Maenoyama Tarō

Maenoyama Tarō (born 9 March 1945 as Kazuichi Kaneshima) is a former sumo wrestler from Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in 1961, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1966. His highest rank was ōzeki which he held from 1970 until 1972. He retired in 1974 and became head coach of the Takadagawa stable. He left the Sumo Association in 2010 upon turning 65.

Maenoyama Tarō
前の山 太郎
Personal information
BornKazuichi Kaneshima
(1945-03-09) 9 March 1945
Osaka, Japan
Height1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Weight130 kg (290 lb)
Career
StableTakasago
Record487–397–48
DebutMarch, 1961
Highest rankŌzeki (September, 1970)
RetiredMarch, 1974
Elder nameSendagawa
Championships1 (Jūryō)
Special PrizesFighting Spirit (2)
Outstanding Performance (3)
Gold Stars1 (Kashiwado)
* Up to date as of June 2020.

Career

He was born in Niwakubo Town in Kitakawachi-un, Osaka Prefecture (the town has now been incorporated into Moriguchi City), and is of Korean descent. He entered Takasago stable and made his professional debut in March 1961. He reached sekitori status in November 1965 upon promotion to the jūryō division and reached the top makuuchi division in September 1966. He made his san'yaku debut in March 1968 at sekiwake. In May 1969 he defeated yokozuna Kashiwado on opening day and went on to win 11 bouts, receiving his first sanshō or special prize, for Fighting Spirit. He was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ōzeki in July 1970 after two consecutive runner-up performances to yokozuna Kitanofuji, the second coming in a play-off. His ōzeki debut in September 1970 was inauspicious as he had injured his right foot in training and had to miss the entire tournament through injury. He returned in November to score 9–6 and keep his rank, but the foot injury continued to trouble him and he was unable to win more than nine bouts in any of his ten tournaments at ōzeki rank. He was demoted from ōzeki in March 1972 after two consecutive losing scores. His Day 12 win over Kotozakura in this tournament was criticized by the Japan Sumo Association as being an example of mukiryoku or "unmotivated" sumo, a euphemism for yaocho or match-fixing, as his fellow ōzeki opponent had shown little resistance. It was unprecedented for the Sumo Association to publicly warn wrestlers in this way. Maenoyama withdrew after this bout and his resulting 6–7–2 record confirmed his demotion. He would have been promoted back to ōzeki if he had won at least ten bouts in the following tournament, but he scored only 7–8. He continued to compete in the lower ranks until March 1974 when he announced his retirement from active competition at the age of 29.

Retirement from sumo

He became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Takadagawa and established the Takadagawa stable in April 1974. He produced such top division wrestlers as komusubi Maenoshin and Kenko, and maegashira Kiraiho. It was once part of the Takasago ichimon (group of stables). However, the stable became a pariah after Takadagawa ran for the leadership of the Sumo Association in 1998 against the wishes of the Takasago ichimon. As a result, he was forced to leave the Takasago camp. There was some belief that he would join the Dewanoumi group but instead the stable went independent. In December 2008 it was announced that former sekiwake Akinoshima would be his successor. Takadagawa stood down in August 2009 to ease the transition. The two swapped elder names, and he became Sendagawa Oyakata. He left the Japan Sumo Association in March 2010 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.

Fighting style

Maenoyama's favourite techniques were tsukidashi (thrust out), hidari-yotsu (a right hand outside, left hand inside grip on his opponent's mawashi) and yorikiri (force out).

Career record
Maenoyama Tarō[1]
Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo		 March
Haru basho, Osaka		 May
Natsu basho, Tokyo		 July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya		 September
Aki basho, Tokyo		 November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1961 x (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #26
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 (Maezumo) East Jonokuchi #21
Sat out due to injury
0–0–7		 (Maezumo)
1962 West Jonokuchi #25
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #62
5–2
 		 West Jonidan #25
6–1
 		 West Sandanme #63
2–5
 		 East Sandanme #83
5–2
 		 West Sandanme #52
2–5
 
1963 East Sandanme #71
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #28
4–3
 		 East Sandanme #18
3–4
 		 East Sandanme #27
3–4
 		 West Sandanme #40
5–2
 		 East Sandanme #11
5–2
 
1964 West Makushita #83
5–2
 		 East Makushita #62
4–3
 		 East Makushita #57
5–2
 		 East Makushita #43
3–4
 		 East Makushita #49
3–4
 		 East Makushita #53
6–1
 
1965 East Makushita #30
4–3
 		 West Makushita #22
4–3
 		 East Makushita #17
4–3
 		 East Makushita #14
5–2
 		 East Makushita #5
5–2
 		 West Jūryō #18
10–5
 
1966 East Jūryō #10
6–9
 		 West Jūryō #14
8–7
 		 East Jūryō #12
9–6
 		 East Jūryō #6
13–2–P
Champion
 		 West Maegashira #14
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #9
11–4
 
1967 West Maegashira #1
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #8
9–6
 		 West Maegashira #3
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #5
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #2
4–11
 		 East Maegashira #8
10–5
 
1968 East Maegashira #2
9–6
 		 West Sekiwake #1
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #1
9–6
 		 East Komusubi #2
8–7
 		 West Komusubi #1
9–6
 		 West Sekiwake #1
8–7
 
1969 East Sekiwake #1
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #2
8–7
 		 West Maegashira #1
11–4
F★		 West Sekiwake #1
10–5
O		 West Sekiwake #1
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #2
8–7
 
1970 West Sekiwake #2
8–7
 		 West Sekiwake #2
9–6
O		 East Sekiwake #1
12–3
O		 East Sekiwake #1
13–2–P
F		 West Ōzeki #2
Sat out due to injury
0–0–15		 West Ōzeki #2
9–6
 
1971 West Ōzeki #2
9–6
 		 East Ōzeki #2
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki #2
8–7
 		 East Ōzeki #2
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki #2
8–7
 		 West Ōzeki #2
8–7
 
1972 East Ōzeki #2
3–2–10
 		 East Ōzeki #2
6–7–2
 		 East Sekiwake #2
7–8
 		 West Komusubi #1
8–7
 		 West Komusubi #1
5–10
 		 West Maegashira #3
5–4–6
 
1973 East Maegashira #9
10–5
 		 West Maegashira #2
7–8
 		 West Maegashira #3
4–11
 		 West Maegashira #11
9–6
 		 East Maegashira #6
8–7
 		 East Maegashira #4
8–7
 
1974 East Maegashira #1
4–11
 		 West Maegashira #8
Retired
0–6–9		 x x x x
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: ★=Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi — Jūryō — Makushita — Sandanme — Jonidan — Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna — Ōzeki — Sekiwake — Komusubi — Maegashira
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See also

References
  1. "Maenoyama Taro Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 30 July 2012.
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