Kinji Shibuya
| Kinji Shibuya | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Robert Kinji Shibuya |
| Born | May 16, 1921[1] Utah[1] |
| Died | May 3, 2010[1] |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Kinji Shibuya Kenji Shibuya Sato Keomuka |
| Trained by | Tsutao Higami |
| Debut | 1952[1] |
| Retired | 1976[2] |
Robert "Kinji" Shibuya (May 16, 1921 – May 3, 2010) was an American professional wrestler and actor.
Professional wrestling career
In 1952, promoter Al Karasick suggested Shibuya try professional wrestling.[1] He was originally given a villainous gimmick of a Japanese bad guy after World War II.[1] He wrestled in the United States and Canada's Stampede Wrestling and All-Star Wrestling.[1] Shibuya credited Verne Gagne for first making him popular as a villain in 1955.[2]
Shibuya was the frequent tag team partner of Mitsu Arakawa, who was billed as his cousin.[1] In 1957, they held the Minneapolis version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship.[1]
Personal life
Shibuya was born in Utah and raised in California with his four brothers.[1] He attended Belmont High School in Los Angeles. He played football for the Los Angeles City football team, and he also played football at the University of Hawaii.[1] After college, Shibuya played semi-professionally for the Honolulu Polar Bears and Honolulu Warriors.[1]
Shibuya was featured on a "This is Your Life" segment on the television show Canvas Cavity and appeared on the show several times in the 1970s and 1980s.[2] After retiring from wrestling, he also had small acting roles on shows such as Kung Fu and Mr. T and Tina.[1] He also appeared in the films Days of a Bawdy Ballad and Hammett.[1]
He was married for 59 years and had two children.[1] Shibuya died on May 3, 2010, of natural causes.[1][2] He was cremated, and his funeral service was held at a Buddhist temple.[2]
Championships and accomplishments
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Honoree (1993)
- Central States Wrestling
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA All-Star Wrestling
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Americas Tag Team Championship (5 times) - with Masa Saito (3), Goliath (1), Killer Kowalski (1)
- NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Championship (5 times)
- NWA Minneapolis Wrestling and Boxing Club
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (Minneapolis version) (1 time) - with Mitsu Arakawa
- NWA San Francisco
- NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (San Francisco version) (3 times)
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (San Francisco version) (5 times) - with Masa Saito (2), Great Mephisto (1), Great Sasaki (1), and Mitsu Arakawa (1)
- NWA Western States Sports
- World Class Championship Wrestling
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mitsu Arakawa