WCT players 1968 calendar

I am interested in developing a complete and accurate listing of all events that the WCT players ("Handsome Eight") participated in during 1968. The following list includes all WCT events, joint WCT/NTL events and open tournaments in which the WCT players participated.

Any corrections or additions to the list would be appreciated

WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
5. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Won by Buchholz
6. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
7. 2/23 - Tampa event cancelled
8. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
9. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
10. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
11. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
12. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
13. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
14. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
15. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
16. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche

(Additional Listings to follow)
 
WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
5. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Won by Buchholz
6. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
7. 2/23 - Tampa event cancelled
8. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
9. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
10. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
11. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
12. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
13. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
14. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
15. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
16. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche
17. 6/12 - 6/16 US Pro Longwood (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
18. 6/17 - 6/22 Queens Open
19. 6/24 - 7/6 Wimbledon
20. 7/9 - 7/15 Paris (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
21. 7/15 - 7/21 Swiss Open Gstaad Drysdale won
22. 7/27 - 7/29 WCT Bastaad Ralston d Newcombe
23. 7/30 - 7/31 WCT Maribor Pilic wins RR
24. 8/1 - 8/3 WCT Cannes Newcombe d Riessen
25. 8/5 - 8/12 German Open Newcombe won
26. 8/13 - 8/18 WCT Newport Riessen d Drysdale
27. 8/29 - 9/8 US Open
(17 9/10 US Pro Final played)
28. 9/16 - 9/22 PSW Open
29. October* WCT Pretoria - Newcombe d Roche
30. October WCT Johannesburg - Roche d Buchholz
31. October WCT Durban - Newcombe d Roche
32. October WCT East London - Newcombe d Drysdale
33. October WCT Port Elizabeth - Taylor d Roche
34. October WCT Capetown - Roche d Drysdale
35. October WCT Kimberly - Newcombe d Roche
36. 11/15 - 11/21 London (with NTL) Rosewall d Newcombe
37. 11/27 - 12/1 New York (with NTL) Roche d Gonzales
38. 12/3 - 12/4 Evanston IL (with NTL) AUS d US

*McCauley book lists all the South African events as October. Does anyone have the exact dates of each event?

Also, does anyone have details of an event in Shreveport?
 

AndrewTas

Rookie
I went through the list and I agree with the whole list. I still haven't found the dates for the South African tournaments and didn't know Shreveport existed.
 
Wct 1968

Thanks for reviewing....I guess the South African dates will remain a mystery until someone else is able to come forward with details.

1. Shreveport:
From Open Tennis by Richard Evans:
"Few of the tournaments immediately following Kansas City were sufficiently successful....the whole thing would have ended in a total disaster as opposed to localized disasters like Shreveport. It was there that the court failed to arrive, leaving the matches to be played on a bare concrete floor, and the handful of fans that did show up were let in free."

The Bud Collins book My Life With The Pros also makes reference to this event.

2. Orlando
It appears that an event was held in Orlando sometime around 2/20-2/22.
Does anyone have results of finals from that event?
 
WCT 1968 - Shreveport

I have located newspaper references to the Shreveport event.....it appears to have been held as a one-day event on 2/8/68, with Ralston d Buchholz in the finals. Shreveport should appear on list between St. Louis and Miami.
 
WCT 1968 - Shreveport

WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
5. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Won by Buchholz
6. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
7. 2/23 - Tampa event cancelled
8. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
9. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
10. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
11. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
12. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
13. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
14. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
15. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
16. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche
17. 6/12 - 6/16 US Pro Longwood (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
18. 6/17 - 6/22 Queens Open
19. 6/24 - 7/6 Wimbledon
20. 7/9 - 7/15 Paris (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
21. 7/15 - 7/21 Swiss Open Gstaad Drysdale won
22. 7/27 - 7/29 WCT Bastaad Ralston d Newcombe
23. 7/30 - 7/31 WCT Maribor Pilic wins RR
24. 8/1 - 8/3 WCT Cannes Newcombe d Riessen
25. 8/5 - 8/12 German Open Newcombe won
26. 8/13 - 8/18 WCT Newport Riessen d Drysdale
27. 8/29 - 9/8 US Open
(17 9/10 US Pro Final played)
28. 9/16 - 9/22 PSW Open
29. October* WCT Pretoria - Newcombe d Roche
30. October WCT Johannesburg - Roche d Buchholz
31. October WCT Durban - Newcombe d Roche
32. October WCT East London - Newcombe d Drysdale
33. October WCT Port Elizabeth - Taylor d Roche
34. October WCT Capetown - Roche d Drysdale
35. October WCT Kimberly - Newcombe d Roche
36. 11/15 - 11/21 London (with NTL) Rosewall d Newcombe
37. 11/27 - 12/1 New York (with NTL) Roche d Gonzales
38. 12/3 - 12/4 Evanston IL (with NTL) AUS d US
 
