In the Godfather Garden: The Long Life and Times of Richie "the Boot" Boiardo

Timeline

191 December 8, 1890 Ruggiero Boiardo is born and placed in a Naples orphanage. He is adopted in 1896 by Maria Carmine Favarulo and Antonio Esposito of Marigliano , Italy, in the Province of Naples. December 18, 1901 Ruggiero emigrates to the United States with his parents and eventually lands in Chicago. 1906 Ruggiero relocates to Newark with his mother. January 8, 1912 Ruggiero marries Giovannina “Jennie” Manfro. August 1, 1913 Daughter Agnes is born. September 3, 1914 Ruggiero “Tony Boy” Boiardo Jr. is born. July 26, 1919 Daughter Mary is born. January 11, 1920 The Boot is charged with operating a gambling house and is fined $52.05. January 17, 1920 Date set by the Volstead Act for Prohibition, which banned the sale of alcohol, to begin. September 11, 1920 Daughter Carmenella is born. November 4, 1920 The Boot becomes an American citizen at the age of twenty-nine. August 8, 1921 Daughter Carmenella dies. January 12, 1922 The Boot is convicted and sentenced to twelve months of hard labor for manslaughter in the accidental killing of Antonio Romeo. T I M E L I N E 192 Timeline August 7, 1922 Daughter Rosina is born. 1924 The Boot’s mother dies. December 23, 1925 The Boot, Frank Mazzocchi, and Sam Angelo are arrested on a concealed-weapons charge; they are convicted and serve six months in Essex County Penitentiary. May 20, 1926 Daughter Phyllis is born. 1928–1931 Castellammarese War. This conflict for the control of organized crime involved the two major Italian American crime families of New York led by Salvatore Maranzano and Joe “the Boss” Masseria . The end of this war led to the creation of an organized syndicate of Italian and Jewish gang leaders. February 14, 1929 The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre takes place in Chicago. May 13, 1929 The Atlantic City conference of the nation’s top gang leaders convenes for the purposes of determining territorial boundaries and establishing a commission to resolve issues peacefully. December 4, 1929 Rival Mazzocchi gang member Joseph Rosso is killed by John “Big Pussy” Russo. May–December Some time during this period, Al Capone meets 1930 with the Boot and Longy Zwillman in an attempt to settle matters between them. May 6, 1930 Rival gang leader Frank Mazzocchi is shot and killed. October 5–6, 1930 The Boot/Zwillman peace banquet is held. November 26, 1930 The Boot is the victim of an assassination attempt. March 9, 1931 The Boot, who was tried and convicted of weapons possession, begins a 2 1/2-year prison sentence. October 23, 1935 Dutch Schultz and three associates are murdered in Newark. Timeline 193 1945 The Boot leaves Newark and moves his family to the Livingston estate. 1946 The Boot takes the oath of La Cosa Nostra and becomes a “made” member. October 22, 1946 The Boot’s wife, Jennie, dies at age fifty-three. April 30, 1950 The Boot’s son, Tony Boy, marries Catherine Porreca. October 4, 1951 Willie Moretti, a mob leader in Passaic and Bergen counties and Boot rival, is murdered. May 2, 1957 Frank Costello steps down from La Cosa Nostra and resigns as boss of the Luciano family.Vito Genovese takes over; the family becomes Genovese. November 10, 1957 The second largest mob meeting in the nation is held at the Boot’s Livingston estate. November 14, 1957 The Apalachin national mob meeting is held in upstate New York. 1958 The Boot turns over day-to-day operations to Tony Boy. April 4, 1959 Vito Genovese is convicted of drug conspiracy and sent to prison. Jerry Catena is named acting boss of the Genovese family. September 23, 1960 The Club Fremont shooting incident. The Boot comes out of retirement and takes back control of his crew. 1961 The FBI begins electronic eavesdropping of Sam the Plumber and Gyp DeCarlo. October 1963 Joseph Valachi testifies in a U.S. Senate committee hearing that the Mafia exists; names Jerry Catena a boss, the Boot a captain, and Tony Boy a soldier in the Genovese family. October 18, 1963 The Boot is called to testify at an Essex County grand jury hearing in response to Valachi’s revelations. July 13, 1966 Two teenagers are shot while trespassing on the Boot’s estate. 194 Timeline February 3, 1967 The Boot is arrested for running a $20 million gambling operation. September 1, 1967 Life magazine publishes...