In the early years of athletics, it was exceedingly difficult for a Black person to become an athlete in the public high school, however, few succeeded. George Thompson was an example or better “The Example.” Growing up in Kentucky, his father, Charles, and two sons moved back to Covington, Indiana in 1899, to live with the father’s aunt. Mrs. Malinda L. Ritchey was a very respected lady that did domestics chores for people in and around town. George and his brother entered Covington High School, and there George became an excellent student and an even better athlete. The Covington Republican reported in its April 25, 1902, printing, that in a meet in Danville, Illinois, Thompson won the 100, 220, 440, 880, mile and pole vault. Records of the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Association for 1902 could not verify as to Thompson’s participation and there was no championship meet in 1903. The Indianapolis News reported, in June 4, 1904, printing, a comparison chart showing the improvement of the present to past great marks that a J. Thompson of Covington had the 440 record of :54 and in searching the Covington High School yearbook no J. Thompson could be found, only a George Thompson. That was not unusual to miss the first name, as first names were rarely used in the early athletic contests. The Indianapolis News in another article noted that George Thompson of Covington, Indiana, the 1903 state 440 champions, voted for Olympian Leroy Sames to captain the 1905 Indiana University Varsity track and field team.
After high school, Thompson attended Indiana University and became a member of the track and field team. 1904 is an especially important date as Thompson seems to have been the Western Conference’s (Big Ten) first black track and field athlete, some forty-four years before Bill Garrett of Shelbyville brook the Big Ten basketball color barrier. Thompson was one of the first Indiana High School Black athletes along with H. Tutt, Manual Training High School, Will Anderson, Bloomington High School and John Hemy Weaver, Marion, who in 1902 was entered in 8 of the 15 state meet events. Thompson specialized in the 440 (setting a record at 51.8) and mile relay during his years at Indiana University and led the Hoosiers to a victory at St. Louis Western Conference (Big Ten Conference). The relay was made up of Fred Seward (120 hurdles and 220 low hurdles) and George Zimmer (440), Bloomington High School and Will Kercheval (broad jump), Sheridan High School, all 1904 IHSAA State champions. It is reported in many sources; Beacon Journal, Crawfordsville and Covington libraries that he participated in the 1904 St Louis Olympics and recorded a 49.4 second finish. Lynn Houser in the Bloomington Sunday Herald-Times contacted the United States Olympic Committee, and they could not confirm Thompson’s participation but did not rule out his participation as the St Louis Olympic was made up mostly of American participants and anybody could have shown up and tried to qualify. It was unlikely that a black athlete would be allowed to participate in such a prestigious activity, however, after a check one would find two black athletes participated in the 1904 Games, George Poage from La Crosse, Wisconsin the bronze medalist in both the 200 meter and 400-meter races and Len Tawyane a South African marathoner.
After graduating in 1907, Thompson became the principal (professor) at the Lincoln School, a Black school in Crawfordsville from 1907 – 1915, leaving Lincoln School to enter World War I as a lieutenant and served with the Army Y.M.C.A.
Thompson continued serving the Y.M.C.A. after his time in service to his country. Moving to Akron, Ohio, he became the director of the Akron Y.M.C.A. and a community leader for 25 years.
He died in 1944 at the age of 61.