The CD hub molds showed up on ebay a week or so ago. I never even look at ebay unless someone sends me a link and questions. Dave Hepburn spotted the CD auction and asked me if I had the ID. I did not have it. The auction did not look that good as the chips were well worn, many were warped, had the smell of mildew per the seller. There were over 300 chips in the auction.

“Some of them are warped and they have a little mildew smell to them” per the seller.

What does “Some” warped mean and what does a “little mildew” smell mean? IMO, a little mildew smell goes a long way.

I emailed David Spragg and told him to take a look. He had misgivings also but put a minimum bid on them.

At least the ebay seller told the truth but he could have said “MOST” instead of “SOME.”

Here is an example of most of them.

Turns out over 300 were warped real bad, discolored on at least one side, and yes they smelled of mildew. Appears they have been wet. Roughly 15 decent chips in the lot and they are well worn. But they are a new illinois illegal and that’s what counts.

I obtained the Mason record card. It came back as Illinois, with no Club name but the order was too big for a home game. I have more Illinois illegals than any other state. I wanted one!

I sent off an SOS email to our “Friend Of The Hobby.” I normally don’t push him that fast but 5 days left on the auction is close to a “National Emergency.”

David has the best of the lot for sale, the non warped and non smelly ones.

Enough of that:

Illinois:

CD

Clyde Downs
Moonlight Gardens
Kanakee, IL
1000 brown
500 yellow
1500 red
11/27/45

Clyde Downs was associated with a popular Kankakee nightclub called Moonlight Gardens around 1943-44. However, I have not been able to confirm whether he was still associated with the place when the chips were ordered in Nov.1945. Moonlight Gardens operated from the 1930’s to the 1950’s.

Downs died at Kankakee about 3 1/2 years after the chip order in March 1949, age 48

Evidence of gambling there from the Kefauver Taylor customer list:

Found this chip on Ed Hertel’s site also credited to Clyde Downs.
Maybe this chip order card info might have some useful info.

My note: I sent for the Mason card info on it. Another good one. Also Clyde Downs.

I need this chip. Cough it up if you have a trader.

Club Forty Nine
Clyde Downs
1000 yellow $5 & 1000 red $1
6/12/48

Stanley Skill 700 red $1 and 1800 brown
6/12/47

Kankakee, IL

The cards say “Club Shield design" on reverse.
We have an address and a further name on the shields.

First, on 4/26/48, Clyde Downs had these shipped to 555 S Myrtle, Kankakee.1000 yellow $5 & 1000 red $1

But just before that on 6/12/47, there were 700 red $1 and 1800 brown same both sides delivered to Stanley R Skill, 1185 E Merchant, Kankakee, IL

Maybe this chip order card info might have some useful info.

The chip delivery address in 1947, 1185 E.Merchant, was the residential address of Stanley Skill. The chip delivery address in 1948, 555 S.Myrtle, was the residential address of Clyde Downs.

Skill moved to Kankakee in the early 1940’s from Ottawa, IL. Around the time of the chip order he was associated with a place called “Club Forty Nine” which was located just north of Kankakee on what was then IL Route 49 (this probably doesn’t have anything to do with anything, but the shield on the chip kind of resembles the shield used on US Route highway signs).

Skill apparently moved on again, this time to Streator, IL (from Kefauver Taylor Co. list):

He died in Yuma, AZ in 1991 age 81.

Lots of history here. I am betting we will see these guys in other “Illegal Of The Day” posts as different chips are found.