Current Issue -- February 2005

Asashoryu Ties Legendary Mark

"Legendary" Yokozuna 
(10+ Yusho)

   
Asashoryu Ties Legendary Mark
“Mongolian Express” Matches Futabayama, Outdoes Taiho for Fastest Ten-Spot
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

Under most circumstances, any rikishi who won five of six yusho during a calendar year would be justified in considering that a hugely-successful year.  But when that rikishi is yokozuna-East ASASHORYU, he was no doubt burning inside with the thought that he let the 2004 Aki Basho get away from him, wrecking his chance to be the first man in modern sumo history to put together a pure “Grand Slam”.

But SHORYU refused to fall into a funk or get sidetracked:  he continued to train, focused his energies with renewed clarity, and came into the Hatsu Basho determined to pick up where he left off after his year-ending yusho in Fukuoka.  Twelve days into 2005’s first tournament he was the only man in the sekitori ranks with a zensho record:  since his closest Makunouchi pursuers had three losses, he had at least a tie for the title firmly in hand.  He clinched matters on day 13 with a yorikiri win over sekiwake-East WAKANOSATO while the pack dropped further back with four losses.  And even with the yusho in hand he didn’t let up for a nanosecond:  he took down sekiwake #1-West MIYABIYAMA and ozeki-West CHIYOTAIKAI on the final two days of the contest to rack up the third 15-0 record of his still-rising career.

SHORYU won his first yusho in November of 2002.  It took only 13 tournaments from that point for him to win his tenth Emperor’s Cup.  This ties the mark set by 35th yokozuna Futabayama (he of the 69 consecutive torikumi wins) in 1942.  (This was at a time when there were only two official basho per year, Spring and Summer.)  The previous record for the six basho/year era (1958 to present) was 14, set by 48th yokozuna Taiho between Kyushu 1960 and Haru 1963.  (How many basho did it take other sumo legends to get their first ten wins?  See the table in this issue.)  The “Mongolian Express” thus becomes the 13th member of the pantheon of sumo legends who have won the Tenno-Hai ten or more times in the modern era (see related table).  He is the third non-Japanese to do so, following 64th yokozuna Akebono and 67th yokozuna Musashimaru.  SHORYU’s astounding power and dominance has now been fully demonstrated for all to see - and right now it doesn’t look as if there is anyone on the horizon who can stop him.

Ozeki-East KAIO probably won’t be that obstacle.  The only other sumotori to handle the Cup in 2004, he came into the tournament with a clear statement from the Yokozuna Deliberation Council:  win 13 or more torikumi and we will consider you for promotion to sumo’s pinnacle rank.   But early losses to maegashira #2-East KOTONOWAKA, komusubi-West HAKUHO (Mongolia) and maegashira #2-West TOSANOUMI put the ‘kibosh’ on his yokozuna dreams, perhaps for the last time.  Worse was to come:  by the time the tournament was over, Tomozuna Beya’s strongman had been pushed to the sidelines with a 4-6-5 record and another kadoban over his head.  On the other side of the banzuke CHIYOTAIKAI faced down his own kadoban situation by being satisfied doing just enough to keep his head above water.  The Haru 2003 champ won 4 of his first five, but then lost 4 of the next five to manage a .500 average through the first ten days.  He finished with 3 wins over the last five days for the 8-7 that makes his ranking secure for another few months.

Coming into these festivities, sekiwake #2-West TOCHIAZUMA could regain his parking space (and other ozeki perquisites) IF he could notch 10 wins in this outing.  The Kyushu 2003 winner started strong, winning six in the first 7 days and making his kachi on day 11.  But he still needed two more – and after a day 12 loss to the rampaging SHORYU he ‘ran the table’ for an 11-4 effort that will restore his ozeki standing on the Haru 2005 banzuke.  MIYABIYAMA continues to give the impression that he is making a serious run at regaining the ozeki rank he once held.  He won 6 of his first eight and had nine victories after day 13.  But his final two opponents, AZUMA and SHORYU, wanted those wins worse than he did and he had to settle for a still-respectable 9-6.  And it seems that whenever this writer thinks WAKANOSATO is about to make a serious move on promotion to ozeki, he puts on a ‘two-steps-backward’ performance that makes the prediction look foolish.  Naruto Beya’s top man won his first two matches but then lost four straight.  He pulled his tabi up with 4 victories in the next five days to pull ahead, but then collapsed with four more losses to finish out at 6-9.

