June 2001

Takanohana Catches Number 22

    
Takanohana Catches Number 22
Wins First 13 Matches; Survives Playoff for Natsu Title
by “Yukikaze” for SUMO SHIMPO

This writer distinctly remembers the final contest of Haru 2001, in which yokozuna-West MUSASHIMARU shoved yokozuna-East TAKANOHANA off the dohyo to give them both 12-3 records and give the yusho to then-ozeki #1-East KAIO.

So when the banzuke for the 2001 Natsu Basho was issued, this writer was surprised (and a little miffed) to see that TAKANOHANA had been placed in the yokozuna-East slot while MUSASHIMARU was slotted on the West side.  A minor issue, to be sure – but what was the banzuke committee thinking?  It might have been influenced by TAKANOHANA’s showing during the Haru jungyo period:  many observers felt it was the younger Hanada brother’s best road showing in years.

When the bell rang to start the festivities TAKANOHANA kept the jungyo momentum going, powering his way through his first 13 opponents as if it were 1994 all over again. His day 12 win over ozeki #2-West MIYABIYAMA was his 684th top-division victory, moving him past Takamiyama (now Azumazeki Oyakata) into 4th place on the all-time Makunouchi victories list.  (The only men now ahead of him on this list are the three great yokozuna of modern sumo:  Taiho, Kitanoumi and Chiyonofuji.  See revised list in this issue.)  But then came day 14 and ozeki #1-West MUSOYAMA, who had inflicted fatal damage on his chances in Osaka.  And the Musashigawa veteran, seemingly unaffected by his day 6 marathon against komusubi-East KOTOMITSUKI (see related article) not only ruined TAKA’s bid for his first zensho as a yokozuna, but stepped on his foot as he went down.  TAKANOHANA could still take the Tenno‑Hai with a win over MUSASHIMARU on senshuraku - but as his tsukebito helped him limp down the hanamichi that looked to be a non-starter.  He came in on the final day with his knee bandaged up, but raring to go.  However, once the bout finally got started it took MARU less than a second to send TAKA sprawling to the clay and tying matters at 13-2.

Both men retired to their respective shitakubeya while the bow ceremony was held.  During the wait TAKANOHANA refused to sit down even to allow the tokoyama to touch up his mage, but kept moving to prevent his knee from tightening up.  The two yokozuna then strolled down their respective hanamichi to battle for the title.  This time TAKA used his technical superiority before MARU could apply his power game, downing the Hawaiian with uwatenage to take championship number 22.  He is now within easy striking distance of Kitanoumi’s number-three place on the career yusho list.

MUSASHIMARU’s showing was marred as soon as it started with a shitatenage loss to new Mongolian sensation, komusubi-West ASASHORYU.  A slapdown by maegashira #1-West TAKANOWAKA two days later seemed to remove him from the Cup chase.  But Musashigawa’s top rikishi refused to roll over:  instead he rolled over everyone in his path, including the resurgent ozeki #3-East CHIYOTAIKAI, before his playoff-forcing senshuraku win.  The #1 non-Japanese rikishi now has 613 top-division wins, just seven short of former yokozuna Wajima on the Makunouchi victories list.

Two months ago it looked as if KAIO might be considered for yokozuna promotion if his May performance warranted.  But now not only is there no more discussion along that line, but there is the chance (admittedly remote) that he could lose his Kokugikan parking space.  It was thought, after two yusho in the space of a calendar year, that the strongman from Fukuoka had succeeded in driving his ‘evil twin’ into exile for good.  But he escaped and made his way to the Kokugikan - and the result was a 50-50 effort that finally came to a painful end after a hikiotishi loss to CHIYOTAIKAI.  Meanwhile, Kokonoe Beya’s ichiban rikishi was under kadoban due to his Kosho Seido absence in March.  The protege of the legendary Chiyonofuji came out strong with four straight wins, but then ran afoul of ASASHORYU to fall behind TAKANOHANA.  He won his next seven to stay within breathing distance; but when he had his chance on day 13 to pull into a tie the Futagoyama heyagashira gave him the classic yorikiri treatment.  He was then downed by MUSASHIMARU the next day, but his senshuraku win over MUSOYAMA left him with a 12-3 record to lead the ozeki quintet.

For the Musashigawa ozeki, it was a case of the misery of makekoshi and threat of kadoban being handed from one member of the “College of Sumo Knowledge” to another.  (What is it with these guys - do they draw straws to see who’s going to get stuck with the bad outing?)  MIYABIYAMA was the man under the threat of a smaller paycheck and having to walk in from the street.  After going .500 in his first four matches he rolled out five straight victories, but then lost four of his last 6 to finish with a 9-6:  he keeps his parking privileges.  #2-East DEJIMA had been kadoban going into the Haru Basho and had just managed to stave off demotion on senshuraku with an 8-7 record.  His May outing was bad, bad, bad:  he lost nine of his first 11 and finished 5-10.  Sempei MUSOYAMA was coming into the Kokugikan after a jun-yusho 12-3 in Osaka.  He started off poorly with four losses in his first 7 battles, but then took 6 of his last 8 (including TAKANOHANA) on his way to a 9-6 posting.

