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Ibrahim Khalil "Abe" Mickal (June 15, 1913 – September 20, 2001) was a Lebanese-American college football player and a doctor. He played as a halfback for the
LSU Tigers football The LSU Tigers football program, also known as the Fighting Tigers, represents Louisiana State University in college football. The LSU Tigers and Lady Tigers, Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athle ...
team of
Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...
, where he was notable for his passing skills and play-making ability, which earned him the nickname "Miracle Mickal". He was also the team's primary punter and
placekicker In gridiron football, the placekicker (PK), or simply kicker (K), is the player responsible for attempts at scoring Field goal (football), field goals and extra points. In most cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist ...
. A three-time
All-Southeastern Conference The All-SEC football team is an annual Southeastern Conference (SEC) honor bestowed on the best players in the conference following every college football season. Seasons

Following is a list of all-conference teams in the history of the SEC: ...
(SEC) selection, Mickal led LSU to an undefeated season in 1933 and a conference championship and
Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed only ...
in 1935. In 1936, Mickal played quarterback for a college all-star team that was the first team of college players to defeat a professional team. Although selected in the
1936 NFL draft The 1936 NFL draft was the first draft of National Football League (NFL). It took place on February 8, 1936, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The draft was instituted in an effort to end bidding wars among the league's t ...
, he did not play professionally. Mickal was a charter member of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1937 and was inducted into the
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
in 1967. In addition to football, Mickal was a cadet in LSU's
Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...
(ROTC), was a member of the pre-med club and debate team, and as a senior was president of the university's student body. While a student, he was offered a seat in the
Louisiana State Senate The Louisiana State Senate (; ) is the upper house of Louisiana’s legislature. Senators serve four-year terms and participate in various committees. Composition The Louisiana State Senate has 39 members elected from single-member districts ...
by
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
and noted LSU supporter
Huey Long Huey Pierce Long Jr. (August 30, 1893September 10, 1935), nicknamed "The Kingfish", was an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and as a United States senator from 1932 until his assassination i ...
, which he declined. He earned his medical degree in 1940, and after serving in World War II began a lifelong career in
obstetrics and gynecology Obstetrics and gynaecology (also spelled as obstetrics and gynecology; abbreviated as Obst and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...
. He served as head professor of the LSU Medical School OB/GYN department for over twenty years. Actively involved in various university affairs during and after his time as a student, Mickal was honored as LSU's "Alumnus of the Year" in 1980.


Early life and education

Mickal was born in the
Levant The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...
in an area that is today part of
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
. He immigrated with his family to the United States in 1920, where they arrived on
Ellis Island Ellis Island is an island in New York Harbor, within the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York (state), New York. Owned by the U.S. government, Ellis Island was once the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United State ...
. He settled in
McComb, Mississippi McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States. The city is approximately south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 12,790. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statis ...
and attended
McComb High School McComb High School is a public school in McComb, Mississippi, United States, serving 740 students in grades 912, as of 2017. Most of its students are African American. During segregation, black students attended Burlund High School, now Higgins Mi ...
, where he played
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
,
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
, and
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
and ran track.American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society In Memoriam
/ref> His father Kalil, who ran a local general store, was initially against his son playing sports. "It was an old Lebanese custom," Mickal later explained, "that the eldest son take over the business. My father wasn't aware that I was playing." His father was eventually persuaded by the townspeople to let his son play. During his senior year, he was recruited by LSU and Notre Dame to play football, and ultimately chose the Tigers after the death of Notre Dame head coach
Knute Rockne Knute Kenneth Rockne (; March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931) was an American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. Leading Notre Dame for 13 seasons, Rockne accumulated over 100 wins and three national championships. Rockne is ...
.


College

Mickal was an all-around player; a triple-threat
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
who also played on defense. He was regarded as an excellent deep-ball
passer ''Passer'' is a genus of Old World sparrow, sparrows, also known as the true sparrows. The genus contains 28 species and includes the house sparrow and the Eurasian tree sparrow, two of the most common birds in the world. They are small birds wi ...
; in the words of LSU coach Lawrence "Biff" Jones: "Mickal is a greater passer than Red Cagle—he's the greatest I ever saw." Jones was Cagle's coach while at
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
. One sportswriter referred to Mickal as "the
Dizzy Dean Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean (January 16, 1910 – July 17, 1974), also known as Jerome Herman Dean (both the 1910 and the 1920 Censuses show his name as "Jay"), was an American professional baseball pitcher. During his Major League Baseball (MLB) ca ...
of the nation's forward passers." He was also known for his play-making ability during crucial moments of games, and LSU compiled a
win–loss record Win–loss may refer to: * Win–loss analytics, analysis of the reasons why a visitor to a website was or wasn't persuaded to engage in a desired action * Win–loss record, also winning percentage * Win–loss record (pitching), the number of ...
of 23–4–5 in the three seasons Mickal played for the team.


