I'm sorry Friend of Henry, I am not online during the weekends, the old lady told me I couldn't demoralize her if I was online Saturdays and Sundays, so I chose to close up shop during my weekends

Sure, I recognize your avatar. I used to see Henry every Thursday (well most of them anyways) in the late 1980's into the early 1990's when he would stop by a longtime Steubenville restaurant called Capri Sausage and Meatball, referred to as Capri's. It's been a staple in Steubenville for well over 35 years and the tavern was always known to have action. One of Jack DeSarro's guys ran the joint, longtime bookmaker and numbers operator. Other than Jack, he had the largest book in the area. I'd rather not mention his name because I know his son has been on these sites before.

I remember the trial in Youngstown, DeSarro was indicted back in the 1990's as well with Cyrak for promoting illegal gambling and operating an illegal numbers lottery. I never met Mr. Lenine Strollo but I did know his brother Danny from Campbell, my niece is married to the gentleman who lives next door to Danny. Danny was always the gentleman, I couldn't say a bad word about the guy. Plus, my niece's husband works alot of nights out at GM so having Danny next door certainly makes my niece feel safe, even if he is around 85/86.

Prato I remember very well, my wife and I used to eat at the Calla Mar a few times a month in the mid 1980's and have been to many weddings there. He had an uncle or a cousin that was said to be "the man" in Youngstown for many years. I believe his name was Dom or Don. He was tight with our two local guys, Jimmy Tripodi and Cosmo Quattrone. All the Calabrians stuck together in those days. I remeber very well when Tripodi was 87 years old and his wife had died and he took his .38 and put a bullet in his mouth either around Christmas day or just before Christmas day out in his garage in 1987. I lived 5 houses down from the Tripodi's. He was close with Tony Pep from Pittsburgh and to the Milano's in Cleveland.

I did not know Bernie but I knew Ernie, everybody knew Ernie. He was an affable guy but always went overboard with the booze. I knew his daughter back in the early 1990's very well, I met her up in Youngstown at a campus bar called Pal Joey's. She was a hot ticket back in those days but I haven't seen her in probably 20 years at least. Very classy as well if my memory serves me correct, she certainly knew how to refuse any advances.

Speaking of Garono, I know a guy that is referred to as Big Gary, he had a beef with Garono back in the mid 1990's and we were shooting dice at the Greek Coffee House in Youngstown, Big Gary worked there from time to time. Garono came in that night to collect the halfway take and an argument ensued behind closed doors...needless to say, when Garono came walking out, he was white as a ghost. One of the guys told Garono that if he wasn't Mr. Strollo's sidekick, Big Gary would have torn you part limb for limb. Garono had an answer for everything.

Out of curiosity, do you know anybody in Niles? Malvasi ring a bell? I miss the old man, he was a class act. My wife is from Niles, so I've listened to the stories my father in law would tell me about Niles, big gambling town I'm told. The only reason I knew Malvasi was because of the restaurant. My father in law used to play cards and eat great food in the back room with Malvasi and a few others. I remember they had very good hot peppers in oil and excellent Veal Scallopini.