Ray B. Thomas

Ray Brown Thomas (April 11, 1884 – August 5, 1931) was an American college athlete, coach of college football and college basketball, physician, and medical officer in the United States Army.

Ray B. Thomas
Thomas in The Ariel (1910) college yearbook of the University of Vermont
Biographical details
Born(1884-04-11)April 11, 1884
Berkshire, Vermont
DiedAugust 5, 1931(1931-08-05) (aged 47)
St. Albans, Vermont
Playing career
Football
c.1905Brown
c.1908Vermont
Position(s)Center[1]
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1909Vermont
1910–1911New Hampshire
Basketball
1910–1911New Hampshire
Head coaching record
Overall7–10–4 (football)
6–3 (basketball)

Biography

Thomas graduated from Burlington High School in Vermont, then Brown University in Rhode Island, and later earned his medical degree at the University of Vermont in 1910.[2] While at Brown, he played football, baseball, and basketball; he also played football at Vermont.[2][3]

Thomas served as the head football coach at Vermont in 1909 and at New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts for the 1910 and 1911 seasons,[lower-alpha 1] compiling a career college football record of 7–10–4. Thomas was also the head basketball coach at New Hampshire for one season, in 1910–11, tallying a mark of 6–3.

In 1911, he opened a medical office in Enosburgh, Vermont.[2] During World War I, he served as a major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps,[4] and was chief of X-ray services at the Camp McClellan hospital in Alabama.[2] Thomas died in August 1931 at the age of 47, of pneumonia brought on by heat stroke while on duty with the Army Reserve.[4][2] He was a Freemason and a member of the Episcopal Church; he was survived by his wife, Elizabeth Laird Thomas.[2]

Head coaching record
Thomas (far right) with the 1909 Vermont Catamounts football team

Football
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs
Vermont Green and Gold (Independent) (1909)
1909 Vermont 4–2–2
Vermont: 4–2–2
New Hampshire (Independent) (1910–1911)
1910 New Hampshire 2–3–1
1911 New Hampshire 1–5–1
New Hampshire: 3–8–2
Total:7–10–4

Notes
  1. The school became the University of New Hampshire in 1923 and adopted the Wildcats nickname in 1926.

References
  1. The Ariel. Vol. XXIII. University of Vermont. 1910. p. 177. Retrieved April 25, 2020 – via uvm.edu. Varsity Football Team, Season of 1908
  2. "Dr. R. B. Thomas, 47, of Enosburg Falls dies in St. Albans". Rutland Herald. Rutland, Vermont. August 6, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  3. "Bits Of Sport". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. October 27, 1911. p. 2. Retrieved April 25, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  4. "Dr. Thomas, Athlete, Dies". Brattleboro Reformer. Brattleboro, Vermont. AP. August 5, 1931. p. 6. Retrieved April 25, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
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