MappingTheMess: Tommy Sinito, another heart attack case

Lately, I've been sensitized to the occurrence of sudden and unexpected heart attacks in relation to Cleveland communities and mythologies, and now here comes another one, my southeast-suburb homeboy Tommy Sinito's in 1997. Read the whole excerpt in MapTheMess; for me, it's a new perspective, perhaps a rewrite of actual events, but with oral histories, it's all up for grabs anyway. Enjoy, and make sure to go for your heart screening every year. There might be something in the water around here.

Tommy "The Chinaman" Sinito, a made man in the Cleveland Mafia Family, remains an enigma. The Full extent of his criminal career and influence is shrouded in mystery. He played a large part in the Cleveland Mafia. Tommy Sinito rose from being an errand boy to the rank of made man under Mafia Boss Big Ange Lonardo.

Tommy Sinito caught Big Ange Lonardo’s attention when he tended bar in the early 1970s at the Highlander Restaurant and Lounge on Northfield Road..

Sinito remained a major influence in the Cleveland Mafia until his death from a heart attack in the exercise yard at the Belmont Correctional Institute in 1997. His rapid raise in Mafia ranks from errand boy to made man has created a plethora of stories about him. Most of these are nothing more than fantastic tales.

Click on the Blogger label "heartbreak" below to view my growing collection of those who may have cared too much or felt too strongly.

Archive: AmricanMafia.com: Carmen Zagaria and Tommy Sinito [Map the Mess]

Denison timeline

Talking about our heritage with d.a. levy and the upcoming show at Art House reminds me there's a good amount of activity swirling around 3117-3119 Denison lately.

Last Friday, August 10th, Steven Litt, the PD art & architecture critic, helped Art House executive director Sheryl Hoffman announce her move to SPACES Gallery. We're grateful to Sheryl for all she's done locally to promote the arts and the neighborhood, and for being a good neighbor over on Mack since she arrived here in the late '90s.

Then, this coming Monday, there's the section 106 review about the proposed treatment of the historic Wirth House, from which Art House originally derived its name and its mission. This second meeting of the consulting parties for the section 106 review will be held at the Cleveland Public Library's Brooklyn Branch at 3706 Pearl Road at 6 PM. The date this coming Monday is August 20th.

Then, on August 21st, Art House hosts a gala d. a. levy reprise, featuring the recently reprinted "UKANHAVYRFUCKINCITIBAK", which I was talking about in my prior post--So much happening--So little time.

leveraging a levyfest

Our friend George Nemeth over at Brewed Fresh Daily gave us the heads up on what's going on 10 blocks down the street a week from today. I've lived here since 1983 and promoted the area since 1979, and I never really knew that d.a. was a Denisonian. Here's some of what George sent us:

ukanhavyrfuckincitibak

Bottom Dog Press and Mac's Backs will co-host a reading at Art House to
celebrate the release of two new books related to d.a. levy., the poet who grew
up down the street on Denison in Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood. This
event features works from d.a. levy and the mimeograph revolution and the
tribute to levy ukanhavyrfuckincitibak as read by both books' editors
-- including former Clevelander Russell Salamon.

Check it out Tue 8/21 at 7PM.
3119 Denison Ave.,
Old Brooklyn.
http://www.arthouseinc.org/.


d.a. levy grew up in your
neighborhood?!
man. i'd organize an annual levyfest or something...

Fast Eddie of Bay meets The Minister of Culture

That's why they call it the great outdoors - cleveland.com -- Here's a great reprise of a great guy who's been on our radar for years: Ed. A force of nature.

We got to know him through his charming wife, who was our older girl's running coach back in the '90s. When rollerblades first came out, Ed was on them, as they were nothing more than summer skis. Read the whole thing, but here's an excerpt of some good work by The Minister of Culture:

It was like Outward Bound with whiskey.

I went fishing in northern Ontario with six guys, including our host Tim's 85-year-old-father, Fast Eddie. Eddie is what you call a young 85. He's a ski instructor. Even though one of my favorite movies is "Jeremiah Johnson," I'm as much of an outdoorsman as Woody Allen. So this was four days packed with first-time experiences. . . .

. . .We swam and fished. We boated and fished. Fast Eddie was a demon on the Jet Ski and had great stories. He flew planes in the war. He drank with Hemingway and Errol Flynn in Key West. He made us Manhattans. He invited us to his place in Ellicottville, N.Y., for a ski lesson this winter. We brought in pike, walleye, sunfish and largemouth bass. We ate fish every night. I caught one smallmouth bass . . .

. . . With any luck, we'll live long enough to be like Fast Eddie.