Northeastern University Athletics

George J. Matthews was elected to the Hall of Fame for his many contributions to Northeastern athletics.

Matthews, who attended Northeastern nights and swept through requirements for a double major in Business Management and Industrial Engineering, has been a major force in the University's progress as the world leader in Cooperative Education. He is a former Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and before that, Chairman of the Century Fund, which netted some forty-three million dollars over five years. He has chaired and been a member of countless varsity athletic committees, and helped form the acclaimed Center for the Study of Sport in Society based at the University. By parlaying his administrative ability and love of Northeastern, Matthews has engineered many crusades for the upgrade of the Husky athletic program. In 1982, the University recognized the support and dedication of the Matthews family by naming the old Boston -- and Northeastern -- Arena, the George J. Hope and Hope M. Matthews Arena; on the evening of November 14, 1982.

Largely due to Matthews' generosity and enthusiasm, the Arena was Northeastern's to share with the city. Humanitarian interests have been second nature to Matthews' personal and professional life; he is a former director of the Handi-Kids Foundation, the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Center for Blood Research in Boston. In 1986, his alma mater again honored Matthews by conferring on him an honorary doctorate of Humanities. His affection for sports, cultivated as a fan and neighborhood baseball, basketball and football player in East Boston, eventually led him into the professional ranks. He is a former founding father of the United States Football League and owner of the Boston Breakers franchise.