Southern California Championships

The Southern California Championships also known as the Southern California Sectional Championships and later known as the Southern California Open was a men's and women's hard court tennis tournament from 1887 to 1979.[1] It was held at various locations including Riverside (1887), then Santa Monica (1888–1903), then South Pasadena (1904), then Long Beach (1905–1920) and finally Los Angeles (1920–1979).

Southern California Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded1887
Abolished1977 (men)
2005 (women)
Editions93 (men)
121 (women)
LocationRiverside (1887)
Santa Monica (1888–1903)
South Pasadena (1904)
Long Beach (1905–1915)
Los Angeles (1919–1979)
SurfaceAsphalt / outdoor
Hard / outdoor

History

edit

On 19 March 1887, the Southern California Lawn Tennis Association was formed with the Hon. James Bettner as its first president.[2] The Southern California Championships were founded in March 1887 and first staged on asphalt courts at the Casa Blanca Club, Riverside, California.[3][4][5] In August 1887 a second tournament was organized that was won by William Henry Young after which the event would be played in the last week of August.[6] In 1888 the tournament moved to the Santa Monica Casino courts, where it remained until 1903.[7] The tournament alternated between different locations throughout its run.

In 1968, at the start of the Open era, it became an open event. The men's event remained known as the Southern California Championships until 1977 and was part of the Grand Prix Tennis circuit tour. The women's event continued as the Southern California Championships officially until 1979, but for sponsorship reasons was called the Virginia Slims of San Diego tournament for 1971 only. From 1979 to 1982 it was additionally known as the Wells Fargo Open for sponsorship reasons. Recently it's been known as the Southern California Open.

Men's event

edit

The inaugural men's tournament was won by Canadian born later American citizen William Henry Young who defeated Mr C. Trevelia in the All Comer's Final.[8][9] In 1968 the event became part of the International Tennis Federation independent tour. In 1970 the event became part of the Grand Prix Tennis Circuit tour until 1977. The final tournament was won by the Mexican player Raúl Ramírez who defeated the American player Brian Gottfried.[10]

Women's event

edit

The inaugural women's tournament was won by the American player Miss Fannie Shoemaker who defeated a Miss Dexter in the All Comer's Final.[11] In 1968 the event became part of the International Tennis Federation independent tour. In 1971 the event became part of the Virginia Slims Circuit until 1979 when it was known as for sponsorship reasons Virginia Slims of San Diego.

Locations

edit

The tournament was staged in different cities for the duration of its run they included:

Venue City Years
Casa Blanca Club.[12][13] Riverside 1887
Santa Monica Casino Courts.[14] Santa Monica[15] 1888 – 1903
South Pasadena 1904
Hotel Virginia. Long Beach 1905 – 1915
Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles 1919 – 1979

Finals

edit

Men's singles

edit

Included:[16]

