Madison County Sports Hall of Fame
2022 Hall of Fame Members
Freddy Ballou, Class of 2022, Football Player
Freddy Ballou was a standout running back at Madison-Model High School under head coach Roy Kidd from 1959 to 1961. He earned High School All-American, Kentucky All-State, and All-Central Kentucky Conference honors, and led the Royal Purples to a 34-4 overall record and 27 consecutive victories while gaining 5,000 yards rushing and scoring 50 touchdowns in three seasons.
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Earle Combs, Class of 2022, Baseball Player
Earle Combs was a centerfielder for the New York Yankees and batted leadoff for the famed Murderer’s Row lineup of the 1920s. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1970. During his 12years in New York, he helped
lead the Yankees to four American League pennants and three World Series while compiling a .325 batting average. He was inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall
of Fame in 1963.
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Billy Evans, Class of 2022, Basketball and Tennis Player
Billy Evans, a native of Berea, was a standout high school tennis and basketball player at Berea Foundation. He went on to play both sports at the University of Kentucky from 1953-55. He captured two Kentucky State High School Tennis Championships. He played basketball for Coach Adolph Rupp at UK. Following graduation, Billy served a year in the military, before returning to play for the 1956 Gold Medal-winning United States Olympic basketball team. He was inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 1988 and the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. His number 42 jersey hangs in the rafters of Rupp Arena.
Ralph Hacker, Class of 2022, Broadcaster
Ralph Hacker was a household name throughout the state as he spent 34 years on the University of Kentucky Radio Network. Ralph began his broadcasting career as a teenager in Richmond calling high school games and what was then known as the Eastern Kentucky State College football and basketball games during the early 1960s. Following the retirement of legendary broadcaster Cawood Ledford, he spent eight years as the play by play voice for University of Kentucky Basketball, and five years as the play by play voice for UK Football. Ralph was inducted into the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, and the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
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Charles "Turkey" Hughes, Class of 2022, Coach, Administrator
Turkey Hughes coached five sports at Eastern Kentucky University over his 42-year career, which also included 23 years as the Athletic Director at EKU, and 27 years as the chairman of the Health and Physical Education department. Coach Hughes won 350 games as the EKU Baseball coach, and claimed eight OVC Baseball Championships. The EKU baseball field is named in his honor. Coach Hughes was inducted in the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 and the OVC Hall of Fame in 1977.
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Roy Kidd, Class of 2022, Football Coach
Roy Kidd, who built a legendary football coaching resume at Eastern Kentucky University, began his football coaching career at Madison-Model High School in 1956 after earning Little All-American and All-OVC honors while playing quarterback for Eastern. He also played four years of baseball for the Maroons. In six years at Madison-Model, Coach Kidd compiled a 54-11-1 record and was voted 1961 Kentucky High School Coach of the Year. In 39 years as EKU’s coach, his teams compiled a record of 314-124-8, captured two NCAA Div. 1-AA National Championships (1979 and 1982), and earned 16 OVC championships. He was voted OVC Coach of the Year 10 times and National Coach of the Year twice. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, the OVC Hall of Fame, and the EKU Athletics Hall of Fame.
Don Mills, Class of 2022, Basketball Player
After an All-American senior season, and back-to-back All State selections in 1955 and 1956 at Berea High School, Don Mills signed to play basketball at the University of Kentucky for Coach Adolph Rupp where he was a key member on the famed 1958 Kentucky Team nicknamed the “Fiddlin Five”. He earned a starting position as a 6-8 center and helped the Wildcats capture the NCAA National Championship. Don averaged 12.8 points and 12.9 rebounds per game and earned Associated Press second team All SEC honors and 1st Team selection by the SEC coaches. Following his UK career, he was selected by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1960 NBA Draft. After his basketball playing days ended, Don has enjoyed a long and successful insurance career in Madison County.
Don Richardson, Class of 2022, Baseball Coach and Player
Don Richardson is the winningest high school baseball coach in the history of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association with an 85.8 winning percentage. During 35 years as coach at Madison Central High School he compiled a record of 952-157 and guided the 1982 Indians team to a 40-0 record in route to the KHSAA Championship and the USA Today National Championship. Don also coached Madison Central’s basketball team for 15 years, compiling 350 wins and leading the Indians to their first KHSAA Sweet 16 appearance in 1987. He was inducted into the National Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998, the KHSAA Hall of Fame in 2002, the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1998, and in 2019 he was inducted into the Eastern Kentucky University Athletics Hall of Fame for his pitching performance in the mid-1950s.
