Southern California Championships

Southern California Championships
Defunct tennis tournament
Founded	1887
Abolished	1977 (men) 2005 (women)
Editions	93 (men) 121 (women)
Location	Riverside (1887) Santa Monica (1888–1903) South Pasadena (1904) Long Beach (1905–1915) Los Angeles (1919–1979)
Surface	Asphalt / outdoor Hard / outdoor

The Southern California Championships also known as the Southern California Sectional Championships and later known as the Southern California Open was a men's and women's hard court tennis tournament from 1887 to 1979. It was held at various locations including Riverside (1887), then Santa Monica (1888–1903), then South Pasadena (1904), then Long Beach (1905–1920) and finally Los Angeles (1920–1979).

History

On 19 March 1887, the Southern California Lawn Tennis Association was formed with the Hon. James Bettner as its first president. The Southern California Championships were founded in March 1887 and first staged on asphalt courts at the Casa Blanca Club, Riverside, California. In August 1887 a second tournament was organized that was won by William Henry Young after which the event would be played in the last week of August. In 1888 the tournament moved to the Santa Monica Casino courts, where it remained until 1903. The tournament alternated between different locations throughout its run.

In 1968, at the start of the Open era, it became an open event. The men's event remained known as the Southern California Championships until 1977 and was part of the Grand Prix Tennis circuit tour. The women's event continued as the Southern California Championships officially until 1979, but for sponsorship reasons was called the Virginia Slims of San Diego tournament for 1971 only. From 1979 to 1982 it was additionally known as the Wells Fargo Open for sponsorship reasons. Recently it's been known as the Southern California Open.

Men's event

The inaugural men's tournament was won by Canadian born later American citizen William Henry Young who defeated Mr C. Trevelia in the All Comer's Final. In 1968 the event became part of the International Tennis Federation independent tour. In 1970 the event became part of the Grand Prix Tennis Circuit tour until 1977. The final tournament was won by the Mexican player Raúl Ramírez who defeated the American player Brian Gottfried.

Women's event

The inaugural women's tournament was won by the American player Miss Fannie Shoemaker who defeated a Miss Dexter in the All Comer's Final. In 1968 the event became part of the International Tennis Federation independent tour. In 1971 the event became part of the Virginia Slims Circuit until 1979 when it was known as for sponsorship reasons Virginia Slims of San Diego.

Locations

The tournament was staged in different cities for the duration of its run they included:

Venue	City	Years
Casa Blanca Club.	Riverside	1887
Santa Monica Casino Courts.	Santa Monica	1888 – 1903
	South Pasadena	1904
Hotel Virginia.	Long Beach	1905 – 1915
Los Angeles Tennis Club	Los Angeles	1919 – 1979

Finals

Men's singles

Included:

