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 | |
| Tour | USNLTA Circuit (1892-1923) ILTF Circuit (1923-68) |
| Founded | 1892 |
| Abolished | 1968 |
| Location | Baton Rouge Tampa New Orleans Shreveport |
| Venue | Tampa Bay LTC (1892-94) New Orleans LTC (1902-16) |
| Surface | Grass 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Tennis Cracks Now Playing in Florida". The Boston Globe. Boston: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 29 Mar 1892. p. 10. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ 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. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Lawn Tennis Tournament". The Morning Journal-Courier. New Haven, Connecticut: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 14 Jun 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ "Tennis Tournament New Orleans". The Macon Telegraph. Macon: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 24 Jun 1902. p. 1. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ Aiello
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Tennis Tournament New Orleans". The Macon Telegraph. Macon: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 24 Jun 1902. p. 1. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Shreveport Woman Wins Gulf Tennis". The Shreveport Journal. Shreveport: The Wikipedia Library: Newspapers.Com. 21 Aug 1961. p. 31. Retrieved 26 August 2023.