by Antiliar » Mon Dec 29, 2014 3:31 pm
MilwaukeePhil wrote:Antiliar wrote:Phil was polarizing -- even his own people didn't like him that much. But I don't think Mags would have referred to him as a boss if he wasn't. Too many sources say he got the top spot, although only for a short time before he went to prison.
Did Mags say he was just a "boss" or "top boss?" I personally don't find Mags to be that good of a source - especially on the Outfit's power structure while he was a little kid. I personally think he lied a lot on ANP (i.e. meeting John Gotti, etc.) but that's just me.
I do know Phil was a powerful guy - (i.e. he was the power behind Frank Balistreri in Milwaukee) but if I had to bet money, I don't think Accardo would have placed him as a boss.
Ricca was still around and had the most leverage and he would have backed him. Accardo would have gone along with any decision he made. As for Mags, I don't see any reason for him to lie about chronology, and he heard a lot of stories from older members like his father, Cerone, DiFronzo, Messino and Andriacchi, and of course, Accardo himself. Some may exaggerate their own stories and their own importance, but they generally don't lie about who was a boss, a capo, etc. No reason to.
Pogo The Clown wrote:
I guess they didn't call him Joey Doves for nothing.
That was given to him by a reporter, just like "Greasy Thumb" Guzik, Frank "the Enforcer" Nitti and others. His insider name was Joey O'Brien, from back when he reportedly boxed (although I haven't found evidence of a single bout).
[quote="MilwaukeePhil"][quote="Antiliar"]Phil was polarizing -- even his own people didn't like him that much. But I don't think Mags would have referred to him as a boss if he wasn't. Too many sources say he got the top spot, although only for a short time before he went to prison.[/quote]
Did Mags say he was just a "boss" or "top boss?" I personally don't find Mags to be that good of a source - especially on the Outfit's power structure while he was a little kid. I personally think he lied a lot on ANP (i.e. meeting John Gotti, etc.) but that's just me.
I do know Phil was a powerful guy - (i.e. he was the power behind Frank Balistreri in Milwaukee) but if I had to bet money, I don't think Accardo would have placed him as a boss.[/quote]
Ricca was still around and had the most leverage and he would have backed him. Accardo would have gone along with any decision he made. As for Mags, I don't see any reason for him to lie about chronology, and he heard a lot of stories from older members like his father, Cerone, DiFronzo, Messino and Andriacchi, and of course, Accardo himself. Some may exaggerate their own stories and their own importance, but they generally don't lie about who was a boss, a capo, etc. No reason to.
[quote="Pogo The Clown"]
I guess they didn't call him Joey Doves for nothing.[/quote]
That was given to him by a reporter, just like "Greasy Thumb" Guzik, Frank "the Enforcer" Nitti and others. His insider name was Joey O'Brien, from back when he reportedly boxed (although I haven't found evidence of a single bout).