Rick Patrick rick@greenepublishing.com
For most high school athletes, a letterman's jacket is a way of reconnecting to the past days of a glimpse of high school glory. It is no different for Fred “Soup Bone” Hatchett, a 1989 graduate of Madison County High School (MCHS) and former track star for the Cowboys. However, for Hatchett, making that reconnection has been more difficult.
For some reason, Hatchett did not receive a letterman's jacket when he was in high school. That all changed in April of 2022, when Hatchett finally received a 1989 track team letterman's jacket, with the help of Madison County Central School (MCCS) Principal Rod Williams.
According to Hatchett's recollections, during his senior year, he set a long-jump record of 23 feet, two inches and ran the quarter mile in 57 seconds. He was also named Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the Jesse Solomon Relays in 1989. Hatchett received offers from Florida A and M University, Albany State University and Lane College.
Today, Hatchett lives in Cape Coral, Fla., where he works as a warehouse operator for On Track Door, Inc. He visits his hometown of Greenville at every opportunity.