Otha Ray Thomas was one of eight brothers and a sister of Rev. Richard and Gwendolyn Thomas of Evansville, Indiana.

While a student at Evansville Central High School, Thomas played football and became an All-State performer, excelling in track and field. Standing 5-9 and weighing 128 pounds as a senior, Thomas advanced to the 1961 IHSAA State Track and Field State Finals. Accompanying the talented long jumper was Central track coach Charlie Ogg. Coach Ogg had previously guided Don Ashby to the long jump championship in 1960.

ana girl to win both the 100 meters and 100 hurdles in the same championship meet. She had five IHSAA state championship gold medals, two silver and two bronze and was nine times all-state.

Opal "Shagg" Courtney was a most talented athlete at Gary Roosevelt, starring in track and field, football, basketball and baseball. Many say that he was the greatest athlete to have played in Gary, ignored by the Indiana High School Athletic Association and state sport groups because he attended an all-black school during a time when black schools could not participate in the IHSAA state championships. Therefore, Gary Froebel High School, a non-segregated school, tried to persuade him to attend but he was very true to his high school and remained there.

Courtney and Roosevelt High School made the most of those years just after the great depression, traveling any where they could find competition. He nearly alone won the United States All Negro Championships in track in 1931 at Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia, and runners-up in 1932. In 1930 they were Midwestern Track Champions at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, and runner-up in 1931.

In the Indiana city of the Petersburg in 1932, a boy was born to the Carter family who would grow into one of the city’s great athletes.

Richard Carter became a two-time IHSAA state pole vault champion (1949-1950), two-time Pocket Athletic Conference football running back (1948- 1949) and a very good basketball player.

Sophomore Carter won the 1949 IHSAA pole vault state championship with an amazing 12-8 3/4, after finishing third to Don Hajek and Tom Kincaid of Evansville Reitz in the regional. His 1949 vault had been bettered by only two vaulters before him (Walter Famer of Gary Froebel in 1935 at 12-10 and Bill Moore of Logansport in 1942 at 13-6 1/8) Both are members of the Indiana Track and Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame.

Lee graduated from Indiana University in 1959, where he attended on an athletic scholarship and earned a B.S. in physical education. He played basketball on two Big Ten championship teams. In 1969, Lee earned an M.S. in business education from Ball State University. Lee has been married to his wife Ruth Nash Aldridge for 58 years. He spent 36 years in public education, the last 30 at Pioneer High School, where he served as athletic director for 20 years. For 48 years, Lee served as an IHSAA official in football, track and field, cross country and swimming. Notable involvement includes being a part of the starting crew for the state finals for 13 years and officiating five 5A football championships. Lee also served for several years as an IHSAA rules interpreter for track and field and football.