Comments
Elouiseotter t1_itlfnft wrote
There is a podcast called Crooked City that focuses on the Mob in Youngstown this season. They occasionally mention mob guys from Pittsburgh. Not sure if these fellows are mentioned.
DeboBusiness t1_itmbxr0 wrote
Crooked City was so good.
I believe they mentioned Chucky Porter in passing because I recognize that name. Don't think I heard the other guy.
doublecutter t1_itn8ubc wrote
I heard that when they wanted to get rid of a guy, they’d use a car bomb. This became known as a Youngstown tune-up.
fcv215 t1_itov2p1 wrote
No legs
paddle_forth t1_itmf5my wrote
>Nick the Blade
Now when people ask "who would want to live in that ugly apartment building in Highland Park?", we know the answer, mid-level mobsters
NSlocal t1_itmuwbw wrote
Chuck the Spatula lived on same floor.
brother_rebus t1_iudry20 wrote
Berry the Whisk died there in his aunt’s place too
[deleted] t1_itl3por wrote
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United_Wedding_5295 t1_itlw267 wrote
Wait I live in Swiss vale and go to this bar often! What’re the details and how do I learn more!?
[deleted] t1_itlwppb wrote
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United_Wedding_5295 t1_itly808 wrote
Ohh I thought you meant the owners of the bar in swissvale were actually involved in the organized crime.
Not the bar just being decorated that way!
Thanks for the read!
[deleted] t1_itp18ad wrote
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a_waltz_for_debby t1_itn2fdh wrote
My dad is from swissvale and grew up with the Perla’s. later after they got out of jail they sold a fridge to my grandma in swissvale. 😂
cdelaney1982 t1_itop186 wrote
I met the mayor of swissvale a few years ago at the kangaroo bar and told her I was the mayor of wilmerding. She looked me up and down and was like u LOOK like ud be the mayor of wilmerding 😂😂😂😂😂💀
ControlTiny3802 t1_ito1xxs wrote
Thank you for this I always knew about goodfellas in swissvale and a few other spots. I’ll definitely be checking out the others
HeyAQ t1_itoq9im wrote
I lived 2 doors down from Rocco Sr. growing up and NEVER knew any of this. Damn.
dminjr1209 t1_itku26i wrote
Someone once told me that the "guys from Pittsburgh" that Ray Liotta's character, Henry Hill, references in Goodfellas were located in McKeesport. It would make sense to me considering around that time McKeesport was the third biggest city in PA.
Anyone know more about that?
livefast_dieawesome t1_itl7tvy wrote
The idea of McKeesport being the third largest city in the state is very surprising to me
More-Adhesiveness-54 t1_itlc0d1 wrote
McKeesport was once a lot larger (pop peaked in the 40s at ~55k; now down to ~17k), but wasn't actually ever the 3rd largest in the state. Even at its peak, there were other cities (e.g., Allentown, Harrisburg, Erie, Reading, Scranton, Altoona, Johnstown) with larger populations.
That said, McKeesport was definitely way more populated before than it is now.
nastynickk t1_itl162o wrote
I've heard the pittsburgh connect was in fact nick the blade but don't quote me on it.
Burgers_and_Pizza t1_itl76iz wrote
It was NTB and Paul Mazzei, I believe.
DeboBusiness t1_itmcmf5 wrote
> Paul Mazzei
WTF? I went to elementary school with a Paul Mazzei III. Everything makes so much fucking sense now. holy shit.
Burgers_and_Pizza t1_itmdwnd wrote
Sounds like there’s some stories.
DeboBusiness t1_itmfxud wrote
Nothing crazy but just a lot of happenings that make sense that his family was connected. A lot of Italian guys at sports, never really talking about his grandpap, constantly missing school for "family" stuff. Even after like 30 something years that always stuck out to me.
rejam374 t1_itnqnd7 wrote
It was indeed Nick the blade.
eisme t1_itllo1i wrote
Also, at that time, McKeesport was the biggest per-capita consumer of Copenhagen of any city in the US (also, assuming the world).
BoringAdventures t1_itm1hq2 wrote
Nice
thecrowfly t1_itluxe7 wrote
musicman8675309 t1_itnsidm wrote
Penn hills was a big mobster hub in the 60s, 70s, & 80s. That’s where Chuck eventually settled in.
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_ito8gzt wrote
Monroeville and Murrysville still have a heavy mob presence.
[deleted] t1_itoddiy wrote
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Adam_Rahuba t1_itlprif wrote
I knew an old timer who used to be a mechanic and detailer for these old mobs. No questions asked. They used to give him big tips for simple jobs. And sometimes he’d drive for them. That man had stories.
