Kōtetsuyama Toyoya

{{Short description|Japanese sumo wrestler (1942–1996)}} {{Infobox sumo wrestler | native_name = 高鉄山豊也 | name = Kōtetsuyama Toyoya | image = Kotetsuyama.jpeg | birth_name = Konoshin Suga | birth_date = {{birth date|1942|07|09}} | birth_place = Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|1996|04|14|1942|07|09}} | height = {{height|meters=1.75}} | weight = {{convert|121|kg|lb|abbr=on}} | heya = Asahiyama | rank = | record = 661-668-10 | debut = March, 1957 | highestrank = Sekiwake (January, 1967) | retireddate = January, 1975 | eldername = Ōnaruto | yushos = 1 (Jūryō) | prizes = Fighting spirit (1)<br>Technique (1) | goldstars = 2 (Sadanoyama, Taihō) | update = June 2020 }} {{nihongo|'''Kōtetsuyama Toyoya'''|高鉄山豊也}} (July 9, 1942 – April 14, 1996), born {{nihongo|'''Kōnoshin Suga'''|菅孝之進|Suga Kōnoshin}}, was a sumo wrestler from Otaru, Hokkaidō, Japan. His highest rank was ''sekiwake''. After his retirement he became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association and the head coach of Onaruto stable.

==Career==

He made his professional debut in March 1957, joining Asahiyama stable. He won the ''yūshō'' or tournament championship with a 13-2 record in the ''jūryō'' division in July 1963 and was promoted to the top ''makuuchi'' division in the following tournament in September 1963.<ref name="sumodb"/> He was demoted back to ''jūryō'' after only two tournaments and changed his ''shikona'' to Futasegawa, which had been the fighting name of his stablemaster. He won promotion back to ''makuuchi'' in July 1964 but was demoted again, this time after three tournaments.<ref name="sumodb"/> After switching back to the Kotetsuyama name he won promotion to ''makuuchi'' for the third time in May 1965 after a 12-3 ''jūryō'' runner-up performance, and this time stayed in the top division. He was runner-up to Taihō in March 1966, and won his first ''sanshō'', for Fighting Spirit.<ref name="sumodb"/> In November 1966 he was runner-up for the second time, defeated ''yokozuna'' Sadanoyama to earn his first ''kinboshi'', and received the Technique Prize.<ref name="sumodb"/> In the following tournament in January 1967 he was ranked at ''sekiwake'', but scored only 3–12 and never reached the rank again.<ref name="sumodb"/> He is one of the rare examples of a wrestler whose only tournament in the ''sanyaku'' ranks was at ''sekiwake'', rather than ''komusubi'' (along with Hayateumi and Hokutoriki). He earned a second ''kinboshi'' in July 1969 for beating Taihō, and remained a rank-and-file ''maegashira'' until March 1971, when a poor 1–14 record saw him demoted back to ''jūryō.''<ref name="sumodb"/> He managed to return to ''makuuchi'' in November 1971 but was demoted to ''jūryō'' a number of times after that, his last ''makuuchi'' appearance coming in January 1974.<ref name="sumodb"/>

==Retirement from sumo==

He retired in January 1975. He branched out from Asahiyama stable and established the Onaruto stable in October 1975. He produced the top division wrestler Itai, a pusher-thruster like himself who also briefly used the Kōtetsuyama ''shikona'', and the lightweight ''jūryō'' wrestler Ishinriki. He was married to a ballet instructor.<ref>{{Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lora |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993| pages=205|isbn=0-8348-0283-X}}</ref> Onaruto stable closed in December 1994 and he left the Japan Sumo Association.

==Death== He died in somewhat mysterious circumstances in 1996, a month before claims he made about match-fixing in sumo were published in a book called ''Yaocho.''<ref>{{cite web|title=Crucial Tape to Be Unveiled This Week : Ex-Sumo Star Claims Proof of Bout-Rigging|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/14/sports/14iht-sumo.2.t.html|work=New York Times|accessdate=10 September 2012|date=February 14, 2000}}</ref> The co-writer of the book died within hours of Onaruto, in the same hospital.<ref name="nyt">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/03/sports/vantage-point-sumo-whistleblower-says-hes-on-a-mission.html|title=Vantage Point : Sumo Whistleblower Says He's on a 'Mission'|date=3 February 2000|work=New York Times|accessdate=6 August 2018}}</ref> Police found no evidence of foul play, but Onaruto's wrestler Itai later said his boss had links to a major yakuza crime syndicate.<ref name="nyt"/>

==Fighting style== Kotetsuyama was short for a sumo wrestler at 175cm, but was known for the power of his pushing attack. He was very much an ''oshi-sumo'' specialist, who preferred pushing and thrusting at his opponents to fighting on the ''mawashi'' or belt. His most common winning ''kimarite'' or techniques at ''sekitori'' level were ''oshi-dashi'' (push out), ''tsuki-otoshi'' (thrust over) and ''hataki-komi'' (slap down).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi_kim.aspx?r=4021|title=Kotetsuyama bouts by kimarite|work=Sumo Reference|accessdate=18 February 2021}}</ref>

