When I had the brilliant idea to hijack Mr. Murfreesboro’s Minute this month to draft a little something about my dad in honor of Father’s Day, I certainly had no idea that it would be such a struggle. It’s not like I don’t have a boatload of unique anecdotes, fun historical facts or whimsical little nuggets to share, it’s just that I had no idea how to do that in under 700 words and still accurately reflect my sense of awe and wonder and love and appreciation for the entirety of the life that has been led by such a beloved and revered man. He always reminds me that “no good deed goes unpunished,” so I guess this week, this one’s mine.
Throughout my life I have always heard from family friends, acquaintances, and an impressive number of strangers that my dad was arguably one of the best athletes ever to come out of Murfreesboro. Growing up in my house, all evidence pointed to that being indisputable fact.
Rarely did you see a day on the calendar that wasn’t filled to the brim with some type of athletic competition, practice, or last-minute pick-up game in the backyard. Competing in organized sports was just something that my brother and I always did. Our summers were filled with swim-team meets, junior golf tournaments and tennis clinics, softball games and Little League baseball. Fall and winter months started on the football field and ended in a basketball gymnasium. My childhood was jam-packed full of organized sports and I loved it.
My dad was the main catalyst for this great love. He not only instilled in us the basic fundamentals of every sport we played, he really helped us learn valuable life lessons through organized team and individual sports that still guide us to this day.
His athletic accomplishments and accolades came frequently and in abundance while genuine humility remained his default. His skills and talent always demanded the spotlight, but the man himself wants no part of it.
As a quarterback and starting point guard for Murfreesboro Central High School in the ’60s, Dickie Thomas cleaned house with awards and honors as a star high-school athlete—All-State, MVP, Player of the Year awards and 1965 State High School Basketball Champion, just to name a few. And of course there was that time he was named to the 1964 Nashville Banner’s Banquet of Champions alongside All-American and #1 NFL Draft pick Tucker Frederickson and a little known hall-of-fame SEC football coach by the name of Paul “Bear” Bryant. I mean, come on, now—that’s just cool.
Did you know: Prior to the Blackman boys’ basketball team win in 2014, it had been nearly 30 years since a boys’ basketball team from Rutherford County had even played in a state championship final (Oakland, 1984) and 50 years since a team from Rutherford County had won a State Championship final (Murfreesboro Central, 1965). Do you know what those two historic teams have in common? Dickie Thomas. He was the starting point guard for Central in ’65 and, as head coach, led Oakland to four state tournament appearances, with a record of 218–61 over 10 seasons.
I was lucky enough to grow up in the same era as Dickie Thomas. He was one of the very best athletes, along with Teddy Morris and Jimmy “Monk” Montgomery, to ever play in Murfreesboro. Her was a fierce competitor that he always showed, especially on the golf course. Dickie wasn’t only a great athlete, but he was and is a first class person, a great coach who did things the right way, a great father as evidenced by his and Peggy’s two great kids, and he has been a great husband. Some of the best and competitive times I have ever had is when Dickie, Teddy, Monk and myself would play golf together. I was lucky enough to beat Dickie out of probably 75 cents. I carried him home and he went in and brought me my money in pennies and spread them all over my old car. I got mad one time we were playing and threw my putter up into a tree. It stuck in the tree and Dickie went back and climbed the tree. He refused to give it back. If I had to select anyone to play under pressure it would be Dickie Thomas. But above all, Dickie is a great friend.
Comment June 7, 2022 @ 5:26 pm
Dickie was a great athlete that many of us looked up to as young athletes growing up in the Boro! But he always impressed me by the way he carried himself. He was so talented but an extremely humble human being who I have always been very proud to call a life long friend. I just wander how good McFadden would have been if they had every had a High School. Dickie and Jerry Helton (starters on the 1965 State Champion Team) played at McFadden!
Comment June 7, 2022 @ 7:00 pm
Your dad was always kind to everyone. I was a freshman and didn’t know him personally.He always spoke to me. He and Tommy Johns were just alike. Is your dad still alive? We were proud of our teams and team spirit was high during those years. Bless your family and may God be with you.
Comment June 8, 2022 @ 9:01 am
What fond memories these comments bring to me. Dickie is one of a kind: great athlete, fun to be around, competitive to the utmost, an outstanding
basketball coach and official, an outstanding golfer but most of all a good guy. Butch, you did forget one other time you got mad at Dickie. Think back to the ninth hole at Henry Horton when you grabbed each other’s shirt collars disputing your scores. Jack Jolly and I still laugh about that many years later.
Comment June 9, 2022 @ 10:16 pm
Dickie Thomas is one of a kind. Walter and I are honored to call him a friend.
Comment June 28, 2022 @ 5:37 am
My first encounter with Dickie Thomas was Kawnis league baseball mid 60s played for the famous T McFerrin and Dickie coached the Cardinals there was something about him they drew me to him even though I played for Tin the Red Sox. He was a good guy and I used to watch him play for John Jolly any American legion teams and boy did he play. Later on church league basketball game MTSU football intermural‘s I got to catch dickies passes and he throws a nice pass. The one thing I do remember after a play I came back to the huddle I was cursing Dickie looked at me and said don’t talk ugly. And did you know I have Referee high school sports for 35 years and whenever I hear one the kids talking Ugly that’s exactly what I say to them please don’t talk ugly and they look at me and I think a dickie Thomas every time I say that and it’s a lot. And in my lifetime Dickie Thomas is one of the best athletes they has ever come out of Murfreesboro if he hadn’t hurt his knee and been a couple inches taller Dickie would be in the Pro football Hall of Fame. Dickie Thomas you’re always nice to me and I’ll always look up to you. Always Jim Marcum
Comment June 28, 2022 @ 9:28 am
Dickie Thomas deserves all the nice things people said about him here. He came back to play Central’s high school team in the alumni game at Christmas. Mr. Pate, of course, didn’t let any spectators into that game…it was just a family affair. Dickie was still the best player on the floor at what we considered then the ancient age of 28.
Comment June 25, 2023 @ 7:14 am