It’s not often that a komusubi manages an early kachi-koshi, and it’s even rarer that it happens in one’s sanyaku debut.  But after his shonichi loss to the yokozuna, HAKUHO manhandled the remainder of the joi-jin quite handily to crunch out eight wins in nine days and become the second top-division sumotori to get his majority.  An 11-4 showing along with the Gino-Sho (Technique Prize) gives “Sleeping Thunder” (so named because, when his presence is not required elsewhere, he can be found in his private room at Miyagino Beya, asleep – Ed.) a powerful lien on the sekiwake slot that just opened up.  In a way it wasn’t quite fair to komusubi-East KOTOMITSUKI.  He’d fought well enough in the past three tournaments to get out of the ‘killer rank’, but had been kept in place because there was no movement above him on the banzuke.  And just when something finally shook loose, he was in no position to take advantage.  He was worked over early and often by the other joi-jin, never got a rhythm going, and finally finished at 7-8.  Before this basho MITSUKI had been fighting to escape from the hell of komusubi rank:  now he’ll be fortunate if he keeps a sanyaku paycheck when the next banzuke comes out.

#6-East KYOKUTENHO (Mongolia) took top maegashira honors with a 10-5 performance.  Other honorably-mentionable efforts among the hiramaku were:

#4-East KOTOOSHU (Bulgaria) (9-6)
#10-East DEJIMA (9-6)
#10-West KYOKUSHUZAN (Mongolia) (9-6)
#11-West JUMONJI (9-6)
#13-West BUYUZAN (9-6)
#14-East KASUGAO (South Korea) (9-6)

The Shukun-Sho (Outstanding Performance Prize) and Kanto-Sho (Fighting Spirit Prize) were not awarded this basho.  Needless to say, no kinboshi were awarded either!

In the Juryo, former maegashira and current #7-West OTSUKASA won the yusho with a 12-3 outing.  Other noteworthy second division performances:

#1-West FUTENO (9-6)
#2-East TOYOZAKURA (9-6)
#4-East KASUGANISHIKI (10-5)
#4-West ISHIDE (9-6)
#5-East TOKI (9-6)
#7-East HAKUROZAN (Russia) (10-5)
#9-East ASOFUJI (9-6)
#11-West ASANOWAKA (9-6)
#12-East KATAYAMA (10-5)

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“Legendary” Yokozuna (10+ Yusho)

(updated after Hatsu 2005)

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Fastest Run from 1st Yusho to 10th

(results as of Hatsu 2005)

* only two basho per year (Spring, Summer) in this period

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The “Closing on 600 Wins” Club
(updated after Hatsu 2005)

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JUNIOR DIVISION YUSHO WINNERS

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What the 2004 Numbers Say
Commentary by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

Looking back on 2004, it is disappointing that ASASHORYU was not able to win all six basho.  With two zensho efforts to open matters followed by two 13-2 outings, this writer thought that 55th yokozuna Kitanoumi’s 82-win season in 1978 would be eclipsed.  But the “Mongolian Express” fell so flat in September, not even winning 10 torikumi.  Still, his year-ending effort in Fukuoka showed that he still has the heart and soul to join the ranks of sumo’s legends (defined in this publication as any yokozuna who has won the Tenno-Hai 10 or more times:  see related table in this issue).  (Since this writing, SHORYU has won the Hatsu Basho with a perfect 15-0 score for his 10th yusho.)

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Top Ten 2004 Aggregate Records

(Makunouchi division only)

* Highest position on any 2004 banzuke

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Correction

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Troy Collins Commands Goltz Sumo VIII, Wins Award
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

The eighth annual Goltz Sumo Tournament at the Alexander Hughes Center in Claremont saw United States and California middleweight champion Troy Collins start 2005 the way he finished 2004, by sweeping both competitions he entered.  Troy topped a tough six-man middleweight field and followed it up by winning the open division.  Dating back to last year’s SHUUBUN tournament, this marks two consecutive tournaments without a loss for the LAPD’s top-ranked sumotori.  He also received the 2004 SUMO SHIMPO Award as the Outstanding California Sumotori of the year.  And he did it all under the proud gaze of his mother, who had come out from Virginia.

A total of thirty competitors showed up for the festivities, ranging in age from Hannah Crosby (almost four) to her daddy Glenn (fifty) and Jim Lowerre (fifty-one).  With Sensei Gary Goltz doing his ever-popular impression of a sportscaster, the action started with the oldest and the youngest.  Ernie Hunt drove down from northern California to handle the refereeing duties, while the honorable Matsuzaki-san and this writer served as the line judges.

In Masters’ action, Lowerre threw new heavyweight Mike Simpson after being driven to the edge of the ring, to spoil his competitive sumo debut.  After a few words from his coach, Simpson came from behind to take the best two-of-three series with two straight wins by yorikiri.  Masters middleweight action (actually three middleweights and lightweight Art Morrow) saw Jeff Riddle prevail with Kurt Rightmyer second and Glenn Crosby third.

