Were there a lot of Italians in that part of south bronx?
Not during my lifetime, Alex. But up until the '50s there were large pockets of Italians living in the South Bronx, especially around 149th Street. Then Lincoln Hospital came in and literally made many of them an offer they couldn't refuse. The buyouts from that hospital got many Italians out of poverty.
Off topic, Lincoln Hospital is widely considered to be a dump these days because of its location. But the truth is, they have one of the best trauma centers in the country. But sadly, that's only because they treat so many gunshot wounds. I wish that was a joke, but it's not.
