Boss Tom

Call him what you want: Boss Tom, Goat Man, Puppet Master, Bad-to-tha-Bone Mob Man, Superintendent of the Streets, TJ or Pendergast, but Thomas Pendergast is our Original Gangsta who, through whatever means possible, brought to Kansas City vibrancy, life and a damn good time during Prohibition. Tom Pendergast was born on July 22, 1873 in St. Joseph, Mo. He moved to Kansas City and worked at his brother’s tavern in the West Bottoms in the 1890s. He succeeded his brother in 1910 and took total control of Jackson County. Without Boss Tom, we wouldn’t be the city we are today. In William Reddig’s notable Tom’s Town, Pendergast is described as follows: “a blue-eyed, light-haired heavyweight who stood five-feet-nine inches, weighed in around two hundred pounds and exuded energy from every pore. His head was planted on a short, thick neck, which had the rugged look of an oak tree trunk. The impression of hugeness about him was emphasized by his face. It was a massive face—great jaw, large mouth and nose. He looked both formidable and engaging, for there was a humorous glint in his eyes, a jaunty air in his bearing, and a sentimental quality in his expression along with the dominating impression of savage power. The total effect made him one of the most arresting figures ever observed in Kansas City. He drew attention wherever he went and men remembered him from one look.”