Gulf State Championships

The Gulf State Championships[1] was a men's and women's tennis tournament founded in 1892 as the Gulf Coast Championships.[2] It was first played at the Tampa Bay Lawn Tennis Club, Tampa Bay Hotel, Tampa, Florida, United States in 1892.[3] In 1968 the final edition was played at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after which when it was downgraded from the main worldwide ILTF Circuit.[3]

Gulf State Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourUSNLTA Circuit (1892-1923)
ILTF Circuit (1923-68)
Founded1892; 132 years ago (1892)
Abolished1968; 56 years ago (1968)
LocationBaton Rouge
Tampa
New Orleans
Shreveport
VenueTampa Bay LTC (1892-94)
New Orleans LTC (1902-16)
SurfaceGrass
Hard

History

edit

In 1892 the first Gulf Coast Championships (also known as the Tampa Bay Championships) were held in at the Tampa Bay Lawn Tennis Club, Tampa Bay Hotel, Tampa, Florida, United States and was played on outdoor hard cement courts.[3] The first winner of the men's singles title was Albert Empie Wright,[3] he defeated a former top 4 ranked English tennis player,[4] Charles Walder Grinstead in the final, who was touring America at this time.[5] The first gulf tournament ran until 1894 when it was discontinued. In 1901 the tournament was revived under the new name the Gulf State Championships held at the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club, New Orleans, Louisiana.[6] The tournament continued to be held there until 1914.[7] In 1968 the tournament was downgraded from the main worldwide ILTF Circuit and became a USLTA regional event.[3]

Finals

edit

Men's singles

edit

(incomplete roll)

Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
Gulf Coast Championships
1892 Tampa   Albert Empie Wright   Charles Walder Grinstead 6–2, 8–6, 6–1.[3]
1893[8] Tampa   Bob Wrenn   Albert Empie Wright 6-2, 6–2, 6–2.[3]
1894 Tampa   Gregory Seeley Bryan   Bob Wrenn w.o.[3]
Gulf State Championships
1901[9] New Orleans   R.G. Hunt   ? ?
1911 New Orleans   Wallace F. Johnson   Nat Thornton 6–3, 7–5, 6–2.[3]
1912 New Orleans   Wallace F. Johnson (2)   Frank Richard Woodbury 6–2, 6–0, 6-–2.[3]
1933 Shreveport   Arthur Hodges Hendrix   Hudson Russell Hamm Jr. 6–2, 6–0 6–2.[3]
1951 New Orleans   Jack Tuero   Ham Richardson 2–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–1.[3]
1957 Baton Rouge   Tommy Robinson   Ron Fisher 4–6, 11–9, 7–5.[3]
1958 Baton Rouge   Larry Caton   Don Caton 7–5, 6–1, 1–6, 9–11, 6–4.[3]
1959 Baton Rouge   Ron Fisher   James G. Schmidt Sr 6–2, 6–8, 6–4.[3]
1960 Baton Rouge   Andy Lloyd   Tom Falkenburg 6–3, 6–3.[3]
1961 Baton Rouge   Jerry Walters   Clint Nettleton 5–7, 6–3, 6–2.[3]
1962 Baton Rouge   Jerry Walters (2)   Clint Nettleton 6–4, 4–6, 6–0.[3]
1963 Baton Rouge   Tom Karp   Upton Giles III 6–1, 6–3.[3]
1966 Baton Rouge   Steve Faulk   Robert Ecuyer 6–3, 6–4.[3]

Women's singles

edit

(incomplete roll)

Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
Gulf Coast Championships
1893 Tampa   Miss Valentine Hobart   Miss Constance Talmage 6–4, 6–3, 6–3.
1894 Tampa   Miss Valentine Hobart   Miss Elizabeth Stroud 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Gulf State Championships
1903 New Orleans   Mrs. R. C. Montgomery   May Logan 6–4, 6–4
1906 New Orleans   May Logan   ?. ?
1914 New Orleans   Ethelyn Legendre   May Logan 3–6, 6–2 6–2
1916 New Orleans   Mrs Irving Murphy   Ethelyn Legendre 6–1, 6–2
1933 Shreveport   Charlotte MacQuiston   LaVerne Stages 4–6, 6–1, 6–2
1934[10] Shreveport   Charlotte MacQuiston (2)   ? ?
1957 Baton Rouge   Carolyn Rogers   Sue Zigerbein 6–0, 6–2
1958 Baton Rouge   Carolyn Rogers (2)   Sylvia Bradley 6–3, 6–2
1961[11] Baton Rouge   Carolyn Rogers (3)   Kitty Moody 6–4, 6–1
1963 Baton Rouge   Patsy Lowdon   Putsy Trice 4–6, 8–6, 6–3

References

edit
  1. ^ Aiello, Thomas (2019). New Orleans Sports: Playing Hard in the Big Easy. Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-68226-100-2.
  2. ^ "Tennis Cracks Now Playing in Florida". The Boston Globe. Boston: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 29 Mar 1892. p. 10. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Tournaments: Gulf Coast - State Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Archived from the original on May 15, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  4. ^ "Champion of the Gulf Coast". Evening star. Washington. District of Columbia: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 2 Apr 1892. p. 8. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Lawn Tennis Tournament". The Morning Journal-Courier. New Haven, Connecticut: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 14 Jun 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Tennis Tournament New Orleans". The Macon Telegraph. Macon: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 24 Jun 1902. p. 1. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  7. ^ Aiello
  8. ^ "Tennis Tournament Ended: Wrenn Wins Gulf Coast Championship from Wright". The Boston Globe. Boston: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 26 Mar 1893. p. 2. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Tennis Tournament New Orleans". The Macon Telegraph. Macon: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 24 Jun 1902. p. 1. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Netters of Three States Enter Centennial Finals". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Lubbock, Texas: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 30 Jun 1935. p. 20. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Shreveport Woman Wins Gulf Tennis". The Shreveport Journal. Shreveport: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 21 Aug 1961. p. 31. Retrieved 26 August 2023.