John Grinold
Encyclopedia
John "Jack" Grinold has served Northeastern University as its sports information director for the past 46 years. In 1984 he was made assistant athletic director with the additional duties of heading the sports marketing and ticket departments, and in 1988 he was promoted to associate director of athletics. He was also in charge of all radio and television packaging. In 1998, in the celebration of NU’s first 100 years, he was chosen as one of the 100 individuals responsible for the institution’s growth and success.
Grinold is also on the executive committee of the Northeastern University Varsity Club and in 1985 he became the first non-coach/athlete to be elected to the Northeastern University Athletics Hall of Fame. In his 46 years at Northeastern, he worked 464 consecutive football games, including one undefeated season, and has enjoyed seven NCAA basketball championship tournaments, plus trips to the College World Series
, NCAA hockey Frozen Four, and many sojourns to the Henley Royal Regatta
in England.
Grinold was the first ever recipient of the New England Sports Information Directors Award for Excellence in 1971, and in 1979 he received the ECAC Service Bureau Award for contributions to the conference. He has served on numerous COSIDA committees over the years and has chaired the Committee on Committees and the Ethics Committee. He is presently the permanent vice-chair of the Awards Committee and was formerly on the Board of Directors of COSIDA. Grinold has won over 30 COSIDA awards for publication excellence. In 1994, he was inducted into the COSIDA Hall of Fame, and in 1999 received their Community Service Award. In 2003 he was elected to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Grinold has been the chairman of the New England Collegiate Writers Association for the past 38 years. He also is the former president of the Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame and now serves as its executive director. He received their Contribution to Amateur Football Award in 1994 and in 1996 was given a Chapter Leadership Award by the National Foundation. In 2008, the Board of Directors voted that the chapter be named the Jack Grinold Chapter. He was also honored by Boston University
as the first non-media person to be the recipient of the Scarlet Quill Award. He has served as a press steward for the Eastern Sprints
and the IRA Regattas for 33 years and was press steward at the venue of rowing and canoeing at the 1984 Olympiad in Los Angeles. He also is the secretary of Boston’s celebrated Beanpot
hockey tournament.
Grinold is a member of the Class of 1957 at Bowdoin College
and the Class of 1953 at Browne and Nichols Country Day School. He also spent time in the United States Merchant Marine
.
He is a life member of the Boston Athenaeum and has been elected to the Colonial Society of Massachusetts
, and the Massachusetts Historical Society
, where he serves on the Art Committee. He served on the Community Advisory Board to the trustees of WGBH-TV
, and is currently vice president of the Victorian Society of New England, where he also chairs the Preservation Awards Committee, and is a former director of the Gibson House Museum.
Grinold is a recognized sports historian and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including Costas Coast to Coast. He has appeared on SportsChannel, ESPN
, NESN and WABU, discussing the early days of sports in Boston.
Aside from the sports world he has written a history of the Hampshire House (former Bayard Thayer mansion) and contributed to Preview, the bi-monthly publication of the Museum of Fine Arts
, and the prestigious New England Quarterly. He recently contributed a chapter to Tradition and Innovation: Reflections on Northeastern University’s First Century, and segments to A Century of Sport in Boston.
Grinold is also on the executive committee of the Northeastern University Varsity Club and in 1985 he became the first non-coach/athlete to be elected to the Northeastern University Athletics Hall of Fame. In his 46 years at Northeastern, he worked 464 consecutive football games, including one undefeated season, and has enjoyed seven NCAA basketball championship tournaments, plus trips to the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
, NCAA hockey Frozen Four, and many sojourns to the Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
in England.
Grinold was the first ever recipient of the New England Sports Information Directors Award for Excellence in 1971, and in 1979 he received the ECAC Service Bureau Award for contributions to the conference. He has served on numerous COSIDA committees over the years and has chaired the Committee on Committees and the Ethics Committee. He is presently the permanent vice-chair of the Awards Committee and was formerly on the Board of Directors of COSIDA. Grinold has won over 30 COSIDA awards for publication excellence. In 1994, he was inducted into the COSIDA Hall of Fame, and in 1999 received their Community Service Award. In 2003 he was elected to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Grinold has been the chairman of the New England Collegiate Writers Association for the past 38 years. He also is the former president of the Eastern Massachusetts chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame and now serves as its executive director. He received their Contribution to Amateur Football Award in 1994 and in 1996 was given a Chapter Leadership Award by the National Foundation. In 2008, the Board of Directors voted that the chapter be named the Jack Grinold Chapter. He was also honored by Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
as the first non-media person to be the recipient of the Scarlet Quill Award. He has served as a press steward for the Eastern Sprints
Eastern Sprints
Eastern Sprints refers to the annual rowing championship for the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges . Since 1974, the "Women's Eastern Sprints" has been held as the annual championship for the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing Colleges league.*For the women's regatta, see Women's Eastern...
and the IRA Regattas for 33 years and was press steward at the venue of rowing and canoeing at the 1984 Olympiad in Los Angeles. He also is the secretary of Boston’s celebrated Beanpot
Beanpot
The Beanpot refers primarily to a men's ice hockey tournament among the four major college hockey schools of the Boston, Massachusetts area, held annually since the 1952-53 season. The tournament gives the winner bragging rights over its cross-town rivals, and the quest for this highly sought-after...
hockey tournament.
Grinold is a member of the Class of 1957 at Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
and the Class of 1953 at Browne and Nichols Country Day School. He also spent time in the United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
.
He is a life member of the Boston Athenaeum and has been elected to the Colonial Society of Massachusetts
Colonial Society of Massachusetts
The Colonial Society of Massachusetts is a US non-profit educational foundation, founded in 1892, and established for the study of the history of Massachusetts. The period of study is from its settlement through the early nineteenth century. It is a member of the New England Regional Fellowship...
, and the Massachusetts Historical Society
Massachusetts Historical Society
The Massachusetts Historical Society is a major historical archive specializing in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history...
, where he serves on the Art Committee. He served on the Community Advisory Board to the trustees of WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming...
, and is currently vice president of the Victorian Society of New England, where he also chairs the Preservation Awards Committee, and is a former director of the Gibson House Museum.
Grinold is a recognized sports historian and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including Costas Coast to Coast. He has appeared on SportsChannel, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, NESN and WABU, discussing the early days of sports in Boston.
Aside from the sports world he has written a history of the Hampshire House (former Bayard Thayer mansion) and contributed to Preview, the bi-monthly publication of the Museum of Fine Arts
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
, and the prestigious New England Quarterly. He recently contributed a chapter to Tradition and Innovation: Reflections on Northeastern University’s First Century, and segments to A Century of Sport in Boston.
External links
- GoNU.com Hall of Fame Profile http://gonu.com/hall/jgrinold.html