Musashiyama
| Musashiyama Takeshi | |
|---|---|
| 武藏山 武 | |
 |
|
| Personal information | |
| Born | Takeshi Yokoyama December 5, 1909 Kanagawa, Japan |
| Died | March 15, 1969 (aged 59) |
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 117 kg (258 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Dewanoumi |
| Record | 240-79-71-2draws |
| Debut | January 1926 |
| Highest rank | Yokozuna (May 1935) |
| Retired | May 1939 |
| Championships | 1 (Makuuchi) 1 (Jūryō) 1 (Makushita) 1 (Jonidan) |
| Gold Stars | 2 (Miyagiyama) |
| * Up to date as of October 2007. | |
Musashiyama Takeshi (武藏山 武, December 5, 1909 – March 15, 1969) was a sumo wrestler from Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 33rd yokozuna. He had a rapid rise through the ranks, setting several youth records, and was very popular with the public. However he did not fulfill his great potential at sumo's highest rank, missing many matches because of injury and winning no tournaments.
Born in Kohoku ward, he came from a poor peasant family, and he entered local sumo tournaments to provide for them. He was scouted by the former Ryōgoku Yūjirō, who persuaded him to join Dewanoumi stable. Musashiyama made his professional debut in January 1926. He was far superior to his early opponents, becoming an elite sekitori at the age of just 19. He reached the top makuuchi division in May 1929, and was runner-up in his second makuuchi tournament. He reached the san'yaku ranks at komusubi in May 1930. His rapid rise was considered miraculous in an era when it was not unusual for new recruits to take several years to even progress from the lowest jonokuchi division. He missed out on the yūshō or tournament championship in March 1931 only because he was of a lower rank than Tamanishiki, who finished with the same score. (There was no playoff system until 1947). However, he won what was to be his only top division championship the next tournament in May 1931.
A lean and handsome wrestler, Musashiyama was popular with tournament crowds. His picture sold more copies than any other wrestler. Fighting alongside other popular rikishi such as Tamanishiki, Minanogawa, and his stable mate, sekiwake Tenryū, Musashiyama was expected to become a figurehead of the sumo world for years to come. Two major events, however, had a severe impact on his career. He injured his right elbow in the October 1931 tournament, which reduced his power and never healed properly. Then in January 1932 he was promoted from komusubi to ōzeki, but in the same month Tenryū and many other top wrestlers went on strike against the Japan Sumo Association, demanding reform of the organization, in what was to become known as the Shunjuen Incident. Musashiyama was criticized for his lukewarm support of the strike, but he never felt close to Tenryū's group. In addition, several people insisted that the reason for Tenryū's walkout was Tenryū's jealousy of Musashiyama's fast promotion to ōzeki while he remained at sekiwake. Musashiyama had been considering giving up sumo altogether and turning to boxing instead, but eventually decided to stay in the Sumo Association.
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