Tropical Championships Explained

Tropical Championships
Type:defunct
Location:St. Augustine, Florida, United States
Venue:Villa Zorayda (1887-88)
Alcazar Hotel and Casino
Tour:USNLTA Circuit (1887–1894)
Surface:Asphalt (outdoors)
Wood (indoors)

The Tropical Championships[1] also called the Tropical Sectional Championships[2] was a men's open tennis tournament founded in 1887 as the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club Tournament.[3] It was staged annually by the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club, St. Augustine, Florida, United States until 1894.

History

In March 1887 the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Tournament was inaugurated at the St. Augustine Lawn Tennis Club, St. Augustine, Florida, United States,[4] The first was held at the Villa Zorayda owned by a local business magnet Mr. Franklin W. Smith and was played on indoor wood courts.[3] The first men's champion was Thomas Sterling Beckwith.[5] In 1888 its name was changed to the Tropical Championships.[6] [3] In 1889 the tournament was moved to the Alcazar Hotel and Casino in St. Augustine where the tournament was then played on outdoor hard asphalt courts and remained there for its duration.[3]

The championships were part of the USNLTA Circuit from 1887 until 1894. The tournament was mainly won by American players except for 1892 when the English tennis player Charles Walder Grinstead won the event. In 1894 the championships were discontinued the final singles champion was Oliver Campbell.[7]

Finals

Men's Singles

(Incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
1887 Thomas Sterling Beckwith Albert Empie Wright2–1 sets.
1888 Henry Graff Trevor Thomas Sterling Beckwith3–2 sets.
1889 Oliver Samuel Campbell Henry Graff Trevor6–2, 6–3, 6–4.
1890 Oliver Samuel Campbell (2) Thomas Sterling Beckwith6-4 5-7 6-2 6-4
1891 Oliver Samuel Campbell (3) Albert Empie Wright10–8, 6–1, 7–5.
1892 Charles Walder Grinstead Oliver Samuel Campbellw.o.
1893Not held
1894 Oliver Samuel Campbell (4) Charles Walder Grinsteadw.o.

Men's Doubles

(Incomplete roll)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tennis, St. Augustine The Outing Magazine 1890 . fcit.usf.edu . University of South Florida . March 13, 2023 . 2005.
  2. Book: Whittersley . Joseph T. . Wright & Ditson Officially Adopted Lawn Tennis Guide . 1895 . Wright & Ditson Publishing . Boston . 64 . Sectional Championships: Tropical Championships.
  3. Web site: Tournaments: St. Augustine Tournament - Tropical Championships . The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . July 30, 2023. subscription.
  4. Book: Robertson . Max . The encyclopedia of tennis. . 1974 . Allen & Unwin . London . 0047960426 . 48 . The United States Story by Alison Danzig.
  5. Whittersley, Joseph T. (1895).
  6. University of South Florida
  7. University of South Florida
  8. Book: The New York Clipper Annual . 1893 . Frank Queen Publishing Company (Limited) . New York . 91 . en.