Richard Maduro
Achievements
Adaptive Sports Hall of FameRichard spent his childhood in the Northeastern United States and planned to enlist in the Marine Corps. A motorcycle accident in the Berkshires ended that dream, leaving him a paraplegic. His mother sent him to St. Petersburg, Florida, for rehabilitation, where he was introduced to sports. He swam in the Gulf of Mexico, participated in field events, shot archery, and played in organized wheelchair basketball games.
Richard became city clerk in Madeira Beach, Florida; got married; and in his spare time visited and spoke to school kids and service organizations. He took part in sports all over the globe: the Bulova Games in New York; the Stoke Mandeville Games in England; the Pan American Games in South America; and the Paralympic Games in Rome and Tokyo. He also competed in South Africa with a team from the University of Illinois.
In 1967, Richard accepted an invitation to return to Tokyo to organize a Japanese wheelchair basketball team, developing youth with disabilities into competitive athletes. Two years later, Richard and his wife returned to jobs in Gainesville, Florida, where he organized several basketball teams. Richard was not only a player but also the coach and league commissioner.
In 1994, Richard was inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Association Hall of Fame. Although his physical activity decreased in his later years, his interest and involvement in wheelchair sports continued until his death in 1998.