Jan. 8, 2010

NORFOLK,Va. -- Ed Fraim, who served Old Dominion University athletics for 32 years as a primary athletic fundraiser and was a driving force behind the continued success of the ODU Baseball Clinic, will be honored as the 33rd recipient of the Bud Metheny Award at the GTI Systems, Inc."Meet the Stars" banquet at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside on Jan. 29th.

The banquet serves as part of the annual ODU Baseball Clinic weekend which features Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith as the keynote speaker and clinician. Tickets for the banquet are $60 and on sale at the ODU box office in the Constant Convocation Center. The 33rd annual ODU Baseball Clinic will be held Saturday, Jan. 30th from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the ODU Student Recreation center on campus. Tickets are $5 and available at the door the day of the clinic.

Fraim retired from ODU last June after 32 years of service. Over the course of those years, he held titles of associate director of development, acting director of Development, executive director of the ODUIF, assistant athletic director for fund raising and senior director of athletic development. He also served as the director of home events for a period in athletics in addition to his development duties.

Ed made more than 300 personal fund raising visits each year for over 32 years, of which many were on behalf of the baseball scholarship fund and clinic. Ed was instrumental in raising over $1 million for baseball scholarships since the clinic's inception in 1978.

As a fund raiser for all of athletics, contributions for scholarships grew in his first 10 years from $37,000 to over $600,000, to over $1.8 million for 2008 from more than 1700 Big Blue Club members.

"Ed Fraim was an important part of the Old Dominion University Monarchs athletic program for 32 years," said Athletic Director Jim Jarrett. "He enhanced the total sports program, including the sport of baseball. Ed was a member of the original committee that initiated the Baseball Clinic and was significantly involved in the clinic's growth and success. He was one of our greatest ambassadors and very worthy of this award for the advancement of baseball in the Hampton Roads area."

Fraim was also a "friend raiser," owing in large measure to his sincerity, quiet charm and love of ODU. For those reasons and more, a group of his closest friends established an endowed scholarship in his name. The $250,000 endowment, which was announced at Fraim's retirement dinner last spring, will be awarded annually to one or more student-athletes who participate on an intercollegiate team and have demonstrated outstanding leadership and/or academic standing.

Prior to coming to Old Dominion, Ed was one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in the state, directing the men's basketball team, track and field team and the entire athletic program at Norfolk Catholic High School. In 11 years as head basketball coach at the former Granby street school, his teams had 11 winning seasons averaging 24 wins per year. He compiled a career record of 265-99. His teams set 35 school records during that time and won 17 regular-season and tournament TCIS championships. His 1968-69 Crusader basketball squad went 34-4 defeating four Eastern District teams including powerful Booker T. Washington at the Norfolk Arena as well as finishing fourth in the prestigious Alhambra National Catholic Invitational Tournament. His success led to the renaming of the gymnasium in his honor in 1980.

A 1964 graduate of ODU, Ed earned a bachelor of science in psychology. He is the father of four children: Tara, Lisa, Eddie, Jr., and Brent.

PREVIOUS BUD METHENY WINNERS