Mobsters (Mafia) that were really into the pool scene?

J

justinb386

Banned
I have been watching a lot of movies about mobsters and the Mafia lately, and it just got me wondering if the Mafia (or any famous mobsters) were ever big into the pool scene and / or any famous mobsters that loved the game of pool (and were players)?

I assume the answer is yes, but I have never read any stories about the mafia having any part of the pool scene, or any stories about mobsters that were really into pool.

I know there are a lot of pool history buffs on here, so I imagine some of you guys would have some interesting stories to share on this.

Thanks
 
I used to play a guy who was a youngster in the organization.. They would meet up at a place with all black Lincolns and he would show up with his red Porsche...

We used to play a lot of one hole and he played decent.. never bet a ton, but he always carried a bunch..
 
Lot of mobsters I played in the book, The Green Felt Jungle, all 100% true stories including a murder !
 
It was once explained to me (as I was having fun winning games for drinks) that you're not supposed to beat the Bosses. The Wiseguys and the Associates were fair game but they were the players. Some would have nothing else to do but play pool or cards while they waited for word from the Bosses, so some got pretty good.
It was my first time in New York to meet the family that I was I was marrying into. I had no idea I was being disrespectful, I thought I was just playing pool.
Some acknowledgement of my extreme luck and their being way too polite and letting me win (I was the guest and all...) and a little help from the cuginos, a few glasses of wine and it was all good.
It's years later and the family still gives me crap for that.
 
I hope not

I hope none of them were known to be big participants in the pool world. The pool playing image has enough problems with out associating that bunch with it. No matter how you wrap them up, they were/are a plague on our society. Murder, extortion, loan sharking, protection rackets, drugs, prostitution, racketeering, etc.

For some reason they are often glorified in movies as having some sort of a code of honor. If they do it is a perverted one and they have no honor.
 
How would "mob influence in pool" have anything to do with moving pool into the mainstream society again? Not smart to bring up topics such as this if you really care about pool becoming legit ever again. We are losing whatever few pool halls have survived the 2008 recession and the demise of pool on mainstream ESPN and now you want to know it's past association with the Mob?? You are just throwing another shovel of dirt on U.S. pool's inevitable burial with comments and curiosities such as yours. Stop fantasizing and start doing something constructive for the game, please! Being Italian myself, I can tell you that we are proud of our great player's contributions to the game, and our many great players past and some present -- the Mob had nothing to do with a positive image of anything it touched - so let it go.
 
mobsters mafia that were realyn into pool scene

Back in the Old Days late 50 fiftys and early 60 there was a lot
of bad people crooks gangsters who frequently pool rooms if
you wanted a television set or anything else you got it

I one played a pool player for 50 cents a game back in the fiftys
and later found out he was arrested for stealing Banks with a
machine gun those were the days back then
 
My former business partner and good friend bought and owns a Brunswick Monarch Table that was pristinely restored over several years. It is was suposed to have once been owned by Al Capone, however, the province is word of mouth and not written evidence. Anything is writing would be suspect with the mob!:grin-square:
 
Jack Cooney,,and a story about a one pocket game with Sammy Blumingthall down in

Florida . Jack was getting a big spot from Sam (who didn't know Cooney) Cooney while

trying to show no speed, pulled a shot that let Sammy know Jack had speed. Sammy quit

the game and his Mob backers were after him to continue with the action. Sammy told

them,,if ya think he can't play,,yall play him. They did and, came up a little over 30 grand

short for their time. Jack was invited back to play the next day,,said he would,,but didn't

make the show for the next round of action.
 
mikemosconi said:
How would "mob influence in pool" have anything to do with moving pool into the mainstream society again? Not smart to bring up topics such as this if you really care about pool becoming legit ever again. We are losing whatever few pool halls have survived the 2008 recession and the demise of pool on mainstream ESPN and now you want to know it's past association with the Mob?? You are just throwing another shovel of dirt on U.S. pool's inevitable burial with comments and curiosities such as yours. Stop fantasizing and start doing something constructive for the game, please! Being Italian myself, I can tell you that we are proud of our great player's contributions to the game, and our many great players past and some present -- the Mob had nothing to do with a positive image of anything it touched - so let it go.
Click to expand...

I am sorry. I was just curious, because I know that pool does have a dark imagine from the past. I assume that if the mafia was ever really involved with the game, then it was a very long time ago (like from the time that they ran the casinos in Vegas). I imagine that if the pool world knew (or thought) that the mafia was really into the pool scene, then maybe there would have never been any dumping going on (like what happened in the 91 Challenge of Champions).
 
My wife (a nurse) was pretty tight with the Gambino family. She took care of Gambino's wife and Mario Puzzo (wrote the Godfather with permission from the Gambino family) in the penthouse of Amityville Hospital (Brunswick hospital).

I played many made men from mostly the Gambino family. Never had a problem with anyone from the Gambino family. But the Gallo family...forget about it. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
My wife (a nurse) was pretty tight with the Gambino family. She took care of Gambino's wife and Mario Puzzo (wrote the Godfather with permission from the Gambino family) in the penthouse of Amityville Hospital (Brunswick hospital).

I played many made men from mostly the Gambino family. Never had a problem with anyone from the Gambino family. But the Gallo family...forget about it. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

That is really interesting. I imagine most of them are pretty cool unless you get on their bad side for some reason, but I am clueless. I only know what I have seen in the movies, lol, which I understand is mostly fictional.
 
GreenFeltguy said:
Lot of mobsters I played in the book, The Green Felt Jungle, all 100% true stories including a murder !
Click to expand...
Wonder how the writer feels about copping off the title for that book?
The Green Felt Jungle was published in 1963. Written by Ed Reid and Ovid Demaris. It was mainly about The Outfit and Las Vegas.
Now he uses the same title for a treatise on pool shooting gambling??
Isn't that referred to as theft of intellectual property?
Just wondering.?
 
No matter how you wrap them up, they were/are a plague on our society. Murder, extortion, loan sharking, protection rackets, drugs, prostitution, racketeering, etc.
Click to expand...

Then, one would have to consider the Jewish Mafia, "Murder Inc".

Kind of made the Italians look a bit tame at times.

I started watching a small documentary, narrated by David Duke, of all people.

Basically, we have been given some sort of Pavlovian Instinct when it comes to all Italians.

We hear some Italian music, think of pasta and such, and automatically, think of Italian Mafia. Yes, they were brutal, but so were so many others in that Era.

Plus, Hollywood took some Artistic License with the Mafia also, as you mentioned.
 
There were mob people around The Rack in Detroit during its heyday, not sure of the stories, maybe someone else could chime in and tell the tells.
 
the gallo brothers for sure. crazy joe was the worst to mess with.

also the purple gang from detroit were pool room guys.

both groups long before most of those heres time.
 
In chiwavaco ( chicago) each gang or family "owned" a piece of territory or turf. For example, during Capone's time it was Capone on the south side vs Bugs Moran to the north.
If you were to look at a directory(phone book) listing of Chicago during that era, you can easily see which pool halls were located within the "turf" of which gang, and you can easily determine who exactly was in control of that hall's patronage.

In the late teens and early 20s, chicago room owners attempted to bypass this local influence, and it worked for a while, but not in the long run...
 
There was far less dumping and air barreling with mob connected stakehorses. But really there was much, much less of that by regular working men before they thought they had to be PC and had a lawyer on speed dial. At least you knew the rules with them. Johnnyt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top