Oscar couldn’t say ‘no’ to Spilotro
Nobody wanted to get on Tony Spilotro's bad side during his Las Vegas reign of terror.
That apparently included the hitman's attorney, Oscar Goodman, and Moe Dalitz, the godfather of Las Vegas during the mob years.
The former mayor made a confession Wednesday during his first "Inside Stories" event at the Mob Museum.
Asked by an audience member whether he knew Dalitz, Goodman said he only knew him from social gatherings and functions, not personally.
Goodman said Dalitz, a bootlegger and racketeer in the Midwest long before his years of considerable influence in Las Vegas, asked for a favor one day.
Spilotro had worn out his welcome as a Las Vegas Country Club member, and board members in 1983 voted to banish him. Dalitz, then in his 80s, was on the board.
According to Goodman, Dalitz, who had cast one of the deciding votes to ban Spilotro, turned to Goodman for a favor.
"He was like E.F. Hutton," Goodman said by telephone Thursday. "He didn't speak (a lot), but when he did, you listened. He sat there very regally."
Dalitz asked him to be an emissary and deliver the news to the hot-tempered Spilotro.
"My answer was clear, and it was 'no,' " Goodman told me.
According to the book "The Las Vegas Country Club: Chronicle of an Icon," Dalitz took care of it.
Goodman's next "Inside Stories" is from 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the museum. His debut was a hit. About 300 jammed the former federal courtroom where Dalitz was grilled on Nov. 15, 1950, by U.S. Sen. Estes Kefauver, D-Tenn., and his Senate Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce. Later, Goodman defended some colorful characters there.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
It was announced Thursday that CBS Sports Radio will launch a 24-7 network Jan. 2 that will include a Las Vegas affiliate on what now is KYDZ-AM, 1140, a format for kids. It was KSFN before the format change in March 2009.
SIGHTINGS
Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, at "KA" (MGM Grand) on Wednesday. ... At La Cave (Wynn) on Wednesday after the NHL Awards show: "NHL Tonight" host Barry Melrose; Dan Bylsma, the Pittsburgh Penguins' head coach; Michel Therrien, head coach of the Montreal Canadiens; Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, winner of the NHL's rookie of the year award; Ottawa Senators star Erik Karlsson, the Norris Trophy winner for best defenseman; and St. Louis Blues goalie Brian Elliott, who won the William M. Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed in a season. At Surrender (Encore) on Wednesday: "Modern Family" star Eric Stonestreet, NHL legend Mark Messier, actors Matthew Perry and Kevin Connolly, "Dancing With the Stars" pro Cheryl Burke, and NHLers Brendan Shanahan, Anson Carter, Pekke Rinne of the Nashville Predators, New York Rangers standout Henrik Lundqvist, who won the Vezina Trophy for best goalie, Adam Henrique of the New Jersey Devils and Daniel Alfredsson of the Ottawa Senators. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay, dining with friends Wednesday at Joe's Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars). At Terry Fator's show (Mirage) on Wednesday: Season 2 "America's Got Talent" contender Robert Hatcher, who competed the year Fator won.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Yesterday it was reported that the U.S. Navy recovered 19 tons of marijuana that had been dumped into the ocean. And then two hours later, the Navy invaded Taco Bell." - Conan O'Brien
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
