Miyagiyama Fukumatsu
| 宮城山 福松 Miyagiyama Fukumatsu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | Fukumatsu Sato February 27, 1895 Iwate, Japan |
| Died | November 19, 1943 (aged 48) |
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) |
| Weight | 113 kg (249 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Takadagawa |
| Record | 90-69-38-1draw (Makuuchi) |
| Debut | June 1910 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (February, 1922) |
| Retired | January 1931 |
| Championships | 2 (Makuuchi) 4 (Makuuchi in Osaka) |
| * Up to date as of October 2007. | |
Miyagiyama Fukumatsu (宮城山 福松, February 27, 1895 – November 19, 1943) was a sumo wrestler from Ichinoseki, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 29th Yokozuna. He was the last yokozuna in Osaka sumo.
Career
In the fall of 1909, he joined Dewanoumi stable. He made his professional debut in June 1910. However, he was punched by Kyushuzan Juro and escaped from Tokyo sumo in May 1912. He didn't abandon the idea of becoming a wrestler and moved to Osaka sumo.
He reached the top makuuchi division in 1916 and he was promoted to Ozeki after only 2 tournaments. In January 1920, he won his first championship with a 8-1-1draw record. In March 1921, he fought against wrestlers in Tokyo sumo and defeated sekiwake Genjiyama, ozeki Tsunenohana, yokozuna Onishiki and Kyushuzan. He compromised with Kyushuzan.
In June 1921, he won a championship with a 8-2 record. In January 1922, he won a championship with a perfect 10-0 record. After winning two consecutive championships, he was awarded a yokozuna licence. He was absent from two tournaments in 1923 due to phlegmon on his righthand's middle fingertip. In January 1926, he won a championship with a 9-1 record.
In 1927, Osaka Sumo Association disbanded and its wrestlers returned to Tokyo sumo. At that time, Osaka sumo's level was very low and he was considered not to be strong.[1] However, he had to save the honor of Osaka sumo as yokozuna. Although his strength had already declined, he fought tooth and nail and won 2 championships after Osaka sumo's disappearance. The first of these, in January 1927, was the first tournament to be held under the auspices of the Dai Nihon Ozumo Kyokai (now the Japan Sumo Association). Considering that he had been retained as a yokozuna simply because there was no precedent for demoting one and to allow Osaka sumo to save face, it was regarded as a sensational result.[1]
After his retirement, he became the 6th head coach of Shibatayama stable. The stable was closed after his death. Afterward, the 62nd yokozuna Onokuni became the 12th holder of Shibatayama name and he opened the modern Shibatayama stable.
Record in Osaka sumo
*1-2 tournaments were held yearly in this period, though the actual time they were held was often erratic
*Championships from Osaka sumo were unofficial
| First | Second | |
|---|---|---|
| 1916 | x | East maegashira 7 (8-1-1hold) |
| 1917 | East Sekiwake (8-1-1hold) | West Ōzeki (8-1-1hold) |
| 1918 | Sat out | West Ōzeki (8-2) |
| 1919 | East Ōzeki (6-3-1hold) | East Ōzeki (7-2-1) |
| 1920 | East Ōzeki (8-1-1draw) | West Ōzeki (6-3-1draw) |
| 1921 | West Ōzeki (2-4-3-1draw) | West Ōzeki (8-2) |
| 1922 | East Ōzeki (10-0) | East Yokozuna (7-1-2draws) |
| 1923 | Sat out | Sat out |
| 1924 | East Yokozuna (2-0-8) | Sat out |
| 1925 | East Yokozuna (4-2-3-1draw) | East Yokozuna (1-0-9) |
| 1926 | East Yokozuna (9-1) | no tournament held |
- The wrestler's East/West designation, rank, and win/loss record are listed for each tournament.
- A third figure in win-loss records represents matches sat-out during the tournament
| Green Box=Tournament Championship |
Top division record
| January | March | May | October | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | East Yokozuna (10-1) | East Yokozuna (7-3-1draw) | East Yokozuna (3-3-5) | West Yokozuna (4-7) |
| 1928 | West Yokozuna (7-4) | East Yokozuna (7-4) | East Yokozuna (7-4) | East Yokozuna (9-2) |
| 1929 | West Yokozuna (1-4-6) | West Yokozuna (2-3-6) | West Yokozuna (3-3-5) | West Yokozuna (8-3) |
| 1930 | West Yokozuna (6-5) | West Yokozuna (4-7) | West Yokozuna (6-5) | West Yokozuna (1-6-4) |
| 1931 | East Yokozuna (5-6) | retired | x | x |
- The wrestler's East/West designation, rank, and win/loss record are listed for each tournament[2]
- A third figure in win-loss records represents matches sat-out during the tournament (usually due to injury)
| Green Box=Tournament Championship |
References in Popular Culture
Miyagiyama is briefly mentioned in Chapter 17 of Memoirs of a Geisha, when many of the novel's main characters attend a sumo exhibition in Kyoto. He competes in his role as yokozuna, winning his bout by hataki komi (slap down).
See also
References
- ^ a b Newton, Clyde (1994). Dynamic Sumo. Kodansha. p. 58. ISBN 4-7700-1802-9.
- ^ "Miyagiyama Fukumatsu Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
External links