SUNY Cortland C-Club Hall of Fame
Back To Hall of Fame
Back To Hall of Fame
Thomas Major starred in three sports for the Red Dragons and enjoyed a long and successful career as a teacher, coach and athletic director at Trumansburg High School for more than 35 years.
As a Cortland student, Major lettered in football, baseball and wrestling. After a season as a junior varsity football quarterback, he played fullback and linebacker on the varsity for three seasons. On the baseball diamond, he played shortstop for four seasons — three on varsity — and his .474 batting average as a senior lasted as a school record for 20 years. He wrestled during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Major also was involved in Cardinal Key Club, the Neumann Club, the Men’s Athletic Association (MAA) and the fraternity Beta Phi Epsilon as a student.
Upon graduation, Major began teaching physical education at Trumansburg High School. His 35-and-a-half years of teaching included 15 years as the chairman of the Physical Education Department. He served as director of athletics for 25 years and was the school’s head football coach for 17 seasons. He also coached wrestling, basketball, track, baseball and golf at various times during his tenure.
Major was inducted into the Section Four New York State Athletic Association (NYSAA) Hall of Fame in 1983 and was named the section’s Athletic Director of the Year in 1995. He also was selected to the Chemung County Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Trumansburg Central School Hall of Fame in 2005. Trumansburg’s Tom Major Athletic Complex was dedicated in his name in 1996.
For 48 years, Major served as the recreation director for the Village of Trumansburg and Town of Ulysses. He’s been active for more than 25 years with the American Red Cross and started many youth programs during his 35-plus years as a member of the Trumansburg Golf Club. He’s also worked with the Rotary Exchange Program and the Elks Club of Ithaca.
Major is a 1955 graduate of Horseheads Central School and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1992.
UPDATE: Thomas passed away on May 13, 2022, at age 84.
Back To Hall of Fame
