Futabayama Sadaji

{{short description|Japanese sumo wrestler}} {{hatnote|In this Japanese shikona name, the surname is Futabayama.}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | native_name = 双葉山定次 | name = Futabayama Sadaji | image = FUTABAYAMA Sadaji.jpg | caption = Futabayama, {{circa}} 1939 | birth_name = Akiyoshi Sadaji | birth_date = {{birth date|1912|2|9}} | birth_place = Usa, Oita, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|1968|12|16|1912|2|9}} | height = {{height|m=1.79|precision=0}} | weight = {{convert|128|kg|lb st|abbr=on}} | heya = Tatsunami | rank = | record = 345-113-33 (1 draw) | debut = March 1927 | highestrank = Yokozuna (May 1937) | retireddate = November 1945 | eldername = Tokitsukaze | yushos = 12 (Makuuchi) | goldstars = 1 (Musashiyama) | update = June 2020 }} {{nihongo|'''Futabayama Sadaji'''|双葉山定次||February 9, 1912 – December 16, 1968}} was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Oita Prefecture. Entering sumo in 1927, he was the sport's 35th ''yokozuna'' from 1937 until his retirement in 1945. He won twelve ''yūshō'' or top division championships and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record. Despite his dominance he was extremely popular with the public.<ref name="Newton">{{cite book|author=Newton, Clyde|title=Dynamic Sumo|publisher=Kodansha|year=1994|isbn=4-7700-1802-9}}</ref> After his retirement he was head coach of Tokitsukaze stable and chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.

==Career== Born {{nihongo|Akiyoshi Sadaji|龝吉定次}} in Usa, he worked on fishing boats as young boy.<ref name="Sharnoff">{{Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lora |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |isbn=0-8348-0283-X}}</ref> He joined professional sumo in March 1927 at the age of 15, recruited by Tatsunami stable. He entered the top ''makuuchi'' division at the beginning of 1932. He was promoted from the middle of the second ''jūryō'' division to ''maegashira'' 4, as many top division wrestlers had just gone on strike in the Shunjuen Incident, and the Japan Sumo Association needed to fill the gaps in the ranks.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> However, he soon proved himself worthy of the promotion, finishing as runner-up in his second top division tournament.

Futabayama is particularly remembered for achieving the longest run of consecutive victories in sumo bouts, with 69, a record that still stands today.<ref name="gunning0120">{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/01/20/sumo/legendary-futabayama-set-standard-sumo-greatness/#.XicqD-SWyUk|title=Legendary Futabayama set standard for sumo greatness|last=Gunning|first=John|date=20 January 2020|work=Japan Times|accessdate=21 January 2020}}</ref> This represents an unbeaten run which stretched over three years. In a sport where matches often last a few seconds, and a brief lapse in concentration can lead to a loss, this is an exceptional achievement. It began on January 7, 1936 at the rank of ''maegashira'' 3. During this run he was promoted from ''maegashira'' 3 to ''yokozuna''.<ref name="gunning0120"/> It generated such excitement among the public that the Sumo Association extended the number of days per tournament from 11 to 13, and then to 15. He was finally defeated on January 3, 1939 by ''maegashira'' Akinoumi (later a ''yokozuna'' himself).<ref name="Sharnoff"/> He lost more to illness than to a superior opponent, as he was suffering from amoebic dysentery at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/07/16/sumo/sumo-101-futabayamas-win-streak/#.XS8sVuSWyM8|title=Sumo 101: Futabayama's win streak|last=Gunning|first=John|date=16 July 2019|publisher=Japan Times|accessdate=17 July 2019}}</ref>

Futabayama won a total of twelve tournament championships, during a period in which there were only two tournaments held each year. His total remained a record until the number of tournaments was increased to six a year in the 1950s. However, the percentage of championships won in his ''makuuchi'' career still compares favorably to the wrestlers who have surpassed his total in the six tournament a year era.<ref name="Sharnoff"/>

After his retirement Futabayama revealed he was actually blind in one eye, due to an injury suffered in his youth, making his achievements even more remarkable.<ref name="Sharnoff"/><ref name="gunning0120"/>

He was one of the first top wrestlers to break away from the tradition of marrying his stablemaster's daughter, instead choosing a young heiress from a rich Kansai family. Their reception was held in April 1939 at the Tokyo Kaikan.<ref>{{cite book|author=Schilling, Mark|title=Sumo: A Fan's Guide|publisher=Japan Times|year=1994|isbn=4-7890-0725-1|page=76}}</ref> (His coach's daughter married Haguroyama instead.)<ref name="Sharnoff"/>

==Fighting style== Futabayama was noted for being exceptionally good at the initial phase of a sumo match, the ''tachi-ai''. He was an expert at the ''gonosen no tachiai'' or receiving his opponent's charge and immediately countering it.<ref>{{cite book|last=Schilling |first=Mark|title=Sumo: A Fan's Guide|year=1994|publisher=The Japan Times|isbn=4-7890-0725-1|page=118}}</ref> He is believed to have never made a false start.<ref name="Sharnoff"/> Although he was not particularly large, he had excellent balance. One of his most feared techniques was ''uwatenage'',<ref>[http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/e/datas/323.html Futabayama, Sadaji | Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures]</ref> or overarm throw.

