The Fabulous Fred Thomas uses images and writings from student newspapers, yearbooks, archival documents, and images from Leddy Library’s Archives and Special Collections and its South Western Ontario Digital Archive to document Mr  Fred Thomas’ formative years in Windsor and celebrate his tremendous accomplishments. 

"With Freddy, there was always a game to be played. The best way to prove the bigots wrong was to show how good you were on the court and then walk proudly out of the gym." -- Lyle Browning

"Fred Thomas deserves mention alongside the finest basketball players this country ever developed." -- Tony Techko

"My uncle Fred played three professional sports at a time when they didn't want any Blacks playing any pro sports." -- Keenan Thomas

"There was probably never a Canadian basketball player who so dominated the key area and was so deadly with the hook shot as Fred. He played the game with the grace of a swan and the agility of a gazelle." -- Ken Fathers

"Fred Thomas, a superb athlete with keen sensitivity, marked intelligence, abundant goodness, and unusual humility has left an unforgettable sports legacy to this sports-minded community." -- Tony Techko

Born and raised in Windsor and an Assumption College graduate (1949), Fred Thomas was a multi-sport phenomenon who broke barriers and made history. He played basketball, baseball, and football professionally at a time when Black athletes faced considerable discrimination. He was a record-setting basketball player at Assumption College (now University of Windsor), a baseball player who broke colour barriers in organized baseball, and the first Black Canadian to play for the Toronto Argonauts. In the fall of 2024, Thomas received the Order of Sport from Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.