Re: Takanohana

[abe@kaleida.com (Masumi Abe)]

From: Yugo Yodogawa <yyy@soda.berkeley.edu>
>To: sumo@essspg.stat.ncsu.edu
>Subject: Re: Takanohana
>

>I think 40+ wins would be a little too much to expect, since out of the last
>10 Yokozuna, only 2 (Wakanohana & Onokuni) have had as many as 40 wins in the
>three basho span and none with more than 40, and there have been many cases
>before in which there were multiple rikishi from the same stable in the
>san-yaku or Yokozuna ranks.  As a reference point, great Yokozuna Kitanoumi
>and Chiyonofuji were 36-9 and 38-7 respectively. 

I agree.  Winning percentage-wise average 12-3 record is decent for being
yokozuna.
>
>> If he get more than 36 wins for a period of three successful basho with at
>> least 11 wins in Ozeki, I think the rikishi deserves to be promoted to
>> yokozuna.  But at the same time, I would like to see that yokozuna-to-be is
>> at least 1-2 (.333) winning ratio against the current yokozuna before
>> becoming yokozuna.  I don't think Takanohana has been winning that much
>> against Akebono.  When there are two yokozuna and one particular yokozuna
>> almost always wins the match between yokozuna, sumo will be rather boring.
>
>This Yokozuna-sen seems to be a good guideline, as the last 9 Yokozuna have
>all had at least a .333 winning percentage in the three basho span (although
>there were no Yokozuna for Akebono to face).
>
>Overall, Takanohana is 7-12 against Akebono, and since Akebono has become
>Yokozuna, he's 3-3.  We'll have to see how he does in this and the next basho.
>
If this is the case, I will be happy to support yokozuna Takanohana, with
at least 11 wins for both this basho and next and if he wins yusho one of
these basho.

>>> BTY, although I can't speak directly of the popularity of the current
>>> 'Ohana brothers, I was a big fan of their father (former Ozeki Takanohana)
>>> and I do know that he was IMMENSELY popular back in the early to mid 70's.
>>> And that there was similiar pressure back then to promote him before his
>>> time.
>
>For all his popularity, though, he never did make it to Yokozuna...

And that was good for sumo.  I like to see a very good specialist in oozeki
rank, such as Kotogahama, Kitabayama, Tochihikari, Takanohana...  For me,
great oozeki is as much important, if not more, as good yokozuna.  I see
this potential in Wakanohana.
>
>> He used to be a olympic candidate butterfly swimmer when he was in a junior
>> high.  He decided to follow his oldest brother (yokozuna Wakanohana I) and
>                                                                      ^
>Don't you mean Wakanohana II?  I'm pretty sure the present Wakanohana is the
>third.

Present Wakanohana is the third, as you said, but yokozuna Wakanohana II is
not their relatives, although he shares the same last name "Hanada" and
from same Aomori prefecture as Wakanohana's "honseki" (family's official
permanent address: many times the honseki is nothing to do with where you
actually live).

I believe Takanohana I (present Takanohana's father and owner of his
stable: Fujishima-beya) was born in Muroran, Hokkaido, but he was recorded
as from Aomori in the sumo society.

The previous managing director of Sumo Kyokai and the owner of
Futagoyama-beya stable where most of Waka-xxx rikishi used to belong to is
the oldest brother of oozeki Takannohana I, who is the father of Waka/Taka
brothers and the owner of huge Fujishima stable, and the great yokozuna
Wakanohana I.  He is the one of the two great yokozuna created Tochi/Waka
Era in late 50's with great yokozuna Tochinishiki, who was the owner of
Kasugano stable and the managing director of Sumo Kyokai right before
Futagoyama.
>
>-yugo
>
The great yokozuna in last half century
40's = Futabayama
50's = Wakanohana, Tochinishiki
60's = Taiho, (Kashiwado)
70's = Kitanoumi
80's = Chiyonofuji
90's = Akebono? and Takanohana?

sxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsxsx
Masumi Abe
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Kaleida Labs, Inc.                              Fax: (415) 966-0496
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