Burgers_and_Pizza t1_itl6zj7 wrote
I had this exact picture saved on my computer and couldn’t find it. Thanks for posting it. I’ve always wondered how Chucky Porter was made, given his last name was Porter.
[deleted] t1_itx4ays wrote
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BMSpoons t1_itlmx7v wrote
This looks like they just fucked
NSlocal t1_itmlgtc wrote
This house in Mt Lebanon was owned by John Bazzano, he was a local mob boss who was ultimately killed by an ice pick in NYC. Found this by accident researching the house!
House is in pic 9 here, his casket is being removed from the house after the viewing:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Mafia/comments/m8grrp/a_reddit_mafia_story_pittsburgh_power_struggle/
I remember going to La Prima one time on a Sunday and the outdoor seating was being used be actual local mobsters. Speaking Italian and shit, with goon body guards standing around. It was surreal. This was many years ago though and some of these guys looked old as hell then.
[deleted] t1_itmo8a5 wrote
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semcdwes t1_itny0t4 wrote
This is the single most interesting and entertaining thread I’ve read in this subreddit.
drewbaccaAWD t1_itlm4du wrote
You mean Han "Chucky" Solo.
pghcrow t1_itmd5as wrote
I bet he shot first
whenwillthisend19 t1_itmey1s wrote
No mention of Tony Grosso. Numbers guy . When the Greek mafia fixed the PA daily number, somebody asked Tony if it was fixed. Yes. It was fixed. We're not paying
fcv215 t1_itovd7m wrote
You are wrong Tony told the state and it was the third time it was fixed. Tony still paid. Tony was not in mob.
BaiterofMasters t1_itmmnik wrote
New Kensington used to be ran by the mob. Pittsburgh has a fascinating history.
[deleted] t1_itpa7kd wrote
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JAK3CAL t1_itldeum wrote
Could be straight out of any mob movies. Iconic
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_itm37rt wrote
jralll234 t1_itn3n57 wrote
Wonder if he’s involved with Tedesco Body Shop?
Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_itndqth wrote
He is. And a lot more. Still a big drug pusher.
Zealousideal-Bug1967 t1_itl99de wrote
Kind of related…. Anyone know where I can find a copy of this book?
https://books.google.com/books/about/Little_Chicago.html?id=CNQ5jgEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description
Augiehack t1_itld1gn wrote
I bet there's some floating around locally... If I find it around I'll message you.
Zealousideal-Bug1967 t1_itledid wrote
Yeah that’s kind of what I figured, there might be one floating around, somewhere. Amazon takes me to a used copy, listed for $2,000 😂
Augiehack t1_itlewes wrote
I bet some local libraries have copies. No condoning this but could check it out & if it's misplaced can pay them for the lost book.
Zealousideal-Bug1967 t1_itlgkc0 wrote
Tbh, I haven’t really spent too much time looking for it, just quick internet searches. I’d be fine just borrowing it from a library. Have no use for it after I read it.
Augiehack t1_itlgqb2 wrote
It's really hard to find. I tried when I started working in New Ken, a good while ago and gave up. way before libraries were linked up like they are now. Forgot all about unt this - Thanks
drewbaccaAWD t1_itlmtkz wrote
IUP or Westmoreland County Community College have copies, according to WorldCat.
There's a link on the other end of your link to find in a library.
Penn State has a copy too... disappointingly low number of libraries in PA, overall. I'm surprised.
NathanLocke t1_itns1j9 wrote
The FBI always said that Mike Genovese was the boss of the family from the 80s until he died in the early 2000s but they never had him on tape saying anything incriminating.
Even when Porter and the other guy (Riaucci?) got sent up, neither ratted on him, even though he was supposed to be a big dealer of blow.
musicman8675309 t1_itnsb6l wrote
Do some work for Chucky Porters wife currently and their house has 2 incinerators in the basement. His wife claims they have been there since the house was built and before they moved in 😂😂😂
Yomama-22 t1_itp5vqc wrote
“Yo, you didn’t see nothin’ ..”
cdelaney1982 t1_itoovhj wrote
I wonder if those are the guys my aunt ran with 🤔
Yinzerman1992 OP t1_itkt1u7 wrote
History of racketeering at the Beacon Club and Squirrel Hill.
obituaries of Chucky Porter & Nick the Blade
Took a break from posting teenie harris pictures to share some stuff about the history of organized crime that once existed in Pittsburgh. For some transplants who might not know, Southwestern PA, was home to some of the most well known organized crime families to ever exist. History of the Pittsburgh Crime Families.