Northeastern University Athletics

James M. Thornton, who has since passed away, was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in the sport of football, where he was a triple threat for Coach Joe Zabilski from 1963 to 1965.

Thornton was Mr. Outside in one of Northeastern's bench-mark offensive backfields, Mr. Inside being All America fullback and also a member of the Hall of Fame, Bob Cappadona. Thornton broke the starting lineup as a sophomore, as Northeastern posted an 8-0-0 record and earned an Eastern Bowl bid against powerful East Carolina. With Thornton in the lineup, the Huskies won 20 games and lost just five in three seasons. In that span, the explosive halfback was also the team's best pass catcher and a dangerous man on the option play. If there wasn't enough work on the offensive end, he was deployed to punt and kickoff return, where he was particularly dangerous.

So far as one-two punches were concerned, the Huskies enjoyed one of the very best in the small college ranks in Cappadona and Thornton. Cappadona gained the tough yardage up the middle, while Thornton, a slashing, darting back, often tore away for big gainers around the end.

Thornton took an indirect route coming to Northeastern, as after high school, he spent two years in the Army and then two more in private business before matriculating at Northeastern. He took the direct route, though, through Northeastern's five year co-operative education program and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education.