Wakabayama Sadao
| Wakabayama Sadao | |
|---|---|
| 若葉山 貞雄 | |
 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Sadao Iwahira November 9, 1922 Yama, Fukuoka, Japan |
| Died | January 17, 2001 (aged 78) |
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Weight | 94 kg (207 lb; 14.8 st) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Tokitsukaze |
| Record | 413-466-6-1draw |
| Debut | January, 1942 |
| Highest rank | Komusubi (September, 1951) |
| Retired | January, 1961 |
| Elder name | Shikoroyama |
| Championships | 1 (Jūryō) |
| Special Prizes | 1 (Outstanding Performance) |
| Gold Stars | 4 Terukuni (2) Azumafuji (2) |
| * Up to date as of June 2020. | |
Wakabayama Sadao (若葉山 貞雄, November 9, 1922 – January 17, 2001) was a
yokozuna. After his retirement from active competition in 1961 he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association
under the name Shikoroyama.
Career
He was born in
komusubi
in September 1951, which was to be his highest rank. He fought in the top division for 49 tournaments with a win/loss record of 326/383. He was demoted from makuuchi in November 1959 after recording only one win against 14 losses. He competed in the juryo division until announcing his retirement after the January 1961 tournament.
Retirement from sumo
Following his retirement Wakabayama remained with the Japan Sumo Association as an elder under the name Shikoroyama Oyakata, and worked as a coach at Tokitsukaze stable until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 in November 1987.
Death
He died of a
Fukushima. He was 78.[2]
Family
His son-in-law Masashi Onami was a sumo wrestler in the
Wakatakakage, an amateur champion at Toyo University, joined as a sandanme tsukedashi entrant in March 2017, reached the makuuchi division in November 2019 and won the 2022 Osaka tournament.[3]
Fighting style
Wakabayama was small for a sumo wrestler at 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) and 94 kg (207 lb), but he was a noted technician.[2] His favourite techniques included ashitori (leg grab) and shitatehineri (twisting underarm throw).
Pre-modern top division record
- The New Year tournament began and the Spring tournament returned to Osaka in 1953.
| - | Spring Haru basho, Tokyo |
Summer Natsu basho, Tokyo |
Autumn Aki basho, Tokyo |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | (Maezumo) | West Jonokuchi #6 7–1 |
Not held | |||
| 1943 | West Jonidan #32 6–2 |
East Sandanme #46 5–3 |
Not held | |||
| 1944 | East Sandanme #14 6–2 |
West Makushita #30 3–2 |
East Makushita #20 2–3 |
|||
| 1945 | Not held | East Makushita #23 5–0 |
East Makushita #2 4–1 |
|||
| 1946 | Not held | Not held | West Jūryō #6 10–5 Champion |
|||
| 1947 | Not held | East Maegashira #17 4–6 |
East Maegashira #18 6–5 |
|||
| 1948 | Not held | East Maegashira #15 4–7 |
West Maegashira #19 5–6 |
|||
| 1949 | West Maegashira #19 8–5 |
East Maegashira #11 8–7 |
West Maegashira #9 6–9 |
|||
| 1950 | East Maegashira #11 7–8 |
West Maegashira #11 7–8 |
West Maegashira #12 8–7 |
|||
| 1951 | West Maegashira #9 10–5 |
West Maegashira #2 8–7 O★★ |
West Komusubi 6–9 |
|||
| 1952 | East Maegashira #1 3–12 |
West Maegashira #7 10–5 |
West Maegashira #1 7–8 ★ |
|||
| Record given as wins–losses–absencies Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Playoff (s)Divisions: Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Maegashira |
||||||
| - | New Year Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
Spring Haru basho, Osaka |
Summer Natsu basho, Tokyo |
Autumn Aki basho, Tokyo | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | East Maegashira #3 2–13 |
West Maegashira #9 7–8 |
East Maegashira #10 8–7 |
West Maegashira #7 6–9 |
||
| 1954 | West Maegashira #11 10–5 |
West Maegashira #4 6–9 ★ |
East Maegashira #6 4–11 |
West Maegashira #10 8–7 |
||
| 1955 | West Maegashira #8 9–6 |
West Maegashira #4 7–8 |
East Maegashira #5 3–12 |
East Maegashira #11 10–5 |
||
| 1956 | West Maegashira #4 7–8 |
West Maegashira #4 6–9 |
East Maegashira #7 7–8 |
East Maegashira #8 5–10 |
||
| Record given as wins–losses–absencies Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Playoff (s)Divisions: Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Maegashira |
||||||
Modern top division tournament record
- Since the addition of the Kyushu tournament in 1957 and the Nagoya tournament in 1958, the yearly schedule has remained unchanged.
| Year | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo |
March Haru basho, Osaka |
May Natsu basho, Tokyo |
July Nagoya basho, Nagoya |
September Aki basho, Tokyo |
November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | West Maegashira #12 9–6 |
West Maegashira #9 4–5–6 |
West Maegashira #12 8–7 |
Not held | East Maegashira #10 6–9 |
West Maegashira #12 7–8 |
| 1958 | West Maegashira #13 9–6 |
West Maegashira #10 9–6 |
East Maegashira #6 3–12 |
East Maegashira #15 9–6 |
East Maegashira #13 8–6–1draw |
East Maegashira #12 5–10 |
| 1959 | East Maegashira #19 9–6 |
East Maegashira #13 7–8 |
West Maegashira #14 9–6 |
West Maegashira #11 5–10 |
East Maegashira #14 7–8 |
East Maegashira #13 1–14 |
| 1960 | East Jūryō #3 8–7 |
East Jūryō #1 6–9 |
West Jūryō #3 5–10 |
West Jūryō #9 5–10 |
West Jūryō #12 8–7 |
West Jūryō #11 5–10 |
| 1961 | East Jūryō #19 Retired 2–13 |
x | x | x | x | x |
| Record given as wins–losses–absencies Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Playoff (s)Divisions: Jonokuchi Makuuchi ranks: Maegashira |
||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b madorosumaru (5 November 2009). "New recruits-November 2009". Sumo Forum. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ^ a b c Adams, Andy (March 2001). "Ex-Komusubi Wakabayama dies at 78". Sumo World: 14.
- ^ Unknown[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Wakabayama Sadao Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 26 April 2017.