The kids were then lined up, looked over, and sorted into competitive divisions.  Madeline Neuman topped the Littlest Kids’ division, with Eileen McNair second and Ernie's grandson Matthew Clark third.  Other kids’ divisions finished as follows:

"Girlies":  1. Ashley Sypherd  2. Alisha Ryczek  3. Rachel Crosby.

Middle-sized Kids:  1. Ian Panglourn  2. Cameron Ryczek  3. Megan Ginocchio.

Big Kids:  1. Justin Domingo  2. Sarah Crosby  3. Steven Simpson.

One of the more interesting competitions of the day was the middleweight (actually lightweight) girls (actually a woman and three girls) plus 124 pound Luis Guzman division.  Luis survived several close matches and a lot of teasing from Sensei Gary to win the division.  Kimberly Neuman was second, Ashton Farah third.

With seven entrants, the Men's Lightweight competition was the largest of the day.  Unlike last year’s California Open Sumo Championships, Trent Sabo didn't mess around any:  he ran the table with six straight wins.  Jovan Rushing took second, Trever Van Eede placed third.

The six-man Men's Middleweight division saw Collins win handily, with Riddle coming in second.  As the awards for this division were being presented, an error on the part of the scoring table was discovered.  Two matches had not been fought.  When this was corrected, the result was a three-way tie for third.  Because of time pressure, three bronze medals were awarded in lieu of a playoff.  The three bronze medalists were Rightmyer, Doug Cochran and Packy Bannevans.  (Packy, by the way, set a new record for distance traveled to a Goltz Sumo tournament, coming all the way from Duluth, Georgia.  The previous record was held by Doug Ballard, who traveled from Bloomington, Indiana for Goltz Sumo II.)

The Men’s Heavyweights were this year’s smallest division, with Masters’ competitors Simpson and Lowerre stepping up to give Justin Crite some action.  The two older men could not withstand the speed and power of the smaller but much younger Crite, who took the gold without a loss.  Simpson got the silver, Lowerre took the bronze.

Eight hearty souls took on the Open division challenge.  The modified double-elimination format saw Collins go through Rushing, Crite and Sabo to take the crown.  Sabo lost the silver medal match to Crite.  Newcomer Simpson, at 6'5" and 390 pounds, drew all lightweights in Open action.  After steamrolling Van Eede out of the ring Simpson found himself outmaneuvered by Sabo, who got behind him and walked him out of the ring.  In the consolation bracket he was outmuscled by Rushing.  Welcome to sumo, Mike!

In addition to Collins’ Sumotori of the Year award, Van Eede was named the SUMO SHIMPO Rookie of the Year.  Cochran won the Most Improved Sumotori award.

	<<AWARD WINNERS… The SUMO SHIMPO awards for 2004 were presented at Goltz Sumo VIII.  From left:  Trever Van Eede (Rookie of the Year), Troy Collins (Outstanding California Sumotori of 2004) and Douglas Cochran (Most Improved Sumotori).   (Photo:  Kala Crosby.)
	<<CLASH OF CHAMPIONS… Troy Collins and Trent Sabo, winners of their respective weight classes at Goltz Sumo VIII, battle for the Open gold medal as referee Ernie Hunt watches.  Collins prevailed after a struggle which lasted almost a full minute.   (Photo:  “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO.)

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Goltz Sumo VIII Podium Finishers

Littlest Kids:  1) Madeline Newman; 2) Eileen McNair; 3) Matthew Clark	“Girlies”:  1) Ashley Sypherd; 2) Alisha Ryczek; 3) Rachel Crosby
Middle-sized Kids:  1) Ian Pangloum; 2) Cameron Ryczek; 3) Megan Ginocchio	Big Kids:  1) Justin Domingo; 2) Sarah Crosby; 3) Steven Simpson
Masters’ Middles:  1) Jeff Riddle; 2) Kurt Rightmyer; 3) Glenn Crosby	Masters’ Heavies:  1) Mike Simpson; 2) Jim Lowerre
Lightweights:  1) Trent Sabo; 2) Jovan Rushing; 3) Trever Van Eede	Special Middleweight Girls:  1) Luis Guzman; 2) Kimberly Neuman; 3) Ashton Farah
Heavyweights:  1) Justin Crite; 2) Mike Simpson; 3) Jim Lowerre	Openweights:  1) Troy Collins; 2) Justin Crite; 3) Trent Sabo
	Middleweights: 1) Troy Collins; 2) Jeff Riddle; 3) (tie) Doug Cochran, Packy Bannevans, Kurt Rightmyer

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Are the USSF Dan Rank Requirements Too Easy?
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

In last year’s Aki Basho issue, we published the dan rank requirements of the United States Sumo Federation (USSF).  Although a number of wrestlers meet the requirements to date only five have applied for Shodan (1st dan):  this writer, Jim Lowerre, Kelly Gneiting, Jeff Riddle and Doug Cochran.  In addition, two members who already held Shodan rank from the Japan Sumo Federation have applied for promotion to Nidan (2nd dan).

