EPISODE · Sep 7, 2026 · 12 MIN
Babe Ruth, Ballparks & The Rise of Organized Crime Sports Betting
from A History of the American Mafia Podcast: Organized Crime, Mob Families, Bosses, Gangsters, Prohibition, Criminal Trials, and the Rise of La Cosa Nostra · host Podily & Josh Linsk
We explore the hidden world of baseball betting during Babe Ruth's hey‑day era—how New York and Chicago ballparks became hotbeds for informal bookmaking, how early mob figures lobbied for protective ties with teams, and why this laid groundwork for the Mafia’s later sports‑betting empire. From back‑room chalking to league attempts to curb corruption, we unpack documented cases and explain what evidence actually shows about organized‑crime influence at the turn of the century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Babe Ruth, Ballparks & The Rise of Organized Crime Sports Betting
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