California Athletics Hall of Fame
Gerald Stratford and partner Gervais Hillis won Cal’s first NCAA doubles title in 1925. In that same eventful year, Stratford was elected as the all-around University Man of the Year in 1925 by the staff of the Blue and Gold Yearbook. Stratford was also a member of the rally committee. He won the state singles championship in California in 1925 and was ranked No. 1 in the state both in 1925 and 1926. Also in 1925, he teamed with fellow Cal Hall of Famer Helen Wills to capture the mixed doubles championship in the state of California. Stratford went on to win numerous tennis titles in the state over the next three decades. He teamed with Edward G. “Bud” Chandler – his former Cal teammate and yet another Cal Hall of Famer – to win the U.S. age-group doubles titles in 1953, 1954 and 1955. Stratford played at Wimbledon in 1936 against Fred Perry. In 1977, Stratford was inducted into the USTA NorCal Hall of Fame.
