A multisport phenomenon who refused to let prejudice define his potential, Fred Thomas broke barriers to help end the era of racial segregation for professional athletes in North America. Born in Windsor, Ontario in 1923, Fred’s talent and athletic versatility were already evident in high school. Excelling in track and field and football, Fred also played basketball and helped J.C. Patterson Collegiate Institute win the All-Ontario Basketball Title in his senior year. After the colour barrier was broken in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in March 1942, Fred enlisted after high school graduation in June 1943 and received his wings to become a fighter pilot in 1945 (becoming among the first group of men of colour to be trained under new regulations).
 
After the War, Fred enrolled at Assumption College, (now University of Windsor), where he became an outstanding varsity athlete in multiple sports, namely basketball, baseball, and football. He defied racial prejudices from opponents firmly entrenched in these sports in the post-war era with sheer determination, and the support of his teammates. Able to deliver the perfect hook shot with either hand and break up passing plays with blazing speed and graceful athleticism, Fred thrilled local spectators when he led the Purple Raiders basketball team to victory over the Harlem Globetrotters in 1945. In 1948, he helped the team reach the Varsity Men’s Senior Finals while scoring 639 points to set a single season record at the University of Windsor. Tallying 2,059 points during his collegiate career, which is still celebrated as the ‘Thomistic Era’ at his alma mater, Fred ranked third on the overall National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) scoring list when he graduated in 1949.
 
In 1948, Fred broke the colour barrier in Minor League Baseball’s (MiLB) Eastern League, playing right field for the Wilkes-Barre Barons in Pennsylvania. In 1949, he became the first Black Canadian and second Black athlete to play football for the Toronto Argonauts, overcoming an obstacle that must have seemed unattainable only three years earlier when the league was segregated. Having made a lasting impression, Fred was also invited to attend the Harlem Globetrotters’ training camp in 1949 and proceeded to spend two years playing professional basketball for all-Black basketball teams in the United States, including the New York Renaissance and Kansas City Stars.
 
Fred was deemed one of the best Canadian basketball players of the twentieth century in a 1950 press poll, when prejudice continued to limit wider recognition of his dynamic talent. When a knee injury forced his retirement from professional sports, Fred shifted gears to become a highly regarded Math and Physical Education teacher at Valley Park Jr. High School and East York Collegiate in Toronto. Although his modest and unassuming nature meant students were largely unaware of his accomplishments as a professional athlete, Fred’s enthusiasm and genuine interest in their well-being ensured he would have a lasting impact on generations of young people. Passing away in 1981 at the age of 57, Fred Thomas left behind a story of quiet determination and groundbreaking achievement.

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