Re: Musoyama and makushita record

[abe@kaleida.com (Masumi Abe)]

At  8:18 PM 10/8/94 +0000, Shoujirou Mizutori wrote:
>In the message on 
>Date: Thu, 06 Oct 1994 18:19:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: abe@kaleida.com (Masumi Abe),
>
>Abe-san introduced about Musoyama [sorry, deleted], and mentioned 
>>
>>He was ranked at the bottom of Makushita for Kyushu-basho in the same year,
>>and won Makushita Yosho with 7-0 record in his very first basho as a
>>professional sumo rikishi.
>>
>>-Masumi
>>
>
>I have some questions on his record in Makushita and
>the speed promotion record from Makushita.
>
>If I remember correctly, Oso (later Musoyama) spent only two basho
>in Makushita. In both basho, he won 7-0. Is it correct?
>And did he also won Yusho in the second basho? 
>(7-0 in Makushita does not necessarily mean Yusho.)

Oso (currently known as Musoyama) won two consecutive basho in Makushita
with the record of 7-0. He went through Makushita in two basho and Juryo in
two basho. He started at the bottom of Makushita rank (Makushita
Tsukedashi) in November, 1992, and he was already in Makuuchi in July,
1993.
>
>Of course, to spend only two basho in Makushita is a record, but
>he is not the first one. Actually I think quite a few Rikishi has
>this record. I'm sure Wajima is one of them. (maybe first?)

I think Wajima was the last one before Oso. Ozeki Yutakayama (current
Tokitsukaze Oyakata) might have been spent only one basho in Makushita,
since he started at 10-maime tsukedashi in Makushita.

>I seems to remember Nagaoka(later Asashio) is also one.
>How about Daishoyama? Kushimaumi? Other former Gakusei Yokozunas?

I think all these rikishi spent more than two basho in Masushita.
>
>I think all of them are former Gakusei and/or Amature Yokozuna.
>Usually, Rikishi has to climb up from to Jonokuchi, Jonidan, Sandamme,
>then Makushita. However strong he become later, any Rikishi usually 
>appear Makushita when he is just slightly better in Sandanme, but
>not as strong to dominate in Makushita. (Everybody must have such stage.)
>For them, it is hard to mark this record. Even those who has/used to have
>speed promotion record from Jonokuchi to Juryo/Makuuchi don't have this 
>record, if I know correctly. 
>But those, who spend as an amature for a while and had good
>record so as to be admitted his debut as Makushita, have fully matured
>and could have already surpassed Makushita level.

There are no logical way to evaluate the relative strength or level of sumo
technique of best amature sumo wrestlers, other than put them in real
Makushita bouts. No way, you can put any new comers to prestigious Jyuryo
rank, and no way you can put "champions" to Jonokuchi.

Traditionally, people in professional sumo community evaluated that amature
champions were only sandamme level, since Makushita rikishi are former
Juryo or future Juryo rikishi and the best of "minor league" professional
sumo. But after Uchida made Ozeki and particularly Wajima made Yokozuna
rather easily, Sumo Kyokai decided to let those amature champions start at
the bottom of Makushita.

Not all of those "amature champion" recorded kachikoshi in their first
basho. Some needed to sumo in Sandamme the next basho.

Ichinoya, a former sumo player from Ryukyu Univ., is the only rikishi with
diploma from a National University system in Japan, now enjoying sumo bouts
in Jonidan rank. He started from Maezumo and now 33 or 34 years old. He has
won Jonidan yusho twice. His highest rank was almost but not quite the top
of Sandamme. That is another sumo life of former college sumo wrestler.
>
>Anyway, I want to ask
>1) Correct record of Oso (Musoyama)?

7-0 (yusho) & 7-0 (yusho)

>2) How many persons have the record of "only two basho in Makushita"?
>3) Who are they?

Wajima and Oso (Sekiwake Musoyama). Uchida (Oseki Yutakayama) might have
spent only one basho in Makushita.

>4) Is it really correct none of them start from Jonokuchi but all of them
>start from Makushita?

Uchida was treated the same as Makushita 10-maime when he started. That was
before official rule of how to treat "amature champion" was established. 

Even after the first rule was established for "student yokozuna", Itai was
treated, in a sense, discriminated nature by Sumo Kyokai. He was amature
champion in industrial league but he needed to start with 16-years-old
boys. On the other hand, because of this type of treatment, Itai recorded a
extraordinary record of yusho at every possible rank before Makuuchi. He
won yusho at Jonokuchi, Jonidan, Sandamme, Makushita and Juryo (twice).
This was the second best record ever, only behind Yokozuna Haguroyama's
record of winning yusho at all possible ranks, including Makuuchi Yusho.
Itai could not win any yusho in Makuuchi.

Currently, the guidline of Makushita Tsukedashi is:

age: between 20 and 25 (including 20 but NOT including 25) years old
experience (within 2 years before application): 
        best 16 at All Japan Championship Tornament
        or winning one of three tornaments of 
                National College Championship Tornament
                National Athletic Meet (Kokutai) "Matured (Seinen)-A" Group
                All Japan Industrial League (Jitsugyodan) Championship Tornament
        or placed third or better in these three Tornament for two or more
occasions
hight and weight: no minimum requirement

If this guidline is applied, I think it is fair to every rikishi. I don't
think it is fair for any rikishi, including other young rikishi without
much sumo experience, to have these "seasoned" rikishi to start from
Maezumo.

On the other hand, I don't think age should be a factor to be a Makushita
Tsukedashi. If a 40-years-old won an All Japan championship, he should be
treated the same way any other 22-years-old would be treated by Sumo
Kyokai.
>
>Shoujirou Mizutori
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Masumi Abe                               
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