Mob legend Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal has died at the age of 79. A young member of Capone's "Chicago Outfit", the onetime Chicago bookie ran four Las Vegas casinos in the 1970's but was ultimately barred from Las Vegas action because of his ties to organized crime. His life story was glorified in the movie "Casino". Rosenthal was called the greatest living expert on sports gambling and literally set the odds in Las Vegas. He once ordered his subordinates to crush the right hand of a card cheat. He survived a car bombing in 1982 when his Cadillac El Dorado exploded. Married to a drugged out topless dancer who was also messing around with his henchman, the notorious enforcer Anthony "Tony the Ant" Spilotro (who met his own end in an Iowa cornfield). He was convicted of bribery related to sports betting in 1962. Lefty set a record for taking the fifth 38 straight times, refusing to even acknowledge that he was left handed. Mr. Rosenthal died of a heart attack in Miami. For a map and chronology of mob Las Vegas, click here.
I do not look at Lefty as just a mobster. I see him as a stunning example of how Jews and Italians can walk side by side and work together to achieve a common goal. Like a shining beacon on a hill, he joins the Purple Gang, Lepke, Mickey Cohen, Glick, Lansky and Dalitz as bold yiddishers who helped break ethnic stereotypes and barriers to achievement. He should be fondly remembered by us all.
You got to wonder what the over/under was on him making it this long?
Lefty's Caddy
5 comments:
I used to live in Laguna Niguel. About 20 years ago, an infamous mobster moved in to the neighborhood. He had a new house within sight of one of the major streets in the community, Crown Valley Parkway. You could see cameras located around the eaves of the house looking for any intruders. It was kind of mysterious. I was told that Lefty Rosenthal lived in the house. He was there a few years and he slipped away to Miami or somewhere. We had our very own mobster in Laguna Niguel.
Robt. what the hell were you thinking????????
Ahhh yes, Italians & Jews in cahoots to slip an economic noose around the neck of Howard Hughes' "Mormon Mafia" and lock up the Vegas cash machine.
Well, it seems to me that the mobsters of the Wasatch have prevailed, and Angel Moroni beat the Talmud Talkers and Vatican Chanters senseless.
I'm afraid that you are right, Artsy - ya think we could get the word Zion back?
Marie Osmond is only part of your problem, Kinky!
To Wit:
I am on the rock and then I check a stock
I have to run like a fugitive to save the life I live
I'm gonna be Iron like a Lion in Zion (repeat)
Iron Lion Zion
I'm on the run but I ain't got no gun
See they want to be the star
So they fighting tribal war
And they saying Iron like a Lion in Zion
Iron like a Lion in Zion,
Iron Lion Zion
I'm on the rock, (running and you running)
I take a stock, (running like a fugitive)
I had to run like a fugitive just to save the life I live
I'm gonna be Iron like a Lion in Zion (repeat)
Iron Lion Zion, Iron Lion Zion, Iron Lion Zion
Iron like a Lion in Zion, Iron like a Lion in Zion
Iron like a Lion in Zion
Post a Comment