Thomas Montgomery was an outstanding quarterback for Coach Charles Mahorney's Trenholm Wildcats as during his high school career there were only four losses and one tie in four years. After high school he went on to Alabama A&M College in Huntsville and despite his 5-8 stature he worked his way into the starting position by the fourth game of the season in 1960. Playing for legendary Bulldogs coach Lewis Crews A&M lost only four games in the next three seasons as they won the S.I.A.C. Championship in 1961, were co-champions in 1962 and undefeated in 1963. After graduating Thomas became an assistant coach at Cobb Avenue High School in Anniston, Alabama where they won two State Championships prior to integration and in 1970 Cobb became the first historically black high school to make the Alabama State Football Playoffs. In 1971, he took over as the Head Football Coach at Roosevelt High School in Dayton, Ohio where he was a head coach in Dayton Public Schools for 25 years. During that time frame teams coached by Thomas won 14 league championships and went to the State playoffs six times. He coached many outstanding players; most notable Keith Byars, Larry Lee and Dan Wilkerson. His coaching record was 175-72 and he won numerous awards including Roosevelt Teacher of the Year in 1975, Trotwood, Ohio Citizen of the Year in 1985, and Dayton’s Most Influential Sports Figure of the 20th Century in 1999.