July 14, 2009

NORFOLK,VA-- Ed Fraim who has served Old Dominion University athletics since 1977 mainly with the Intercollegiate Foundation as well as one of the areas top High School basketball coaches will be inducted into the Hampton Roads African American Sports Hall of Fame on Nov. 7.

Fraim will be inducted along with Pernell "Sweetpea" Whitaker, James Sweat, La'Keshia Frett, Larry Stepney, Harold "Doc" Sawyer, Edward Hudson and Henry Livas.

Dominion University's athletic history boasts many stellar athletes and coaches, but it also has those rare superstars who have worked behind the scenes to ensure successful programs season after season.

One of these special people, whose contributions have left a large imprint on the Monarch sports programs, has just retired after a 32-year career in athletic fundraising at the university.

Although Ed Fraim did his work behind the curtain, so to speak, he in fact was well-known by many ODU fans and supporters. The university's senior director for athletic development, Fraim, a 1964 ODU graduate, joined his alma mater in 1977 as its first athletic fundraiser and first executive director of the Intercollegiate Foundation.

When he took the job, following a successful stint as a basketball coach and athletic director at Norfolk Catholic High School, annual contributions to ODU's intercollegiate athletic programs amounted to only $37,000. In Fraim's first two years, that number jumped nearly seven-fold.

Over his 32 years at the university, he raised millions of dollars for athletic scholarships, salaries and facilities. But Fraim was also a "friend raiser," owing in large measure to his sincerity, quiet charm and love of ODU.

For those reasons and more, it's not surprising that a group of his closest friends got together to establish a scholarship in his name. The $250,000 endowed scholarship, which was announced at Fraim's retirement dinner May 20, 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."

"He worked really hard for ODU to help build a first-class athletic program," he added. "One of his strong points was that he not only reached out to alumni, but to non-alumni as well in promoting ODU as the university of Hampton Roads," said ODU Athletic director Jim Jarrett, who was in that position at the time Fraim came on board, credits Fraim's "hands-on, one-on-one style" for his fundraising success over the years. He believed in sitting down and having a conversation with a potential donor," Jarrett said.

"His support of the Intercollegiate Foundation, Big Blue Club and the university was significant, and more than most people realize. He cultivated an untold number of ODU supporters a "He raised a lot of money for scholarships, salaries and facilities, said Jarrett."

Jarrett also pointed to Fraim's role in heading up successful scholarship events such as the Stihl Soccer Classic, the Greenwich Kitchens/ODU Baseball Clinic and the Spivey Rentals golf tournament.

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.