The Eastern Clay Court Championships was a combined men's and women's international tennis tournament on clay courts founded in 1927 by the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association of the USLTA. The championships were held in various locations in the New York City area, U.S. until 1971.

History The Eastern Clay Court Championships were founded in 1927 under the aegis of the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association (the New York City regional chapter of the USLTA). That same year of 1927, the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association also inaugurated the Eastern Grass Court Championships, usually played in August. The list of champions and runners-up for the two tournaments contained many names common to both events.

The Eastern Clay Court tournaments were usually played in late June and early July, often conflicting with the Wimbledon Championships schedule for player participation and news coverage.

The early editions were played in New York City at the Jackson Heights Tennis Club, Queens N.Y..

The Eastern Clay Court Championships were later held in different locations in the New York City area including such venues as the Westchester Country Club (currently HarTru clay courts) in the early 1950s. The Westchester Country Club had also hosted the Eastern Grass Court Championships tennis tournament from 1927 until 1945.

In the 1954-1969 period the location was the Oritani Field Club in Hackensack, N.J. The Hackensack clay court traditions are currently being revived. "The tennis club will feature eight indoor and six outdoor courts featuring new maintenance-free red clay court technology imported from Germany, according to a press release." The final venue in the early 1970s was in Port Washington, New York City.

The title was won by such champions as Herbert Bowman, Gregory Mangin, Berkeley Bell, J. Gilbert Hall, Bobby Riggs, Pancho Segura, Frank Parker (who won the title four times), Bill Talbert, Dick Savitt, Sidney Schwartz, Eddie Moylan, J. Allen Morris, Ron Holmberg, Robert Bédard, Arthur Ashe, Frank Froehling, and Antonio Palafox.

Other notable players who participated without winning the singles title but finishing as runner-up included Julius Seligson, Frank Bowden, Clifford Sutter, Sidney Wood, Don McNeill (runner-up in both 1937 and 1950), Frank Shields, Frank Kovacs, Ted Schroeder, Gene Mako, Gardnar Mulloy, Tony Vincent, and Gene Scott all of whom were strong clay court players.

Frank Parker holds the record for most titles (4). The 1969 champion, Peter Fishbach, was the son of the 1938 runner-up, Joe Fishbach.

Pauline Betz won the women's title at the Eastern Clay Court in 1941.

Finals Men's singles YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore1927Queens Herbert Bowman Julius Seligson 6–4, 5–7, 6–1, 9–71928 Gregory Mangin Herbert Bowman 6–1, 6–2, 1–6, 6–31929 Herbert Bowman (2) Edgar Dawson 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 1930 Herbert Bowman (3) Frank Bowden 6–3, 6–2, 6–21931 Samuel Gilpin Ralph De Mott 7–5, 6–2, 6–11932 Berkeley Bell Lawrence Kurzrok 4–6, 7–5, 8–6, 6–41933 J. Gilbert Hall Frank Shields 6–2, 7–5, 6–41934 J. Gilbert Hall (2) Clifford Sutter 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–21935 Berkeley Bell (2) Leonard Hartman 8–6, 7–5, 6–21936 Bobby Riggs John Richard Law 6–3, 6–0, 6–41937 John McDiarmid Don McNeill 6–3, 1–6, 6–4, 0–6, 6–3 1938 Jeff Podesta Joseph Fishbach 6–3, 6–2, 2–6, 6–11939 Jeff Podesta (2) Marvin Wachman 6–4, 7–5, 6–21940 Frank Parker Frank Kovacs 6–2, 7–5, 6–11941 Frank Parker (2) Gene Mako 6–2, 6–2, 6–01942 Pancho Segura Ted Schroeder 7–5, 6–3, 4–6, 6–31943Not held1944Not held1945 Elwood Cooke Sidney Wood 8–6, 6–4, 7–51946 Frank Parker (3) Gardnar Mulloy 6–2, 7–5, 6–11947 Ladislav Hecht Dick Savitt 6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 7–51948 Frank Parker (4) Billy Talbert 6–3, 8–6, 6–21949New Rochelle Billy Talbert Eddie Moylan 4–6, 11-9, 2–6, 6–1, 6–21950Rye Dick Savitt Don McNeill 6–4, 3–6, 6–3, 6–31951 Sidney Schwartz George Ball 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-11952Not held1953Not held1954Hackensack Eddie Moylan Jerry DeWitts 6–0, 6–2, 6–41955 Eddie Moylan (2) Ron Holmberg 6–3, 6–2, 6–01956 Eddie Moylan (3) Sidney Schwartz 6–0, 3–6, 6–0, 8–61957 Ron Holmberg Tony Vincent 1–6, 8–6, 6–1, 6–31958 Gerald Moss Sidney Schwartz 3–6, 7–5, 6–2, 6–21959 J. Allen Morris Don Rubell 6–0, 5–7, 6–2, 6–21960 Robert Bédard Gene Scott 1–6, 14-12, 2–6, 6–4, 6–2 1961 Arthur AsheGeorge Ball to be Inducted into El Paso Hall of Fame. https://www.elpasohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/El_Paso_Herald_Post_Sat__Mar_28__1970_.jpg Bob Barker 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–41962 Sidney Schwartz (2) Herb Fitzgibbon 6–3, 6–4, 4–6, 6–31963 Lex Wood Dick Raskind 7–5, 6–2, 6–21964 Herb Fitzgibbon David George Sanderlin 8–6, 6–1, 6–41965Not held1966 Frank Froehling Herb Fitzgibbon 3–6, 6–2, 4–6, 6–1, 6–41967Not held1968 Ed Austin Steve Siegel 6–4, 6–4, 6–21969 Peter Fishbach Don Rubell 4–6, 6–0, 9–7, 2-1 ret.1970Port Washington Antonio PalafoxOtokar Merunka6–4, 9–7, 6–01971 Antonio Palafox (2) Steve Ross6–2, 7–5, 6–1

Women's singles YearLocationChampionsRunners-upScore1941Queens Pauline BetzThe Pittsburgh Press, 11 August 1941. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kXcbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=b0wEAAAAIBAJ&dq=grand-slam%20tennis&pg=5289%2C4112276 unknown unknown

See also Eastern Grass Court Championships Eastern Indoor Championships

References