Category Archives: Al Capone

The Fix Is In: Capone’s Rigged Roulette Wheel Rediscovered

Posted on August 16, 2017 by

    “$2,500,00 DAY SPENT ON OPEN GAMES IN CITY” declared a Chicago Tribune headline in 1928 in bold type, bemoaning the rising gambling epidemic within the city’s confines. “Chicagoans freely and openly indulge in all the pastimes of chance known to … Continue reading →

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One of Al Capone’s Letters Could Have Been Yours…If You Had $62,500!

Posted on October 5, 2016 by

How much would you pay for a three page handwritten letter by Al Capone? For one anonymous Chicago collector, the price was $62,500—over $10,000 more than expected. Given how rare it was for Al to write things, however, it’s hardly … Continue reading →

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Fact and Fiction in Episode One of AMC’s “The Making of the Mob: Chicago”

Posted on August 17, 2016 by

So a few days ago I finally had a chance to watch the first episode of AMC’s The Making of the Mob: Chicago. Since this year’s season is set in Chicago and follows Al Capone, I figured I’d start reviewing … Continue reading →

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How Al Capone Helped Invent the Modern Potato Chip

Posted on February 24, 2016 by

If you live in the Chicagoland area—or even just the greater Midwest—you’ve probably eaten Jay’s Potato Chips. What you might not know, however, is who is majorly responsible for them: Al Capone! Seriously. According to Jay Shefsky, host of WTTW’s … Continue reading →

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Update: Al Capone’s House Could be Yours!

Posted on February 5, 2016 by

Remember that post I wrote about Al Capone’s house last month? Well, as of today, February 5th, Al’s house is back on the market! For less than $200,000 ($179,000 to be exact), YOU could own an important piece of Chicago history—and … Continue reading →

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Home Sweet Home? Al Capone’s Family Home Goes Off-Market

Posted on January 27, 2016 by

7244 S. Prairie Ave., Al Capone’s family home in Chicago from 1923 to 1931, was taken off the real estate market on December 4th, 2015.  As of right now, it’s unclear if it’s been sold or foreclosed on—but this is hardly … Continue reading →

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January 25th: Al Capone Died Today, 69 Years Ago

Posted on January 25, 2016 by

On January 25th, 1947, Al Capone died in his Miami Beach home surrounded by family and friends. Rather than getting gunned down in the street, as he had feared, he passed away from stroke complications—probably aided and abetted by an advanced … Continue reading →

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Raise a Glass: Today is National Bootlegger’s Day…and Al’s Birthday, Too!

Posted on January 17, 2016 by

Thanks to the magic of Google Alerts I found out that today—January 17th—is none other than National Bootlegger’s Day. What’s National Bootlegger’s Day, you ask? Well, according to NationalDayCalendar, this day was created to celebrate bootleggers and their various attempts to … Continue reading →

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The Many Nicknames of Al Capone

Posted on November 11, 2015 by

Chicago Tribune reporter James O’Donnell Bennett named Capone quite a lot of things in his 1929 article about Chicago’s chief gangster. As Bennett says, he “…is Alphonse Capone, alias Al Brown. He is also called, by those who wish to speak respectfully … Continue reading →

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Epic Rap Battle Video! Al Capone Versus…?

Posted on July 29, 2015 by

Hey everybody! I’m going on vacation this week, so I thought I’d give you all something fun to watch instead of something to read. Ever seen Epic Rap Battles of History? If you’re not familiar with them, they’re a series … Continue reading →

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