Eastern Indoor Championships

Eastern Indoor Championships Eastern States Indoor Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Tour	ILTF World Circuit (1944–77)
Founded	1944;81 years ago (1944)
Abolished	1977;48 years ago (1977)
Location	Bergen Hackensack New York City Waldwick
Venue	Various
Surface	Wood (indoors) Carpet (indoors)

The Eastern Indoor Championships ^[1] also known as the Eastern States Indoor Championships was a men's and women's indoor tennis tournament founded in 1944. ^[2] It was organized by the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association (today known as USTA Eastern). It was originally played on wood courts, then switching later to carpet courts until 1977 when it was discontinued. ^[2]

History

In February 1944 the Eastern Indoor Championships were established. ^[2] The first two editions were played at the Bassford-Wood Courts, Lexington Avenue, New York City. ^{[3] [2]} This tournament is particular notable for allowing Althea Gibson the tennis player and black woman to play in a major United States Lawn Tennis Association tournament, ^[4] where she advanced to the quarter finals in the singles but was beaten by nationally ranked Betty Rosenquest, ^[5] who won the event that year. The tournament was mainly played in New York City, in particular in Manhattan and the Bronx. It was also held in Bergen, New York, Hackensack, New Jersey and Waldwick, New Jersey. ^[2] The tournament was discontinued in 1977 as part of the ILTF Independent Tour and became a regional USTA circuit event. ^[2]

Finals

Men's singles

(incomplete roll) In 1967 two editions of the men's championships were held one in January denoted as (*) and the other in March as (**).

Year	Location	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1944	NYC	Theodore Schein	Edward McGrath [6]	6–4, 4–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3. [2]
1945 [7]	NYC	Bill Talbert	Herbert Bowman	6–2, 6–1, 6–0. [2]
1950	NYC	Charles Masterson	R. Philip Hanna [8] [9]	12–10, 7–5, 6–2. [2]
1964	NYC	Donald Rubell [10]	John Mangan	7–9, 6–4, 8–6, 6–4. [2]
1965	Bergen	Herb Fitzgibbon	Ned Weld	3–6, 8–10, 6–4, 7–5, 3–1, ret. [2]
1966	Waldwick	Eugene Scott	Robert Barker	6–1, 6–4, 6–1. [2]
1967*	Waldwick	Eugene Scott (2)	Frank Froehling III	6–3, 6–3, 6–3. [2]
1967**	Waldwick	Donald Rubell (2)	Tony Vincent	6–3, 6–2, 6–4. [2]
1968	NYC	Mike Callaghan	Gabino Palafox	6–8, 5–7, 6–3, 9–7. [2]
↓  Open era  ↓
1969	Hackensack	Butch Seewagen	Jaime Subirats	6–2, 13–11, 6–3. [2]
1970	Hackensack	Herb Fitzgibbon (2)	Peter Fishbach	13–11, 7–5, 6–0. [2]
1971	NYC	Herb Fitzgibbon (3)	John Adams	6–3, 6–2, 6–0. [2]
1972	NYC	Vitas Gerulaitis	King Van Nostrand	6–2, 6–2, 6–1. [2]
1973	NYC	Mike Grant	King Van Nostrand	6–2, 6–2, 6–1. [2]
1974	NYC	King Van Nostrand	Warren Lucas	6–2, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3. [2]
1975	NYC	Jon Molin	Art Carrington	4–6, 6–1, 6–7, 7–6, 6–4. [2]

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Year	Location	Champions	Runners-up	Score
1944	NYC	Norma Taubele Barber	Mary J. M. Donnalley [11]	6–2, 6–2
1945	NYC	Norma Taubele Barber (2)	Helen Germaine	1–6, 6–3, 6–2
1946	NYC	Norma Taubele Barber (3)	Edna Steinbach	6–2, 6–2
1947	NYC	Nina Irwin	Sylvia Knowles	7–5, 4–6, 7–5
1948	NYC	Barbara Wilkins	Nina Irwin	6–4, 4–6, 64
1949	NYC	Betty Rosenquest	Helen Germaine	6–4, 6–0
1950	NYC	Althea Gibson	Millicent Hirsch Lang	6–3, 6–1
1953	NYC	Thelma Coyne Long	Lois Felix	6–0, 6–2
1964	NYC	Pat Stewart	Mimi Kanarek	6–2, 8–6
1966	Waldwick	Marilyn Aschner	Mimi Kanarek	6–3, 8–10, 7–5
1968	NYC	Maria-Cristina Dias	Marilyn Aschner	6–4, 4–6, 6–3
↓  Open era  ↓
1970	Hackensack	Marilyn Aschner (2)	Louise Gonnerman	6–0, 7–5
1977	NYC	Barbara Potter	Kathy Mueller	6–3, 6–2

See also

• Eastern Grass Court Championships
• Eastern Clay Court Championships

References

1. "The "A" people of tennis". Baltimore Afro-American . Baltimore, Maryland. 21 Apr 1970. p. 15. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
2. "Tournaments: Eastern Indoor Championships" . The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
3. "TALBERT CONQUERS GOLDSTEIN AT NET; Gains Eastern Final, 6-1, 6-0, 6-1--Bowman Triumphs Over Broida, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2" . The New York Times . New York City. 25 February 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
4. Baltimore Afro-American (1970)
5. Baltimore Afro-American (1970)
6. "Edward McGrath: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
7. The New York Times
8. "Phillip Hanna: Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
9. "R. PHILIP HANNA, TENNIS STAR, DIES; 1955 U.S. Senior Champion Collapses After Forest Hills Match--Was a Singer". The New York Times. New York City. 21 July 1957. p. 60. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
10. "Donald Rubell : Overview". ATP Tour. ATP. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
11. "2016 Inductee Biography: Mary Jane Metcalf Donnalley". www.coloradotennis.com. Denver: Colorado Tennis Hall Of Fame. Retrieved 9 October 2023.