Garden City resident Gerard Smith ‘79, a tennis standout known for his serve and volley, was inducted into Manhattan College’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Nov. 14. Sponsored by the Manhattan College Alumni society, the ceremonies were held in the College’s Smith Auditorium.

The No. 1 player from Garden City High School, Smith was named the Jaspers’ Most Valuable Player in 1978 and 1979. Having lost only two matches his junior year, he improved on that record and went undefeated as a senior. The team also went undefeated in conference play that year and won the Suburban West Conference. Smith had one of his most competitive matches against Fordham’s undefeated Billy Crawford. It came down to sudden death in the third set, and Smith beat him in the final point. He then went on to beat Crawford again a half hour later in doubles with teammate Tommy Gambino ‘81.

Smith, a leftie, had his one and only shutout against a player from Adelphi. Athletic Director Jack Powers ‘58 was so impressed with Smith’s play those two seasons that he offered him the first tennis scholarship at Manhattan, if he would stay on to complete his M.B.A. Smith turned it down but continued to compete before going to work fulltime for Weeden & Company, based in Greenwich, Conn.

He continued to compete while working and became a finalist at the New York State Doubles Championship at age 30 with partner John Schmitt. Smith competed in the satellite Pro Tour in Poland and was nationally ranked for 10 years in platform tennis. He was also ranked in the Top 25 for three consecutive years in the Men’s Open Eastern Tennis Association.