Three of the four lower sanyaku rikishi showed real grit by going kachikoshi against strong opposition from both above and below.  Sekiwake-West TOCHIAZUMA, coming back from injuries that had sent him down to the hiramaku for awhile, did not defeat either yokozuna and only went 3 for 5 against maegashira, but won 3 matches against ozeki for a 9-6 posting.  On the other side of the banzuke TOCHINONADA had a very rough time, losing his first 6 bouts and going makekoshi on day 9.  His 4-11 was the worst record among the joi-jin, and his next few paychecks will only contain maegashira money.  Both komusubi posted winning records:  KOTOMITSUKI (who had never been ranked here before, but who had vaulted into a sekiwake slot and had dropped back into the maegashira ranks just as fast) garnered a 9-6 and the Gino-Sho (Technique Prize).  It was closer for ASASHORYU, but a very flexible senshuraku showing over the always-dangerous maegashira #9-West AKINOSHIMA gave him his kachikoshi.  That, coupled with his shonichi victory over MUSASHIMARU, earned him the Shukun-Sho (Outstanding Performance Prize).

In the high maegashira ranks (#1 to #5) only three men managed to scrape out winning efforts.  There were three 11-4 efforts sharing top honors among the hiramaku:  #11-East HIGONOUMI, #13-East TOKI and #15-East KYOKUSHUZAN.  9-6 records were posted by #4‑West HAYATEUMI, #8-West KOTONOWAKA and #13-West TOCHINOHANA.  The Kanto-Sho (Fighting Spirit Prize) was not awarded this basho.

The Juryo yusho went to #1-West KITAZAKURA, who won his last 12 matches to finish with a 13-2 and certain re-ranking in the Makunouchi for Nagoya.  Close behind him in the race was #5-East OGINISHIKI, with a 12-3 posting which may very well return him to the ‘bright lights’ as well.  The “Marshmallow Man”, #3-East MINATOFUJI put up a 10-5 record while #9-East JUZAN racked up a 9-6.

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JUNIOR DIVISION YUSHO WINNERS

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Trivia Question of the Month

After TAKANOHANA won his 13th match in May, many thought he had a good chance to ‘run the table’ and go zensho.  When was the last time a yokozuna posted a 15-0?  (Hint:  it was by none other than the mighty Chiyonofuji.  You get extra credit if you come up with the number of zensho yusho he posted in his glorious career.)

Answer in this issue.

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FINALLY! – Komusubi-East KOTOMITSUKI finally defeats ozeki #1-West MUSOYAMA.  Sumo columnist Ken Coller timed this match at an  astonishing 15 minutes, 58.7 seconds from start to finish.  (Photo:  Ken Coller – SUMO NOW!)

Kotomitsuki-Musoyama:  A Sumo Marathon
by "Tonkatsu" for SUMO SHIMPO

Most of our readers know that the typical sumo match last only a matter of seconds.  Occasionally a fraction of a second.  Of course, we also get a match from time to time that last several minutes.  Every now and then we get a really long match where two wrestlers tie up and come to a stalemate.  Typically, they appear to just be leaning on each other.  The gyoji says "Hakkeyoi" repeatedly but nothing happens.  Eventually, the head judge calls a break.  After a short break, they are put back in the same position they were and restarted.  The last time this happened was in Osaka, where Kotonowaka bested Takatoriki in a match that lasted almost eight and a half minutes.  A few years, ago, Takatoriki lost a similar marathon to Konishiki.

On the sixth day of the Natsu Basho, Kotomisuki and Musoyama had a match that reduced those previous marathons to middle distance races.  Internet sumo columnist Ken Coller (Sumo Now!) described what happened as follows:

"Musoyama has to get past Kotomitsuki for a psychological lift.  The match goes to the belt and stalemates almost immediately after Kotomitsuki took him for a couple of revolutions with a right-hand grip of Muso's loose mawashi.  The two went into a clinch, the Ozeki tucking his left shoulder under Koto's chin and holding him close.  After 5:13.6 of watching the gyoji tighten Muso's belt, Kokonoe raises both hands and calls for a break.  The two fighters step down and Kaio assists Koto in tightening the knot of his belt, whereas on the west side Muso has Wakanosato unwrap a couple of layers of the mawashi before arranging it the way he wanted.  In contrast to the break we saw the last time there was a mizu-iri between Kotonowaka and Takatoriki, this is a holiday taking 3:08 as opposed to seventeen seconds!

The gyoji is having a very hard time getting the Ozeki and his adversary back in the proper position.  Kokonoe is gesturing and even the rest of the judges are offering guidance, it must have been an impossible task for the gyoji.  However, the fight must go on, and once again there is a deadlock, the only action being Musoyama slapping at Koto's ribs with his right hand.  After a little more than four minutes, the fight is stopped again, and a mono-ii is called.  How extraordinary!  When the judges step down, Kokonoe announces that this torikumi will be fought from another tachi-ai after the next bout.

The crowd is really up for the rematch between Musoyama and Kotomitsuki; this kind of situation hasn't been seen for more than 20 years.  It started with Koto pulling Muso along by the left arm, both men stepping lively and keeping well bent-over.  Koto worked slowly with his advance, gathering more of the silver silk of Musoyama's belt in his hands which were clamped onto the front of the mawashi.  Powering forward and standing up, Koto forced Muso to step back and out.  What a unique spectacle: nii-bango tori-naoshi!"

This writer was watching this on a tape with Japanese commentary.  When the second halt was called and the two were sent off we didn't know what was going on!  Had they both been disqualified?  We called Yukikaze, but he wasn't home.  We were still racking our brain when they brought them both back and started over from the tachi-ai.  I guess this is the sumo equivalent of a fifteen-inning pitcher’s duel in baseball ending with a third out homer.  It was indeed an extraordinary match.  Still, I'm glad we don't have one like this too often.

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Gaijin Rikishi Data and Results as of Natsu 2001
Data from Moti Dichne’s Sumo Homepage (www.dichne.com)