Gangs, Mafia, & the Mob
Safely take a trip through the history of organized crime with this mafia themed trivia game. And remember, never rat on your friends.
15 questions · Published January 31, 2022
Trivia questions (5 of 15)
- Multiple Choice
1. Cosa Nostra, which translates to ___________ in Italian, was the name adopted by the Sicilian mafia in the United States.
The word mafia was first used in Sicily and is Arabic in origin.
Cosa Nostra, or Our Thing, is widely believed to refer specifically to American organized crime.
- Multiple Choice
2. Which popular game was actually prohibited in the U.S. for over thirty years because of ties to the New York City mafia?
Pinball was originally invented without flippers, making it more a game of chance rather than skill. New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia believed organized crime controlled a large segment of the industry and spearheaded the banning of the games in 1942.
Many other cities followed suit and the prohibition of pinball lasted until the mid 1970s.
- Multiple Choice
3. Which jazz pianist was kidnapped to serve as entertainment for Al Capone's 27th birthday party?
Kidnapped by members of Al Capone's gang to be a surprise for their bosses birthday, Fats Waller was reportedly paid $100 a song, fed expensive food, and played for three full days.
- Multiple Choice
4. The Yakuza, the organized crime syndicate in Japan, famously cuts off which body part for payment of debts or as punishment for various offenses?
The cutting of the pinky finger, or yubitsume in Japanese, is symbolic and dates back to Samurai culture. Severing the pinky weakens a warrior's grip on his sword, making him more prone to attack.
In recent years, many cartoons originating outside of Japan have been modified to add extra fingers to characters. As having only four fingers is too closely associated with criminals by much of Japan.
- Multiple Choice
5. 1990's "Goodfellas," often cited as one of the greatest mafia movies of all time, lost the Best Picture Oscar to which film?
NOT SO FUN FACT
"Goodfellas" loss to "Dances With Wolves" was the second time a Martin Scorsese movie lost to a film by an actor turned first time director. "Raging Bull" lost the Oscar in 1980 to Robert Redford's "Ordinary People."
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