This thread has some more info on Count Dante:

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17817&highlight=count+dante

It was the black dragons that were the count's crew. I think that is mentioned earlier on in this thread, as is the "controversial" green dragon school in chicago. Both the black and green have identical names to organizations, past and present, in Asia, but have nothing to do with them. And it was Count Dante's foremost student who died in the dojo battle. The black dragon fighting society's website is incredibly pompous. It claims the count truly was the "deadliest man alive" and their forum is pretty much dedicated to slandering Ashida Kim - who apparently sometimes posts on it to defend himself. Kim, of course has claimed in the past that he is the leader of the black dragons, but we all know what kim is about -
Anyway, thanks for the help, all. PM me if you come up with any more good stuff!

-Hit coins 3 times before they hit the ground-
L M A O

It's a simple thing to do if you hit the coin from the bottom!!

Martial arts had a big influence on gangs as I have an article from the Chicago Tribune (1979) describing a rumble:
A 19-year-old reputed street gang member was charged early Sunday with a sword-cane murder of a rival gang member after a fight between the two gangs in a Rogers Park playground Friday night.
xxxxxxxxx was charged with murder of %%%%%%%%%%%%%%.

Police recovered a brown wooden cane containing a concealed 30-inch blade believed to be the murder weapon, said Belmont Area Homocide Sgt. *******.

CCCC, A REPUTED member of the White Howard Street Greasers gang, allegedly chased SSSSS, a member of the racially mixed Howard Street Latin Kings, from the a playground at 7631 N. Ashland Ave., where the two gangs were fighting.

In the ensuing tussle, the sword-cane was plunges through SSSSS's left side.

He said SSSSS's managed to get up and run home, but collapsed on the first-floor stairwell. He was dead on arrival at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston.


Not necessarily a martial artist, but a martial arts style weapon was used. It seemed like in the 1970s that gangs started to replace brass knuckles and other old school weapons with martial art movie weapons. I am not blaming Count Dante or any martial art's schools, but there was an influence as gang members wanted to be Bruce Lee, Billy Jack, etc..

Could it also be that they liked the Chinese style weapons? I have seen some interesting weapons come out of China that can easily be hidden. The cane as mentioned above. I have also seen belt swords made from spring steel.
Weren't the police cracking down hard on any gang members caught carrying any weapons like brass knuckles etc.? If so, gangsters would need to find weapons that weren't obvious enough to be called such. Either that or learn how to use themselves as a weapon.

You may be correct on that observation about the police and weapons. I do know the gang that I have contact with had some 60 plus sections - or sets - and you could find a lot of members from the 1970s who took the nickname of "Kato", etc...

When I get some actual articles I will post some of the information. There was an article about a Noble Knight (blackbelt) who killed a rival gang member with a knife hand to the throat outside a bar. The Noble Knight received probation of weekend public service for his offense.

You could study the gangs of Chicago for your masters degree, there is so many angles that would could go with it.

He is what a retired greaser had to say about why he started in the martial arts:

"The hype around Count Dante was one of the reasons I got involved in M.A., it was a big deal back then-not too many people had heard of anything about it. If you REALLY want to check out a badass old school martial artist, tho', do some reading about Mos Ayama!"

I found the Count Dante advertisement, so you to can teach yourself the Dante Dance, and be the baddest fighter alive:

http://www.toyadz.com/toyadz/karate/countdante.html

Information coming from the greaser pit stop in chicago:

"So, "Count Dante" an some of his boys raided a school in Waukegan, they went at it right out on Rt. 120, inna middle of the street...guys wit nunchuks, staffs, sticks, the works, then some fool starts wavin a sword-end of fight! I'm thinkin this was maybe '68 or '69. IT was a lot a this type of junk goin on back then, specially round C-Town."

Also it looks like the mob had a hit out on count Dante:

"there was a mob hit out for count dante.. read about it in the book When Corruption Was King"

So I hope that helps you out a bit with your research on the darkside of Martial Arts in chicago...