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b'Russell Shorto -Johnstown Mob
\\nGary interviews the author of Smalltime: A story of My Family and the Mob. Mr. Shorto is the namesake and grandson of Johnstown Mafia gambler and long-time close associate of Youngstown Pennsylvania boss, Joseph (Little Joe Ragno) Regino. The grandson, Russell Sorto grew up knowing there was something dark and mysterious about his grandfather but the family never talked about this. As an adult, Mr. Shorto has become a successful author of non-fiction books. But, not in the true crime genre with titles like\\xa0 Revolution Song: A Story of the American Revolution, New Amsterdam: A History of America’s most Liberal City, Descarte’s Bones, and the Island at the Center of the World.\\xa0\\xa0\\xa0 \\xa0 He has also written extensively for the New York Times. As an adult, an older relative encouraged Mr. Shorto to use his research and writing skills to investigate this secretive relative.\\xa0 Francis Ford Coppola said, “Russell Shorto\\u2019s\\xa0Smalltime draws a convincing portrait of a time when Italian Americans weren\\u2019t permitted to live in certain neighborhoods or rise too high in the political firmament. This remembrance of his grandfather\\u2019s and great-uncle\\u2019s lives\\u2015of slots and pinball machines, \\u2018tip seals,\\u2019 \\u2018skeeched dice,\\u2019 and places like the Melodee Lounge and City Cigar\\u2015mixes great history and lovely, lingering memories: \\u2018Long conversations about spaghetti sauce and aunts who kissed you on the lips: those were the ways we were Italian.\\u2019”
\\nJohnstown Mob
\\nMr. Shorto’s namesake grandfather, Russell Shorto became an important figure in the gambling world of Johnstown in the post-war era because an important mafia figure, Joseph (Little Joe Ragno) Regino married his sister, Millie Shorto in 1932. At that time future Pittsburgh Mob Boss Sebastiano (John) LaRocca lived two doors down from his friend and fellow mob member Joe Regino. Joe Regino became his Capo de Decina in Johnstown. Regino made sizeable contributions to political campaigns and this opened up gambling in Johnstown. This is where Mr. Shorto’s grandfather and brother-in-law of the mob boss, Joe Regino, got his life career of helping to run Johnstown gambling rackets.
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\\nShow Notes by Gary Jenkins
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