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| 1992 deaths | |
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Anthony Joseph Accardo, '''aka''' '''"Joe Batters"''' and '''"Big Tuna"''' (born '''''Antonino Leonardo Accardo'''''), ( April 28 , 1906 - May 22 , 1992 ) was the boss of the Chicago Outfit from about 1945 until shortly before he died of natural causes. By keeping a low profile and allowing flashier figures such as Sam Giancana to attract attention, Accardo intermittently ran the Chicago outfit for much longer than Al Capone , yet remained virtually unknown to the general public. Paul Ricca once said that Accardo, "had more brains before breakfast than Capone had all day." A Chicago native, Accardo worked his way up through Al Capone 's gang, eventually becoming his bodyguard. It was during this time that Capone gave him the nickname "Joe Batters" due to his skill with a baseball bat. He later gained the nickname "Big Tuna." He is rumored to have been peripherally involved in the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre . In 1931 Capone was succeeded by Frank Nitti who was followed by Paul Ricca in 1943 . When Ricca went to prison in 1945 , Accardo ran the outfit for him, eventually becoming the boss himself. Under Accardo's leadership, the Chicago outfit enforced a strict street tax and expanded quickly, taking Las Vegas, Nevada away from the New York mob, and eventually controlling organized crime in most of the western United States . When the FBI began to investigate the Mob in Chicago , Accardo worked out a gentleman's agreement that neither side would target the other's family members. After about 1962, Accardo was the Outfit's '' Consigliere '' and played less of a role in the day to day affairs of the Outfit, however he was consulted about any major business and all assassinations were approved by him. Tony Accardo died in 1992 of heart problems. He never spent a night in jail. Accardo is portrayed in the movie Sugartime and is played by Maury Chaykin . SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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