4th Down Focus

Episode 87 – Fred Mitchell, namesake of the Fred Mitchell Award

Mitchell is a Chicago Tribune sports columnist who has written 11 sports books in his 41-year journalism career. During the mid-1960s Mitchell enjoyed a distinguished football career at Wittenberg University. He emerged as one of the nation’s first prominent small-college place-kicking specialists by setting the NCAA “College Division” record for career points scored by a kicker. In 2009, the Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award was founded, in his name, and it has since been presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate place-kicker among more than 750 FCS, Division 2, 3, NAIA & JUCO football programs. In 2013, Mitchell was inducted into the American Football Kicking Hall of Fame. When he isn’t writing, Mitchell is serving others through various civic engagements.

Where to Listen

Fred Mitchell and Dan Lundy sit down to discuss:

  • Mitchell’s sports background and what led him to kicking
  • The Fred Mitchell Award and the experiences in 13 years of presenting this award
  • Common traits shared by the 13 Fred Mitchell Award recipients
  • The 2022 Fred Mitchell Award winner, Ethan Gettman, and what separated him from the field
  • Mitchell’s 1974 proposal to Wilson Sporting Goods for sideline kicking nets

*For more information on Fred Mitchell, visit: https://fredmitchellwriter.com/bio/

*For more information on the Fred Mitchell Award, visit: https://fredmitchellaward.com/

 

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