Hitachiiwa Eitarō

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 常陸岩英太郎
Hitachiiwa Eitarō


realname = Eitaro Sakurai
dateofbirth = birth date|1900|3|9
placeofbirth = Tokyo, Japan
dateofdeath = death date and age|1957|9|21|1900|3|9
height = height|meters=1.73
weight = convert|115|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Dewanoumi
rank =
record = 147-74-47-3draws-3holds (makuuchi)
debut = May 1917
highestrank = Ozeki (May 1927)
retireddate = March 1931
yushos = 1 (Makuuchi)
1 (Juryo)
prizes =
goldstars =
update = June 2008

Hitachiiwa Eitarō (常陸岩英太郎, March 9, 1900 - September 21, 1957) was a Japanese sumo wrestler from Tokyo. His highest rank was "Ōzeki".

Career

Born in Chuo, he joined Dewanoumi stable and was coached by former "yokozuna" Hitachiyama. He made his debut in May 1917, and was promoted to the "juryo" division in May 1922. After winning the "juryo" division championship in January 1923 he reached the top "makuuchi" division in May 1923. In January 1926, at the rank of "maegashira" 2, he finished as runner-up to "yokozuna" Tsunenohana with a fine 10-1 record. His earned him promotion to "sekiwake", and after two more runner-up performances he was promoted to "Ōzeki" in May 1927.

In January 1928, he won his only top division "yusho", or championship, but it caused great controversy. He had one "fusensho" (no fight win) against Nishinoumi Kajirō III on the 10th day. His rival for the championship, veteran "maegashira" and former "sekiwake" Misugiiso, had won all his bouts in actual fights but was then defeated by strong "komusubi" Tamanishiki (later "yokozuna") on the 11th day. At the end of the tournament they had both recorded 10 wins, 1 loss, as Hitachiiwa had defeated "yokozuna" Miyagiyama on the final day. Hitachiiwa and Misugiiso were too far apart in rank to have been paired against each other during the tournament, and as there was no playoff system in place at that time, Hitachiiwa, in the higher "Ōzeki" rank was awarded the "yusho". Many people sympathized with Misugiiso as it had cost him his only chance to win a championship. Misugiiso was only able to win two more bouts in his career and retired a year later. The system of "fusensho" was uncompleted at that time (the system was only accepted for the last two days of a tournament, and they didn't receive "kachi-nanori", or formal announcement of the winner). In the following tournament in March 1928, the modern fusensho system was established.

Hitachiiwa fell ill after the dispute and was unable to capitalise on his win, sitting out the March 1928 tournament. He was unable to record good results in his following career and was never in contention for another championship. He retired in March 1931. He remained in the sumo world as an elder, under the name Sakaigawa, and worked as a coach in Dewanoumi stable until his death.

Top division record

References

ee also

*Glossary of sumo terms
*List of sumo tournament winners
*List of past sumo wrestlers

External links

* [http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/kiroku_daicho/mei_rikishi_den/hitachiiwa.html Japan Sumo Association profile]