The Seabright Invitational Tournament[1] also known as the Seabright Invitation [2] was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament staged annually at the Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club, Rumson, New Jersey, United States from 1884 to 1950.[3]
| Seabright Invitational Tournament | |
|---|---|
| Defunct tennis tournament | |
| Tour | ILTF Circuit (1927–1949) |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Abolished | 1950 |
| Location | Rumson, New Jersey, United States |
| Venue | Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club |
| Surface | Grass |
History edit
The Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club is a historic private sports club in Rumson, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States.[3] It was founded in 1877 and incorporated officially in 1886.[3] In 1884, the club held its first Seabright Invitational Tournament,[4][5] the men's singles was won Joseph Sill Clark Sr.[3] The tournament continued to be staged annually until 1889 when it was discontinued.[3]
In 1894 the tournament was reestablished, and in 1920 a permanent women's event was finally added to the schedule.[4] The event was suspended from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II.[3] It resumed in 1946 and continued to be held until 1949.[3] In 1950, the organizing committee of Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club voted to discontinue the event,[3] due to ongoing cost of the maintenance of the grass courts, and the budget needed to build new permanent spectator seating made it untenable.[3] Contrary to official sources the other reason the tournament was ended was not because of funding, but because the members grew tired of the fuss of organizing the event.[6]
Finals edit
Men's singles edit
(Incomplete roll)
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 |  H.W. Bucknall |
Richard W. Stevens |
6–2, 6–1, 6–1.[2] | |
| 1888 | H. Alexander |
W. Ward |
6–2, 6–4.[2] | |
| 1892 | Richard W. Stevens |
S.M. Allen |
6–2, 6–1, 6–1.[2] | |
| 1895 | Bill Larned |
John Howland |
7–5, 4–6, 6–1, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1919 | Bill Larned (2) |
Leonard Beekman |
6–3, 3–6, 6–2, 6–1.[2] | |
| 1920 | Watson Washburn |
Willis Davis |
1–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–3.[2] | |
| 1921 | Bill Johnston |
Dick Williams |
6–0, 6–4, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1922 | Bill Johnston (2) |
Dick Williams |
6–0, 6–2, 6–3.[2] | |
| 1923 | Bill Johnston (3) |
Dick Williams |
? | |
| 1924 | Howard Kinsey |
Bill Johnston |
? | |
| 1925 | Vinnie Richards |
James Anderson |
6–1, 4–6, 6–0, 6–0.[2] | |
| 1926 | Vinnie Richards (2) |
 Manuel Alonso Areizaga |
6–2, 10–8.[2] | |
| 1927 | Bill Tilden II |
Francis Hunter |
6–4, 6–1, 8–6.[2] | |
| 1928 | John Van Ryn |
Wilmer Allison |
6–8, 6–1, 6–4, 4–6, 10–10, ret.[2] | |
| 1929 | John Doeg |
Dick Williams |
6–3, 7–5, 8–6.[2] | |
| 1930 | Sidney Wood |
Ellsworth Vines |
6–2, 6–2, 6–0.[2] | |
| 1931 | Ellsworth Vines |
John Doeg |
10–12, 6–8, 6–3, 8–6, 6–1.[2] | |
| 1932 | Sidney Wood (2) |
Gregory Mangin |
1–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–4 | |
| 1933 | Frank Shields |
Gregory Mangin |
6–1, 6–3, 6–1 | |
| 1934 | Berkeley Bell |
Bryan Grant |
5–7 6–1 6–3 2–6 6–4.[2] | |
| 1935 | Gregory Mangin |
Wilmer Hines |
6–8, 6–4, 3–6, 6–2, 7–5.[2] | |
| 1936 | John McDiarmid |
Joe Hunt |
9–7, 6–2, 6–2.[2] | |
| 1937 | Bobby Riggs |
Wilmer Allison |
w.o.[2] | |
| 1938 | Bobby Riggs (2) |
Elwood Thomas Cooke |
6–1, 6–3, 6–1.[2] | |
| 1939 | Frank Parker |
Don McNeill |
6–3, 8–6, 6–0.[2] | |
| 1940 | Bobby Riggs (3) |
Frank Kovacs |
2–6, 0–6, 6–3, 11–9, 10–8.[2] | |
| 1941 | Bobby Riggs (4) |
Ted Schroeder |
6–4, 6–4, 6–0.[2] | |
| 1942/1943 | Not held (due to World War I) | |||
| 1945 | Bill Talbert |
Gardnar Mulloy |
6–2, 3–6, 6–2, 6–4.[2] | |
| 1946 | Jack Kramer |
Gardnar Mulloy |
6–4, 6–4, 6–4.[2] | |
| 1947 | Gardnar Mulloy |
Frank Parker |
w.o.[2] | |
| 1948 | Earl Cochell |
Bill Talbert |
9–7, 8–6, 6–4.[2] | |
| 1949 | Earl Cochell (2) |
 Gianni Cucelli |
6–2, 2–6, 6–0, 6–1.[2] | |
Women's singles edit
(Incomplete roll)
Other tournaments edit
The club during the 1880s early 1890s also organised other tournaments usually as a one off events occasionally a couple of editions.
References edit
- ^ Gems, Gerald R.; Borish, Linda J.; Pfister, Gertrud (April 10, 2017). Sports in American History: From Colonization to Globalization. Champaign, Illinois, United States.: Human Kinetics. p. 273. ISBN 978-1-4925-8614-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac "Tournaments: Seabright Invitation". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i National Historic Landmark Nomination: Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club, National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior. pp. 16, 19–21.
- ^ a b Gems, Borish and Pfister. (2017) p.173.
- ^ "INVITATION TENNIS TOURNAMENT Well-known Players Competing SEABRIGHT (New Jersey), July 21. Many well-known lawn tennis Players figure in the 54th invitation tournament". Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore). Lahore, Pakistan: British Newspaper Archive. July 23, 1941. p. 14. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
- ^ "Sport: Too Much Fuss", Time, August 14, 1950. Accessed March 12, 2023.