1933

Mickal showed his versatility in the first game of the 1933 season against
Rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
, tossing a 40-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage to
end End, END, Ending, or ENDS may refer to: End Mathematics *End (category theory) * End (topology) * End (graph theory) * End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) * End (endomorphism) Sports and games *End (gridiron football) *End, a division ...
Pete Burge and booting punts of 76 and 61 yards. In week four against
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
Mickal completed touchdown passes of 48 and 57 yards and ran for a 15-yard touchdown, as he was responsible for every score in the 20–0 win over the eventual
Southwest Conference The Southwest Conference (SWC) was an NCAA Division I college athletic conference in the United States that existed from 1914 to 1996. Composed primarily of schools from Texas, at various times the conference also included schools from Oklaho ...
champion Razorbacks. He scored the only touchdown of LSU's final game of the season, against
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, with a goal line dive into the end zone. He also kicked the extra point for the 7–0 victory, and completed the season having successfully made every extra point he attempted. The Tigers finished undefeated with three ties in their first season as members of the
Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...
(SEC). After the season, Mickal was named to the
United Press United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...
(UP) All-SEC second team as a halfback.


1934

One of Mickal's most notable games came in
1934 Events January–February * January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established. * January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
against the Mustangs of Southern Methodist. He threw two touchdown passes, the first one a 32-yarder to tie the game at 7–7 in the second quarter. Late in the fourth quarter and down by a touchdown, Mickal dropped back at his own 35-yard line and hurled a pass down the middle of the field. It was caught in stride at the Mustang 20-yard line by Gaynell Tinsley, who ran it into the end zone to tie the game at 14–14, which was the final score. In week four against 13th-ranked
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
, Mickal completed five of seven passes for 117 yards, which included a 52-yard bomb in the third quarter for the first score of the 16–0 win. He also averaged over 50 yards per punt on nine punts. The next week he threw a touchdown pass, kicked a field goal, and averaged over 40 yards per punt in a 29–0 win over previously undefeated Vanderbilt. Mickal was named a first-team All-SEC selection as a fullback by the
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
(AP) and as a halfback by the UP.


Senatorship offer

During the season, Mickal was acclaimed an honorary Louisiana State Senator by
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
Huey P. Long, whom he had befriended, at a burlesque campus meeting. Long was a noted LSU supporter and was highly involved in operations of the football program. When it came time for his ceremonial "seating" Mickal refused to appear for the ceremony, despite the urging of Long. After Long reasoned with the senate and spectators that Mickal "had to study," Mickal was granted a five-day leave of absence by senator Harvey Peltier to "do his work at school and go forward with his preparation for his football duties." Mickal remained silent on the matter, however; he did not give a reason for his refusal of the honor. The day he was to be inducted, Mickal said in a telegram to Long that if he accepted the senatorship he would introduce a joint resolution that made it "unlawful" for any
Tulane The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it be ...
player to cross the LSU goal line in 1934.


1935

Mickal had a slow start to
1935 Events January * January 7 – Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval conclude an agreement, in which each power agrees not to oppose the other's colonial claims. * January 12 – Amelia Earhart ...
while he recovered from a broken ankle he suffered over the summer. In week three, he threw two touchdown passes against
Manhattan College Manhattan University (previously Manhattan College) is a private, Catholic university in New York City. Originally established in 1853 by the De La Salle Christian Brothers (Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools) as an academy fo ...
, and a game-winning touchdown pass against Vanderbilt two weeks later. In the regular season finale, Mickal was responsible for three touchdowns in a 41–0 win over
rival A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...
Tulane The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it be ...
. LSU faced the
TCU Horned Frogs The TCU Horned Frogs are the athletic teams that represent Texas Christian University. The 18 varsity teams participate in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA Division I and in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for football, competi ...
at the end of the season in the
Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in New Orleans, Louisiana. Played annually since January 1, 1935, it is tied with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl as the second-oldest bowl games in the country, surpassed only ...
, in a game that was a highly anticipated match-up between Mickal and the Horned Frogs'
Sammy Baugh Samuel Adrian Baugh (March 17, 1914 – December 17, 2008) was an American professional football quarterback who played 16 seasons with the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the TCU Horne ...
. The offenses were unable to do much, however, as rain throughout the day had muddied the field. TCU won the game, 3–2. LSU finished the season undefeated in conference play for its first SEC championship. Mickal was named to the AP All-SEC second-team as a fullback after the season, and earned second-team
All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
honors from ''
Liberty Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views. The concept of liberty can vary depending on perspective and context. In the Constitutional ...
'' magazine.


