Tamanoumi Masahiro
Encyclopedia
Tamanoumi Masahiro was a sumo wrestler, born in Aichi, Japan
. He was the sport's 51st yokozuna.
, he did judo
in his youth. Tamanoumi began his professional career in March 1959, joining Nishonoseki stable
, the same stable as the great yokozuna Taihō
. At that stage he used a different shikona
, or fighting name: Tamanoshima. In 1962 his coach, former sekiwake Tamanoumi Daitaro
, set up his own Kataonami stable
and Tamanoshima joined it. He reached the top makuuchi
division in March 1964. In 1965 a change in the rules meant that wrestlers from the same group of stables could meet each other in tournament competition, and Tamanoshima defeated Taihō in their first official match. He was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki in November 1966 at the age of 22. At first, he was unable to reach a score in double figures at ozeki rank, but his results began to improve significantly from November 1967. In May 1968, after three runner-up performances in a row, he finally captured his first yusho
, or tournament title, with a 13-2 record. His second title came in September 1969. In November 1969 he posted a 10-5 record, and in January 1970 he took part in a playoff for the title with fellow ozeki Kitanofuji
. Tamanoshima lost the match, but after the tournament both Kitanofuji and Tamanoshima were promoted to the yokozuna rank. With Kashiwado already retired, and Taihō soon to follow, the two ushered in a new Kita-Tama era.
Upon reaching yokozuna Tamanoshima changed his name to Tamanoumi, his coach's old shikona. His first tournament championship as a yokozuna came in September 1970 and he followed it up with another victory in November, defeating Taihō in a playoff. In July 1971 Tamanoumi won his sixth and final championship, his first with a perfect 15-0 record.
were yori kiri (force out), uwatenage (outer arm throw) and tsuri dashi (lift out). He preferred a migi yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip on his opponent's mawashi
.
in that time.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He was the sport's 51st yokozuna.
Career
Born in GamanoriGamagori, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 81,767 and the population density of 1,400 persons per km². The total area was 56.81 km².-Geography:...
, he did judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
in his youth. Tamanoumi began his professional career in March 1959, joining Nishonoseki stable
Nishonoseki Stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, part of the Nishonoseki group of stables named after it. It first appeared in the late eighteenth century and was re-established in its current form in 1935 by the 32nd Yokozuna Tamanishiki while still active...
, the same stable as the great yokozuna Taihō
Taiho Koki
Taihō Kōki is the 48th Yokozuna in the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling. He is generally regarded as the greatest sumo wrestler of the post-war period. He became a yokozuna in 1961 at the age of 21, the youngest ever at the time, and he won a record 32 tournaments between 1960 and 1971...
. At that stage he used a different shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
, or fighting name: Tamanoshima. In 1962 his coach, former sekiwake Tamanoumi Daitaro
Tamanoumi Daitaro
Tamanoumi Daitaro, real name Tomohiro Miura, was a sumo wrestler from Oita, Japan. His highest rank was sekiwake. He won a top division tournament championship in 1957...
, set up his own Kataonami stable
Kataonami Stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. It was founded in 1961 by former sekiwake Tamanoumi Daitaro of the Nishonoseki Stable. Former sekiwake Tamanofuji took over the running of the stable upon Tamanoumi's death in 1987. In February 2010 he passed control over to...
and Tamanoshima joined it. He reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in March 1964. In 1965 a change in the rules meant that wrestlers from the same group of stables could meet each other in tournament competition, and Tamanoshima defeated Taihō in their first official match. He was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ozeki in November 1966 at the age of 22. At first, he was unable to reach a score in double figures at ozeki rank, but his results began to improve significantly from November 1967. In May 1968, after three runner-up performances in a row, he finally captured his first yusho
Yusho
A Yūshō is a tournament championship in sumo. It is awarded in each of the six annual honbasho or official tournaments, to the wrestler who wins the most number of bouts. Yūshō are awarded in all six professional sumo divisions...
, or tournament title, with a 13-2 record. His second title came in September 1969. In November 1969 he posted a 10-5 record, and in January 1970 he took part in a playoff for the title with fellow ozeki Kitanofuji
Kitanofuji Katsuaki
Kitanofuji Katsuaki 北の富士勝昭 is a former sumo wrestler, born in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan. He was the sport's 52nd Yokozuna. He was also the head coach of Kokonoe stable.-Career:...
. Tamanoshima lost the match, but after the tournament both Kitanofuji and Tamanoshima were promoted to the yokozuna rank. With Kashiwado already retired, and Taihō soon to follow, the two ushered in a new Kita-Tama era.
Upon reaching yokozuna Tamanoshima changed his name to Tamanoumi, his coach's old shikona. His first tournament championship as a yokozuna came in September 1970 and he followed it up with another victory in November, defeating Taihō in a playoff. In July 1971 Tamanoumi won his sixth and final championship, his first with a perfect 15-0 record.
Fighting style
At and 135 kg (297.6 lb) Tamanoumi was not particularly large, but he had great strength and agility. His favoured kimariteKimarite
Kimarite are winning techniques in a sumo bout. For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament , a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner...
were yori kiri (force out), uwatenage (outer arm throw) and tsuri dashi (lift out). He preferred a migi yotsu (left hand outside, right hand inside) grip on his opponent's mawashi
Mawashi
In sumo, a mawashi is the belt that the rikishi wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a keshō-mawashi as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri.-Mawashi:...
.
Death
On October 11, 1971, Tamanoumi underwent an appendectomy but suffered a fatal heart attack during the procedure. The operation had been delayed for some time, as he had not wanted to withdraw from the September 1971 tournament, and he went into hospital only after being an attendant at Taihō's retirement ceremony. He was only the fourth man in history to die whilst an active yokozuna. Kitanofuji was a good friend of Tamanoumi as well as a rival and was shocked by his death. He was just 27 years old and would undoubtedly have won many more championships had he lived. In his last seven tournaments he had won four and been runner-up in the other three, and had lost only nine out of 105 bouts. His winning percentage as a yokozuna was .867, second only to Futabayama in the 20th century, and he gave away only three kinboshiKinboshi
Kinboshi is a notation used in professional sumo wrestling to record a lower-ranked wrestler's victory over a yokozuna....
in that time.
Top division record
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament winners
- List of yokozuna