Hey, everyone. Last week was Labor Day in America, or what many call the unofficial end of summer. New York City held the first Labor Day parade and the state of Oregon was the first to make it an official holiday in 1887. In 1894, it became a Federal Holiday.
With the holiday, I decided to hold this month’s Mystery Monday post to this week. And since we just celebrated Labor Day, why not write about the mysterious disappearance of labor leader Jimmy Hoffa?
James Riddle Hoffa was born in Brazil, Indiana on February 14, 1913. He became a union activist at an early age. By the time he was in his mid-twenties, he was a regional figure with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT). Hoffa became the national vice-president in 1952 and then served as general president from 1957-1971.
Hoffa also became involved in organized crime during his work with the Teamsters. In 1964, he was convicted of jury tampering, attempted bribery, and fraud. He went to prison in 1967 to begin a thirteen-year sentence.
In 1971, he resigned as president of the Teamsters as part of a pardon agreement with President Richard Nixon. He was released that year with a stipulation he would not engage in union activities until 1980.
On July 30, 1975, he disappeared in Oakland County, Michigan. Hoffa is presumed dead, but his body has never been found. On July 30, 1982, he was declared legally dead.
The identity of his killers and the location of his body is an ongoing mystery. Police and anthropologists have searched several sites in Detroit and Oakland County but haven’t found any evidence.
A popular theory that surfaced years ago was that Hoffa’s body was buried beneath Giant Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This has since been debunked.
Richard “The Iceman” Kuklinski was a hitman who claimed to have killed Hoffa and “dumped his body in a scrapyard.” His confession was the subject of a book by Philip Carlo, who visited the confessed killer in prison. Kuklinski died in 2006. After Carlo’s book was released, several police officials cast doubt on the confession in media interviews.
The life of Jimmy Hoffa was depicted in the 1992 movie Hoffa, directed by Danny DeVito, and starring Jack Nicholson in the title role. Over forty-six years have passed since Hoffa’s disappearance. At this stage, it is unlikely that anyone will locate his remains. But who knows? Stranger things have happened.
Joan Hall 
I didn’t give credence to the Giant’s stadium theory either. But it would be interesting to know what happened. I doubt we will ever know.
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Someone knows, but it’s unlikely they’re still alive. It is an interesting mystery.
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Like Jack the Ripper, Jimmy Hoffa’s case is still intriguing. Someone was really motivated to make him disappear. Makes you wonder why.
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It is intriguing, Judi. Someone didn’t want him around, that’s for sure.
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I spent my Freshman year living across the hall from young Jimmy Hoffa. He was the nicest, kindest guy on our floor.
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How cool, John!
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😁
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I’ve always wondered what happened there. In college we used to refer to the cafeteria hot dogs as Jimmy Hoffas.
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Did the hot dogs disappear? LOL. I agree. Hoffa’s disappearance has always intrigued me.
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We made them disappear. It was the only edible food there unless you went early enough for eggs.
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That’s always been a puzzle that fascinated me. I suspected the Giants Stadium rumor was true, but red herrings are interesting because they lead you down the wrong path. Great post, Joan.
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I always thought it would be cool if they did find the body there. Burial at the 50-yard line? It is a perplexing mystery.
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Perplexing for sure! This is a mystery that probably will never be solved. Excellent post, Joan.
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After all these years, it is doubtful we’ll ever know. I guess part of the intrigue is not knowing.
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A mystery that I don’t think will ever be solved. I remember lots of folks thought he disappeared and took on another identity. The only people who truly know what happened to Jimmy Hoffa are long in the grave. Great Mystery Monday topic, Joan!
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I agree. Doubtful we’ll ever know. And you’re right. The ones who do are no longer among the living.
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I remember the Giant Stadium theory, but what I remember most about Hoffa is the long, hateful feud he had with JFK and most especially RFK–Bobby relentlessly going after him when he was Attorney General.
This is one of those mysteries that we’ll probably never learn the truth, but it would be amazing if Hoffa’s remains were suddenly found. Great choice for a Mystery Monday, Joan!
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I’d forgotten about that. RFK didn’t pull any punches with Hoffa (and a lot of others). And certainly, someone didn’t want him to become president, which I believe he would have had he lived.
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I believe he would have too, Joan.
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I remember that theory about him being buried under the Giants stadium and actually thought that would be a great place to hide a body, lol.
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I thought so too, Teri! Interesting premise for a story. 😉
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A case of rest in pieces perhaps!
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One would hope so!
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Apparently, I can’t read. I read “rest in peace,” not rest in pieces. I’m really not a macabre person.
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