WCT revised 1968 schedule

WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/8 Shreveport Ralston d Buchholz
5. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
6. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Won by Buchholz
7. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
8. 2/23 - Tampa (cancelled)
9. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
10. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
11. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
12. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
13. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
14. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
15. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
16. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
17. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche
18. 6/12 - 6/16 US Pro Longwood (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
19. 6/17 - 6/22 Queens Open
20. 6/24 - 7/6 Wimbledon
21. 7/9 - 7/15 Paris (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
22. 7/15 - 7/21 Swiss Open Gstaad Drysdale won
23. 7/27 - 7/29 WCT Bastaad Ralston d Newcombe
24. 7/30 - 7/31 WCT Maribor Pilic wins RR
25. 8/1 - 8/3 WCT Cannes Newcombe d Riessen
26. 8/5 - 8/12 German Open Newcombe won
27. 8/13 - 8/18 WCT Newport Riessen d Drysdale
28. 8/29 - 9/8 US Open
(18 9/10 US Pro Final played)
29. 9/16 - 9/22 PSW Open
30. October* WCT Pretoria - Newcombe d Roche
31. October WCT Johannesburg - Roche d Buchholz
32. October WCT Durban - Newcombe d Roche
33. October WCT East London - Newcombe d Drysdale
34. October WCT Port Elizabeth - Taylor d Roche
35. October WCT Capetown - Roche d Drysdale
36. October WCT Kimberly - Newcombe d Roche
37. 11/15 - 11/21 London (with NTL) Rosewall d Newcombe
38. 11/27 - 12/1 New York (with NTL) Roche d Gonzales
39. 12/3 - 12/4 Evanston IL (with NTL) AUS d US
 

urban

Legend
Excellent list, Scott tennis. From what i have read about the early Handsome 8 tour (from Evans, Collins, and Barrett or Gray), it was full of experimental scorings and habits. They were the first to wear coloured shirts, and used the van Alen (VASS) scoring system, with sets at 21 like ping-pong. Also the crowd was allowed to intervene with loud remarks during play. WTT took over some of these patterns later on. Interestingly, after the wild start, the WCT tour became more and more traditional, and the 1971 tour with 20 50000$ tournaments set new standards in pro tennis.
 
WCT revised 1968 schedule (added Orlando)

WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/8 Shreveport Ralston d Buchholz
5. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
6. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Buchholz d Ralston
7. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
8. 2/20 - 2/22 Orlando Ralston d Pilic
(The event scheduled after Orlando was Tampa, to start 2/23 but was cancelled)
9. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
10. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
11. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
12. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
13. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
14. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
15. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
16. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
17. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche
18. 6/12 - 6/16 US Pro Longwood (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
19. 6/17 - 6/22 Queens Open
20. 6/24 - 7/6 Wimbledon
21. 7/9 - 7/15 Paris (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
22. 7/15 - 7/21 Swiss Open Gstaad Drysdale won
23. 7/27 - 7/29 WCT Bastaad Ralston d Newcombe
24. 7/30 - 7/31 WCT Maribor Pilic wins RR
25. 8/1 - 8/3 WCT Cannes Newcombe d Riessen
26. 8/5 - 8/12 German Open Newcombe won
27. 8/13 - 8/18 WCT Newport Riessen d Drysdale
28. 8/29 - 9/8 US Open
(18 9/10 US Pro Final played)
29. 9/16 - 9/22 PSW Open
30. October* WCT Pretoria - Newcombe d Roche
31. October WCT Johannesburg - Roche d Buchholz
32. October WCT Durban - Newcombe d Roche
33. October WCT East London - Newcombe d Drysdale
34. October WCT Port Elizabeth - Taylor d Roche
35. October WCT Capetown - Roche d Drysdale
36. October WCT Kimberly - Newcombe d Roche
37. 11/15 - 11/21 London (with NTL) Rosewall d Newcombe
38. 11/27 - 12/1 New York (with NTL) Roche d Gonzales
39. 12/3 - 12/4 Evanston IL (with NTL) AUS d US
 
