This year's Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame had the largest crowd in its six-year history. One reason for the big crowd was that around 80 supporters of White Plains High School were in attendence to honor former coach Richard Madden, who was one of the inductees.

Madden came to White Plains from Water Valley, Mississippi. He played at Northwest Mississippi Junior College and William Carey College. During his coaching career at White Plains, the school was the smallest high school in Calhoun County but regularly competed effectively with larger schools. Madden's 1962-63 White Plains team was 27-5, including three wins over Saks and three wins over Jacksonville. In the 1973-74 season, the Wildcats reached the AHASS Class 1A semifinals before losing to eventual state champion East Perry and ending 24-4. That team defeated Alexandria three times, Saks twice, Piedmont twice and Jacksonville once.

Madden's teams also enjoyed success in the Calhoun County basketball tournament. White Plains was third in the county tournament in 1963. The Wildcats finished second in 1964 and reached the semifinals in 1971 and was the "Little Six" county tournament runner-up in 1974. The Wildcats finished fourth in 1962 and 1976.

Overall, Madden's varsity teams at White Plains were a 338-151, including seven 20-win seasons and only two losing seasons. After retiring from coaching following the 1975-76 season, Madden served as a basketball official for more than 10 years.

Some of his former players include Don Johnson, Doug Parris, Verlon Huckeba, Sam Morgan, Edgar Jones, Henry Barnwell, Terry Faulkner, Wayne Anderson, Keith Penny, Dennis Cheatwood, Ray Goss, Skip Hicks, Donnie Cash, Allen Hyatt, Cooper Turner, Gene Burns, Wallace Brooks, Bruce Faulkner, Kenneth and Danny Harris.

Congratulations to Coach Madden for a job well done. He certainly deserves in the Calhoun County Hall of Fame.