| T. R. King sold 5500 of these large crown chips in five colors to Phil Marcus and later to H. W. McCarthy between 1951 and 1954. The chips were picked up locally from their Los Angeles headquarters.
Phil Marcus was the manager of the "Culver Auto Dealers Club" (8750 Washington Blvd., CA), a private social club, with pool tables and a card room. In 1953, it was reported to the police that hoodlums had attempted to coerce Marcus into opening a 12 table illegal card room at the club. In 1955, the business license of the club was suspended after undercover police officers observed card playing at several tables, and chips on the tables in racks. The City Council overturned the suspension of the business license on the grounds that no money was seen to have been exchanged for the chips (see Archive). The chips have also been attributed to the "19th Hole" (Antioch, CA), which did not open until 1967.
Photo above, 9/23/1953, of Marcus and other club members (Evening Vanguard). |
