Luke Capuano

Supporting contributor: Vince Romano

The following are some of the early boyhood memories of one of our Taylor Street bred figures.   Luke Capuano became a professional fighter and climaxed his career with two memorable fights with Mike Rossman, former light heavyweight champion of the world.   A hotly disputed split decision over Luke kept alive Rossman’s hopes of regaining his light heavyweight title.  Luke’s career as a professional fist fighter included an exhibition with Cassius Clay, also know as Muhammad Ali.

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By Vince Romano

Collaborator:  Johnnie Parise

September 2006

The historic significance of the Dante School yard dates back to the turn of the century and then some. It shares center stage with the Jane Addams Hull House (circa 1889), Halsted Street, Greek Town, Maxwell Street, and Cinder Stadium. While one could make a sociological, philosophical or political connection that extends as far back as Dante Alighieri’s literary works, we will confine our story to the Italian American experience of growing up in the legendary Chicago’s Taylor Street neighborhood.

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