R.I.P.: Former Richmond VA Radio Broadcaster Tom 'Tiger' Mitchell

Tom Mitchell

The voice of a Richmond broadcast giant has fallen silent.

"Tiger" Tom Mitchell died Monday morning at his home, surrounded by his family.   He was 100-years-of-age.

For more than three decades, Mitchell was the popular on-air personality of WANT-AM radio.

He was also the announcer for Friday night high school football games at Richmond's City Stadium for years, including the annual Armstrong-Walker Classic.

Mitchell wrote news articles for The Richmond Afro, Jet Magazine and the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  He was inducted into both the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame and the National Broadcasters Hall Of Fame.

The voice of Tom Mitchell is recognized by whole generations  of black Virginians. During the 1950s and 60s and right up until  the 1980s, his announcements sparked the imaginations of  Richmonders who listened to WANT 990 AM. For years he did the announcing at Armstrong-Walker football games.

Mitchell and his partners brought James Brown  and other top R & B acts to Richmond. In 1957, Mitchell. Eddie Morse and Allen Knight had a big show at the State  Fairgrounds featuring Clyde McPhatter.