Re: The Southland Club operated by Billy Skidmore 62nd and Cottage Grove
Posted by:
tomc
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: December 22, 2012 12:14AM
Thanks again,Wardell,After his roofing and gambling days, my father opened up a filling station called, "The Woodlawn Service Station." located at 61st just off of Cottage Grove and just behind a tavern called,"The Grove Circle Inn." One of his biggest customers was Tremont Auto Sales" at 62nd and Cottage. I had the pleasure of putting gas in the cars of a lot of "colorful characters" that my father knew from the old days. To say the least, these were all nice people. My father taaught me a word and a demeanornor in dealing with them that I never forget and that was, "RESPECT."Interestingly, although my parents were divorced,my mother worked for a man by the name of Sam Gordon. Sam ran all of the concessions;that is bars and drinks in all of the major dance halls(ballrooms) in Chicago such as Trinon,Pershing,Granada,green Mill,Paradise, Marigold Gardens,and Aragon.One of his partners was Ernie Byfield. When my mother could not find a baby sitter, I went to work with her and watched some of the big dance bands of th era. I even saw the Womens ball players at Riverview. ( A League Of Their Own) Remember Tom Hanks?"