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Irvine Shanks, Class of 2022, Basketball Player
Irvine Shanks, who grew up in Richmond and graduated from Richmond High School, broke the color barrier in Kentucky during the 1953-54 basketball season while playing for Berea College. History was made on Feb 4, 1954 when Berea faced Wilmington College on the road in Ohio. Irvine became the first African American to play for an all-white team from Kentucky. Another historical date occurred two days later on Feb. 6 when Berea hosted Bellarmine College, and Irvine became the first African American to play for a predominantly white school inside the state of Kentucky. He was a member of the 1955 team that upset Georgetown College for the KIAC Championship.
Katty Wylie, Class of 2022, Golfer
Katty Wylie developed into one of the top amateur women’s golfers in Kentucky history. She began playing golf in 1946 at the Madison Country Club, and in 1948 she captured the first of her 16 Madison Country Club Championships. In 1951, she finished as runner up at the Central Kentucky Golf Association Championship which led to three titles in 1952, 1955 and 1956. Katty captured the 1956 Kentucky Women’s Golf State Championship after finishing as runner up in 1955. She continued to play golf throughout her life and won the 1981 Senior Women’s State Championship Title, and 13 years later she captured it again at age 68. Katty held the Madison Country Club women’s record for low nine-hole score at 35 and low 18-hole score of 75. She served as the director of the Women’s State Golf Association and Central Kentucky Golf Association.
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2022 Hall of Fame Teams of Distinction
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1921 Madison High School Football Team
First Team In School History
Members of the team are pictured front row, from left: Tevis Huguely, Talton Stone, Lafon Wilson, Frank Hacker; middle row, Hazel Stone, Shirley Clouse, Marshal Hurst, Ralph Gentry, Burnell (Dutch) Martin; back row, James Anderson, Joe Reeves, Pete Blevins, James Allman, Bill Bower, John Allman, Charley Hacker, Coach A.L. Lassiter.
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1940 Richmond High Basketball Team Kentucky High School Athletic League Champions
Members of the team are pictured front row, from left: Alex Embry, Leon Watts, John Mackey, William Leace, Hugh Black; back row, Coach Joseph C. Fletcher, Robert Grubbs, George Parks, Allen Huguely, Allen Lysle, Harvey Walker, Arthur Johnson.
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1942 Richmond High Basketball Team Kentucky High School Athletic League Champions
The identifications of the 1942 team are unavailable.
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1943 Richmond High Basketball Team Kentucky High School Athletic League Champions
2023 Hall of Fame Members
Beverly Acker, Class of 2023, Swimmer
Beverly Acker earned five KHSAA state swimming championships while competing for Model Laboratory School from 1980 to 1984. She captured the 1981, ’82 and ’83 state titles in the 100-yard breaststroke and was a member of the ’80 and ’81 state championship 400-yard freestyle relay teams. She earned a spot on the 1981 USA National Junior Team and set records in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke events. In 1982, she swam for the USA Team in the World Championships in Ecuador and then won the 200-meter breaststroke at the National Championship in Indianapolis with the 2nd fastest USA time and the 9th fastest world time. Following high school, she attended the University of Florida and competed in the 1984 USA Olympic Trials.
The identification of the 1943 players and coaches in unavailable.
Robert Brooks, Class of 2023, Basketball Player
Robert Brooks was an outstanding basketball player for Madison High School and EKU. He led the Royal Purples to the KHSAA State Tournament in 1969 and 1970. His 1970 performance ranks as one of the best in history as he scored 128 points and made 52 field goals to lead Madison High to the championship game. He was named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball . He earned a scholarship to EKU where he helped lead the Colonels to the 1972 NCAA Mideast Regional in Knoxville.
Shirley Kearns, Class of 2023, Coach & Athletic Director
Shirley Kearns started the boys’ basketball program at Model Lab School in 1962 and led the Rebels/Patriots for 27 years before retiring in 1989. Prior to beginning his high school coaching career, Kearns played basketball for legendary coach Paul McBrayer at Eastern Kentucky State College from 1948 thru 1953 and helped lead the Maroons to its first Ohio Valley Conference championship in his senior year of ’53. Following graduation, he remained at Eastern and served as coach of the 1955-56 freshman team. In 1977, Model's gymnasium was named for Kearns.
Monty Joe Lovell, Class of 2023, Football Coach & Athlete
Monty Joe Lovell served as the head football coach at Madison High School for 11 years and compiled a 77-48 record while building a KHSAA Class A football power. His best season came in 1972 when the Purples had an undefeated regular season and finished 12-1, losing only in an upset to eventual Class A state champion Trigg County. During his coaching career, Madison captured four KHSAA Class A District II championships in 1971, ’72, ’78 and ’79 and three Region titles in 1972, ’78 and ’79. Lovell was voted Central Kentucky Conference Coach of the Year in 1972 and Class A Coach of the Year in 1972 and 1979.
