yobidashi (caller)

[abe@kaleida.com (Masumi Abe)]

One big change occured at Nagoya-basho in July was the treatment of yobidashi.

I saw 15 names of yobidashi for the first time in ages on the official
banzuke or a ranking sheet.
Reflecting Yobidashi Taro*'s work, Sumo Kyokai start printing yobidashi
names on banzuke starting from May, 1949 but after a while they quit doing
so.

Also, for the very first time, each yobidashi names were in the hon-wari,
the official printed list of matches, along with the names of gyoji.

The most senior Yobidashi Kankichi and Yobidashi Zenzaburo were very happy
to see that yobidashi be recognized in official manner before they retire
at age 65.

* Yobidashi Taro is the most famous yobidashi of all time along with
Yobidashi Kotetsu. Yobidashi Kotetsu was famous for his beatiful voice, but
Yobidashi Taro was famous for his Taiko drumming technique. They both
retired from sumo in 1960 when Sumo Kyokai adapted retirement age for both
Gyoji and Yobidashi. Yobidashi Taro was 73 when he retired.

-Masumi
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Masumi Abe                               阿部　加史（あべ　ますみ）
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