Hamilton F. Richardson, 73; tennis star played on seven Davis Cup teams

Hamilton F. “Ham” Richardson, 73, a former U.S. Davis Cup player and Tulane University tennis star, died Sunday of complications from diabetes at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, the university announced.

After winning the National Boys Championship at age 15, Richardson captured a pair of NCAA singles titles and four Southeastern Conference singles and doubles titles from 1952 through 1955 while playing for Tulane in New Orleans.

He also won the 1958 U.S. National -- now the U.S. Open -- doubles title with Alex Olmedo. He was ranked among America’s top 10 players for 11 years and was a member of seven U.S. Davis Cup teams.

After working for several years as a legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Russell Long (D-La.), Richardson had a lengthy career in the brokerage and investment banking businesses.

Richardson was born in Baton Rouge, La., earned a bachelor’s degree in economics at Tulane and studied at Oxford University in England as a Rhodes scholar.