Shimizugawa Motokichi

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername =清水川元吉 Shimizugawa Motokichi


realname = Yonesaku Nagao
dateofbirth = birth date|1900|1|13
placeofbirth = Aomori, Japan
dateofdeath = death date and age|1967|7|5|1900|1|13
height = height|meters=1.77
weight = convert|97|kg|lb|abbr=on|lk=on
heya = Hatachiyama
rank =
record = 272-157-48-1draw-8holds
debut = January 1917
highestrank = Ozeki (May 1932)
retireddate = May 1937
yushos = 3 (Makuuchi) 2 (Juryo)
prizes =
goldstars = 1
update = June 2008

Shimizugawa Motokichi (13 January 1900 – 5 July 1967) was a sumo wrestler from Goshogawara, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was "ozeki."

Career

Making his debut in January 1917, he was promoted to the top "makuuchi" division in January 1923 and made the fourth "komusubi" rank in January 1926, although he did not take part in that tournament. He competed in the "maegashira" ranks in 1927 but left the Japan Sumo Association temporarily and was not listed on the "banzuke" ranking sheets in the March and May 1928 tournaments. Returning in October 1928 he was listed at the bottom of the "juryo" division and after winning two "juryo" tournament titles he returned to the top division in 1930.

Shimizugawa was promoted to the second highest rank of "ozeki" in 1932 but never made the highest "yokozuna" rank, despite winning a total of three top division tournament championships. He was overlooked for promotion while two men with inferior records to him, Musashiyama and Minanogawa, were both promoted to "yokozuna" instead. It has been suggested that this was because Shimizugawa belonged to a small stable, Hatachiyama, whereas Musashiyama and Minanogawa were both members of much larger and more influential stables (Dewanoumi and Takasago, respectively). [cite web|author=Kuroda, Joe|title=Rikishi of Old:Minanogawa Tozo|publisher=Sumo Fan Magazine|url=http://www.sumofanmag.com/content/Issue_9/Rikishi_of_Old.htm|date=October 2006|accessdate=2008-06-09]

Retirement from sumo

After finishing as runner-up in the May 1937 tournament, his fifth runner-up performance, Shimizugawa announced his retirement. He remained in the sumo world as an elder under the name Oitekaze Oyakata, and was head coach of the Oitekaze stable. Among the wrestlers he produced was a "komusubi" to whom he gave his old "shikona" or fighting name, Shimizugawa Akio.

Top division record

References

ee also

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

External links

* [http://sumodb.sumogames.com/Rikishi.aspx?r=3703 Complete career record]