Abraham Mitchell, known as ‘Mr. CIAA,’ has died :: WRALSportsFan.com
Abraham Mitchell, known as “Mr. CIAA” and a member of the league’s Hall of Fame, has died, the league announced.
He was 95.
Mitchell attended the conference’s basketball tournament for more than 30 years dressed in fashionable suits, becoming a well-known presence at the event. The tournament was held in North Carolina from 1994 to 2020, first in Winston-Salem, then in Raleigh and Charlotte.
Shaw University in Raleigh is a member of the CIAA, which is composed of HBCUs.
“It is difficult to put into words the depth of our loss with the passing of Mr. Mitchell,” the league wrote on its Facebook page. “… Mr. Mitchell will forever hold a cherished place in the CIAA family, having created countless beautiful memories for our fans, students and partners over the span of more than four decades.”
He was inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame in 2016. Mitchell stopped attending the tournament in recent years.
Mitchell began attending the event in the early 1970s to support his nephew who played at Norfolk State, according to HBCU Gameday.
Source: wralsportsfan.com