Sorakichi Matsuda

Matsada Sorakichi (1859 - August 16, 1891) was a professional wrestler of the 19th century of some national fame. While his name is largely unknown today, he remains the lone pioneer as a Japanese wrestler who became a feature attraction in America, competing in a distinctly western sport, long before it was adopted by Japanese and developed as a business.

Background

Sorakichi was born Koujiro Matsuda (Kanji: 松田幸次郎, Hiragana: まつだ こうじろう) in Japan. There he trained and competed for a time in sumo, under the name "Torakichi." These names were later corrupted by American promoters and the sporting press into "Matsada Korgaree Sorakichi," as he would be known in America for the rest of his life. To the sporting fraternity he was simply "Mat" or "The Jap."

Career

Matsuda came to the United States in 1883 and had his first match in New York City on January 14, 1884. He lost to the Englishman Edwin Bibby. In March, 1884, Matsuda beat Bibby and then James Daley in New York. Over the next few months he went on the road and wrestled in Cleveland, Baltimore, Buffalo, Rochester, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Chicago and Peoria. His opponents included Duncan Ross, Jack Gallagher, Benny Jones, Joe Acton, Carlos Martino and Ted George.

Greco-Roman champion William Muldoon was Matsuda's most famous opponent. Muldoon beat Matsuda in Chicago on July 18, 1884. Matsuda returned to New York City in August, 1884, where he lived until June, 1885. While in New York City he beat James Quigley and Jack Herd, drew with Karl Abs and William Muldoon, and lost twice to Abs. In June 1885 he wrestled in Cleveland and Scranton, Pennsylvania in December.

During March, 1886, Matsuda lost to the British champion Tom Cannon in Cleveland and drew with the German champion Ernst Roeber in New York City. The match against Roeber took place at the Germania Assembly Roon, in the Bowery.

Matsuda was on the road the rest of 1886, wrestling in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Ashland, Wisconsin and St. Louis. opponents included Duncan Ross, Joe Acton, Jack Carkeek, James Doner, James Faulkner and Bernarr MacFadden.

During 1887, he wrestled in Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit and Baltimore. In 1888 he toured Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Erie and Scranton) and also visited Lowell, Massachusetts. His opponents included Jesse Clark, Joe Acton, Jack Hart, Jim Connors, H.M. Dufar, Harvey Parker and William Muldoon.

In January and February, 1889 he wrestled August La Grange, William Muldoon and Ted George in Philadelphia. His last match was on May 13, 1891 against Martin "Farmer" Burns in Troy, New York.

In February, 1902, eleven years after his death , Jack Carkeek told the British sporting paper Mirror of Life that he held "a high opinion of Sorakichi, the jap, whom he considers to probably be the cleverest man in the world at his weight. The plucky little jap has suffered numerous defeats simply because he has tackled all the best men of the day , no matter what their size or weight might be, and the good little ones must ever go down to big ones".

Matsuda tried, unsuccessfully, the bring American wrestling to his homeland.

On August 16, 1891, he died penniless in New York City at age 32.

Profile

• Year of Birth: 1859
• Date of Death: August 16, 1891 (Illness)
• Professional debut: 1884

Personal life

Matsuda's European American wife, complained that Matsuda and his friends squandered her inheritance and threatened her with violence when she complained. She also said that Matsuda kept his Japanese girlfriend at their home.