[sumo] Despite goofball reputation, Takamisakari had solid career | The Japan Times

[Robert Brown]

Nice story.  Thanks for posting.

Kodaiyama

On Tue, Mar 10, 2020 at 1:33 PM Jonosuke Gomen <gomen.jonosuke at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Ah...Takamisakari.   He gave us a plenty of fun watching sumo when he was
> still active.
> As far as his record as a Makuuchi rikishi, he was more or less mediocre.
> In one stretch of 10 basho, he finished 7 win - 8 loss seven times. He
> barely made Sanyaku (highest being Komusubi).  To mirror that rather
> undistinguished record he finished his career with one more loss than win
> (564 losses vs 563 wins).
>
> Though he joined his elementary school sumo team only because his teacher
> told him he could only get extra serving of school lunch if he did, he
> became pretty much a standout back in Aomori days - he was Middle High
> Yokozuna and was good enough to join Nihon University Sumo team.
>
> Unfortunately for him there was another talented superstar joined the
> university team at the same time as him.  He always was under the shadow of
> his super talented team mate, Tamiya (later Kotomitsuki).  However he even
> won the All Japan Sumo Championship to become Amateur Yokozuna (I don't
> exactly remember but I think Tamiya did not participate due to injury or
> something).
>
> That got him to join Ozumo as a Makushita Tsukedashi and gave him a great
> start. During training sessions he was known to show less that spirited
> effort, only to come out on the dohyo a changed man with full of vigor.
> His pre-bout antics certainly helped him to get himself psyched up.
>
> During his active career he vowed never to become a heya owning oyakata
> saying he was no good at accounting or business management but with the
> sudden death of the former Azumazeki oyakata he has become the heya master
> so that the legacy of his heya mate Ushiomaru continues.
>
> Unlike his mediocre active career he may turn out to a good heya master
> knowing not all rikishi would end up as Yokozuna, Ozeki or even a sekitori,
> he may motivate his deshi by letting them know, by sheer effort and trying
> to be all one can be, one can be successful in life.
>
> During scandal Yaocho days, he was singled out again and again as one of a
> few bona fide Gachiko rikishi, clearly never have known to have cheated in
> his bouts all his life and he was not even investigated by the Kyokai for
> gambling. No one doubted his sincerity.
>
> Gome Koumuru,
> Jonosuke
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> From: Jeffrey Anderson <jpaitv at gmail.com>
> To: Sumo Mailing List <sumo at webtrek.com>
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2020 09:57:20 -0400
> Subject: [sumo] Despite goofball reputation, Takamisakari had solid career
> | The Japan Times
>
> https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/03/10/sumo/despite-goofball-reputation-takamisakari-solid-career/
> Gaijingai
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> Gomen Komuru,
> Jonosuke
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