The Long Island Championships was a USLTA/ILTF affiliated tennis tournament founded in 1887 as the Championship of Long Island a grass court event it was first played at the Meadow Club, Southampton, Long Island. The event ran annually until 1972 when it was last played in Roslyn, New York, United States when it was discontinued.
History The 1887 Meadow Club Invitation tournament originally also carried the title of the Championship of Long Island. During its first decade and a half, the event was recognized by the U.S. National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) as a premier Sectional Championship, a designation used to formalize the regional competitive circuit across the United States.
In this early era of American lawn tennis, the tournament functioned as one of the most prestigious grass-court stops on the Eastern circuit, frequently serving as a key preparatory event for the U.S. National Championships. Following the 1902 edition, the "Championship of Long Island" title largely disappeared from primary book sources at the Meadow Club, as the event transitioned into the more exclusive Southampton Invitation.
In 1907 the Long Island Championships was officially revived and designated at the Kings County Tennis Club in Brooklyn, New York. Over its tenure, the event moved to various venues across the Long Island region, including its final home in Roslyn, New York, where the last edition was held in June 1972.
Finals Men's Singles (incomplete roll) YearChampionRunner-upScore↓ USNLTA Circuit ↓ 1887 Howard Taylor Henry Slocum6–4, 7–9, 3–6, 9–7, 6–31888 Howard Taylor (2) Joseph Sill Clark Sr.6–8, 6–1, 1–6, 6–3, 6–31889 Howard Taylor (3) Joseph Sill Clark Sr.6–1, 6–4, 6–31890 Howard Taylor (4) Rodmond Beach6–2, 6–2, 6–21891 Valentine Gill Hall Howard Taylorw.o.1892 Edward L. Hall Valentine Gill Hall4–6, 6–1, 6–1, 2–6, 8–61893 William Larned Edward L. Hall2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–01894Wright and Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide (1895) Wright and Ditson Publishers. Boston. page. 54. William Larned (2) Manliffe Goodbody6–1, 2–6, 6–2, 6–31899 Mal Whitman Leo Ware7–5, 6–4, 8–6 1909 William Cragin Fred Alexander w.o. 1918 Frank T. Anderson Fred C. Anderson 3–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 1919 Samuel Howard Voshell Fred C. Anderson 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 1921 Percy Kynaston Carl N. Joliffe 9–7, 3–6, 6–3, 6–2 1922 Jerry Lang Percy Kynaston 6–3, 4–6, 7–9, 6–3, 7–5 1923 Jerry Lang (2) George R. Preston 6–1, 4–6, 6–4, 8–6 1924 Percy Kynaston (2) Anton Frederick Von Bernuth 6–1, 6–1, 6–3 1925 Vinnie Richards Jerry Lang 6–2, 6–3, 6–2 1926 Percy Kynaston (3) Maurice A. Ferrier 1–6, 6–2, 6–1, 2–1 ret. 1929 Jerry Lang (3) Lawrence Kurzrok 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 1930 Elmer Griffin Percy Kynaston 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 1963 Don Rubell Sidney Schwartz 4–6, 7–5, 6–3 1964 Herb Fitzgibbon Bob Barker 9–7, 6–1, 6–4 1966 Herb Fitzgibbon (2) Bob Barker 6–4, 6–1 1967 Gene Scott Peter Fishbach 8–6, 6–4, 7–9, 6–2 1968 Gene Scott (2) Peter Fishbach 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 1969 Dick Stockton Peter Fishbach ? 1970 Dick Stockton (2) Peter Fishbach 6–4, 7–5 1971 Gene Scott (3) Peter Fishbach 6–4, 4–6, 7–6 1972 Steve Ross King Van Nostrand 6–3, 4–6, 6–3
Women's Singles YearChampionRunner-upScore1919 Marie Wagner Mrs E Lynch8–6, 6–31920 Florence Ballin Marie Wagner4–6, 6–1, 9–71922 Marie Wagner (2) Mrs Samuel Waring6–1, 6–1
See also Long Island Clay Court Championships
References