 | |
| LSU Tigers – No. 84 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Halfback, fullback |
| Major | Medicine |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | June 15, 1913 Talia, Lebanon |
| Died: | September 20, 2001 (aged 88) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College | LSU (1933–1935) |
| Bowl games | |
| High school | McComb (McComb, Mississippi) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| College Football Hall of Fame (1967) | |
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 team of Louisiana State University, 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. A three-time All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection, Mickal led LSU to an undefeated season in 1933 and a conference championship and Sugar Bowl 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, 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 in 1967.
In addition to football, Mickal was a cadet in LSU's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (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 by U.S. Senator and noted LSU supporter Huey Long, 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. 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.