Terukuni Manzō

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 照國 万藏 Terukuni Manzō


realname = Marizo Suga
dateofbirth = birth date|1919|1|10
placeofbirth = Akita, Japan
dateofdeath = death date and age|1977|3|20|1919|1|10
height = height|meters=1.74
weight = convert|161|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Isegahama
rank =
record = 313-110-74
debut = January 1935
highestrank = Yokozuna (May 1942)
retireddate = January, 1953
yushos = 2 (Makuuchi)
1 (Juryo)
1 (Makushita)
goldstars = 1 (Minanogawa)
update = October 2007

Terukuni Manzō (照國 万藏, January 10, 1919 - March 20 1977) was a sumo wrestler from Ogachi, Akita Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 38th Yokozuna. He was promoted to "yokozuna" without any top division tournament titles to his name, although he later attained two.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x]

Career

In the summer of 1930, he was scouted by Isegahama, former "sekiwake" Kiyosegawa Keinosuke, his distant relative. However, he was forgotten due to the disruption caused by the Shunjuen Incident of 1932, in which a large number of wrestlers went on strike. After the dispute was settled, he joined Isegahama stable in 1934, making his debut in January 1935.

He was promoted to the top "makuuchi" division in May 1939, and reached the "ozeki" rank in May 1941. After two tournaments at "ozeki", he finished in a three way tie for the championship in May 1942 with Futabayama and Akinoumi, on 13-2. The championship was awarded to Futabayama (whom Terukuni had defeated in their individual match) simply because he was of a higher rank, as was the rule at the time. Nevertheless, after the tournament both Terukuni and Akinoumi were promoted to "yokozuna". At 23 years of age, Terukuni was the youngest "yokozuna" until the promotion of Taiho in 1961. He did extremely well in his "yokozuna" debut, scoring 14-1, although he finished one win behind Futabayama, who won his last match by default.

He was a heavy wrestler for his time, weighing over convert|160|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on. During World War II, his weight declined due to the food shortages.

Having been a runner-up on five previous occasions, he finally won his first championship in September 1950, about eight years after his promotion. He won his second championship in the very next tournament with a perfect 15-0 record.

Three days into the January 1953 tournament, he announced his retirement. After the tournament, Kagamisato was promoted to "yokozuna", and a photograph was taken of Terukuni and Kagamisato alongside the other grand champions Chiyonoyama, Azumafuji and Haguroyama. As Terukuni had not yet had his official retirement ceremony, some regard January 1953 as being the only occasion on which there were five "yokozuna" at the same time.Cite book |author=Sharnoff, Lorna |title=Grand Sumo|publisher=Weatherhill |year=1993 |id=ISBN 0-8348-0283-x]

Retirement from sumo

After his retirement, he became head coach of Isegahama stable and produced "ozeki" Kiyokuni Katsuo. He had already made arrangements to pass control over the stable over to Kiyokuni at the time of his death in 1977 at the age of 58.

Top division record

References

ee also

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

External links

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