Welsh-born, his early years were divided between Carmarthenshire and Surrey. His first job in journalism was with the Croydon Advertiser. It was not long after BBC commentator Harry Carpenter introduced him as a sports sub-editor for the Daily Mail, that tennis began to take over. Although no outstanding player himself, Gerald’s perceptions of court play and his superb voice projection came eventually to win him the acclaim of BBC’S Brian Johnstone, Bill Threlfall and Cliff Morgan (who became his boss). Dan Maskell was to invite him into the Wimbledon commentary box. Open Tennis was taking over, and – with the increasing speed of play - Max Robertson’s ball-by-ball approach would give way to Gerald’s more laconic style of coverage.