Joe Bagori, born in 1959, to second generation Italian American parents, in Providence Rhode Island. The Italian American community of Federal Hill was his home during his early years. It was there that Joe began his appreciation for extended family, religious values, and good food. It was during those formative years that Joe also got to experience the close knit community that populated Federal Hill. It wasn't unusual to know your neighbors and storekeepers and expect welcoming grins when venturing outside. It wasn't unusual for neighbors to call themselves, "Pizans", something similar to cousin, meaning they came from the province in Italy. Good food and a sense of belonging were not the only old world traditions that Federal Hill embraced. Federal Hill was the capital of New England Organized crime, and the gambling that went along with it. It is no surprise that our author found a way to beat the casinos.