| Southern California Championships | |
| Type: | defunct |
| Founded: | 1887 |
| Editions: | 93 (men) 121 (women) |
| Ended: | 1977 (men) 2005 (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.[1] 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).
On 19 March 1887, the Southern California Lawn Tennis Association was formed with the Hon. James Bettner as its first president.[2] The Southern California Championships were founded in March 1887 and first staged on asphalt courts at the Casa Blanca Club, Riverside, California.[3] [4] [5] 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.[6] In 1888 the tournament moved to the Santa Monica Casino courts, where it remained until 1903.[7] 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.
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.[8] [9] 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.[10]
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.[11] 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.
The tournament was staged in different cities for the duration of its run they included:
| width=210 | Venue ! | City | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casa Blanca Club.[12] [13] | Riverside | 1887 | |
| Santa Monica Casino Courts.[14] | Santa Monica[15] | 1888 – 1903 | |
| South Pasadena | 1904 | ||
| Hotel Virginia. | 1905 – 1915 | ||
| Los Angeles Tennis Club | 1919 – 1979 | ||
Included:[16]
| width=17 | Year ! | width=100 | Location ! | Champion | Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1887 | Riverside |  William Henry Young | C. Trevelia | [17] | ||
| 1887 | Santa Monica | William Henry Young (2) | R. L. Bettner | [18] | ||
| 1888 | William Henry Young | w.o.[19] | ||||
| 1889 | Robert Peyton Carter (2) | A. Q. Twiss | 6–3, 6–3, 6–3.[20] | |||
| 1890 | Robert Peyton Carter (3) | Kenneth (Ken) Carter | [21] | |||
| 1891 | Robert Peyton Carter | w.o.[22] | ||||
| 1892 | Robert Peyton Carter (4) | Theodore Coulter | w.o.[23] | |||
| 1893 | Robert Peyton Carter (5) | Martin A. Chase | 6–0, 6–2, 7–5.[24] | |||
| 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 | w.o. | ||||
| 1909 | Wynn Mace | 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 | 6–4, 6–1, 6–4 | ||||
| 1921 | Henry Parker | ? | ? | |||
| 1922 | Harvey Snodgrass | 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 [25] | |||
| 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) | 3–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 | ||||
| 1932 | Lester Stoefen | 6–4, 6–3, 18–16 [26] | ||||
| 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 | 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 | 2–6, 6–2, 7–5, 7–5 | ||||
| 1941 | Ted Schroeder | 6–4, 6–2, 6–0 | ||||
| 1942 | Frank Parker | 6–2, 6–2, 11–9 | ||||
| 1943 | George Druliner | 6–3, 2–6, 6–0, 6–2 [27] | ||||
| 1944 | Jack Kramer (2) | Frank Parker | 8–6, 8–6, 6–3 | |||
| 1945 | Elwood Cooke | William Reedy | 6–2, 3–6, 6–0 [28] | |||
| 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 | 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 | 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) | 6–3, 6–4 | ||||
| 1970 | Erik van Dillen | 6–2, 6–1 | ||||
| 1971 | Pancho Gonzales | Jimmy Connors | 3–6, 6–3, 6–3.[29] | |||
| 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 | Eliot Teltscher | 6–0, 7–6 | ||||
| 1977 | Raúl Ramírez | Brian Gottfried | 7–5, 3–6, 6–4 |