Jersey Boy: The Life and Mob Slaying of Frankie Depaula

by Adeyinka Makinde

FINALLY, THE TRUE STORY of the Mafia's execution of Jersey City legend Frankie DePaula can be -Was his world title bout with Bob Foster fixed by the Mob? -Did the Mob kill Pat Amato, his first manager, in order to pave the way for him to sign with their front man Gary Garafola? -How did he come to be involved in a notorious heist of $80,000 worth of electrolytic copper? -Was his dalliance with the step-daughter of a high-ranking mobster the reason for his shooting? -Or did the Mob kill him for giving up information on their involvement in the copper theft? Although Frankie appeared to some to be a true life exemplar of a character from Dead End; a wild and unreconstructed deviant headed for disaster, his life is set against the backdrop of the oftentimes dysfunctional environs of Jersey City, for long the seat of power of an administration dominated for decades by Mayoral potentate Frank Hague and maligned by the corruption of local politicians and the increasing influence of organized crime. PRAISE FOR JERSEY BOY "The author tells it like it was . . . Anyone who was around boxing in those days or has any knowledge of what the sport was like in the 1960s and early 1970s should read this book. It's worth every penny" -J. Russell Peltz, IBHOF inductee and noted Boxing Historian & Archivist "A brilliant biography . . . Makinde brings it all to life through meticulous research, painstaking chapter notes and a smooth, lyrical writing style" -Murray Greig, The Edmonton Sun "It's a cracking read" -Steve Bunce, BBC Radio London Boxing Hour Show "Makinde writes in elegant yet precise prose" -eastsideboxing.com "A book worthy of a Hollywood encore" -maxboxing.com

274 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2010

About the author

Adeyinka Makinde trained for the law. He is a contributor to various websites on topics such as boxing, history, music and culture. His first book, Dick Tiger: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal was published in 2005. His latest offering is Jersey Boy: The Life and Mob Slaying of Frankie DePaula which was released in 2010.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up in Jersey City and knew Di Paula indirectly. as akid, I spent time hanging around the pool hall, Billiard Time, mentioned in the book as a Di Paula hang out. I was also very familiar with his reputation as a ferocious street fighter and bully. I knew his story in broad strokes. I went to the garden with the JC crowd to see him fight Dick Tiger. What a night.

Makinde fleshes out Di Paula's story in a very real way, creating a tragic tale of what might have been that in every way rivals Terry Malloy's story in On The Waterfront. In fact, although separated by a few decades Malloy's story was Di Paula's story. Except Di Paula's story wasn't fiction and if anything is even more dramatic and tragic than Malloy's.

Makinde did a good job researching the book. I had heard before hand that there was some guy from England writing a book about Di Paula and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Its obvious that the author is not familiar with inner city culture during that time period or that he is a skilled writer but that made the book no less readable.

Its a story about what what the streets of a tough corrupt town can do to a soul. But for a few twists of fate Di Paula could have emerged a hero. There was no doubt that he was tough as they come, charismatic, even charming in a tough guy sort of way. He counted as good friends Joe Namath and other sports luminaries of the time, but yet couldn't escape the hold the mean streets had on him.

He makes Mickey Ward seem like a choir boy and Lowell Ma. appears bucolic compared to the mean streets of Jersey City where it seemed everybody was on the take and social status was measured by how much of a bad ass you were.

Here's a real American tragedy well worth the read.