Mainoumi, height, etc...

[Tracy Lynn Kaneshiro <tkaneshi@owlnet.rice.edu>]

> Mainoumi's existance is enough reason for Sumo Kyokai to abandon the hight
> and weight requirements for good. It is more exciting to see this Super
> Mighty Mouse than fatty blub banging each other.


I agree as well.  (I am a little biased, since I am short!)

This reminded me of an article posted in clari.sports.misc (and also posted
in clari.living.bizarre) recently:

Subject: Sumo Chiefs Outlaw Height-Boosting Scalp Implants
Copyright: 1994 by Reuters, R
Message-ID: <XRjapan-sumo-siliconeURa0c_4l6@clarinet.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 94 1:20:03 PDT
Expires: Wed, 13 Jul 94 1:20:03 PDT
ACategory: international
Slugword: JAPAN-SUMO-SILICONE
Xref: rice clari.world.asia.japan:1565 clari.living.bizarre:357 clari.sports.mis
c:13167

         TOKYO (Reuter) - To gain the minimum height requirement to
be a Sumu wrestler, a Japanese teenager had six inches of
silicone implanted under his scalp.
         The Japan Sumo Association said Wednesday that, because of
health fears, it will no longer accept aspirant wrestlers who
artificially boost their height with silicone implants.
         An association spokeswoman said the action was prompted by a
case in which one teenager underwent four such implants over 12
months and ``grew'' to 5 ft 8 inches, the minimum height
requirement to enter the ancient sport.
         Takeji Harada, 16, who had failed six previous eligibility
tests, finally made the grade in June -- thanks to the huge
bulge on his head, which added about 6 inches to his height.
         ``Yes, you could say that that incident made us think of
banning the implants,'' the spokeswoman said.
         She said she had heard in the past of would-be wrestlers
using implants to boost height, but Harada's case seemed to be
the most extreme.
         This is not the only ruse young sumo fanatics have used to
get accepted. Several years ago, one young man finally made the
grade after repeatedly banging his head against a wall so that
the bump gave him extra height.



Why don't they just let all the short people in?  Are there too many
short sumo aspirants?  


--
Tracy Kaneshiro
tkaneshi@owlnet.rice.edu