Westchester County Championships Explained

Westchester County Championships
Type:Defunct
Event Name:Westchester Lawn Tennis Club (Invitation)
Westchester Invitation
Westchester Bowl Invitation
Westchester County Championships
Tour:USNLTA Circuit (1885–1923)
ILTF World Circuit
(1924–69) men
(1924–72) women
ILTF Independent Circuit
(1970–74) men
(1973–74) women
Location:Armonk
Briarcliff Manor
Hartsdale
Mount Vernon
Pelham Manor
Port Chester
Rye
White Plains
Surface:Grass
Clay
Hard

The Westchester County Championships[1] was a tennis tournament founded in 1885 as the Westchester Lawn Tennis Club (Invitation) [2] and first played at the Westchester Lawn Tennis Club, Harrison, Westchester County, New York, United States on grass courts, later switching to clay courts, the finally hard courts. The tournament was played at various locations during its run until 1974.

History

In 1884 the Westchester Lawn Tennis Club was founded.[1] In September 1885 it staged the Westchester Invitation men's singles tennis tournament that event ran until 1895 when it was discontinued when the lawn tennis club was disbanded. In 1902 a new tournament was revived as a men's doubles event called the Westchester Invitation Round Robin.[3]

In 1911 a singles tournament called the Westchester County Championships was revived and was played at the Country Club of Westchester.[4] [5] [6] In 1912 the tournament moved to Mount Vernon, New York and was organized by the Westchester Lawn Tennis Association.[7] During the 1950s when played in Rye, New York the men's event was known as the Westchester Bowl Invitation.[8] The first winner of the men's singles was Robert Livingston Beeckman, and the final men's winner was Australian player Rod Brent.

Finals

Men's Singles

(Incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
1885 Robert Livingston Beeckman Howard Augustus Taylor6–4, 6–4, 6–4.
1886 Howard Augustus Taylor Henry Slocum6–3, 6–3.
1887 Henry Slocum Valentine Gill Hall7–5, 6–3.
1888 Oliver Samuel Campbell Robert Livingston Beeckman6–8, 6–3, 6–4, 5–7, 6–3.
1889 Howard Augustus Taylor Oliver Samuel Campbell6–4, 6–2, 7–5.
1890 Bob Huntington Percy Knapp7–9, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–2.
1891 Clarence Hobart Bob Huntington7–9, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–2.
1892 Richard Stevens Edward L. Hall7–9, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–2.
1912[9] Allen Toby Edgar F Leo6–3, 1–6, 6–4
1919[10] George King?
1920[11] Frank Hunter Harold Throckmorton1–6, 2–6, 6–2, 8–6, 8–6.
1922 George King Herbert Bowman6–3, 6–4, 6–2.
1931 Melvin H. Partridg Edward G. Tarangioli[12] 7–9, 6–0, 6–1, 6–2.
1932 Eugene McCauliff Berkeley Bell7–5, 6–3, 6–4.
1954 William Tully Bob Greene6–0, 6–1, 6–0.
1955 Herb Flam Sidney Schwartz6–3, 6–4.
1958 Vic Seixas Ulf Schmidt13–11, 6–2.
1967 Dick Stockton Ken Abere6–1, 6–2, 7–5.
↓  Open era  ↓
1970[13] Dave Bonner John F. Mangan6–1, 6–4.
1974 Rod Brent Bailey Brown7–6, 6–2.

Women's Singles

(Incomplete roll)

YearChampionsRunners-upScore
1914 Clare Cassell Eleanor Coward6–4, 6–3
1918 Helen Gilleaudeau Madeline Lowerre6–2, 6–2
1920 Molla Mallory Eleanor Goss6–3, 3–6, 6–0
1931 Margaret Muhl Clara Greenspan8–6, 3–6, 6–4
1932 Maud Levi Norma Taubele6–2, 6–4
1958 Bonnie Mencher Joan Silbersher6–4, 6–4
1959 Sally Wilson Laura Krieger 6–4, 6–1
1964 Yale Stockwell Adria Fisher Price6–0, 6–0
1965 Diane Matzner Marilyn Aschner4–6, 6–3, 1–1, retd.
1968 Pat Stewart Susan Tenney6–2, 6–3
↓  Open era  ↓
1970[14] Louise Gonnerman Pat Stewart0–6, 6–3, 6–4
1973 Louise Gonnerman6–4, 2–6, 6–2

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tournaments: Westchester County Championships . The Tennis Base . Tennismem SL . Madrid, Spain . 30 November 2023. subscription.
  2. Book: Hall . Valentine Gill . Lawn Tennis in America: Biographical Sketches of All the Prominent Players ... Knotty Points, and All the Latest Rules and Directions Governing Handicaps, Umpires, and Rules for Playing . 1889 . D.W. Granbery & Company . New York . 10 . en . Index.
  3. News: Westchester Tennis . April 8, 2023 . New York Times . July 13, 1902 . 12. subscription.
  4. Book: Alexander . F.B. . Spalding's Tennis Annual . 1911 . American Sports Publishing Company . 139 . Westchester Invitation.
  5. Book: Alexander . F.B. . Spalding's Tennis Annual . 1917 . American Sports Publishing Company . 90 . Country Club of Westchester InvitationTournament.
  6. Book: Spalding's Tennis Annual . 1922 . American Sports Publishing Company . New York . 135 .
  7. News: TENNIS . 30 November 2023 . Brooklyn Life . newspapers.com . 20 Jul 1912 . Brooklyn, New York . 3 . en.
  8. News: Vic Sexias Wins Westchester Tennis . April 8, 2023 . Waterloo Daily Courier . Newspaper Archive . September 1, 1958 . Waterloo, Iowa . 18. subscription.
  9. News: ON LOCAL TENNIS COURTS . 30 November 2023 . . . 26 Jul 1912 . New York City, New York . 10 . en.
  10. News: ANNUAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT . 30 November 2023 . . newspapers.com . 15 Jun 1921 . Port Chester, New York . 4 . en.
  11. The Daily Item (Port Chester)
  12. News: Bria . George . 80-Year-Old Tennis Star Entering Hall of Fame . 1 December 2023 . The New York Times . The New York Times Company . 15 October 1989 . 24.
  13. News: Bonner Begins Defense Of Title . 30 November 2023 . . newspapers.com . 8 May 1971 . Poughkeepsie, New York . 10 . en.
  14. News: Bonner, Louis Gonnerman Don County Tennis Crowns . 2 December 2023 . Mount Vernon Argus . Wikipedia Library - Newspapers.Com . 11 May 1970 . White Plains, New York . 34. subscription.