Louisiana

J. Randolph Gregson, Louisiana, 1987

J. Randolph Gregson, Louisiana, inducted in 1987

Played college tennis at Arkansas State and won several military titles while serving five years in the United States Navy.
Won the USTA Southern Senior Doubles and National Clay Court Doubles in 1964.
Wimbledon Senior Doubles semi-finalist in 1965.
Served as USTA President, Southern President, and Louisiana President, as part of his decades of service.
Graduated from the University of Texas as a petroleum engineer.
Won two Southern Father-Son Doubles tournaments with Randy Gregson II.
Helped “rebuild” tennis in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He passed away there in 2010.

Clifford Sutter, Louisiana, inducted in 1979

Born in New Orleans where his family built two grass tennis courts next to their property on Loyola Street.
Began playing on those courts with his entire family when he was five years old.
Won the NCAA Singles title in 1930 and 1932 during his collegiate career at Tulane University.
Semifinalist in 1932 at the United States National Championships, losing in five sets to world number one, Ellsworth Vines.
Became the only male New Orleans native to play the main draw singles at Wimbledon in 1933.
Marketing Manager of Bancroft Sporting Goods until he retired in 1975.
Mr. Sutter died in 2000 at the age of 89.

Hamilton F. “Ham” Richardson, Louisiana, inducted in 1977 Hamilton Richardson

Won two NCAA Singles Championships in 1953 and 1954 while attending Tulane University. The university made him a charter member of its Athletic Hall of Fame.
Named a Rhodes scholar and earned his master’s degree from Oxford University.
Diagnosed in 1949, at the age of 15, with diabetes. Doctors advised him against playing tennis. He obviously did not comply.
“Ham” went on to win 17 national titles and play on seven United States Davis Cup Teams, winning the Cup in 1954 and 1958.
Ranked number one in the United States in 1956 and 1958.
In retirement, “Ham” founded the New York investment and venture capital firm Richardson and Associates.
Married to author Midge Turk and had three children. “Ham” died in 2006 from diabetes complications.

Emmett Paré, Louisiana, inducted in 2012

Had a notable playing career but made his mark as the longtime men’s head coach at Tulane University
One of the early stars of professional tennis and traveled with the legendary Bill Tilden in his first barnstorming tour in 1931
Became the head pro at the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club and head coach of men’s tennis at Tulane in 1933.
His record at Tulane over a 40 year span from the 1930’s to the 1970’s is unparalleled as he coached a consistent national power and dominated collegiate tennis in the South
Won 18 Southeastern Conference team championships including 9 straight from 1951 through 1959
Coached Tulane to the 1959 NCAA National Men’s Championship
Died in 1973 and was inducted posthumously into the Tulane Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977, the International Tennis Collegiate Association Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985

Ron Holmberg, Louisiana, inducted in 2011

One of the leading tennis players of his day who ranked among the top 10 in the United States men’s singles 9 times during the 1950’s and 1960’s
Semifinalist at the United States National Championships (now the
U. S. Open where he played from 1953 to 1972), quarterfinalist at the French Open and won singles and doubles titles at the Canadian Open.
Spent 19 years on the international circuit and won numerous doubles titles with partners like John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Pancho Gonzalez and Arthur Ashe
Played on several United States Davis Cup teams
Retired from the pro circuit in 1971 to become the head tennis and squash coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point and gained an international reputation as one the game’s outstanding coaches
Served a number of years as Chairman of the Louisiana Tennis Patrons Foundation
Inducted into the International Collegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006