Year Location Champion Runner-up Score
1887 Riverside   William Henry Young   C. Trevelia [17]
1887 Santa Monica   William Henry Young (2)   R. L. Bettner [18]
1888   Robert Peyton Carter   William Henry Young w.o.[19]
1889   Robert Peyton Carter (2)   A. Q. Twiss 6–3, 6–3, 6–3.[20]
1890   Robert Peyton Carter (3)   Kenneth (Ken) Carter [21]
1891   Theodore Coulter   Robert Peyton Carter w.o.[22]
1892   Robert Peyton Carter (4)   Theodore Coulter w.o.[23]
1893   Robert Peyton Carter (5)   Martin A. Chase 6–0, 6–2, 7–5.[24]
1894   Robert Peyton Carter (6)   Arthur William Bumiller 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
1895   Arthur William Bumiller   Robert Peyton Carter w.o.
1896   Lewis Ransome Freeman   Arthur William Bumiller 6–3, 3–6, 6–0, 6–2
1897   Lewis Ransome Freeman (2)   John Cravens 6–1, 6–1, 6–3
1898   Lewis Ransome Freeman (3)   Oliver Richer 6–1, 3–6, 6–1, 6–1
1899   Sumner Hardy   Lewis Ransome Freeman w.o.
1900   Alphonzo Bell Sr. ? ?
1901   Alphonzo Bell Sr. (2)   Reuben Gay Hunt 6–2, 6–1, 6–0
1902   Lewis Ransome Freeman (4)   Alphonzo Bell Sr. 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1903   Alphonzo Bell Sr. (3)   Lewis Ransome Freeman w.o.
1904 Pasadena   Eugene Overton   Alphonzo Bell Sr. w.o.
1905 Los Angeles   Eugene Overton (2)   Robert Henry Fauntleroy Variel jr 6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–2
1906   Harold Hyde Braly Sr.   Nathaniel Borrodaille (Nat) Browne 7–5, 0–6, 6–4, 6–3
1907   Melville H. Long
1908 Long Beach   Tom Bundy   Melville H. Long w.o.
1909   Wynn Mace   Tom Bundy w.o.
1910   Wynn Mace (2)   Nathaniel Borrodaille (Nat) Browne 10–8, 4–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4
1911   Henry Ward Dawson   Wynn Mace 6–0, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2
1912   Paul Hardeman   William Amos Horrell 6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1913   Tom Bundy (2)   Willis Davis 6–1, 4–6, 12–10, 6–4
1914   Henry Ward Dawson   Alphonzo Bell Sr. 6–0, 6–2
1915   Roland Roberts   Tom Bundy 3–6, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
1919 Los Angeles   Howard Kinsey ? ?
1920   Robert Kinsey   Harvey Burton Snodgrass 6–4, 6–1, 6–4
1921   Henry Parker ? ?
1922   Harvey Snodgrass   Clifton Bradford Herd 6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1923   Manuel Alonso Areizaga   Ray Casey 7–5, 6–4
1924   Bill Tilden   Alfred H. Chapin Jr. ?
1925   Alan Herrington   Craig Biddle 6–3, 6–2, 6–2
1926   Benjamin Gorchakoff ? ?
1927   Gerald Stratford ? ?
1928   Ben Gorchakoff (2)   Clinton Herd 6–2, 6–3 [25]
1929   John Doeg   Ben Gorchakoff 7–9, 6–4, 6–2, 6–2
1930   Ellsworth Vines   Keith Gledhill 6–2, 6–2, 6–2
1931   Ellsworth Vines (2)   Alan David Herrington 3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1
1932   Lester Stoefen   Jack Tidball 6–4, 6–3, 18–16 [26]
1933   Gene Mako   Keith Gledhill 0–6, 6–1, 6–3, 5–7, 6–0
1934   Jack Tidball   Elbert Raymond Lewis 3–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4
1935   Frank Shields   Gerald Porter Bartosh 6–4, 6–1, 6–0
1936   Bobby Riggs   Charles Carr 6–4, 6–1, 7–5
1937   Bobby Riggs (2)   Frank Shields 6–1, 7–5, 6–2
1938   Joe Hunt   Jack Kramer 2–6, 6–2, 6–1, 7–5
1939   Frank Parker   Gene Mako w.o.
1940   Ted Schroeder   Owen Anderson 2–6, 6–2, 7–5, 7–5
1941   Frank Parker   Ted Schroeder 6–4, 6–2, 6–0
1942   Jack Kramer   Frank Parker 6–2, 6–2, 11–9
1943   Bob Falkenburg   George Druliner 6–3, 2–6, 6–0, 6–2 [27]
1944   Jack Kramer (2)   Frank Parker 8–6, 8–6, 6–3
1945   Elwood Cooke   William Reedy 6–2, 3–6, 6–0 [28]
1946   Jack Kramer (3)   Frank Parker 8–6, 6–1, 9–7
1947   Jack Kramer (4)   Frank Parker 4–6, 2–6, 11–9, 6–2, 7–5
1948   Ted Schroeder (2)   Bob Falkenburg 6–3, 3–6, 7–5, 12–10
1949   Ted Schroeder (3)   Pancho Gonzales 6–1, 6–0, 6–2
1950   Tom Brown   Bob Falkenburg 5–7, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1951   Art Larsen   Ted Schroeder 6–8, 7–5, 7–5, 6–3
1952   Art Larsen (2)   Tom Brown 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
1953   Tony Trabert   Art Larsen 6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1954   Herbert Flam   Hugh Stewart 6–1, 4–6, 6–1, 9–7
1955   Tony Trabert (2)   Gilbert Shea 6–1, 6–1, 7–5
1956   Gilbert Shea   Michael Green 6–1, 8–6, 2–6, 6–2
1957   Alex Olmedo   Herbert Flam 6–1, 6–3
1958   Herbert Flam   Alex Olmedo 8–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1959   Mike Franks   Alex Olmedo 6–4, 3–6, 0–6, 12–10, 7–5
1960   Dennis Ralston   Rafael Osuna 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1961   Luis Alberto Ayala   Allen Fox 9–7, 3–6, 3–6, 7–5, 8–6
1962   Rafael Osuna   Allen Fox 6–2, 5–7, 8–6, 6–2
1963   Dennis Ralston (2)   Rafael Osuna 6–3, 6–4, 6–4
1964   Dennis Ralston (3)   Arthur Ashe 6–3, 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
1965   Dennis Ralston (4)   Arthur Ashe 8–6, 6–2
1966   Arthur Ashe   Stan Smith 6–4, 6–2
1967   Stan Smith   Allen Fox 7–5, 13-11
1968   Stan Smith (2)   Dick Leach 6–3, 6–4
1969   Stan Smith (3)   Bob Lutz 6–3, 6–4
1970   Erik van Dillen   Allen Fox 6–2, 6–1
1971   Pancho Gonzales   Jimmy Connors 3–6, 6–3, 6–3.[29]
1972   Pancho Gonzales (2)   Alex Olmedo 6–3, 6–2
1973   Bob Kreiss   Jeff Austin 7–6, 1–6, 7–6
1974   Billy Martin   Gene Malin 7–6, 6–3
1975   Brian Teacher   Joao Soares 6–2, 6–4
1976   Charles (Buzz) Strode   Eliot Teltscher 6–0, 7–6
1977   Raúl Ramírez   Brian Gottfried 7–5, 3–6, 6–4

