The assessment over which athlete is best in Louisiana College history will never be settled, but Thomas 'Junior' Smith always will be among those considered.
He came to LC as a walk-on from tiny Liddieville and went on to earn three varsity letters in basketball. He was the team's leading scorer in his senior season.
Although he had never played football, Smith earned varsity letters as a junior and senior. But it was in track and field that Smith rose to world class prominence.
Despite never having seen a javelin before he enrolled at LC, Smith immediately dominated the sport. He was Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion each year at LC, including an SIAA record throw of 212 ft., 3 ½ inches in 1939 that, according to available statistics, was never surpassed.
Smith equaled the SIAA record in the first meet of the 1939 season, and in each of the remaining meets he exceeded the SIAA mark.
Smith continued to excel in Southern and National Amateur Athletic Union competition after graduation. He was undefeated for five consecutive years in SAAU meets and set a record in 1941. He won silver medals in 1944 and 1947 in National competition.
Smith's longest throw was 221 ft., 9 inches in 1940 and came at the Central Louisiana High School Rally. Relative to standards at the time, Smith's best heave was further than any toss made by a college athlete in Louisiana, longer than any throw in SAAU history, second best to any javelin toss made in NAAU or NCAA championship meet, and was amongst the worlds longest throws.
