| As former FBI undercover agent Joe Pistone says: | | | | because he was cross-eyed.o Jimmy "Little Guy" Ida, |
| "Say what you want about wiseguys, they got the | | | | a consigliere with the Genovese family, got his name |
| best nicknames in the business." Pistone should know. | | | | from his pint sized stature. But that didn't make him |
| Posing as a jewel thief called Donnie Brasco he | | | | any less nasty. He was sentenced to life for murder |
| infiltrated the Bonanno crime family, later telling of his | | | | in 1998.o Sam "Wings" Carlisi got his nickname from |
| exploits in a best selling book that was later turned | | | | being a courier for the Chicago mob and constantly |
| into a movie. Not only is no self respecting wiseguy | | | | flying around the country. Tied to two underworld |
| without a nickname, but the nickname itself can | | | | hits, he died in jail of a heart attack in 1997 where he |
| make or break a reputation. I've complied a list of | | | | was serving a 13-year sentence for racketeering, loan |
| some of the better ones, along with how they were | | | | sharking and arson.o Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo, a |
| gained:o John "No Nose" DiFronzo, a Chicago mobster, | | | | member of the Chicago mob, was given his name by |
| got his name after having his nose disfigured in a | | | | none other than Al Capone after smashing the skulls |
| shootout with police during a robbery in 1949. Now | | | | of two men with a baseball bat (a similar incident was |
| reputedly running the Chicago mob. | | | | featured in the movie "The Untouchables"). "This guy |
| Louis "Louie Ha Ha" Attanasio, a Bonanno crime family | | | | is a real Joe Batters," Capone said afterwards and |
| member, got his name because he was always | | | | the name stuck. Accardo, one of Capone's |
| happy and laughing. The smile was taken off his face | | | | bodyguards, took part in the infamous St Valentine's |
| last month when he was sentenced to 15 years | | | | Day massacre. He outlived many of his friends and |
| behind bars after pleading guilty to murdering another | | | | enemies, taking over the Chicago mob in 1972, |
| mobster.o Philip "Chicken Man" Testa was head of | | | | before dying in 1992.o Salvatore "Pizza Guy" |
| the Philadelphia mob until be was blown up by a | | | | DeLaurentis got his name from the pizza restaurant |
| bomb planted under his house in 1981. He got his | | | | he owned. Also known as "Solly D", he was an |
| nickname from an earlier involvement in a business | | | | enforcer for the Chicago mob and head of the |
| that raised chickens. His death inspired Bruce | | | | Ferriola Street Crew. He was convicted in 1993 of |
| Springsteen's song Atlantic City, which opens with | | | | conspiracy to murder and racketeering.o Jailed |
| the lines "Well they blew up the chicken man in Philly | | | | Chicago mob boss Joey "The Clown" Lombardo got |
| last night/Now they blew up his house too",o Harry | | | | his nickname from clowning around, including hiding |
| "the Hunchback" Riccobene took over the Philadelphia | | | | behind a newspaper mask while walking through a |
| mob after the murder of Philip "Chicken Man" Testa. | | | | courthouse and leading fellow mobsters up a |
| Also known as "Harry the Hump", he got his | | | | construction ladder to evade news crews. He was |
| nickname from a birth defect that left him with a | | | | arrested earlier this year in connection with 18 |
| deformed spine. But no-one ever called him | | | | murders. His cousin, Joseph "the Builder" Andriacci, is |
| "Hunchback" or "Hump" to his face. Riccobene was at | | | | allegedly the boss of Chicago's North Side Crew. |
| the centre of the Philadelphia mob war that raged | | | | As Joe Pistone says, once a mobster gets a |
| through the early 1980s. He was jailed for murder in | | | | nickname it stays for life. "Everybody has a nickname. |
| 1984.o Venero "Benny Eggs" Mangano, an underboss | | | | It might be something you get as a kid or later on. |
| in the Genovese family, got his nickname from | | | | And once you get a nickname, you can't get rid of it. |
| stealing eggs as a kid in the east village area of lower | | | | "You can know a guy for 10 years and you'd never |
| Manhattan where he grew up.o Philip "Benny Squint" | | | | know his last name. Nobody would ever introduce |
| Lombardo. An underboss in the Gambino family, he | | | | someone with their last name and nobody would |
| was listed as the 26th richest crime boss in the US | | | | ever ask. |
| by Fortune magazine in 1986. He got his nickname | | | | |