Earl John "Tommy" Thomson (February 15, 1895 – May 19, 1971) was a Canadian athlete, a specialist in the high hurdles.
[1][5] Born in Birch Hills, Northwest Territories (now in Saskatchewan), Thomson moved to southern California at age 8, because the warm weather would be better for his mother.
Thomson attended Long Beach Poly, where he won the 120 yard hurdles at the first CIF California State Meet in 1915.
He sought to represent the United States at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, but was ruled ineligible due to his Canadian citizenship.
[11] In 1930 Thomson, along with Harold Barron and Harry Hillman, was involved in the design of a new safer hurdle, with a view to reducing the danger of bad falls and injuries.