| Blue Gray Championships | |
| Type: | defunct |
| Location: | Montgomery, United States |
| Venue: | Montgomery Country Club Huntingdon College Lagoon Park Tennis Center O’Connor Tennis Center |
| Tour: | ILTF World Circuit (1954–70) |
| Surface: | Clay / outdoor |
The Blue Gray Championships was a men's and women's open international tennis tournament was founded in 1949.[1] Also known as the Blue Gray Invitation the tournament was first played at the Montgomery Country Club, Montgomery, Alabama, United States.[2] It was played annually until 1978 as an individual competition when it was discontinued.[2] In 1984 it was revived as team only competition called the Blue Gray National Tennis Classic that is still active.[1]
The tournament was conceived by Jack Bushman the President of the Southern Lawn Tennis Association.[1] In 1949 he established the event was based upon the Sugar Bowl Tennis Championships.[1] This tournament was to be played before the Blue–Gray Football Classic was being held and first occurred in 1950.[1] The main difference between this event and the Sugar Bowl tennis event, it was to be an open international tournament for college (university) players rather than junior players.[1] The inaugural winners of the singles events were Jack Tuero (men) and Elinor Shaw (women).[1] The tournament also featured doubles events.[2]
The championships were held at the Montgomery Country Club from inception until 1968. In 1969 he moved location to Huntingdon College but was not held that year.[2] In 1973 it moved the Lagoon Park Tennis Center before moving to the O’Connor Tennis Center during the last few editions all of were in Montgomery, Alabama.[1] In 1978 the event was discontinued as an individual competition,[1] however exhibition events under the brand name the Blue Gray Invitation[2] continued to held. In 1983 the format for the tournament was a changed to become team only competition to be played as a lead up event to the NCAA Championships.[1] In 1984 the first edition of the rebranded Blue Gray National Tennis Classic was held.[1]
Notes: Where a runner up is not shown or the score sections have been blanked.
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 |  Jack Tuero | Herbert "Buddy" Behrens | 6–0, 6–2, 7–9, 9–11, 6–1. |
| 1950 | Ricardo Balbiers | Wade Herren | 6–4, 6–1, 6–2. |
| 1951 | Jack Tuero (2) | Tony Trabert | 9–7, 9–7, 0–6, 5–7, 6–1. |
| 1952 | Don Kaiser[3] | Wade Herren | 6–3, 1–6, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 |
| 1953 | Ham Richardson | Don Kaiser | 6–1, 6–2, 6–3. |
| 1954 | Allen Morris |  José Agüero Umatino | 9–7, 6–4, 0–6, 6–4. |
| 1955 | Eddie Moylan | Allen Morris | 3–6, 6–3, 6–2, 15–13. |
| 1956 | Wade Herren[4] | Johann Kupferburger | 4–6, 7–5, 6–0. |
| 1957 | William Quillian | Barry MacKay | 6–4, 6–4, 6–4. |
| 1958 |  Gustavo Palafox | Ronald Holmberg | 6–4, 6–2, 2–6, 3–6, 6–4. |
| 1959 | Ronald Holmberg | Gerald Moss | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4, 2–6, 6–4. |
| 1960 | Crawford Henry | Henry "Hank" Jungle[5] | 7–5 6–4. |
| 1961 | Myron Franks | Billy Lenoir | 6–1, 8–6, 6–2. |
| 1962 |  Mike Belkin | Norm Perry | 8–6, 4–6, 6–4. |
| 1963 | Billy Lenoir | Andrew Lloyd | 6–1, 2–6, 6–2. |
| 1964 | Andrew Lloyd |  Robert Brien | 1–6, 6–3, 6–1. |
| 1965 | John Waller (Bitsy) Harrison | Bill Tym | 11–9, 6–2. |
| 1966 | Tom Edlefsen | Cliff Buchholz | 6–2, 6–3. |
| 1967 | Mike Belkin (2) | Herb Fitzgibbon | 9–11, 7–5, 6–2. |
| 1968 | Joaquín Loyo-Mayo | Vicente Zarazúa | 6–1, 6–1. |
| ↓ Open era ↓ | |||
| 1970 | Peter van Lingen | Paul Gerken | 11–9 4–6 6–3. |
| 1971 |  Humphrey Hose | Mike Belkin | 7–5 6–0 7–6. |
| 1972 | Humphrey Hose (2) | Fred McNair | 7–6, 6–7, 6–3. |
| 1973 | Raz Reid |  Sashi Menon | 6–3, 7–6. |
| 1974 | Victor Amaya | Tim Vann | 7–6, 5–7, 7–7.[6] |
| 1975 | Butch Walts | Fred DeJesus | 6–4, 6–4.[7] |
| 1976 | Terry Moor | Nick Saviano | 6–4, 6–4. |
| 1977 | Terry Moor (2) | Marcelo Lara | 6–2, 6–3. |
| 1978 | Warren Eber[8] | Eddie Edwards | 4–6, 7–6, 6–3.[9] |
| For the team event see Blue Gray National Tennis Classic | |||
(incomplete roll)
| Year | Winners | Runners-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Elinor Shaw | Ewing McAllester | 6–4, 8–6 |
| 1950[10] | Suzanne Herr | Lucy Masterson | 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1953 | Jean Clarke[11] | Laura Lou Kunnen | 6–4, 6–4 |
| 1954 | Jean Clarke (2) | 6–3, 6–3 | |
| 1955 | Yola Ramirez | Jean Clarke | 7–9, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 1956 | Yola Ramirez | 6–3, 6–3 | |
| 1957 | Owen McHaney | 6–4, 3–6, 6–4 | |
| 1958 | Owen McHaney (2) | 8–6, 6–4 | |
| 1959 | Carol Hanks | Marie Martin | 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1960 | Susan Butt | Linda Vail | 6–2, 6–2 |
| 1961 | Mary Habicht | 6–4, 2–6, 6–1 | |
| 1962 | Roberta Alison (2) | Mary Habicht | 6–0, 6–3 |
| 1963 | 3–6, 8–6, 6–2 | ||
| 1964 | Roberta Alison (3) | 6–0, 6–4 | |
| 1965 | Roberta Alison (4) | 3–6, 7–5, 6–0 | |
| 1966 | Becky Vest | 6–3, 2–6, 6–2 | |
| 1968 | 6–0, 6–4 | ||
| ↓ Open era ↓ | |||
| 1970[12] | Laura duPont | Kathy Kraft | 6–1, 6–2 |
| 1972 | Beverly Barger | 6–4, 6–2 | |
| 1973[13] | Betsy Butler | Susan Vinton | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 1974[14] | Linda Rupert | Betsy Butler | 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1975[15] | 6–2, 6–3 | ||
| 1977 | 7–6, 6–2 | ||
| For the team event see Blue Gray National Tennis Classic | |||