Year	Location	Champion	Runner-up	Score
1887	Riverside	William Henry Young	C. Trevelia
1887	Santa Monica	William Henry Young (2)	R. L. Bettner
1888		Robert Peyton Carter	William Henry Young	w.o.
1889		Robert Peyton Carter (2)	A. Q. Twiss	6–3, 6–3, 6–3.
1890		Robert Peyton Carter (3)	Kenneth (Ken) Carter
1891		Theodore Coulter	Robert Peyton Carter	w.o.
1892		Robert Peyton Carter (4)	Theodore Coulter	w.o.
1893		Robert Peyton Carter (5)	Martin A. Chase	6–0, 6–2, 7–5.
1894		Robert Peyton Carter (6)	Arthur William Bumiller	6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
1895		Arthur William Bumiller	Robert Peyton Carter	w.o.
1896		Lewis Ransome Freeman	Arthur William Bumiller	6–3, 3–6, 6–0, 6–2
1897		Lewis Ransome Freeman (2)	John Cravens	6–1, 6–1, 6–3
1898		Lewis Ransome Freeman (3)	Oliver Richer	6–1, 3–6, 6–1, 6–1
1899		Sumner Hardy	Lewis Ransome Freeman	w.o.
1900		Alphonzo Bell Sr.	?	?
1901		Alphonzo Bell Sr. (2)	Reuben Gay Hunt	6–2, 6–1, 6–0
1902		Lewis Ransome Freeman (4)	Alphonzo Bell Sr.	6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1903		Alphonzo Bell Sr. (3)	Lewis Ransome Freeman	w.o.
1904	Pasadena	Eugene Overton	Alphonzo Bell Sr.	w.o.
1905	Los Angeles	Eugene Overton (2)	Robert Henry Fauntleroy Variel jr	6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 6–2
1906		Harold Hyde Braly Sr.	Nathaniel Borrodaille (Nat) Browne	7–5, 0–6, 6–4, 6–3
1907		Melville H. Long
1908	Long Beach	Tom Bundy	Melville H. Long	w.o.
1909		Wynn Mace	Tom Bundy	w.o.
1910		Wynn Mace (2)	Nathaniel Borrodaille (Nat) Browne	10–8, 4–6, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4
1911		Henry Ward Dawson	Wynn Mace	6–0, 6–1, 2–6, 6–2
1912		Paul Hardeman	William Amos Horrell	6–4, 6–2, 6–4
1913		Tom Bundy (2)	Willis Davis	6–1, 4–6, 12–10, 6–4
1914		Henry Ward Dawson	Alphonzo Bell Sr.	6–0, 6–2
1915		Roland Roberts	Tom Bundy	3–6, 3–6, 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
1919	Los Angeles	Howard Kinsey	?	?
1920		Robert Kinsey	Harvey Burton Snodgrass	6–4, 6–1, 6–4
1921		Henry Parker	?	?
1922		Harvey Snodgrass	Clifton Bradford Herd	6–3, 6–4, 6–2
1923		Manuel Alonso Areizaga	Ray Casey	7–5, 6–4
1924		Bill Tilden	Alfred H. Chapin Jr.	?
1925		Alan Herrington	Craig Biddle	6–3, 6–2, 6–2
1926		Benjamin Gorchakoff	?	?
1927		Gerald Stratford	?	?
1928		Ben Gorchakoff (2)	Clinton Herd	6–2, 6–3
1929		John Doeg	Ben Gorchakoff	7–9, 6–4, 6–2, 6–2
1930		Ellsworth Vines	Keith Gledhill	6–2, 6–2, 6–2
1931		Ellsworth Vines (2)	Alan David Herrington	3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1
1932		Lester Stoefen	Jack Tidball	6–4, 6–3, 18–16
1933		Gene Mako	Keith Gledhill	0–6, 6–1, 6–3, 5–7, 6–0
1934		Jack Tidball	Elbert Raymond Lewis	3–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4
1935		Frank Shields	Gerald Porter Bartosh	6–4, 6–1, 6–0
1936		Bobby Riggs	Charles Carr	6–4, 6–1, 7–5
1937		Bobby Riggs (2)	Frank Shields	6–1, 7–5, 6–2
1938		Joe Hunt	Jack Kramer	2–6, 6–2, 6–1, 7–5
1939		Frank Parker	Gene Mako	w.o.
1940		Ted Schroeder	Owen Anderson	2–6, 6–2, 7–5, 7–5
1941		Frank Parker	Ted Schroeder	6–4, 6–2, 6–0
1942		Jack Kramer	Frank Parker	6–2, 6–2, 11–9
1943		Bob Falkenburg	George Druliner	6–3, 2–6, 6–0, 6–2
1944		Jack Kramer (2)	Frank Parker	8–6, 8–6, 6–3
1945		Elwood Cooke	William Reedy	6–2, 3–6, 6–0
1946		Jack Kramer (3)	Frank Parker	8–6, 6–1, 9–7
1947		Jack Kramer (4)	Frank Parker	4–6, 2–6, 11–9, 6–2, 7–5
1948		Ted Schroeder (2)	Bob Falkenburg	6–3, 3–6, 7–5, 12–10
1949		Ted Schroeder (3)	Pancho Gonzales	6–1, 6–0, 6–2
1950		Tom Brown	Bob Falkenburg	5–7, 6–1, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
1951		Art Larsen	Ted Schroeder	6–8, 7–5, 7–5, 6–3
1952		Art Larsen (2)	Tom Brown	6–2, 6–4, 6–3
1953		Tony Trabert	Art Larsen	6–3, 6–3, 6–3
1954		Herbert Flam	Hugh Stewart	6–1, 4–6, 6–1, 9–7
1955		Tony Trabert (2)	Gilbert Shea	6–1, 6–1, 7–5
1956		Gilbert Shea	Michael Green	6–1, 8–6, 2–6, 6–2
1957		Alex Olmedo	Herbert Flam	6–1, 6–3
1958		Herbert Flam	Alex Olmedo	8–6, 6–3, 2–6, 6–3
1959		Mike Franks	Alex Olmedo	6–4, 3–6, 0–6, 12–10, 7–5
1960		Dennis Ralston	Rafael Osuna	6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2
1961		Luis Alberto Ayala	Allen Fox	9–7, 3–6, 3–6, 7–5, 8–6
1962		Rafael Osuna	Allen Fox	6–2, 5–7, 8–6, 6–2
1963		Dennis Ralston (2)	Rafael Osuna	6–3, 6–4, 6–4
1964		Dennis Ralston (3)	Arthur Ashe	6–3, 4–6, 6–1, 6–4
1965		Dennis Ralston (4)	Arthur Ashe	8–6, 6–2
1966		Arthur Ashe	Stan Smith	6–4, 6–2
1967		Stan Smith	Allen Fox	7–5, 13-11
1968		Stan Smith (2)	Dick Leach	6–3, 6–4
1969		Stan Smith (3)	Bob Lutz	6–3, 6–4
1970		Erik van Dillen	Allen Fox	6–2, 6–1
1971		Pancho Gonzales	Jimmy Connors	3–6, 6–3, 6–3.
1972		Pancho Gonzales (2)	Alex Olmedo	6–3, 6–2
1973		Bob Kreiss	Jeff Austin	7–6, 1–6, 7–6
1974		Billy Martin	Gene Malin	7–6, 6–3
1975		Brian Teacher	Joao Soares	6–2, 6–4
1976		Charles (Buzz) Strode	Eliot Teltscher	6–0, 7–6
1977		Raúl Ramírez	Brian Gottfried	7–5, 3–6, 6–4

See also

• Pacific Southwest Championships – tournament held in Los Angeles from 1927 through 2012.

Sources

• Ingersoll, Luther A. (1908). "XI: Outdoor Past Times". Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities: prefaced with a brief history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County, 1542 to 1908. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County CA Archives.
• Los Angeles Herald, Volume 42, Number 128, 17 August 1894: Center for Biographical Studies and Research: California Digital Newspapers Collection.
• Yeoman's, Patricia Henry (1987). Southern California Tennis Champions Centennial, 1887-1987: Documents & Anecdotes. Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games. ISBN 9780960662807.