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 (1892)
Abolished1968 (1968)
LocationBaton Rouge
Tampa
New Orleans
Shreveport
VenueTampa Bay LTC (1892-94)
New Orleans LTC (1902-16)
SurfaceGrass
Hard

History

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

Men's singles

(incomplete roll)

Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
Gulf Coast Championships
1892Tampa Albert Empie Wright Charles Walder Grinstead6–2, 8–6, 6–1.[3]
1893[8]Tampa Bob Wrenn Albert Empie Wright6-2, 6–2, 6–2.[3]
1894Tampa Gregory Seeley Bryan Bob Wrennw.o.[3]
Gulf State Championships
1901[9]New Orleans R.G. Hunt ??
1911New Orleans Wallace F. Johnson Nat Thornton6–3, 7–5, 6–2.[3]
1912New Orleans Wallace F. Johnson (2) Frank Richard Woodbury6–2, 6–0, 6-–2.[3]
1933Shreveport Arthur Hodges Hendrix Hudson Russell Hamm Jr.6–2, 6–0 6–2.[3]
1951New Orleans Jack Tuero Ham Richardson2–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–1.[3]
1957Baton Rouge Tommy Robinson Ron Fisher4–6, 11–9, 7–5.[3]
1958Baton Rouge Larry Caton Don Caton7–5, 6–1, 1–6, 9–11, 6–4.[3]
1959Baton Rouge Ron Fisher James G. Schmidt Sr6–2, 6–8, 6–4.[3]
1960Baton Rouge Andy Lloyd Tom Falkenburg6–3, 6–3.[3]
1961Baton Rouge Jerry Walters Clint Nettleton5–7, 6–3, 6–2.[3]
1962Baton Rouge Jerry Walters (2) Clint Nettleton6–4, 4–6, 6–0.[3]
1963Baton Rouge Tom Karp Upton Giles III6–1, 6–3.[3]
1966Baton Rouge Steve Faulk Robert Ecuyer6–3, 6–4.[3]

Women's singles

(incomplete roll)

Year Location Champions Runners-up Score
Gulf Coast Championships
1893Tampa Miss Valentine Hobart Miss Constance Talmage6–4, 6–3, 6–3.
1894Tampa Miss Valentine Hobart Miss Elizabeth Stroud6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Gulf State Championships
1903New Orleans Mrs. R. C. Montgomery May Logan6–4, 6–4
1906New Orleans May Logan ?.?
1914New Orleans Ethelyn Legendre May Logan3–6, 6–2 6–2
1916New Orleans Mrs Irving Murphy Ethelyn Legendre6–1, 6–2
1933Shreveport Charlotte MacQuiston LaVerne Stages4–6, 6–1, 6–2
1934[10]Shreveport Charlotte MacQuiston (2) ??
1957Baton Rouge Carolyn Rogers Sue Zigerbein6–0, 6–2
1958Baton Rouge Carolyn Rogers (2) Sylvia Bradley6–3, 6–2
1961[11]Baton Rouge Carolyn Rogers (3) Kitty Moody6–4, 6–1
1963Baton Rouge Patsy Lowdon Putsy Trice4–6, 8–6, 6–3

References
  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. "Tournaments: Gulf Coast - State Championships". The Tennis Base. Tennismem SL. 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.
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