Speaking of Yonnie Licavoli, I read a book centered mostly on him and his main enemy - the local bootlegger Jack Kennedy, I find very strange they became so important at such an early age: Licavoli is said to have kicked Al Capone out of Detroit when he was just 23 and Kennedy was killed when he was 25 but nevertheless he was considered to be the only one able to do something about Licavoli's Italian mafia in Toledo. I have always thought that in mafia-like organizations one has to be of a certain age to be taken seriously, after all it's not like the modern street gangs in which you can see even 14-year-olds in charge (seriously, I once watched a Gangland episode about a Mexican Mafia (La Eme) leader who, when he was going to jail, put his 14-year-old brother in his place!)
I get what you mean, but in the old days, people had to grow up faster. For example, Joe Bonnano became boss of his family in the 1930's at the age of 27. More recent, 'Barney' Bellomo was inducted into the Genovese Family at age 20, and became a capo at the age of I think 26 (could be off by two or three years). For the Genoveses, that's extremely young. Another example is Frank Cali with the Gambinos. But these days, those are exceptions.
