At his peak, Gambino was the top boss. Sort of a first among equals. But that doesn't mean he was boss of bosses. There's really never been such a thing in the American LCN. The closest thing was Salvatore Riina in the Sicilian Mafia. And Gambino's influence of the other families has also been overhyped. He never controlled Tieri. And if Colombo was his puppet, why did Colombo ignore his wishes to step down from the Italian Civil Rights League?
Gambino was the top boss much like Joe Massino was the top boss in the late 1990's and early 2000's, i.e. the boss with the most seniority. But Massino being the top boss on the street didn't give him control over the other families or make the Bonannos the #1 family.
Well,Carlo Gambino was not that arrogant as saying he is the boss of bosses, but on the facts...You know there are things which are not supposed to exist or happen, but they do in the real fact, the point is that they will never admit. The same happens with decitions of Presidents in many countries or somes issues from United Nations. Sometimes(just not to say almost always)there are hidden interests involving politicians and high ranking business men, of course dont expect them to admit it, because the point is that you must not to be aware about some things. The same I think in my modest opinion, I may wrong, we know the Mafia doesn`t make an online update for us of their day by day operations. Lucky Luciano got rid of Maranzano, who was arrogant to call himself Boss of bosses. Then Lucky Luciano organized the Commision, he never called himself boss of bosses, but... He acted as one, so did Carlo Gambino.
Frank Tiere was believed to be a friend of Carlo Gambino. Jospeh Colombo leadership was supported by Carlo Gambino and Thomas Lucchese in return for warning about the Magliocco-Bonanno plot. So I don`t think you can be more than the boss who put you in charge. And yes, Colombo did not quit the Italian-american league, he was believe to be shot on Joey Gallo`s orders. But it was true Carlo Gambino hated publicity and was upset about it. And it is not a non-sense theory if Carlo Gambino managed to prepare the hit in the shadows.
About Joseph Massino, Massino was never even a quarter of a top boss Carlo Gambino was. Just not to say he became an informant. And the context is different, the law enforcement in the 70s was not as strong as it was in the 90s and 2000s.And most of the official bosses during Massino leadreship were in jail or next to be arrested, so the comparing among bosses who is the top boss over the others may not make sense. I have doubts about Massino being the Top Boss, remember why he was nicknamed as "The Last Don". In regular conditions "The Chin" Gigante should have been the Boss of bosses.
Of course, I am not saying "you are wrong I have the truth", it is just my conclusion after thinking about the matter.
