No but they all knew each other from those days, the way guys from close by neighborhoods do. Nicky was a 12th/13th avenue guy when he was a teenager, which was a slightly different crowd. Post rampers they all hung out at Doc's bar though, it was on 62 st and 17th avenue. He was very close friends for many years with Stymie, until Stymie was killed.

Thanks i pm you..

Back in the '70s half of them were getting high off their own product. You'd be shocked at how fucked up some of them were. Especially if you knew which ones. Believe me when I tell you . [/quote]

You know who always looked like a dopehead from their mugshots? Joe Beck. That face....resembled a mummy with glasses.
As much shit as he moved I wouldn't doubt it.

Joe Beck made Carmine Galante look like Rock Hudson.

The year was 1991. Glory days for Bath Ave and the Bonnano family. They were selling crack to the neighborhood residents and using it behind closed doors. Paulie " brass" tommy reyonlds " techinical knockout" , " crazy joey" Calco, Fabrizio the " herder" and many others were the young guys in the neighborhood we all looked up to and wanted to become. We were a few years behind these guys and it looked like they had the world by the balls. Until crack reared its ugly head and it went from a Fri/Sat thing, to an everynight of the week thing. The superiors in the bononno family knew what the deal was,. but with the money rolling in, they dared not to upset the golden goose. Too bad bc i know paulie for one would have listened as getting made was the one thing he really wanted. Such wasted potential.

I think of wasted potential as more of 'he could have been a doctor or an engineer', not 'he was a killer, but he could have been a killer with a button'. Of course, YMMV.

I knew of plenty of made guys that use or used drugs,but having said that, back in the day it was not a (stick in you face ) thing ,it would be behind the scenes type thing . I would hang with guys for years before I knew that they do "blow" in the back room or the bathroom.
Heroin" here was a big no"down here, if anyone thought you did it you were outed and if Nick sr. herd or thought that his guys were doing it he or they were "done" and thinking back I can't recall any of the made guys doing it(well one ) and ,like I said if you were family or a associate you were outed .Just way to risky ,those "feens" will do and say anything for that drug.

Now NY guys they were around it more and used it more from what I herd and seen through the years.

I could say names and the drug they used but it is not necessary ,nor fair to the family's that are left holding the grief.

I have been told that usage is NOT something that is tolerated this day and age. At all. Ever.

Does it happen? I would assume so, however...even I have been advised not to use (which I haven't in 20 years so it's a moot point) and I am nowhere near them at this point. I think ideology is changing regarding using. Pizzaboy you mentioned the NY and I don't have the history or background with the East Coast.

Real wise guys never trusted the made guys who used drugs but if they were good earners they looked away..if they got pinched everyone panicked
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Great post....

Can you tell me any more about Tommy Reynolds...

I always heard that he was the best street fighter of the gang. He never ratted and is doing some major time.

Was he Italian. maybe his Mom?

TK seems to be the one we know the least about.

Thanks,

Sal