Eastern Clay Court Championships

Last updated
Eastern Clay Court Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
TourUSLTA
Founded1927
Abolished1971
Editions39
Location Jackson Heights, Queens, N.Y. (1927-48)
Travers Island (1949)
Rye, N.Y, U.S. (1950–51)
Hackensack, N.J. (1954-69)
Port Washington, N.Y., New York City (1970-71)
VenueJackson Heights Tennis Club
NY Athletic Club
Westchester Country Club
Oritani Field Club
Port Washington Park
Surfaceclay

The Eastern Clay Court Championships [1] [2] was a combined men's and women's international tennis tournament on clay courts founded in 1927 by the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association of the USLTA. The championships were held in various locations in the New York City area, U.S. until 1971.

Contents

History

The Eastern Clay Court Championships were founded in 1927 under the aegis of the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association (the New York City regional chapter of the USLTA). [3] [4] That same year of 1927, the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association also inaugurated the Eastern Grass Court Championships, usually played in August. The list of champions and runners-up for the two tournaments contained many names common to both events.

The Eastern Clay Court tournaments were usually played in late June and early July, often conflicting with the Wimbledon Championships schedule for player participation and news coverage.

The early editions were played in New York City at the Jackson Heights Tennis Club, Queens N.Y.. [5] [6]

The Eastern Clay Court Championships were later held in different locations in the New York City area including such venues as the Westchester Country Club (currently HarTru clay courts) in the early 1950s. [7] The Westchester Country Club had also hosted the Eastern Grass Court Championships tennis tournament from 1927 until 1945. [8]

In the 1954-1969 period the location was the Oritani Field Club in Hackensack, N.J. [9] The Hackensack clay court traditions are currently being revived. [10] The final venue in the early 1970s was in Port Washington, New York City.

The title was won by such champions as Herbert Bowman, Gregory Mangin, Berkeley Bell, J. Gilbert Hall, Bobby Riggs, Pancho Segura, Frank Parker (who won the title four times), Bill Talbert, Dick Savitt, Sidney Schwartz, Eddie Moylan, J. Allen Morris, Ron Holmberg, Robert Bédard, Arthur Ashe, Frank Froehling, and Antonio Palafox.

Other notable players who participated without winning the singles title but finishing as runner-up included Julius Seligson, Frank Bowden, Clifford Sutter, Sidney Wood, Don McNeill (runner-up in both 1937 and 1950), Frank Shields, Frank Kovacs, Ted Schroeder, Gene Mako, Gardnar Mulloy, Tony Vincent, and Gene Scott all of whom were strong clay court players.

Frank Parker holds the record for most titles (4). The 1969 champion, Peter Fishbach, was the son of the 1938 runner-up, Joe Fishbach.

Finals

Men's singles

YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore
1927Queens Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Herbert Bowman Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Julius Seligson 6–4, 5–7, 6–1, 9–7
1928 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Gregory Mangin Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Herbert Bowman 6–1, 6–2, 1–6, 6–3
1929 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Herbert Bowman (2) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Edgar Dawson 6–1, 6–4, 6–1
1930 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Herbert Bowman (3) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Bowden 6–3, 6–2, 6–2
1931 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Samuel Gilpin Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph De Mott7–5, 6–2, 6–1
1932 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Berkeley Bell Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Lawrence Kurzrok4–6, 7–5, 8–6, 6–4
1933 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg J. Gilbert Hall Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Shields 6–2, 7–5, 6–4
1934 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg J. Gilbert Hall (2) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Clifford Sutter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1935 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Berkeley Bell (2) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Leonard Hartman8–6, 7–5, 6–2
1936 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bobby Riggs Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg John Richard Law6–3, 6–0, 6–4
1937 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg John McDiarmid Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Don McNeill 6–3, 1–6, 6–4, 0–6, 6–3
1938 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jeff Podesta Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joseph Fishbach6–3, 6–2, 2–6, 6–1
1939 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jeff Podesta (2) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Marvin Wachman 6–4, 7–5, 6–2
1940 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Parker Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Kovacs 6–2, 7–5, 6–1
1941 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Parker (2) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Gene Mako 6–2, 6–2, 6–0
1942 Flag of Ecuador.svg Pancho Segura Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ted Schroeder 7–5, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
1943Not held
1944Not held
1945 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Elwood Cooke Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sidney Wood 8–6, 6–4, 7–5
1946 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Parker (3) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Gardnar Mulloy 6–2, 7–5, 6–1
1947 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Ladislav Hecht Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dick Savitt 6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 7–5
1948 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Parker (4) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Talbert 6–3, 8–6, 6–2
1949New Rochelle Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Talbert Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eddie Moylan 4–6, 11-9, 2–6, 6–1, 6–2
1950Rye Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dick Savitt Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Don McNeill 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
1951 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sidney Schwartz Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Ball6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
1952Not held
1953Not held
1954Hackensack Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eddie Moylan Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jerry DeWitts6–0, 6–2, 6–4
1955 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eddie Moylan (2) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ron Holmberg 6–3, 6–2, 6–0
1956 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eddie Moylan (3) Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sidney Schwartz 6–0, 3–6, 6–0, 8–6
1957 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ron Holmberg Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tony Vincent 1–6, 8–6, 6–1, 6–3
1958 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Gerald Moss Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sidney Schwartz 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–2
1959 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg J. Allen Morris Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Don Rubell6–0, 5–7, 6–2, 6–2
1960 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Robert Bédard Flag of the United States (1959-1960).svg Gene Scott 1–6, 14-12, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2
1961 Flag of the United States.svg Arthur Ashe [11] Flag of the United States.svg Bob Barker6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4
1962 Flag of the United States.svg Sidney Schwartz (2) Flag of the United States.svg Herb Fitzgibbon 6–3, 6–4, 4–6, 6–3
1963 Flag of the United States.svg Lex Wood Flag of the United States.svg Dick Raskind7–5, 6–2, 6–2
1964 Flag of the United States.svg Herb Fitzgibbon Flag of the United States.svg David George Sanderlin8–6, 6–1, 6–4
1965Not held
1966 Flag of the United States.svg Frank Froehling Flag of the United States.svg Herb Fitzgibbon 3–6, 6–2, 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
1967Not held
1968 Flag of the United States.svg Ed Austin Flag of the United States.svg Steve Siegel 6–4, 6–4, 6–2
1969 Flag of the United States.svg Peter Fishbach Flag of the United States.svg Don Rubell4–6, 6–0, 9–7, 2-1 ret.
1970Port Washington Flag of Mexico.svg Antonio Palafox Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Otokar Merunka6–4, 9–7, 6–0
1971 Flag of Mexico.svg Antonio Palafox (2) Flag of the United States.svg Steve Ross6–2, 7–5, 6–1

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