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Tournament – Southern California Championship". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Tennis Tournaments". Los Angeles Herald. No. 128. Los Angeles, California, United States. 17 August 1894. p. 5.
  3. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  4. ^ Ingersoll, Luther A. (1908). "XI: Outdoor Past Times". Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities: prefaced with a brief history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County, 1542 to 1908. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County CA Archives.
  5. ^ "Edition – Southern California Championship 1887". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  6. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  7. ^ Ingersoll
  8. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  9. ^ Yeoman's, Patricia Henry (1987). Southern California Tennis Champions Centennial, 1887-1987: Documents & Anecdotes. Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games. pp. 13–14, 16–18. ISBN 9780960662807.
  10. ^ "Los Angeles Results ATP Tour 1977". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  11. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  12. ^ Tennis Archives
  13. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  14. ^ Ingersoll
  15. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  16. ^ "Tournament – Southern California Championships: Mens Roll". www.tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  17. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  18. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  19. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  20. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  21. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  22. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  23. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  24. ^ Los Angeles Herald (1894)
  25. ^ "Southern California tennis tourney ends". Hanford Sentinel. May 21, 1928. p. 5.
  26. ^ "Tall blond star wins hard-fought net duel". Pasadena Post. May 16, 1932. p. 8.
  27. ^ "Falkenburg Southern California champion". The Spokeman Review. June 8, 1943. p. 11.
  28. ^ "Nancy Chaffee wins two So. Cal. titles". Ventura County Star. May 28, 1945. p. 6.
  29. ^ "Los Angeles Results Grand Prix Tour 1971". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 2 July 2022.

Sources

edit