball coach at Ohio Wesleyan, succeeding M. B. Banks.[5]
Thomas later practiced law and was a trust officer for City National Bank in Chicago. He died on May 23, 1977, at Leelanau Memorial Hospital in Northport, Michigan, following a long illness.[2]
- ^ Catalogue of Ohio Wesleyan University for ..., Delaware, Ohio. Ohio Wesleyan University. 1913. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
- ^ a b "Roy Thomas". Traverse City Record-Eagle. Traverse City, Michigan. May 24, 1977. p. 19. Retrieved October 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com
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- ^ "Chose Physical Director". The Wichita Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. April 28, 1909. p. 6. Retrieved October 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Thomas Is Wonder". The Sunflower. Wichita, Kansas. May 1, 1909. p. 1. Retrieved October 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
- ^ "Roy Thomas Named To Coach Ohio Wesleyan". The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. June 11, 1913. p. 19. Retrieved October 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