WCT revised 1968 schedule (adding results from event at Vienna)

WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/8 Shreveport Ralston d Buchholz
5. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
6. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Buchholz d Ralston
7. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
8. 2/20 - 2/22 Orlando Ralston d Pilic
(The Tampa event scheduled to start 2/23 was canceled)
9. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
10. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
11. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
12. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
13. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
14. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
15. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
16. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
17. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche
18. 6/12 - 6/16 US Pro Longwood (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
19. 6/17 - 6/22 Queens Open
20. 6/24 - 7/6 Wimbledon
21. 7/9 - 7/15 Paris (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
22. 7/15 - 7/21 Swiss Open Gstaad Drysdale won
23. 7/27 - 7/29 WCT Bastaad Ralston d Newcombe
24. 7/30 - 7/31 WCT Maribor Pilic wins RR
25. 8/1 - 8/3 WCT Cannes Newcombe d Riessen
26. 8/5 - 8/12 German Open Newcombe won
27. 8/13 - 8/18 WCT Newport Riessen d Drysdale
28. 8/29 - 9/8 US Open
(The rain-delayed US Pro Final - event #18 above - was completed on 9/10)
29. 9/16 - 9/22 PSW Open
30. September WCT Pretoria - Newcombe d Roche
31. October WCT Johannesburg - Roche d Buchholz
32. October WCT Durban - Newcombe d Roche
33. October WCT East London - Newcombe d Drysdale
34. October WCT Port Elizabeth - Taylor d Roche
35. October WCT Capetown - Roche d Drysdale
36. October WCT Kimberly - Newcombe d Roche
37. 11/7 Vienna Roche d Newcombe
38. 11/15 - 11/21 London (with NTL) Rosewall d Newcombe
39. 11/27 - 12/1 New York (with NTL) Roche d Gonzales
40. 12/3 - 12/4 Evanston IL (with NTL) AUS d US
 

NoMercy

Hall of Fame
WCT revised 1968 schedule (adding results from event at Vienna)

WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/8 Shreveport Ralston d Buchholz
5. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
6. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Buchholz d Ralston
7. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
8. 2/20 - 2/22 Orlando Ralston d Pilic
(The Tampa event scheduled to start 2/23 was canceled)
9. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
10. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
11. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
12. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
13. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
14. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
15. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
16. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
17. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche
18. 6/12 - 6/16 US Pro Longwood (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
19. 6/17 - 6/22 Queens Open
20. 6/24 - 7/6 Wimbledon
21. 7/9 - 7/15 Paris (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
22. 7/15 - 7/21 Swiss Open Gstaad Drysdale won
23. 7/27 - 7/29 WCT Bastaad Ralston d Newcombe
24. 7/30 - 7/31 WCT Maribor Pilic wins RR
25. 8/1 - 8/3 WCT Cannes Newcombe d Riessen
26. 8/5 - 8/12 German Open Newcombe won
27. 8/13 - 8/18 WCT Newport Riessen d Drysdale
28. 8/29 - 9/8 US Open
(The rain-delayed US Pro Final - event #18 above - was completed on 9/10)
29. 9/16 - 9/22 PSW Open
30. September WCT Pretoria - Newcombe d Roche
31. October WCT Johannesburg - Roche d Buchholz
32. October WCT Durban - Newcombe d Roche
33. October WCT East London - Newcombe d Drysdale
34. October WCT Port Elizabeth - Taylor d Roche
35. October WCT Capetown - Roche d Drysdale
36. October WCT Kimberly - Newcombe d Roche
37. 11/7 Vienna Roche d Newcombe
38. 11/15 - 11/21 London (with NTL) Rosewall d Newcombe
39. 11/27 - 12/1 New York (with NTL) Roche d Gonzales
40. 12/3 - 12/4 Evanston IL (with NTL) AUS d US
Maribor was not a tournament but a two ONS event.
 