Edwin Luxon, Class of 2023, Golfer and Basketball Player
Edwin Luxon was the starting guard and leading scorer on Model High School’s first two basketball teams in 1963 and 1964, and had an outstanding amateur golf career. He lettered for three years in golf at EKU and. was an eight-time Madison Country Club Champion, a six-time Madison Country Club Labor Day Invitational winner, and set the Madison Country Club record for lowest 18-hole score with 62. In his honor the top flight of the Madison Country Club Labor Day Invitational is named the Edwin Luxon Championship Flight. . For the past 33 years, he has been chairman of the Gibson Bay Golf Course Advisory Board.
Sandy Martin, Class of 2023, Four-Sport Coach at EKU
Sandy Martin was head coach of four EKU women’s sports teams during a 23-year span. She led the cross country, track and field, tennis and women’s golf teams, and was the first golf coach in school history. She was voted Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year five times, including twice in both track and field (1979 and 1980) and golf (1995 and 1996), and tennis (1992). From 1975 to 1981 Martin led EKU women’s cross country to sixth place in the AIAW National Championships, won four AIAW regional championships, captured four KWIC titles, and led EKU to two OVC crowns. She started the golf program and directed EKU to the 1996 OVC title and finished runner-up four times.
Buddy Roberts, Class of 2023, Basketball Coach and Player
Buddy Roberts started the boys’ basketball program at the newly consolidated Madison Central High School in 1955. During 10 years as the head coach, Roberts compiled a career record of 234-94. Roberts was a standout high school basketball player in Paris under famed coach Blanton Collier. He went on to earn a scholarship to Eastern Kentucky State College where he played for the famous Paul McBrayer from 1946-50. He helped lead the Maroons to a 50-17 record during his varsity career, including a 16-6 record, a No. 11 national ranking, and the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship in 1950. In 1996 he was inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame.
Talbot Todd, Class of 2023, Football Player
Talbott Todd was the starting quarterback at Madison-Model High School from 1959 thru 1961 andled the Purples to a three-year record of 31-4 and a school-record 27 consecutive victories. Todd threw 32 touchdown passes, ran for 22 TDs, and kicked or ran for 35 extra points. He capped his career by being selected Class AA All-State by the Courier-Journal, MVP of the Recreation Bowl, and Wigwam Wiseman All-American. He went on to letter four years at Kentucky and led UK in pass interceptions with four in 1964 and made a game-saving fumble recovery to snap Ole Miss’ 22-game winning streak. He was inducted into the KHSAA Hall of Fame in 2001.
Roland Wierwille, Class of 2023, Basketball Coach & AD
Roland Wierwille served as the Berea College men’s basketball coach for an illustrious 30-year career from 1972-2002 in which he compiled a record of 464-334 and led the Mountaineers to the 1999 NAIA Div. II Final Four. He also served as Director of Athletics and golf coach during his Berea tenure. Prior to arriving in Berea, Wierwille served as the Transylvania University assistant basketball coach for seven years under C.M. Newton and Lee Rose. During his Berea tenure, Roland was chosen for the coaching staff of the U.S. Division I Team for the World University Games in Japan and the Jones Cup competition in Taiwan.
2023 Hall of Fame Teams of Distinction
1969-70 Madison High Basketball Team KHSAA State Tournament Runner-up
Front Row, from left : Bobby Griggs (manager), Charles Sweat, Eddie Freeman, Reggie Camp, Frank Parks, Randy Black, Shelby Winkler (manager); .back row: Ray Vencil (head coach), Donnie Catchings, Alex Embry, Howard Miller, Robert Brooks, Jimmy Curry, Tim Harris, Dwight Douglas, Jesse Ward (assistant coach)
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1982 Madison Central Baseball Team KHSAA State Tournament Champions (40-0)
Front Row, from left: Danette Wells (manager), John Mosley, Mike Adams, Marty Hembree, Lloyd Rhodus, Zeke Connor, Larry Gray, Jimmy Connor, Ricky Price; middle row, Tracy Powell (manager), Jimmy Kelly (manager), Jake Fields, David Acker, Jeff Cruse, Larry Agee, Russell Thomas, Karl Lainhart, Pat Black, Tommy Gross, Mike Crawford, Cynthia Tudor (manager); back row, Jimmy Whitaker (Assistant Coach), Cliff Winkler, Jeff Tevis, Scott Ward, Keith Kidd, Greg Jones, Gene Cruse, Greg Stephens, Ken Jones, Rick Congleton, Tim Black, Johnny Covington, Don Richardson (head coach).