1936 All-Stars vs. Bears

In September 1936, Mickal played quarterback for the Centennial College All-Stars, a team composed of college players from southern schools to play against the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
's
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
at Cotton Bowl stadium. He scored the All-Stars' only touchdown with a dive into the end zone from the one-foot line in the third quarter. The Bears scored their only touchdown later that quarter on a 5-yard run by
Bronko Nagurski Bronislau "Bronko" Nagurski (November 3, 1908 – January 7, 1990) was a Canadian-American professional football player who was a fullback and defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). Renowned for his strength and size, Nagurski ...
. Mickal had a chance to tackle Nagurski before the goal line. "A lot of things flashed through my mind," explained Mickal. "There was nothing between him and the goal line but me. I thought about making the perfect tackle and reading about being the All-Stars' hero. Then I thought about Nagurski's size. I thought about the Nagurski legend. I thought about going to med school. I thought about possible brain damage." He decided to step aside and let Nagurski score. The extra point, however, was blocked by Bob Reynolds, and the game ended 7–6 in favor of the All-Stars. It was the first time a team of college players defeated a professional American football team.


Extracurricular

Mickal was actively involved in the university's
Reserve Officers' Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...
. He received the Outstanding Cadet Award as a freshman and was
regimental sergeant major Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by a warrant officer (WO) in the British Army, the Royal Marines, and the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations. It is also an actual rank in the Iri ...
as a junior. As a senior, he attained the rank of Cadet Colonel and earned the Kemper Williams Sabre as the school's outstanding cadet. Additionally, he was a member of the
pre-med Pre-medical (often referred to as pre-med) is an educational track that undergraduate students mostly in the United States pursue prior to becoming medical students. It involves activities that prepare a student for medical school, such as pre-med ...
club and debate team, and in 1936 was president of the school's
Interfraternity Council The North American Interfraternity Conference (or NIC; formerly known as the National Interfraternity Conference) is an association of intercollegiate men's social fraternities that was formally organized in 1910. However, it began at a meeting ...
, college of arts and sciences, and student body. Mickal was a member of the
Theta Kappa Nu Theta Kappa Nu () fraternity was an American national collegiate fraternity founded in 1924 by delegates from eleven local fraternities.Shepard, Francis W., ed. (1927)''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (11th ed.) Menasha, Wi ...
fraternity.


Medical career

Mickal was the first player from LSU to ever be drafted into the NFL, selected in the sixth round of the
1936 NFL draft The 1936 NFL draft was the first draft of National Football League (NFL). It took place on February 8, 1936, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The draft was instituted in an effort to end bidding wars among the league's t ...
by the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
. However, he did not play in the NFL. He instead chose to complete his medical degree at the Louisiana State University School of Medicine, where he graduated from in 1940. He served as a
major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
in the U.S. Army Medical Corps during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. After the war, he worked in
obstetrics and gynecology Obstetrics and gynaecology (also spelled as obstetrics and gynecology; abbreviated as Obst and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...
at New Orleans Charity Hospital from 1946 to 1949, shortly after which he was hired to the LSU medical faculty. In 1959, he became the head professor of the LSU Medical School, a position he served in until his retirement in 1980. He was a founding member of the
Society of Gynecologic Oncology The Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO), headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is the premier medical specialty society for health care professionals trained in the comprehensive management of gynecologic cancers, affecting the uterus, fallopian ...
and the Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, and served as president of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons from 1981 to 1982. From 1985 until his death in 2001 he was vice president for medical affairs at Kenner Regional Medical Center.


Honors

Mickal was a charter member of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1937. In 1967, the
National Football Foundation The National Football Foundation (NFF) is a non-profit organization to promote amateur American football on all levels throughout the United States and develop "the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal and the drive for academi ...
named Mickal to the
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
. He was inducted into the
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (LHOF) is an hall of fame exhibit that honors the accomplishments of athletes, coaches and other sports figures in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located in a facility in the downtown historic district of the city ...
in 1969 and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. Mickal was named LSU's "Alumnus of the Year" in 1980 and its "Medical Alumnus of the Year" in 1985. "It's been a beautiful marriage—and I've had all the better of it," said Mickal of his involvement with the university. The
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a professional association of physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynecology in the United States. Several Latin American countries are also represented within Districts of ...
gave Mickal its Distinguished Service Award in 1991.


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mickal, Abe 1910s births 2001 deaths 20th-century American physicians American gynecologists American football halfbacks LSU Tigers football players College Football Hall of Fame inductees United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army officers People from McComb, Mississippi Physicians from Louisiana Players of American football from Mississippi American people of Lebanese descent Sportspeople of Lebanese descent