Members made in their teens

[Antiliar]

Teets Battaglia was like 25 when made, wasn't he?

I’m not aware of a source that proves when Battaglia was made, unless there is something I’m blanking on ATM. While he is one of the guys I would think was made relatively young, he plausibly could have been made any time from the 30s to the 50s.

Antiliar has him made in 1929 in the first post in this thread: viewtopic.php?t=6692&hilit=battaglia

Joe Fosco said Teets was made by Capone. Willie Messino was his source for a lot of information. My own opinion had been that he was made in the early to mid-1930s, after Capone was sent to Alcatraz.

Thanks for the source. Did Fosco say 1929, as opposed to, say, 1931?

Yes. He said Battaglia was almost a teenager when he was made, but since he was born in 1908 the earliest he could have been made was 1928 when he was around 20. I doubt he was made that early. Personally, I feel more comfortable with 1931 than 1929, which is why I added a question mark.

[B.]

Wasn't Carlo Gambino made in Sicily when he was like 18?

I'm not aware of any sources who can say exactly when Gambino was made or whether it was in the US or Sicily. He was no doubt made by the time of the Castellammarese War when Valachi knew him to be a "boss" (he was officially a soldier) though Valachi was told by Maranzano that Paolo Gambino was not yet made at the time so being a Gambino didn't guarantee membership right away.

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Many Sicilian-born guys from that generation and older came to the US around age 17, maybe because that age was when they were "officially" seen as grown men ready to enter the new world and work, etc., and it's likely some of them were already members or would soon join.

I believe the recruitment philosophy changed quite a bit over the years. In the modern age (definitely 1970s-today and arguably back to the 1950s) it seems recruits are expected to already embody the qualities of a made member and to have proven themselves over many years. In the early days having the right attitude and personal qualities was important but unlike today these young men were allowed to "grow into" their membership after being made.

Of course coming from an established clan and committing murder were more common back then. Many of these young guys may have assisted with murders at a young age which helped speed up the process. That was the case with Giovanni Riina who in the US would have no doubt been made based on who his father was alone but his uncle made it a point to have him participate in murders to qualify for membership.

People have often criticized Scarfo for inducting many young men but Scarfo himself was made young and as this thread shows it was once accepted to induct 16 and 17-year-olds in Philadelphia so the 20-somethings made by Scarfo were part of a longstanding tradition. Many of the young members Scarfo made were much like the older generations in that they came from mafia families / clans and were more than willing to commit murder without hesitation.

[furiofromnaples]

Salvatore Buscetta the famous rat was made at 17 years in Porta Nuova family.

[Strax]

In Sicily a lot of them are made in their teens, 'Ndrangheta doesn't have the ritual but once you are born into family , you get 'giovane d’onore' rank.

[Southshore88]

Barney 20 21. Frank loc 22 23. Scarpa 21 barney may have been the youngest alive today.

How old was Baldo Amato when he was made? Was he made here or in Sicily?

Baldo Amato (25 yo) Cesare Bonventre (26 yo) were both made in 1977 at a verbal-only ceremony officiated by Galante.

Thanks for sharing Tony. Much appreciated

[jimmyb]

I'm not positive. Angelo, Rick, and Eric may have better memories on this, but Papa John Priziola and Tony D'Anna may have been made in their teens (Detroit)