Benny Trotta one of Baltimore’s “top hoodlums”

Benjamin “Benny Trotta” Magliano (1913-1971) was allegedly a member of the Baltimore faction of the Gambino Crime Family. Magliano was born on July 08, 1913, in Pueblo, Colorado to parents Rosaria Trotta (1894-1964) and Nicola Magliano (1893-1961) both born in Italy. According to newspaper articles, it stated that Benny started boxing when he was 16, first as a welterweight and then as a middleweight. He compiled a 17-and-3 record but a car accident cut short his career three years after he began. He then became a trainer, manager, and then a promoter. Magliano was known to promoted numerous boxing shows in Baltimore, Maryland managing several fighters which included Lou Transparent, Holly Mims, Jimmy McAllister, Young Raspi, and Pete Galiano. He had great success as a promoter. On August 15, 1951, he promoted the largest fight crowd ever in Baltimore as 18,215 fans watched Joe Louis and Jimmy Bivins at Memorial Stadium. Magliano is believed to have been a friend of Rocky Marciano. Some sources stated that Magliano took orders from New York’s Frankie Carbo who was a made member of the Lucchese crime family and was also close to Sam Zannino who was also a fight promoter and was Magliano’s partner before his 1952 murder, which Magliano was suspected of being involved with. A short, stocky man, Benny often was accused of having underworld connections which led to the suspension of his promoter license in 1955 and were jailed twice. In 1948, he was convicted of draft dodging and in 1963 of bookmaking. Since 1960, he and his younger brother August “Nick Trotta” Magliano (1917-1998) both manage the Club Troc on The Block. Magliano was a “Constant Companion” of Baltimore Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro Jr and may have ties to organized crime figure Frank “Blinky” Palermo (1905-1996). Benny also ran a booking agency. Magliano died on July 25, 1971, in Baltimore, MD, and is buried at the Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery which is located in Baltimore City, Maryland.