Futabayama Sadaji
| Futabayama Sadaji | |
|---|---|
| 双葉山 定次 | |
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Akiyoshi Sadaji February 9, 1912 Usa, Oita, Japan |
| Died | December 16, 1968 (aged 56) |
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 128 kg (282 lb; 20.2 st) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Tatsunami |
| Record | 345-113-33 (1 draw) |
| Debut | March 1927 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (May 1937) |
| Retired | November 1945 |
| Championships | 12 (Makuuchi) |
| Gold Stars | 1 (Musashiyama) |
| * Up to date as of December 1968. | |
Futabayama Sadaji (双葉山 定次; February 9, 1912 – December 16, 1968), born as Akiyoshi Sadaji (龝吉 定次) in Oita Prefecture, Japan, was the 35th yokozuna in sumo wrestling, from 1937 until 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. After his retirement he was head coach of Tokitsukaze stable and chairman of the Japan Sumo Association.
Born in Usa, he worked on fishing boats as young boy. 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 (the so-called ""), and the Japan Sumo Association needed to fill the gaps in the ranks. 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. 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 sekiwake. During this run he was promoted to ōzeki and then yokozuna. 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). He lost more to illness than to a superior opponent, as he was suffering from amoebic dysentery at the time.
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