Haguroyama Masaji

Haguroyama Masaji (Japanese: 羽黒山 政司, November 18, 1914 – October 14, 1969) was a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Nakanokuchi, Niigata. He was the sport's 36th yokozuna.[1] He was a yokozuna for a period of twelve years and three months dating from his promotion to that rank in May 1941 until his retirement in September 1953,[1] which was an all-time record until surpassed in 2019 by Hakuhō. During his career Haguroyama won seven top division championships and was runner-up on six other occasions. However, he was always in the shadow of yokozuna Futabayama, who came from the same stable.[2] After his retirement he was the head coach of Tatsunami stable until his death in 1969.

Haguroyama Masaji
羽黒山 政司
Haguroyama, circa 1943
Personal information
BornKobayashi Masaji
(1914-11-18)November 18, 1914
Niigata, Japan
DiedOctober 14, 1969(1969-10-14) (aged 54)
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 12 in)
Weight129.5 kg (285 lb)
Career
StableTatsunami
Record359-99-117-1 draw
DebutJanuary, 1934
Highest rankYokozuna (May, 1941)
RetiredSeptember, 1953
Elder nameTatsunami
Championships7 (Makuuchi)
1 (Jūryō)
1 (Makushita)
1 (Sandanme)
1 (Jonidan)
1 (Jonokuchi)
* Up to date as of June 2020.

Career

His real name was Kobayashi Masaji (小林 正治). Haguroyama made his professional debut in January 1934 at age 19, joining Tatsunami stable. His progression was remarkably rapid. He passed through all the lower divisions in just one tournament each,[2] in every case winning the divisional championship – a feat unlikely ever to be equalled. He made his debut in the top makuuchi division in May 1937. He was promoted to the ōzeki rank after just one tournament at sekiwake. After finishing as runner-up in the January 1941 tournament and winning his first top division title in May 1941 he was promoted to yokozuna. After three more runner-up performances he won his first championship as a yokozuna in May 1944.

Upon the retirement of his great rival Futabayama in November 1945 he became dominant, winning four consecutive tournaments. However, in November 1947 he severed his Achilles tendon and was out of action until May 1949.[3] He won his final championship in January 1952 at age 37 with a perfect 15–0 record. It was his first tournament win in over four years. He retired in September 1953, when he was nearly 39.

He was known for his hard training and his great strength, and was said to be "made of steel."[2]

Retirement from sumo

Haguroyama's danpatsu-shiki or retirement ceremony held in 1954

Haguroyama married the daughter of his stablemaster, which enabled him to become head coach of Tatsunami stable after retiring from the ring.[2] He produced ōzeki Wakahaguro and several other top wrestlers. When he died in 1969 the title of Tatsunami Oyakata passed onto his son-in-law, former sekiwake Annenyama.[2]

Career Record

  • Through most of the 1930s and 1940s only two tournaments were held a year, and in 1946 only one was held. The New year tournament began and the Spring tournament returned to Osaka in 1953.
Haguroyama Masaji[4]
- Spring
Haru basho, Tokyo
Summer
Natsu basho, Tokyo
Autumn
Aki basho, Tokyo
1934 (Maezumo) Shinjo
21
 
Not held
1935 East Jonokuchi #1
51
Champion

 
West Jonidan #10
60
Champion

 
Not held
1936 East Sandanme #8
60
Champion

 
West Makushita #12
101
Champion

 
Not held
1937 East Jūryō #8
92
Champion

 
West Maegashira #16
94
 
Not held
1938 East Maegashira #5
103
 
East Komusubi
76
 
Not held
1939 East Komusubi
841
 
East Sekiwake
114
 
Not held
1940 East Ōzeki
114
 
East Ōzeki #1
753
 
Not held
1941 West Ōzeki
141
 
West Ōzeki
141
 
Not held
1942 East Yokozuna
132
 
East Yokozuna
249
 
Not held
1943 West Yokozuna
132
 
East Yokozuna
141
 
Not held
1944 West Yokozuna
123
 
East Yokozuna
100
 
East Yokozuna
73
 
1945 Not held East Yokozuna
52
 
East Yokozuna
100
 
1946 Not held Not held West Yokozuna
130
 
1947 Not held East Yokozuna
91PP
 
East Yokozuna
101
 
1948 Not held Sat out due to injury Sat out due to injury
1949 Sat out due to injury West Yokozuna
114
 
West Yokozuna
123
 
1950 East Yokozuna
645
 
East Yokozuna
123
 
West Yokozuna
4110
 
1951 East Yokozuna
123
 
West Yokozuna
105
 
East Yokozuna
105
 
1952 East Yokozuna
150
 
East Yokozuna
735
 
East Yokozuna
438
 
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
- New Year
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
Spring
Haru basho, Osaka
Summer
Natsu basho, Tokyo
Autumn
Aki basho, Tokyo
1953 West Yokozuna
96
 
Sat out due to injury West Yokozuna
0312
 
East Yokozuna
Retired
0015
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

See also

References

  1. "The 36th Yokozuna Haguroyama Masaji". sumo.goo.ne.jp. Archived from the original on 2007-11-17. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
  2. Sharnoff, Lora (1993). Grand Sumo. Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0283-X.
  3. "Takanohana is still star of the no-show". Japan Times. 2002-05-12. Retrieved 2007-07-25.
  4. "Haguroyama Masaji Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
Preceded by
Futabayama Sadaji
36th Yokozuna
1941–1953
Succeeded by
Akinoumi Setsuo
Yokozuna is not a successive rank, and more than one wrestler can hold the title at once
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