Giancanna was launched as a rising star in Chicago when he presented the bosses with the black policy operation on a platter. The mob had no inkling of the enormous profits of nickle and dime players till Momo had his coat pulled while jailed with one of the two brothers by blood who ran Chi-towns black numbers operation.

Once released Momo kidnapped the guy forcing him to turn over the operation to the outfit. The guy quit, left town, but the operation continued under the helm of another black who told the outfit to go screw. Bullets began flying. The black policy king vs the Italian outfit. At one point the head policy guy took out a made man sent to take him out. He was jailed for the killing, put in protective custody to thwart efforts by the outfit to take him out, then later released to continue the battle to keep the operation in black hands.

The black community lined up behind Teddy Roe, a robin-hood type figure, and symbol of black cohesion against the perceived encroachment by whites on all fronts.

Teddy Roe, who'd amassed a coterie of hardened black gunslingers in his war against the outfit, was ultimately gunned down himself entering his car, shortly after dismissing his gang and stepping out alone. It was later learned he'd contacted terminal cancer, and had little time left.

Momo was later caught on tape by the feds saying ni**er or no ni**er. He went out like a man. Bastard had balls. Shame to kill him.

Dutch Schultz took over the Harlem policy in much the same manner.

In black communities policy was viewed as more than a royal road to riches. There was almost a culture aspect that transcended the actual handoff of a few coins for the chance to escape a life of poverty and despair for one of indolence and ever flowing riches which drew the community together in a sort of communal dream which was lost once the outfit took control.

Yet strangely the odds were better under the new management, and you were less likely to be stiffed after a hit, a winning number.

Still the perception something was lost persisted many years among the old timers who were around to recall the good old days...

Don't know much about how things are now, whether policy is still an LCN concern with wagering being under state control, but thought I'd drop this on what it was some time back...