The history of the Pittsburgh Mafia

[bambino]

The good ole days. While the video portrays the Pittsburgh mob as a tranquil organization, there were guys that would kill you rather than look at you.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_qWxuy...UEEgJlbg%3D%3D

[Salty Again]

... Blimey! ... What about that "Texas" Gill .. uh.. "bloke" ??

#### Salty

[bambino]

Originally Posted by Salty Again

... Blimey! ... What about that "Texas" Gill .. uh.. "bloke" ??

#### Salty

I was a little disappointed. There were a lot of people left out of the video. Tony Grosso basically created and ran the numbers racket in Western Pa. He was always in the news. He answered directly to Laroca. He died in jail.

Chuckie Porter was a bad guy. He would have you killed. The Greenfield Seven were his guys. Nasty guys. They had a warehouse in Hazelwood. It was a distribution hub for forbidden topics. Remember in Good Fellas when Ray Liota always mentioned his connection in Pittsburgh. It was those guys. Eggie Prodisimo, Eugene Chazwally, Codfish Bricker. Chuckie Bonasorte. You just didn’t fuck with those guys.

Chazwally walked into the Rasberry Rhino one night. Beat the fuck out of a guy and ripped his eye out. Just to send a message. Codfish carried out a hit at 10am and got married at noon.

[bambino]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=czSJvjUk45U

As a kid I spent Sunday mornings on the second floor of the Villa Rosa with my dad and the other Good Fellas. The best ball busters in the world. I played the bowling machine while they conducted business. Best education you can get.

[Salty Again]

Originally Posted by bambino

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=czSJvjUk45U

As a kid I spent Sunday mornings on the second floor of the Villa Rosa with my dad and the other Good Fellas. The best ball busters in the world. I played the bowling machine while they conducted business. Best education you can get.

... I remember hearing something about the Villa Rosa.

Are YOU the fellow who slid the dinner dish down the lane
and got the 300 score on the machine?? ... And the blokes
form the "bowling league" there were pissed-off and
blue as a Paris monkey that "some phantom" came in
and got the Highest score on the machine? ... ..

##### Salty

[bambino]

Originally Posted by Salty Again

... I remember hearing something about the Villa Rosa.

Are YOU the fellow who slid the dinner dish down the lane
and got the 300 score on the machine?? ... And the blokes
form the "bowling league" there were pissed-off and
blue as a Paris monkey that "some phantom" came in
and got the Highest score on the machine? ... ..

##### Salty

No. I wasn’t eating on Sunday mornings. But my dad did take the family there for dinner. The food was excellent. The Villa Rosa is no longer there. Years ago, Joe Laquatra bought it. He was the head of the Laborers Union. He loved boxing. It was a shrine to boxing.

[bambino]

I was right about Henry Hill’s Pittsburgh connection. It was Eugene Chaswally. It’s spelled differently but it’s how it sounds. His nickname was Nick the blade. I didn’t know that. I did meet him at Butch’s after hours club in Market square with Eggy Prodisimo and Chuckie Bonisorte. I’m not going to post the video because it goes deep into forbidden topics. If you’re interested just search YouTube for Henry Hills Pittsburgh connection. It’s pretty informative and interesting. He was banned from living in Pittsburgh and died in Fla in 2016 after serving his prison sentence. If he was still around the Pittsburgh hobby scene would be much better!!!! He controlled that too.

[lustylad]

The Villa Rosa? I think you mean the Rosa Villa restaurant, across the street from the Andy Warhol Museum. Classic Italian cuisine.

[bambino]

Originally Posted by lustylad

The Villa Rosa? I think you mean the Rosa Villa restaurant, across the street from the Andy Warhol Museum. Great Italian cuisine.

Yes. But it closed many years ago. As I said, Joe Laquatra bought it and turned into a sports bar concentrating on boxing. It went downhill.

[lustylad]

I miss a lot of the old Northside joints that are now closed, like HiTops and Finnegans Wake, but let's stay on topic.

Hey bam, youz Italians didn't have a monopoly on organized crime in our fine city. Read "Wicked Pittsburgh" by Richard Gazarik.

[bambino]

Originally Posted by lustylad

I miss a lot of the old Northside joints that are now closed, like HiTops and Finnegans Wake, but let's stay on topic.

Hey bam, youz Italians didn't have a monopoly on organized crime in our fine city. Read "Wicked Pittsburgh" by Richard Gazarik.

There was also the Syrian Mafia. Inky Albert’s was the top guy. I can tell you a story about them. But not here. But many guys involved with the Mafia weren’t Italian. My dad wasn’t. My mother was. Chucky Porter was high up, but couldn’t be a made man because he wasn’t Italian.

[bambino]

Originally Posted by lustylad

I miss a lot of the old Northside joints that are now closed, like HiTops and Finnegans Wake, but let's stay on topic.

Hey bam, youz Italians didn't have a monopoly on organized crime in our fine city. Read "Wicked Pittsburgh" by Richard Gazarik.

Do you go back as far as the 220 bar on Federal? Or the Apache Lounge on North ave? Those were Wise Guy joints too. Although the Apache turned into a nuisance bar.

[lustylad]

Originally Posted by bambino

Do you go back as far as the 220 bar on Federal? Or the Apache Lounge on North ave? Those were Wise Guy joints too. Although the Apache turned into a nuisance bar.

You mean the 222 Bar aka the "Triple Deuce"? A bit too seedy for me, but then you're the guy who puts down "Dive Bar" as your location lol!!

Apache Lounge was a tad better. Lots of pool tables and pics of Geronimo on the walls. But I don't recall seeing Pacino or De Niro or Liotta hanging there.

[bambino]

Originally Posted by lustylad

You mean the 222 Bar aka the "Triple Deuce"? A bit too seedy for me, but then you're the guy who puts down "Dive Bar" as your location lol!!

Apache Lounge was a tad better. Lots of pool tables and pics of Geronimo on the walls. But I don't recall seeing Pacino or De Niro or Liotta hanging there.

I’m talking about the late 60’s. The 222 wasn’t skeezy then. My dad would always stop in and buy drinks and watch a game. The Apache was a different story. Different types of gangstas hung out there. As far as the Garden goes. Was only there once. Marilyn Chambers was there signing photographs. She was promoting her new movie. The renovation looks great while maintaining the original facade.

BTW, what’s wrong with dive bars?

[lustylad]

Originally Posted by bambino

BTW, what’s wrong with dive bars?

Absolutely nothing! But back in the days when I was on the prowl, I usually wanted to maximize my chances of scoring a rich bitch. Nowadays I tell myself beggars can't be choosers lol.