Futabayama Sadaji
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Birth name | Akiyoshi Sadaji | |
| Date of birth | February 9, 1912 | |
| Place of birth | Usa, Oita, Japan | |
| Date of death | December 16, 1968 (aged 56) | |
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 101⁄2 in) | |
| Weight | 128 kg (280 lb/20.2 st) | |
| Career* | ||
| Heya | Tatsunami | |
| Record | 345-113-33 (1 draw) | |
| Debut | March 1927 | |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (May 1937) | |
| Retired | November 1945 | |
| Yusho | 12 (Makuuchi) | |
| Gold stars | 1 | |
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* Career information is correct as of December 1968. |
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Futabayama Sadaji (双葉山 定次; February 9, 1912 - December 16, 1968), born as Akiyoshi Sadaji (龝吉 定次) in Oita Prefecture, Japan, was the 35th Yokozuna in sumo wrestling, from 1937 until 1945.
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[edit] Career
Born in Usa, he worked on fishing boats as young boy.[1]He joined professional sumo in March 1927 at the age of 15. He entered the top makuuchi division at the beginning of 1932. He was promoted from the middle of the second juryo division to maegashira 4, as many top division wrestlers had just gone on strike (the so called "Shunjuen Incident"), and the Sumo Association needed to fill the gaps in the ranks.[1] However, he soon proved himself worthy of the promotion, finishing as runner-up in his second top division tournament.
Futabayama is particularly remembered for achieving the longest run of consecutive victories in sumo bouts, with 69, a record that still stands today. This represents an unbeaten run which stretched over three years. In a sport where matches often last a few seconds, and a brief lapse in concentration can lead to a loss this is an exceptional achievement. It began in May 1936 at the rank of sekiwake. During this run he was promoted to ozeki and then yokozuna. He was finally defeated in January 1939 by maegashira Akinoumi (later a yokozuna himself).[1] He lost more to illness than to a superior opponent, as he was suffering from amoebic dysentery at the time.
Futabayama won a total of twelve tournament championships, during a period in which there were only two tournaments held each year. His total remained a record until the number of tournaments was increased to six a year in the 1950s. He would probably have won over thirty championships if this system had been in place during his career.[1]
Futabayama was noted for being exceptionally good at the initial phase of a sumo match, the tachi-ai. He is believed to have never made a false start.[1] Although he was not particularly large, he had excellent balance. One of his most feared techniques was uwatenage,[2] or outer arm throw (also a favourite of another great yokozuna, Chiyonofuji).
After his retirement Futabayama revealed he was actually blind in one eye, due to an injury suffered in his youth, making his achievements even more remarkable.[1]
Futabayama became head of Tokitsukaze stable in 1941 whilst still an active wrestler, formally assuming the toshiyori name of Tokitsukaze upon his retirement in November 1945. He remained in charge of the stable until his death in 1968. From 1957 he was also head of the Japan Sumo Association.
[edit] Top division record
*Two tables represent a change in the tournament system over the years
| Spring | March | Summer | October | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | West Maegashira #4 (5-3) | West Maegashira #4 (8-2) | East Maegashira #2 (6-5) | sat out due to injury |
| Spring | Summer | Autumn | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | East Maegashira #5 (9-2) | East Maegashira #2 (4-7) | no tournament held |
| 1934 | West Maegashira #4 (6-5) | West Maegashira #1 (6-5) | no tournament held |
| 1935 | East Komusubi (4-6-1draw) | East Maegashira #1 (4-7) | no tournament held |
| 1936 | East Maegashira #3 (9-2) ☆ | West Sekiwake (11-0) | no tournament held |
| 1937 | East Ōzeki (11-0) | East Ōzeki (13-0) | no tournament held |
| 1938 | West Yokozuna (13-0) | East Yokozuna (13-0) | no tournament held |
| 1939 | East Yokozuna (9-4) | East Yokozuna (15-0) | no tournament held |
| 1940 | East Yokozuna (14-1) | East Yokozuna (7-5-3) | no tournament held |
| 1941 | West Yokozuna (14-1) | West Yokozuna (13-2) | no tournament held |
| 1942 | East Yokozuna (14-1) | East Yokozuna (13-2) | no tournament held |
| 1943 | West Yokozuna (15-0) | East Yokozuna (15-0) | no tournament held |
| 1944 | East Yokozuna (11-4) | East Yokozuna (9-1) | East Yokozuna (4-3-3) |
| 1945 | no tournament held | West Yokozuna (1-0-6) | Retired |
- The wrestler's East/West designation, rank, and win/loss record are listed for each tournament.[3]
- A third figure in win-loss records represents matches sat-out during the tournament (usually due to injury)
| Green Box=Tournament Championship | ☆= Number of Gold Stars. |
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f Sharnoff, Lorna (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-x.
- ^ Futabayama, Sadaji | Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures
- ^ Futabayama Sadaji (English). sumo reference. Retrieved on 2007-06-04.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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