North Philadelphia has had its share or
criminality and homicide. In 1960, West Norris Street's “Name of
the Game” dive bar was the scene of a double homicide. It closed
down later that year only to be reopened in the early 1970's. In 1983
another horrific crime became the basis for sightings of disturbed
spirits. It is said that local Joe Costano stormed into bar late one
night with his girlfriend, Maria Gallanti, held hostage at knife
point. As the story goes, she was having an affair with a man Costano believed to be at the bar. The unstable Constano threatened to cut her
throat if the man did not out himself as her secret lover. When no
one stepped forward to admit to the affair Costano cut his girlfriends throat gruesomely in front of everyone watching a the bar. Luckily someone in the bar had a gun on them and shot Costano in the
temple almost instantly after he cut her throat. To this day
people claim that you can still hear sounds of the altercation take
place within the since-close bar. Odd apparitions can also be seen
through windows or out front of the bar. No one knows if these ghosts
are from the Constano murders or deaths that have taken place there
previously. The location of the bar can be found at 1822 W. Norris
St. in Philadelphia.
