RE: Takanohana vs. his makunouchi opponents

[Robert Hovestadt <Robert_Hovestadt@finance.neu.edu>]

I have learned a great deal about Takanohana in the short time since his
retirement.  Based on what I have learned lately, and what I already knew
from being a part of this list and a Sumo fan, I would say that Sumo was
definitely "at the center of his heart".   How many of us would give up the
love of our lives [at least that's how I read a previous thread] for our
career?   I would hazard to guess that most of us would not.  This
observation "Yet the younger Koji (Takanohana) sits directly behind his
father's shoulder, intently watching practice", combined with the above, I
think, makes it clear how deep Sumo ran in Takanohana's heart and life.

I would like to thank all that have posted articles about Takanohana
recently.

Bob "Sherlockiama" Hovestadt

-----Original Message-----
From: G. Jay Walker [mailto:walker@nhrc.navy.mil]
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 8:06 PM
To: sumo@sun01pt2-1523.statgen.ncsu.edu
Subject: Takanohana vs. his makunouchi opponents


Selected Stats of Takanohana vs. his makunouchi opponents:

Since his promotion to makunouchi for the Natsu 1990 basho, Takanohana was
ranked in the division for 75 tournaments, facing 89 different opponents.
His official makunouchi record was 701-217; however, for the tables below I
have included only matches fought on the dohyo, meaning I excluded his
fusensho (3) and fusenhai (7) matches and included has playoff wins (6) and
losses (5). 

Who did Takanohana fight most often?
----------------------------------------
1. Musashimaru		52
2. Kotonishiki		47
3. Akebono		45
4. Kaio			40
5. Kotonowaka		38
6. Musoyama		36
7. Tochinowaka		31
8. Tosanoumi		28
   Terao			28
10 Konishiki		22

The 52 matches with Musashimaru include four playoff bouts, so officially
Takanohana only had one more match with Musashimaru than Kotonishiki.


Who did Takanohana defeat the most times?
-----------------------------------------
1. Kotonowaka		34
   Kotonishiki		34
3. Musashimaru		33
4. Kaio			28
5. Musoyama		26
6. Terao			22
   Tochinowaka		22
   Akebono		22
9. Tosanoumi		21
10 Tamakasuga		18

A tie for the top spot between the Sadogatake-beya mates.


Who had the most wins against Takanohana?
------------------------------------------
1. Akebono		23
2. Musashimaru		19
3. Kotonishiki		13
4. Kaio			12
5. Musoyama		10
6. Tochinowaka		 9
7. Tosanoumi		 7
   Konishiki		 7
   Kushimaumi		 7
   Misugisato		 7

Akebono's figure includes 2 playoff wins.  Not surprisingly, Takanohana
topped the list of most triumphs against Akebono.


Who did Takanohana dominate (minimum of 10 bouts)?
---------------------------------------------------

1. Kitakachidoki	1.000  (14-0)
2. Kyokushuzan		1.000  (11-0)
   Miyabiyama		1.000  (11-0)
4. Higonoumi		 .938  (15-1)
5. Tochinonada		 .923  (12-1)
6. Mainoumi		 .909  (10-1)
7. Hamanoshima		 .900  (9-1)
8. Kotonowaka		 .895  (34-4)
9. Kenko			 .889  (16-2)
10 Tamakasuga		 .857  (18-3)
   Oginishiki		 .857  (12-2)

Takanohana dominated a lot of people; this list is only the "cream of the
crop".
 
 
Who gave Takanohana the hardest time (minimum of 10 bouts)?
-----------------------------------------------------------
Misugisato		.417  (5-7)
Akebono			.489  (22-23)
Kushimaumi		.533  (8-7)
Musashimaru		.635  (33-19)
Kotofuji			.636  (7-4)
Chiyotaikai		.643  (9-5)
Kirishima			.643  (9-5)

I stopped the list here at those that defeated Takanohana at least a third
of the time.  I wouldn't regard his troubles against Misugisato and
Kushimaumi as that flukish.  While their bouts occurred in the earlier times
of Takanohana's career, they each had 5 victories against Taka when he was
ranked at Maegashira 1 or higher.

	
Who could never defeat Takanohana?
-----------------------------------
Kitakachidoki		14-0
Kyokushuzan		11-0
Miyabiyama		11-0
Asanowaka			 9-0
Daizen			 9-0
Toki			 	 9-0
Wakanosato		 9-0


Who could Takanohana never defeat?
-----------------------------------
Takanonami		0-2
Takanofuji		0-2

Heya-mate Takanonami won their two playoff matches and Takanofuji's two
victories were in 1990 during Takanohana's first two bashos in the top
division.  The only person to officially go undefeated against Takanohana
since 1990 was Aminishiki, who won their only match-up in the last fight of
Takanohana's career.


What was Takanohana's record when facing yokozunas (that is, when they were
ranked at yokozuna)?
-----------------------------------
Akebono 		18-14
Asahifuji		1-2
Chiyonofuji	1-0
Hokutoumi		1-1
Musashimaru	3-7
Onokuni		0-1

Again, these include playoff matches.  His famous victory against 
Chiyonofuji at the age of 18 was the only kinboshi of Takanohana's career.

One notable kimarite stat - from 1993 to 1997, Takanohana's record in
yorikiri matches was 199 to 3.


Most American baseball fans would instantly recognize the name of Ted
Williams who passed away last summer at 83.  He grew up a few blocks from my
place and was known as the greatest hitter who ever lived (although Babe
Ruth might take issue).  He said that "hitting a baseball was at the center
of my heart".  That's how I viewed Takanohana - that sumo was at the center
of his heart.  

There is a picture in an old issue of Sumo World from about 1981 which is
quite interesting in retrospect.  It shows Takanohana's father, the former
ozeki Takanohana from the 70's, watching practice in his early days as
Fujishima oyakata (he would later take over Futagoyama).  With him are his
two young sons, and what makes the picture so interesting is that at the
time it was published, no one knew that the boys would grow up to be
Wakanohana and Takanohana.  Masaru (Wakanohana) is acting as a typical lad,
sitting to his father's side, turned away and in his own world.  Yet the
younger Koji (Takanohana) sits directly behind his father's shoulder,
intently watching practice.  One wonders if sumo was at the very core of his
being even then.

-George W.