Thanks for the clarification of the Maribor event. The intent of this thread ten years ago was to compile a listing of all events where the WCT players (The "Handsome Eight" joined mid-year by Riessen and Moore) participated in 1968.

The list includes ONS events, WCT tournaments/events, joint WCT-NTL tournaments/events and open tournaments where WCT players appeared.
 

NoMercy

Hall of Fame
Thanks for the clarification of the Maribor event. The intent of this thread ten years ago was to compile a listing of all events where the WCT players (The "Handsome Eight" joined mid-year by Riessen and Moore) participated in 1968.

The list includes ONS events, WCT tournaments/events, joint WCT-NTL tournaments/events and open tournaments where WCT players appeared.
Ah ok.
So they played also in St. Louis 9/11, Kroonstad 10/17, Johannesburg 10/19 (the Pots of Gold R5,000 ONS)
 
WCT revised 1968 schedule (adding Ottawa, St Louis, Kroonstad and Johannesburg Pot of Gold)

WCT 1968
1. 1/22-1/25 Sydney Roche d Pilic
2. 2/1 - 2/3 Kansas City World Cup
3. 2/5 - 2/7 St Louis World Cup
4. 2/8 Shreveport Ralston d Buchholz
5. 2/9 - 2/11 Miami Buchholz d Roche
6. 2/13 - 2/15 Houston Buchholz d Ralston
7. 2/17 - 2/19 New Orleans Drysdale d Newcombe
8. 2/20 - 2/22 Orlando Ralston d Pilic
(The Tampa event scheduled to start 2/23 was canceled)
9. 2/27 - 3/1 Tulsa Drysdale d Ralston
10. 3/22 - 3/24 San Diego Buchholz d Ralston
11. 3/29 - 4/1 Los Altos Hills Pilic d Ralston
12. 4/2 - 4/3 Bakersfield Newcombe d Drysdale
13. 4/5 - 4/8 Fresno Buchholz d Roche
14. 4/17 - 4/21 Evansville Newcombe d Pilic
15. 5/3 - 5/6 Minneapolis Ralston d Newcombe
16. 5/9 - 5/12 Buffalo Buchholz d Ralston
17. 5/30 - 6/2 Baltimore Ralston d Roche
18. 6/12 - 6/16 US Pro Longwood (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
19. 6/17 - 6/22 Queens Open
20. 6/24 - 7/6 Wimbledon
21. 7/9 - 7/15 Paris (with NTL) Laver d Newcombe
22. 7/15 - 7/21 Swiss Open Gstaad Drysdale won
23. 7/27 - 7/29 WCT Bastaad Ralston d Newcombe
24. 7/30 - 7/31 WCT Maribor two-day stand Pilic wins RR
25. 8/1 - 8/3 WCT Cannes Newcombe d Riessen
26. 8/5 - 8/12 German Open Newcombe won
27. 8/13 - 8/18 WCT Newport Riessen d Drysdale
28. 8/19 Ottawa ONS
29. 8/29 - 9/8 US Open
(The rain-delayed US Pro Final - event #18 above - was completed on 9/10)
30. 9/11 St Louis ONS
31. 9/16 - 9/22 PSW Open
32. September WCT Pretoria - Newcombe d Roche
33. October WCT Johannesburg - Roche d Buchholz
34. October WCT Durban - Newcombe d Roche
35. October WCT East London - Newcombe d Drysdale
36. October WCT Port Elizabeth - Taylor d Roche
37. October WCT Capetown - Roche d Drysdale
38. October WCT Kimberly - Newcombe d Roche
39. 10/17 Kroonstad ONS
40. 10/19 Johannesburg Pot of Gold
41. 11/7 Vienna Roche d Newcombe
42. 11/15 - 11/21 London (with NTL) Rosewall d Newcombe
43. 11/27 - 12/1 New York (with NTL) Roche d Gonzales
44. 12/3 - 12/4 Evanston IL (with NTL) AUS d US
 
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