Why haven't more wrestlers applied for Shodan?  We don't know.  Maybe they don't have the $30 fee.  Maybe they just haven't gotten around to it.  In some cases there is a question of retroactivity that needs to be addressed.  A number of people qualified for Shodan years ago and could and should be Nidan or even Sandan (3rd dan) by now.

All of the above are possibilities, but the reason for this article is the fact that the suggestion has been made that the requirements are too easy.  One member told this writer that his Shodan certificate was "just a piece of paper."  When asked by this writer if he was going to apply for Shodan, two-time North American lightweight champion Trent Sabo replied, "Probably not:  the guys think it's too easy."

In addressing this statement, we think there are several points that need to be made.  First of all, who wrote the requirements?  Answer:  Sensei Yoshisada Yonezuka (Yone for short) who until recently was the president of the USSF.  For the benefit of the uninformed, Yone has been involved in doing and teaching Japanese martial arts for over forty years.  He is a Hachidan (8th dan) in both judo and karate and a Godan (5th dan) in sumo.  Therefore we suspect that he knows something about how dan ranks work in the Japanese martial arts, presumably more than "the guys" do.  Secondly, the requirements were presented to the membership at the annual meeting in 2003.  No one said they were too easy then.

Third, how do the USSF rank requirements compare to those of the Japan Sumo Federation?  We forthwith present those requirements as published in "The Japan Sumo Federation Complete Rule and Guide Book."  Since the highest rank that the USSF is authorized to grant by the International Sumo Federation is Sandan, we will only offer the requirements up to that rank.  Read them over, then decide for yourself.

There are several points that should be immediately obvious to anyone.  The first thing is that competition record is only one of the seven items listed in Article 1.  It was clear to this writer that the people who think that the USSF requirements are too easy think that competition record is the primary (if not the sole) basis for dan ranks.  Obviously, they are mistaken.

As you can see, the amount of time needed to qualify for Shodan in the Japanese regulations is considerably shorter than the USSF regulations.  The only explanation we have been given for this is that Japanese amateurs train five to six days a week, whereas we in the USA may only train one day a week (if that).  And as you can see from the supplemental regulations:  in Japan, junior high school students can qualify for the first rank.  In the USSF regulations, the minimum age to even apply for Shodan is 15:  you must be 18 to qualify for Nidan and 21 to qualify for Sandan.  And there is nothing at all in the Japan Sumo Federation regulations regarding international competition.  The highest level of competition even mentioned is the All-Japan Championships.

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US Sumo Open To Feature Top Japanese Amateurs
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

The fifth US Sumo Open will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Saturday, March 19th, according to tournament director Andrew Freund.

There will be no retired ozeki or yokozuna present this year.  Instead, there will be a club team from Japan and they will actually wrestle.  This team will include at least one world champion.  At this time, we do not know the name of the Japanese club, or the world champion.  However, the latest entry on the California Sumo Association web site states that he is a former world champion and Japanese national champion.  Therefore, we believe it may be Mr. Koichi Kato.  Mr. Kato was the world heavyweight champion in 1996 and the All-Japan champion in 2003 (refer to article in Hatsu 2004 SUMO SHIMPO).  Also:  in past US Sumo Opens there has been strong representation from Europe, and we expect the same this time as well.

We at SUMO SHIMPO applaud the decision to bring an amateur team from Japan, and encourage all local sumotori to participate.  The entry fee will be $20, payable by February 25.  The fee for late entries will be $40.  Andrew says that he will have Women's and Masters’ division competitions if enough entries are received.

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California Sumotori Currently Eligible for Shodan Rank

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Hotel Sumo?
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

One of the things we have learned over the last few years is that one never knows where and when something about sumo is going to pop up in some unexpected part of the media.

For instance:  I was recently handed a copy of the December 2004 issue of a magazine called American Way Magazine.  It is one of those magazines you find in the pocket in the back of the seat in front of you when you take your seat on an airplane.  In this case, it's the magazine of American Airlines.

