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William Grinnell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the American diplomat, see William Morton Grinnell.

William Grinnell
Grinnell pictured in Cauldron 1949, Northeastern yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1909-12-29)December 29, 1909
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedJune 25, 1997(1997-06-25) (aged 87)
Hyannis, Massachusetts, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1932–1934Tufts
Position(s)End
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Men's basketball
1935–1936Wilmington HS (MA)
1939–1941Tufts
1942–1944Brookline HS (MA)
1946–1948Northeastern
1948–1957Brookline HS (MA)
Football
1935Wilmington HS (MA)
1936Lexington HS (MA) (assistant)
1937–1938Lexington HS (MA)
1939–1943Brookline HS (MA) (assistant)
1946–1947Northeastern
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
First-team Little All-American (1934)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 1997 (profile)

William Gordon "Johnny" Grinnell[1] (December 29, 1909 – June 26, 1997) was an American football player and coach. He played football at Tufts University from 1932 to 1934. He was the head football coach at Northeastern University from 1946 to 1947. Grinnell was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.[2]

Playing career

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Grinnell was a three-sport star at Medford High School.[3] He worked for two years after graduating and before deciding to resume his education. He was persuaded by his neighbor, Frederick M. Ellis, to attend the Bridgton Academy, where Ellis was a coach.[4] Grinnell was captain of the Bridgton basketball team in 1929.[3]

Grinnell played end for the Tufts football team from 1932 to 1934.[1][2] In 1934, Grinnell helped lead Tufts to an 8–0 record.[5] That year, Tufts ceded only one touchdown in eight games and cumulatively outscored its opponents by a margin of 91–9.[5] On account of his high caliber of play, Grinnell was named to the first-ever Small College All-America team.[6]

While at Tufts, Grinnell also played basketball, baseball, and track. He was a three-time member of the All-New England basketball team.[5] Grinnell graduated from Tufts in 1935.[7]

Coaching career

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Grinnell began his coaching career at Wilmington High School in Wilmington, Massachusetts. He coached football, basketball, and baseball and taught social sciences. WHS had been without a football team for several seasons and Grinnell was tasked with building the program from the ground up.[8] In 1936, he moved to Lexington High School, where he was an assistant football coach and head ice hockey coach.[9][10] The following year, he was promoted to head football coach.[11]

In 1939, he became an assistant football coach at Brookline High School. That same year, he returned to Tufts as an assistant basketball coach. In 1942, he became the head basketball coach at Brookline High.[3] In 1944, Grinnell was commissioned Lieutenant (junior grade) in the United States Navy Reserve.[12] He was discharged in 1946, but Brookline chose not to return him to his coaching position.[13]

After losing his job in Brookline, Grinnell became the head football and basketball coach at Northeastern.[4] He coached the Northeastern football team from 1946 to 1947, amassing a 4–8 record.[14]

In 1948, Grinnell returned to Brookline High School as an English teacher and basketball coach.[15] One of his players was future Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis.[16] He retired from BHS in 1969 and moved to Centerville, Massachusetts.[17]

Death and legacy

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Grinnell died on June 26, 1997, due to congestive heart failure.[2]

In August 1997, Grinnell became the first Tufts alumnus inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.[1][2] He was one of the first 13 non-Division I-A players admitted into the Hall of Fame.[1]

On April 21, 2018, Grinnell was a member of the inaugural class inducted into the Tufts University Athletics Hall of Fame.[5][7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Ramgopal, Vivek (October 28, 1997). "Collins, Grinnell honored by Tufts". The Tufts Daily. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Sauer, Anne; Branco, Jessica; Bennett, John; Crowley, Zachary (2000). "Grinnell, William G. "Johnny", ca.1915-1997". Concise Encyclopedia of Tufts History. Medford, MA: Tufts University Press. Archived from the original on June 3, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Grinnell Is New Brookline High Hoop Mentor". The Boston Globe. November 21, 1942.
  4. ^ a b Kaese, Harold (April 15, 1946). "Kid Next Door Follows Ellis (His Teacher) Into College Coaching Ranks". The Boston Globe.
  5. ^ a b c d "First Class Inducted into Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame Saturday Night". Tufts University Athletics. April 22, 2018. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018.
  6. ^ "Jumbo Football to Play 1,000th Game at Trinity on Saturday". Tufts University Athletics. October 9, 2006. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Samuels, Eddie (April 23, 2018). "Tufts inducts inaugural Hall of Fame class". The Tufts Daily. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018.
  8. ^ "Grinnell To Coach At Wilmington High". The Boston Globe. June 15, 1935.
  9. ^ "Perry and Grinnell To Coach Lexington High". The Boston Globe. September 9, 1936.
  10. ^ Dalton, Ernest (January 1, 1937). "School Athletes Start 1937 With New Ice Loop in Action". The Boston Globe.
  11. ^ "Grinnell Today Meets Lexington Grid Squad". The Boston Globe. September 8, 1937.
  12. ^ "Johnny Grinnell Now Lieutenant in Navy". The Boston Globe. February 17, 1944.
  13. ^ Ahern, John (December 20, 1945). "Grinnell Back, but Brookline Retains Bruce". The Boston Globe.
  14. ^ "Career Coaching Records (Football)". Northeastern University Athletics. Archived from the original on June 4, 2018.
  15. ^ "Grinnell Resigns as Northeastern Coach to Resume Brookline Berth". The Boston Globe. March 17, 1948.
  16. ^ Nyhan, David (July 25, 1988). "Ex-coach cheers Dukakis". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  17. ^ "William Grinnell, teacher, coach was college football star; at 87". The Boston Globe. June 28, 1997.
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