==Career record== *''The Nagoya tournament was first held in 1958.'' {{Sumo record box start|Kōtetsuyama Toyoya<ref name="sumodb">{{cite web | author= | title=Kōtetsuyama Toyoya Rikishi Information | publisher=Sumo Reference | url=https://sumodb.sumogames.de/Rikishi.aspx?r=4021 | date= | accessdate=2012-09-05}}</ref>}} {{Sumo record year start|1957}} {{Basho}} {{Basho|MAEZUMOU}} {{Basho|sj|||2|1}} {{Basho|NOTE|'''Not held'''}} {{Basho|jo|117|w|5|3}} {{Basho|jo|61|e|2|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1958}} {{Basho|jo|71|e|6|2}} {{Basho|jo|45|e|4|4}} {{Basho|jo|43|e|4|4}} {{Basho|jo|37|e|5|3}} {{Basho|jo|22|w|4|4}} {{Basho|jo|20|e|5|3}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1959}} {{Basho|jo|6|e|3|5}} {{Basho|jo|9|e|6|2}} {{Basho|sa|87|e|5|3}} {{Basho|sa|72|w|5|3}} {{Basho|sa|60|e|6|2}} {{Basho|sa|28|w|7|1}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1960}} {{Basho|ma|79|e|5|3}} {{Basho|ma|66|e|5|3}} {{Basho|ma|54|e|3|5}} {{Basho|ma|59|w|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|48|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|30|e|3|4}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1961}} {{Basho|ma|4|w|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|18|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|31|e|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|43|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|30|e|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|18|e|5|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1962}} {{Basho|ma|10|e|4|3}} {{Basho|ma|6|w|2|5}} {{Basho|ma|15|w|3|4}} {{Basho|ma|17|w|5|2}} {{Basho|ma|13|e|6|1}} {{Basho|ma|4|w|5|2}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1963}} {{Basho|j|18|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|12|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|7|e|9|6}} {{Basho|j|2|w|13|2|P<br>Champion}} {{Basho|m|13|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|14|e|5|10}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1964}} {{Basho|j|2|w|7|8}} {{Basho|j|4|w|10|5}} {{Basho|j|2|e|10|5}} {{Basho|m|14|e|7|6|2}} {{Basho|m|15|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|15|e|6|9}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1965}} {{Basho|j|2|w|8|7}} {{Basho|j|2|w|12|3|P}} {{Basho|m|12|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|9|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|8|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|10|w|9|6}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1966}} {{Basho|m|6|e|6|9}} {{Basho|m|9|w|11|4||j|f}} {{Basho|m|2|w|4|11}} {{Basho|m|6|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|1|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|4|w|12|3||j|t|*}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1967}} {{Basho|s|1|w|3|12}} {{Basho|m|4|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|3|e|5|10}} {{Basho|m|4|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|5|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|2|w|6|9}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1968}} {{Basho|m|5|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|2|w|4|11}} {{Basho|m|7|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|3|e|2|13}} {{Basho|m|11|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|8|e|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1969}} {{Basho|m|9|w|10|5}} {{Basho|m|4|e|5|10}} {{Basho|m|8|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|4|e|6|9|||*}} {{Basho|m|5|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|2|e|4|11}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1970}} {{Basho|m|10|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|3|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|7|w|6|9}} {{Basho|m|10|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|11|w|8|7}} {{Basho|m|6|e|7|8}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1971}} {{Basho|m|8|e|7|8}} {{Basho|m|10|w|1|14}} {{Basho|j|7|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|11|w|11|4}} {{Basho|j|2|e|9|6}} {{Basho|m|12|e|4|11}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1972}} {{Basho|j|3|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|12|w|9|6}} {{Basho|m|3|w|5|10}} {{Basho|m|8|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|5|e|8|7}} {{Basho|m|2|e|3|12}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1973}} {{Basho|m|11|e|4|11}} {{Basho|j|4|w|11|4|P}} {{Basho|m|13|e|2|13}} {{Basho|j|8|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|3|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|1|e|10|5}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1974}} {{Basho|m|11|e|3|12}} {{Basho|j|5|w|6|9}} {{Basho|j|9|e|9|6}} {{Basho|j|2|e|4|11}} {{Basho|j|10|w|9|6}} {{Basho|j|5|w|5|10}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record year start|1975}} {{Basho|INTAI|rank=j|r-no=12|tozai=e|loss=7|absent=8}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Basho}} {{Sumo record year end}} {{Sumo record box end}}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotetsuyama, Toyoya}} Category:1942 births Category:Japanese sumo wrestlers Category:Sumo wrestlers from Hokkaido Category:Sekiwake Category:1996 deaths Category:Sportspeople from Otaru Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen