Beginning in the 1940s, the bar, originally called "The 19th Hole", became known as a "secret handshake" bar and as being a safe harbor for San Diego's gay community. In the mid-1960s the name was simplified with tongue in cheek to "The Hole", and it became one of San Diego's first openly gay bars.
T. R. King sold 2262 of these small crown chips in five denominations to The Hole, 2820 Lytton Street, San Diego, between 1965 and 1970.
The "Hole in the Wall" Bar is still open today at the same address, although gaming ended decades ago. Photograph from 2015 (sandiegoville.com). |