==Retirement from sumo== [[File:Kagamisato and Tokitsukaze 19530126.JPG|thumb|left|upright|Futabayama (left) celebrates his wrestler Kagamisato's victory in the January 1953 tournament that saw him promoted to ''yokozuna'']] The June 1945 tournament was held in a bomb-damaged Kokugikan with barely any spectators, and Futabayama dropped out after the first day. He did not take part in the November 1945 tournament and announced his retirement during it, claiming that he objected to the newly enlarged ''dohyō'' that the Sumo Association had introduced with hopes to make the sport more pleasing to the occupying forces.<ref name="Newton"/> However, he had actually made a decision to retire a year earlier, having suffered a loss to Azumafuji, another future ''yokozuna''.<ref name="Newton"/>

Futabayama had become head of his own stable, Futabayama Dojo, in 1941 whilst still an active wrestler (a practice now forbidden), and upon his retirement he adopted the Tokitsukaze elder name and renamed his ''heya'' Tokitsukaze stable.<ref name="gunning0120"/> It grew to become one of sumo's largest stables by the 1950s, and Futabayama produced several strong wrestlers including ''yokozuna'' Kagamisato and ''ōzeki'' Kitabayama and Yutakayama.<ref name="Newton"/> He remained in charge of the stable until his death from hepatitis in 1968. From 1957 he was also chairman (''rijichō'') of the Japan Sumo Association. In his time as chairman he introduced a number of important reforms, such as giving monthly salaries to wrestlers ranked in the top two divisions, and enforcing a mandatory retirement age of 65 for elders and referees.<ref name="Newton"/>

==Career record==

*''Four tournaments a year, in Tokyo and other locations, were held from 1927–1932. For most of the 1930s and 1940s only two tournaments were held a year in Tokyo only.'' {{Sumo record box start 1927-1932|Futabayama Sadaji<ref>{{cite web | author= | title=Futabayama Sadaji| publisher=Sumo Reference| url=http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?shikona=futabayama&heya=-1&shusshin=-1&b=-1&high=-1&hd=-1&entry=-1&intai=-1&sort=1| date= | accessdate=2007-07-11}}</ref> }} {{Sumo record year start|1927}} {{Basho|||||}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|sj|||3|3}} {{Basho|jk|27|e|4|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1928}} {{Basho|jk|9|e|5|1}} {{Basho|jo|34|w|3|3}} {{Basho|jo|16|e|3|3}} {{Basho|jo|16|e|4|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1929}} {{Basho|sa|33|e|3|3}} {{Basho|sa|33|e|5|1}} {{Basho|sa|7|w|4|2}} {{Basho|sa|7|w|3|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1930}} {{Basho|ma|24|w|4|2}} {{Basho|ma|24|w|3|3}} {{Basho|ma|4|e|4|2}} {{Basho|ma|4|e|3|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1931}} {{Basho|ma|3|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|3|w|5|2}} {{Basho|j|5|w|3|8}} {{Basho|j|5|w|7|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1932}} {{Basho|m|4|w|5|3}} {{Basho|m|4|w|8|2||j}} {{Basho|m|2|e|6|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Sat out due to injury'''}} {{Sumo record box end}} {{Sumo record box start 1933-1952}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1933}} {{Basho|m|5|e|9|2}} {{Basho|m|2|e|4|7}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1934}} {{Basho|m|4|w|6|5}} {{Basho|m|1|w|6|5}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1935}} {{Basho|k||e|4|6<br>1d}} {{Basho|m|1|e|4|7}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1936}} {{Basho|m|3|e|9|2||j|*}} {{Basho|s||w|11|0||y}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1937}} {{Basho|o||e|11|0||y}} {{Basho|o||e|13|0||y}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1938}} {{Basho|y||w|13|0||y}} {{Basho|y||e|13|0||y}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1939}} {{Basho|y||e|9|4}} {{Basho|y||e|15|0||y}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1940}} {{Basho|y||e|14|1||y}} {{Basho|y||e|7|5|3}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1941}} {{Basho|y||w|14|1||y}} {{Basho|y||w|13|2||j}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1942}} {{Basho|y||e|14|1||y}} {{Basho|y||e|13|2||y}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1943}} {{Basho|y||w|15|0||y}} {{Basho|y||e|15|0||y}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1944}} {{Basho|y||e|11|4}} {{Basho|y||e|9|1||j}} {{Basho|y||e|4|3|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1945}} {{Basho|note|'''Not held'''}} {{Basho|y||w|1|0|6}} {{Basho|intai|rank=y|r-no=|tozai=w|win=0|loss=0|absent=10}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end 1930-1946}}

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Futabayama Sadaji}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060908031638/http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kiroku_daicho/mei_yokozuna/futabayama.html Futabayama Sadaji]

{{Yokozuna box | previous = Minanogawa Tōzō | number = 35th | active = 1937–1945 | next = Haguroyama Masaji}} {{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box | title = Chairman of the Japan Sumo Association | before = Tsunenohana Kan'ichi | after=Dewanohana Kuniichi | years = 1957–1968}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Futabayama, Sadaji}} Category:1912 births Category:1968 deaths Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:People from Usa, Ōita Category:Sumo wrestlers from Ōita Prefecture Category:Yokozuna Category:Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon Category:Deaths from hepatitis in Japan Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen