10 Odd Facts About Alcatraz
It was the Cadillac of penal institutions.
Perhaps the most famous of all American penal institutions, Alcatraz is now a tourist destination. It’s easier to get into now than it used to be. In past sometimes guys had to kill somebody to get in. So, what was the big attraction? Here we go with the Top Ten Little Known Things about Alcatraz:
10: They had a great band. One group that had a steady gig on The Rock was the Rock Islanders. The key member in the band was their banjo player, Al Capone. The band was playing classic rock before classic rock existed. Their fame was limited because they were limited to being a big house band, which limited travel.
9: It had an effective communication system. Actually, some prisoners would drain the water from their commode and use the sewer pipes as a way to communicate. Talk about talking, well, you know.
8: Overcrowding wasn’t an issue. The facility had a capacity of 336, but generally housed only 260–275 guests/prisoners. A man could spread out in his 5x9 cell without having to worry about sharing his space.
7: Killing the umpire was a real possibility. The guys on the rock liked to play softball. On occasion, a brawl would break out during a game, and makeshift knives would emerge. You can’t beat fun at the old ballgame!
