Our next inductee, George King, is a 1952 Graduate of Boston English High School. George showed his range of running ability while being the State Cross Country Individual Champion, the 1000-yard runner up at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships and the State Champion in the 1- mile. But according to George, his proudest moment was when he along with his Brother “Whitey” who is also here today, and two other runners from Boston English High School won the 4 X 800 at the Penn Relays. For many years George held several of Boston English’s school records. As a result his Alma Mata inducted him into their High School “Athletic” Hall of Fame a few years ago. George King earned a scholarship to New York University and had an immediate impact when he became the intercollegiate freshman Cross Country Champion. While researching information on George King, I found these words spoken by one of his teammates Bruce Lockerbie, …we would gather at Ohio Field at what was then New York University’s Heights Campus in the Bronx. No matter what the season, no matter how cold it was, we practiced outside.”…“We trained in the worst of winter,” “We would bulk up by wearing three or four layers to try and stay warm…. And George King was one of the top distance runners in the United States and really the heart and soul of our team.” While at NYU George Captured five Metropolitan Collegiate Athletic Association titles; was a two-time NCAA cross-country All-American and National Champion in the one mile; an Olympic Finalist in both the steeplechase and 5000 meters, he held the collegiate record in the two mile, and was a member of the 4 X 1600 that set an American record in Helsinki, Finland. In 2001 New York University inducted him into their Athletic Hall of Fame.
Class: 1952 Inducted: 2005