John T. Scalish (September 18, 1912 – May 26, 1976), also known as "John Scalise", was an Ohio mobster who became the boss of the Cleveland crime family. His death resulted in the ascension of James T. Licavoli to the head of the Cleveland Mob and to a bloody gang war that would essentially destroy the once-powerful crime family that Scalish had helped to develop.
In 1944, Scalish succeeded Alfred Polizzi as head of the Cleveland family upon his retirement to Florida. Scalish would remain boss for the next 32 years. Scalish attended the infamous Apalachin Meeting in 1957 in Upstate New York.[1] During Scalish's tenure as the boss, the Cleveland family lived up its golden years.[2]
Scalish was involved in Casino skimming in Las Vegas, Nevada, shaking down Casinos such as the Stardust and Desert Inn along with other crime bosses from across the United States. Scalish oversaw the Cleveland family's aggressive move into Las Vegas and California, with Moe Dalitz taking over the failing Desert Inn from Bugsy Siegel.
Dalitz also led the development of other casinos, a major hospital, and other Las Vegas projects, many of which were financed by the mob-controlled Teamsters union. Scalish was a very powerful and respected mob boss and commanded underlings who controlled gambling, loansharking, and large-scale union corruption. His rap sheet dated back to 1930 and included arrests for burglary and robbery.
Scalish was also a powerful labor racketeer in Cleveland. During Scalish's reign as boss, Cleveland mobsters had much control over the Teamsters union. By the 1950s, the Cleveland Mob reached its peak, with 60 made members, and many more associates, according to the FBI. By the 1970s, however, the family's membership began to decrease, because Scalish didn't induct many new members.[2]
Scalish brought the Cleveland crime family a lengthy period of stability and maintained violence at a minimum, concentrating more on expanding the family's influence and fortunes than gaining a reputation for fear and unnecessary violence. He forged ties between Italian and Jewish underworld forces during his reign to make substantial amounts of illicit money.[3]
He also knew many prominent local politicians and judges on a first-name basis, which helped the crime family to stay under the radar for many years. Scalish once sat in on The Commission, the governing body in charge of allocating territories and settling disputes among Mafia families across the nation.[4] Scalish was boss of the Cleveland mob for 32 years, by far the longest-reigning boss in the history of the Cleveland family. During his time as the crime family's leader, the group also developed ties with important crime figures like Shondor Birns, Meyer Lansky, and Tony Accardo. The family also became allies of the extremely powerful Chicago Outfit and Genovese crime family.[3]
On May 26, 1976, John Scalish died during heart surgery at Lakeside Hospital in Cleveland.[5] He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland.[6]
A full-scale gang war for control of the Cleveland rackets broke out after his death between James T. Licavoli, Scalish's successor, and Irish mob boss Danny Greene.[3]
^ ab[z&sig=08lRZ5V9JVzdla88yamNdkeg8JY&hl=it&sa=X&ei=vVlqU9mLA6yv7Abel4GwBA&ved=0CG0Q6AEwDDgK#v=onepage&q=john%20scalish%20leadership&f=false The Rise of the Mafia], Martin Short
Neff, James. Mobbed Up: Jackie Presser's High-Wire Life in the Teamsters, the Mafia, and the FBI. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1989. ISBN978-0-87113-344-1
Turner, William W. Hoover's FBI. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 1993. ISBN978-1-56025-063-0
External links
New York Times: F.B.I. Official Cites Depletion Of Crime Leaders in Cleveland
john, scalish, september, 1912, 1976, also, known, john, scalise, ohio, mobster, became, boss, cleveland, crime, family, death, resulted, ascension, james, licavoli, head, cleveland, bloody, gang, that, would, essentially, destroy, once, powerful, crime, famil. John T Scalish September 18 1912 May 26 1976 also known as John Scalise was an Ohio mobster who became the boss of the Cleveland crime family His death resulted in the ascension of James T Licavoli to the head of the Cleveland Mob and to a bloody gang war that would essentially destroy the once powerful crime family that Scalish had helped to develop John Scalish in the early 1970s Contents 1 Biography 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksBiography EditBorn in 1912 Scalish