The travel feature of the month, titled "Wrestle Mania" relates the author’s trip to Prague in the Czech Republic to seek out Jaroslav Poriz and amateur sumo there.  According to the article, there are around five hundred sumo wrestlers in the Czech Republic, second only to Japan.  By contrast, the United States is credited with only having about fifty (an undercount by about half).

On the day in question only three people show up for practice.  Also, most of the people he talks to on the street and in the pubs are not aware of how hot sumo is in their country.

We learn that the growth of sumo their is mostly the result of the tireless efforts of Czech Sumo Union president Jaroslav "Shiroikuma" Poriz.  Mr. Poriz and his father are in the process of turning an old factory building into a 1,000 seat sumo arena.  They also have a hotel in a small town in the mountains of Northern Bohemia that caters to sumo wrestlers (and the general public the rest of the time). 

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Three-Day Sumo Tourney Set for Las Vegas
The Associated Press
(published in the Japan Times online edition: Jan. 27, 2005)

The Japan Sumo Association will stage a three-day tournament in Las Vegas in October to help celebrate the city's 100th anniversary.

"It's a privilege to present this aspect of Japan's culture to the people of the world in Las Vegas," said JSA chairman Toshimitsu  Kitanoumi on Tuesday.   "We are confident that Grand Sumo Las Vegas will meet the expectations of fans in the United States."

The tour will take place at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino from Oct. 7-9 and will mark the first time in 20 years that Japan's 1,500-year-old sport has staged an event in the U.S.

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A Big NASC?
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

In December, former USSF president Sensei Yoshisada Yonezuka informed us that the International Sumo Federation would like us to have a North American Sumo Championship.  This competition would include not only the North American countries but Central America and the Caribbean besides, all of which are supposed to be part of the North American zone. 

Isn't that nice?  Two questions immediately spring to mind.  First, is anybody doing sumo in Central America or the Caribbean?  Jamaica, Haiti and Puerto Rico have been represented in earlier NASCs, but only by expatriates living in the United States.  Many of these were actually United States citizens who (of late) have been representing the United States.  Cuba sent a team to the World Championships in Japan in 2001, but has never sent a team to the NASC even when it was in Canada.

More importantly:  who is going to pay for this if we do?  The USSF doesn't have the money.  Previous experience with the NASCs and other events shows that they don't pay for themselves.  In the case of previous NASCs, we found that even the Canadians don't come unless they:  a) get their way paid, b) it's in Canada, or c) it’s within driving distance of Toronto.  The 2001 NASCs in Long Beach, CA was (for all practical purposes) a US championship, since no one came from any other country.  Will anyone come from Central America or the Caribbean without a plane ticket?  We doubt it.

We have an idea.  When the World Championships have been held in Japan one of the major sponsors has been the Japan Foundation, which in North America has offices in Los Angeles, New York City and Toronto.  If the International Sumo Federation wants a major tournament in North America, let them apply some influence to the Japan Foundation's North American offices to come up with some money to defray expenses.  Otherwise, we don't see much point in it.

On a recent visit to Mr. Matsuzaki (who will turn 74 on February 15th) he was proud to show me a letter from his internist, a Dr. Tanaka.  The letter was a report on his recent physical.  The first paragraph stated that his blood pressure was 130/80, his weight was 146lbs. and that "Sumo is very good for you."  We wish Matsuzaki-san a very happy birthday and many more years of doing sumo with us.

Here in Southern California, we have a chain of stores called the “99-Cent Only” stores.  They sell all kinds of closeout items.  Sometimes, if they can't sell something, they give it away.  On a recent visit they placed a copy of the official program of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in my bag.  It was mainly interesting for the numerous photos from earlier Olympics.  One such photo was of super-heavyweight weightlifter Vasily Alexeyev doing a snatch on the way to winning the gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.  Alexeyev set a world record of 562 pounds in the clean and jerk in that competition.  The caption describes him as weighing in at 345 pounds, "evident in his large tummy."  We remember Alexeyev and his "large tummy" very well - a tummy that any sumotori would be proud of.  We have no doubt he could have been a strong rikishi.

The New Years Day issue of the Los Angeles Japanese newspaper Rafu Shimpo featured a page of photos from the past year.  This year, three of them had to do with sumo.  There was a photo of yokozuna ASASHORYU holding up his baby.  There was one of 385-pound Amanda Soule squaring off against 114-pound May Chung at last year’s US Sumo Open.  And there was a photo of former yokozuna Akebono being hit by Bob Sapp in his first K-1 fight.  The photo was captioned, "Worst Career Choice".  (It could also have been captioned, “I retired from sumo for THIS?” – “Y”)  At last report, Akebono was 0-4 in K-1 fights.

 
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California Sumo Competition Calendar for 2005

(T) = Tentative

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