OG/MG Aurealius 'Reedy' Thomas (official thread)

[BB73]

Aurealius Thomas was a two-way lineman that was an first-team All American during the 1957 National Championship season.

He was elected to the College Football HOF in 1989.

cf.hof

Aurealius Thomas

Position: Guard
School: Ohio State
High School: Columbus, OH (West HS)
Years: 1955-1957
Inducted: 1989
Place of Birth: Muskogee, OK
Date of Birth: 4/6/1934
Jersey Number: 64
Height: 6-1
Weight: 202

Member Biography

On offense he played in the line as a blocker. On defense he was a middle guard, sometimes a linebacker. He wasn't big. Only 202 pounds. But Ohio State's Aurealius Thomas played big enough to make the All-America team at guard in 1957. He lacked size but had tremendous technique as a blocker and mobility as a tackler. In his senior year, 1957, he averaged 52 minutes a game in playing time. He was always able to out- manoeuvre opponents who were bigger. After graduation, Thomas taught and coached seven years. In the first year he was an assistant on the Woody Hayes staff at Ohio State. Then he coached East High School in Columbus. His last team at East, in 1964, had a 9-0 record. He left coaching as a winner and started a career with New York Life Insurance. After 16 years, he left to start his own insurance brokerage in Columbus, Ohio. Thomas had a long list of credits for community service - past president, Columbus Recreation Board; adviser, Small Business Group for Southern Ohio; trustee, Ohio State Varsity "0" Association; trustee, Ohio State University Student Loan Foundation; president, Columbus Leadership Conference; volunteer agent, United Negro College Fund.