Re: Again some questions...

[Stefan Gelow <f95-sge@nada.kth.se>]

At 13:49 2000-10-13 +0200, you wrote:
>No basho or pre-basho games around, so there is a bit of time left
>for thinking about some things no one thought before and ask some
>strange questions.
>
>1. Lower division torikumi:
>Is the line-up in Ms, Sd, Jd and Jk also based on the principle of
>meeting guys who are "around" you in the banzuke or are there bigger
>rank spaces between two men on the dohyo (considered both have a
>similar record)?

Depends what you mean. A high-ranked Makushita-guy will not meet a
Sandanme-rikishi, but if two rikishi far from each other in the same
division would have for example 6-0 records, they could well be pitted
against each other. Generally though, it's the same principal as in Juryo
and Makunouchi, although practically (bacuse of only 7 matches a tournament
and much bigger divisions), the distances will be slightly bigger than in
the top divisions. 


>Has there ever been a tournament where no sansho at all were awarded?

No.
Well, all tournaments before second basho of 1947, when the system was started.
5 occasions with only one prize awarded though:
Nagoya 1977 one gino-sho awarded (to M1 Washuyama).
Haru 1988 one kanto-sho awarded (M7 Kirinji)
Kyushu 1988 one gino-sho awarded (M7 Kirishima)
Kyushu 1994 one kanto-sho awarded (M15 Naminohana)
Kyushu 1997 one kanto-sho awarded (M6 Musoyama)

>4. Kyujo/kosho rikishi:
>As Natsu 2000 had eight missing sekitori (4 Maku/4 Juryo), this might
>have marked this year's top. Has there ever been a basho with ten or
>more missing?

Natsu 2000 was really an (in this regard) outstanding occasion...   From 1980 
including 1999, the maximum Juryo+Makunouchi absences were 4, and including 
this year (but except Natsu of course), the max was 5 (in Haru
2000, 1 Juryo + 4 Maegashira).

Only regarding Makunouchi (where my records go back to 1960), there have been
5 absences:
Haru 65 (1 Yz + 4 Maeg.)

4 absences: 
Natsu 1983 (2 Yz + 2 Maeg.)
Aki 1998 (4 Maeg.)
Haru 2000 (4 Maeg.)
Natsu 2000 (1 Yz, 1 Oz, 2 Maeg.)

/Stefan Gelow