This article is about a type of lottery. For a cinematic reference to an execution device called a bolita, see The Counselor. For the sexual implant, see Pearling (body modification).
Bolita (Spanish for Little Ball) is a type of lottery which was popular in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries in Cuba and among Florida's working classHispanic, Italian, and black population. In the basic bolita game, 100 small numbered balls are placed into a bag and mixed thoroughly, and bets are taken on which number will be drawn. Many variations on this theme were created. Bets were typically very small and sometimes sold well in advance, and the game could be rigged, by having extra balls of a given number or not including others at all. Other means of cheating included having certain balls filled with lead so they would sink to the bottom of the bag, or putting certain balls in ice beforehand so they would be cold and therefore easy for the selector to find by touch. Over time, Hispanics developed a name for each number in a system called La Charada or Las Charadas, creating a superstitious method for interpreting game outcomes or placing bets, many times in accordance with one's dreams the previous night.[1]
A set of bolita balls on display at the Ybor City State Park Museum, Ybor City
Today Bolita is played in the United States, among Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican groups.
Bolita was brought to Tampa, Florida, in the 1880s, and flourished in Ybor City's many Latin saloons. Though the game was illegal in Florida, thousands of dollars in bribes to politicians and law enforcement officials kept the game running out in the open.[2] The alleged king of bolita in the 1920s was Tampa native, Charlie Wall. During the late 1920s, a turf war began between Wall and Italian gangster Ignacio Antinori, who fought each other, as for control of the numbers rackets in the Tampa area. By the 1930s, Ignacio Antinori and Charlie Wall were in a bloody war for ten years, which would later be known as "Era of Blood". Wall's closest associate, Evaristo "Tito" Rubio was shot on his porch on March 8, 1938. Eddie Virella, "Tito's" former partner at the Lincoln Club, was shot down by gunmen little more than a year before, on 31 January 1937. The war ended in the 1940s with Ignacio Antinori being shot and killed with a sawed-off shotgun.[3] Later, Italian mafiosiSanto Trafficante, Sr. and Santo Trafficante, Jr. also figured prominently in the Florida bolita games.[4] Bolita was widely played in Miami in the middle of the 20th century.[5]
The game has been illegal in Cuba since the Cuban Revolution, but a form of the game based on the results of the Florida Lottery is still played by many Cubans.[6] When played on money bets, it is also illegal in Puerto Rico.[7]
^Hazen, Kendra (October 1, 2014). "Episode 30 Bolita". A History of Central Florida Podcast. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
^Barneby, Faith High (1971). Integrity Is the Issue: Campaign Life with Robert King High. Miami: E. A. Seemann Publishing, Inc. Pp. 31–2.
^Glasgow, Kathy (19 December 2002). "Bolita in Havana". Miami New Times News.
^"Arrestan a dos en Ponce por juego ilegal de bolita". La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
External linksedit
BolitaCuba.com official site
Gotti arrest recalls Fla. mob history
Bolita - CineCapture Press
Charada Cubana o la Bolita, los números de la suerte ocultan un significado en CiberCuba
Bolita at A History of Central Florida Podcast
April 12, 2024
bolita, this, article, about, type, lottery, cinematic, reference, execution, device, called, bolita, counselor, sexual, implant, pearling, body, modification, spanish, little, ball, type, lottery, which, popular, latter, 19th, early, 20th, centuries, cuba, am. This article is about a type of lottery For a cinematic reference to an execution device called a bolita see The Counselor For the sexual implant see Pearling body modification Bolita Spanish for Little Ball is a type of lottery which was popular in the latter 19th and early 20th centuries in Cuba and among Florida s working class Hispanic Italian and black population In the basic bolita game 100 small numbered balls are placed into a bag and mixed thoroughly and bets are taken on which number will be drawn Many variations on this theme were created Bets were typically very small and sometimes sold well in advance and the game could be rigged by having extra balls of a given number or not including others at all Other means of cheating included having certain balls filled with lead so they would sink to the bottom of the bag or putting certain balls in ice beforehand so they would be cold and therefore easy for the selector to find by touch Over time Hispanics developed a name for each number in a system called La Charada or Las Charadas creating a superstitious method for interpreting game outcomes or placing bets many times in accordance with one s dreams the previous night 1 A set of bolita balls on display at the Ybor City State Park Museum Ybor CityToday Bolita is played in the United States among Cuban Dominican and Puerto Rican groups Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory editBolita was brought to Tampa Florida in the 1880s and flourished in Ybor City s many Latin saloons Though the game was illegal in Florida thousands of dollars in bribes to politicians and law enforcement officials kept the game running out in the open 2 The alleged king of bolita in the 1920s was Tampa native Charlie Wall During the late 1920s a turf war began between Wall and Italian gangster Ignacio Antinori who fought each other as for control of the numbers rackets in the Tampa area By the 1930s Ignacio Antinori and Charlie Wall were in a bloody war for ten years which would later be known as Era of Blood Wall s closest associate Evaristo Tito Rubio was shot on his porch on March 8 1938 Eddie Virella Tito s former partner at the Lincoln Club was shot down by gunmen little more than a year before on 31 January 1937 The war ended in the 1940s with Ignacio Antinori being shot and killed with a sawed off shotgun 3 Later Italian mafiosi Santo Trafficante Sr and Santo Trafficante Jr also figured prominently in the Florida bolita games 4 Bolita was widely played in Miami in the middle of the 20th century 5 The game has been illegal in Cuba since the Cuban Revolution but a form of the game based on the results of the Florida Lottery is still played by many Cubans 6 When played on money bets it is also illegal in Puerto Rico 7 See also editFlorida Lottery Jogo do Bicho Numbers gameReferences edit Taylor T Nelson 2011 Bolita Tampa Florida T Nelson Taylor Books p 438 ISBN 0 6155 2738 8 Kerstein Robert 2001 Politics and Growth in 20th Century Tampa University Press of Florida ISBN 0 8130 2083 2 Charlie Wall Archived October 19 2009 at the Wayback Machine Hazen Kendra October 1 2014 Episode 30 Bolita A History of Central Florida Podcast Retrieved January 30 2016 Barneby Faith High 1971 Integrity Is the Issue Campaign Life with Robert King High Miami E A Seemann Publishing Inc Pp 31 2 Glasgow Kathy 19 December 2002 Bolita in Havana Miami New Times News Arrestan a dos en Ponce por juego ilegal de bolita La Perla del Sur Ponce Puerto Rico 18 August 2016 Retrieved 5 December 2018 External links editBolitaCuba com official site The Mob Creative Loafing Tampa Gotti arrest recalls Fla mob history Bolita CineCapture Press Charada Cubana o la Bolita los numeros de la suerte ocultan un significado en CiberCuba Bolita at A History of Central Florida Podcast Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bolita amp oldid 1215673900, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