was the brother in law of Cleveland crime family boss Angelo Lonardo and Cleveland mob associate Milton Rockman In 1944 Scalish succeeded Alfred Polizzi as head of the Cleveland family upon his retirement to Florida Scalish would remain boss for the next 32 years Scalish attended the infamous Apalachin Meeting in 1957 in Upstate New York 1 During Scalish s tenure as the boss the Cleveland family lived up its golden years 2 Scalish was involved in Casino skimming in Las Vegas Nevada shaking down Casinos such as the Stardust and Desert Inn along with other crime bosses from across the United States Scalish oversaw the Cleveland family s aggressive move into Las Vegas and California with Moe Dalitz taking over the failing Desert Inn from Bugsy Siegel Dalitz also led the development of other casinos a major hospital and other Las Vegas projects many of which were financed by the mob controlled Teamsters union Scalish was a very powerful and respected mob boss and commanded underlings who controlled gambling loansharking and large scale union corruption His rap sheet dated back to 1930 and included arrests for burglary and robbery Scalish was also a powerful labor racketeer in Cleveland During Scalish s reign as boss Cleveland mobsters had much control over the Teamsters union By the 1950s the Cleveland Mob reached its peak with 60 made members and many more associates according to the FBI By the 1970s however the family s membership began to decrease because Scalish didn t induct many new members 2 Scalish brought the Cleveland crime family a lengthy period of stability and maintained violence at a minimum concentrating more on expanding the family s influence and fortunes than gaining a reputation for fear and unnecessary violence He forged ties between Italian and Jewish underworld forces during his reign to make substantial amounts of illicit money 3 He also knew many prominent local politicians and judges on a first name basis which helped the crime family to stay under the radar for many years Scalish once sat in on The Commission the governing body in charge of allocating territories and settling disputes among Mafia families across the nation 4 Scalish was boss of the Cleveland mob for 32 years by far the longest reigning boss in the history of the Cleveland family During his time as the crime family s leader the group also developed ties with important crime figures like Shondor Birns Meyer Lansky and Tony Accardo The family also became allies of the extremely powerful Chicago Outfit and Genovese crime family 3 On May 26 1976 John Scalish died during heart surgery at Lakeside Hospital in Cleveland 5 He was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cleveland 6 A full scale gang war for control of the Cleveland rackets broke out after his death between James T Licavoli Scalish s successor and Irish mob boss Danny Greene 3 References Edit The Mafia at Apalachin Michael Newton a b z amp sig 08lRZ5V9JVzdla88yamNdkeg8JY amp hl it amp sa X amp ei vVlqU9mLA6yv7Abel4GwBA amp ved 0CG0Q6AEwDDgK v onepage amp q john 20scalish 20leadership amp f false The Rise of the Mafia Martin Short a b c 1 Cleveland Magazine August 1978 F B I Official Cites Depletion Of Crime Leaders in Cleveland New York Times January 13 1985 John T Scalish Dies Was Crime Figure Here The Plain Dealer May 27 1976 p C2 Death Notices The Plain Dealer May 27 1976 p C2 Sifakis Carl The Mafia Encyclopedia New York Da Capo Press 2005 ISBN 978 0 8160 5694 1 The Life and Hard Times of the Cleveland Mafia Cleveland Magazine August 1 1978 Further reading EditDavis John H Mafia Dynasty The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family New York HarperCollins 1993 ISBN 978 0 06 016357 0 Messick Hank Lansky London Robert Hale amp Company 1973 ISBN 978 0 7091 3966 9 Moldea Dan E The Hoffa Wars New York Charter Books 1978 ISBN 978 0 441 34010 1 Neff James Mobbed Up Jackie Presser s High Wire Life in the Teamsters the Mafia and the FBI New York Atlantic Monthly Press 1989 ISBN 978 0 87113 344 1 Turner William W Hoover s FBI New York Thunder s Mouth Press 1993 ISBN 978 1 56025 063 0External links EditNew York Times F B I Official Cites Depletion Of Crime Leaders in Cleveland The American Mafia Crime Bosses of ClevelandBusiness positionsPreceded byAlfred Polizzi Cleveland crime familyBoss1945 1976 Succeeded byJames Licavoli Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John T Scalish amp oldid 1145211538, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
