• Feature article on Jack Grinold (by Bernie Corbett - via the 60th annual Beanpot Prorgam)

John “Jack” Grinold, the associate athletic director for communications for Northeastern University for over 50 years, will officially be inducted as the 53rd member of the Beanpot Hall of Fame.

Grinold, known as an original “Beanpotter” and the defacto chairman of the tournament Hall of Fame, has been elevated to the Beanpot pantheon as this year's only inductee in the tournament's 60th year. He is the secretary of Boston's celebrated annual winter tournament.

“Jack has the biggest picture of our Beanpot,” long time friend and vice president of events at TD Garden Steve Nazro said. “He sees the event in the context of Boston sports, and what it means to the complete fabric of college athletics.

“He can eloquently point out the detail without losing sight of the overall position the Beanpot has in our athletic and social winter schedule. Jack Grinold has gently guided the progress of the Tournament from early life to the maturity of 2012, the 60th event. He is the soul of the Beanpot.”

Grinold, a lifelong Bostonian, was a member of the Class of 1957 at Bowdoin College and the Class of 1953 at Browne and Nichols Country Day School.

In his career, Grinold has seen four Beanpot trophies make their way down Huntington Avenue, including 1980, '84, '85 and '88.

“We of course are a city of traditions,” Grinold said. “Spring opens at Fenway Park when baseball starts. The Boston Marathon is world famous. The Beanpot has joined to fill in the collegian part of the traditions that we keep to and adore.”

Before Grinold started at Northeastern University, he was the first public relations liaison for the Boston Patriots.

After 50 years in his post at Northeastern, he is now widely regarded as the “Dean of New England sports information directors”. He was elected to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the Community Service Award from CoSIDA in 1999. The Brighton, Mass., resident has earned more than 25 CoSIDA Citations of Excellence for various university publications throughout the course of his tenure. Grinold also served as chairman of CoSIDA's Committee on Committees.

In regard to decorations at Northeastern, Grinold became the first non-athlete or coach to be inducted into the university's Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1998, as part of Northeastern's centennial celebration, he was chosen as one of the 100 individuals responsible for the institution's growth and success.

Grinold's impact reaches far beyond Northeastern's campus and the sport of hockey. His long-time, dedicated service includes: secretary of the New England Writers Association since 1964; chairman of the New England Writers Association football and hockey banquets since 1964; and executive director and former president of the Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, which was renamed the Jack Grinold Chapter. From the latter, he received the Contribution to Amateur Football Award in 1994, and in 1996 the National Foundation honored him with its Chapter Leadership Award.

In 2003, Grinold was inducted to the New England Basketball Hall of Fame and in 2009 to the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame. Additionally, he has served as a press steward for the Eastern Sprints for 33 years and was press steward at the venue of rowing and canoeing at the 1984 Olympiad in Los Angeles.

In 2008, Grinold and his wife, Cathy, established a $1 million endowment at Northeastern that will benefit men's rowing. Additionally, the athletics department is raising funds to endow the Grinold Family Scholarship for student-athletes. In 2011, at a gala event, the University dedicated the Matthews Arena press box, now officially called the Jack Grinold Media Center, in his honor.

Grinold is Northeastern's 14th representative to be inducted into the Beanpot Hall of Fame. The previous inductees include Dave Archambault, Jim Averill, Art Chisholm, Ferny Flaman, Herb Gallagher, Jay Heinbuck, Rod Isbister, Tim Marshall, Dan McGillis, David O'Brien, Dave Poile, Bruce Racine and Wayne Turner.