Lynn Matthews
Encyclopedia
Lynn Otto Matthews is a former American college football
player who was recognized as an All-American and later became a newspaper
publishing executive.
. He attended Chamberlain High School
in Tampa, and he played high school football
for the Chamberlain Chiefs.
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he played defensive end
for coach Ray Graves
' Florida Gators football
team from 1963 to 1965. He initially played both ways, at tight end
and defensive end, but played defense exclusively after his sophomore
year. He was a three-year letterman and was the defensive hero for the Gators in a 14–0 win over the Auburn Tigers
in 1964. He was selected as a second-team All-Southeastern Conference
(SEC) selection in 1964 and 1965, and a first-team All-American in 1965
. He was known as a big-play maker and is regarded as one of the finest defensive ends for the Gators, and helped lead the Gators to their first major bowl game, the 1966 Sugar Bowl
. Matthews graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
in 1966, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great." In 1999, he was chosen as a second-team selection to the University of Florida's All-Century Team, and the Gators' All-Time Team in 1983.
), The Ledger
(Lakeland, Florida
), The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California
) and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
(Sarasota, Florida
). In 1999, he was promoted to be the president
and chief operating officer
of the Times Regional Newspaper Group
, then consisting of twenty-one Times newspapers located mostly in the southeastern United States, including the Herald-Tribune and The Ledger. Matthews retired from the Times Regional Newspaper Group at the end of 2002, after nearly thirty years with the company.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who was recognized as an All-American and later became a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publishing executive.
Early years
Matthews was born in Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. He attended Chamberlain High School
George D. Chamberlain High School
George D. Chamberlain High School was opened in 1956 on North Boulevard in Tampa, Florida, in the United States. The school is named in honor of George Chamberlain, who served for several years as a trustee for the Hillsborough County School System.The school newspaper, The Chieftain, is part of...
in Tampa, and he played high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
for the Chamberlain Chiefs.
All-American college football career
Matthews received an athletic scholarshipAthletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he played defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for coach Ray Graves
Ray Graves
Samuel Ray Graves is a former American college and professional football player and former college football coach. He is a native of Tennessee and an alumnus of the University of Tennessee, where he played college football...
' Florida Gators football
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team from 1963 to 1965. He initially played both ways, at tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and defensive end, but played defense exclusively after his sophomore
Sophomore
Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a...
year. He was a three-year letterman and was the defensive hero for the Gators in a 14–0 win over the Auburn Tigers
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
in 1964. He was selected as a second-team All-Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) selection in 1964 and 1965, and a first-team All-American in 1965
1965 College Football All-America Team
The 1965 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
. He was known as a big-play maker and is regarded as one of the finest defensive ends for the Gators, and helped lead the Gators to their first major bowl game, the 1966 Sugar Bowl
1966 Sugar Bowl
The 1966 edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the sixth-ranked Missouri Tigers and the unranked Florida Gators.After a scoreless first quarter, Missouri went on a tear in the second quarter. Brown scored on a 16-yard touchdown run giving the Tigers a 7-0 lead. Roland threw an 11-yard touchdown pass...
. Matthews graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1966, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great." In 1999, he was chosen as a second-team selection to the University of Florida's All-Century Team, and the Gators' All-Time Team in 1983.
Newspaper publisher
At different times during his career, Matthews served as the publisher of the Ocala Star-Banner (Ocala, FloridaOcala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
), The Ledger
The Ledger
The Ledger is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida and the Polk County area. It is owned by The New York Times Company. Jerome Ferson became publisher of the newspaper on July 30, 2007....
(Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
), The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
) and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune is a daily newspaper located in Sarasota, Florida.It is owned by The New York Times Company, who purchased it in 1982, and part of its regional news group. Along with Comcast, the newspaper operates a local 24-hour...
(Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
). In 1999, he was promoted to be the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
of the Times Regional Newspaper Group
The New York Times Company
The New York Times Company is an American media company best known as the publisher of its namesake, The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. has served as Chairman of the Board since 1997. It is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City....
, then consisting of twenty-one Times newspapers located mostly in the southeastern United States, including the Herald-Tribune and The Ledger. Matthews retired from the Times Regional Newspaper Group at the end of 2002, after nearly thirty years with the company.
See also
- 1965 College Football All-America Team1965 College Football All-America TeamThe 1965 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Central Press Association, Football Writers...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- Florida Gators football, 1960–1969
- List of Florida Gators football players
- List of University of Florida alumni