Remembering Jack Cella
Remembering Jack Cella, 1921-2017
The Colorado tennis community remembers Jack Cella, who passed away late last week. Jack was an inaugural member of the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame, inducted in 2000.
Jack was just the second Colorado player to be nationally ranked in the top 10, reaching No. 7 in the 15 and under singles division. From 1937 to 1939, Jack went undefeated and captured three consecutive Colorado high school state titles at the No. 1 singles position, the first player to accomplish that feat. Later, he became the first tennis player inducted into the Colorado High School Sports Hall of Fame.
Despite missing an entire decade of Colorado tournaments due to his professional status (he was a tennis professional at the Denver Country Club), Jack holds nine championship titles in the Denver City and Colorado State Opens.
Jack also won eight consecutive 45 and over singles titles in the Denver City Open tennis tournament in the 1960s and 70s.
Jack led the Raiders to state basketball titles his junior and senior years. He was named All-Conference, All-State, and All-American.
Jack was 95.
