Wakashima Gonshirō

Sumo wrestler infobox
wrestlername = 若島 権四郎 Wakashima Gonshirō


realname = Gonshirō Takahashi
dateofbirth = birth date|1876|1|19
placeofbirth = Chiba, Japan
dateofdeath =death date and age|1943|10|23|1876|1|19
height = height|meters=1.78
weight = convert|116|kg|lb|abbr=on
heya = Tomozuna, Nakamura
rank =
record = 82-33-13draws (Makuuchi)
debut = May, 1891
highestrank = Yokozuna (April, 1905)
retireddate = January, 1907
yushos = 4 (unofficial)
prizes =
goldstars =
update = October 2007

Wakashima Gonshirō (若島 権四郎, January 19 1876 – October 23 1943) was a sumo wrestler from Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He was the sport's 21st Yokozuna.

Career

Wakashima is the first official "yokozuna" from Osaka sumo. He began his career in Tokyo sumo at the Tomozuna stable, joining in May 1891 at the age of 15. He reached the top "makuuchi" division in 1896, peaking at "maegashira" 7. He was very popular with geisha, but it caused his slackening in growth. In addition, he suffered from smallpox. He left in January 1898, joining Osaka sumo. He entered Nakamura stable. He was awarded the Osaka sumo "yokozuna" licence by the Gojo family in January 1903. In June 1903, he fought against wrestlers in Tokyo sumo. He was so strong that he defeated "yokozuna" Umegatani Tōtarō II and emerged as a threat to the dominance of the strongest "yokozuna" in Tokyo sumo, Hitachiyama.cite web|author=|title=68 Yokozuna in 400 Years|publisher=Le Monde Du Sumo|url=http://www.lemondedusumo.com/english/MDS10_68_yokozuna.php?mag=mds&num=10|date=June 2005|accessdate=2007-10-10] His strength was acknowledged when, after a series of meetings between the Osaka and Tokyo sumo associations, he was awarded a "yokozuna" licence by the Yoshida family in April 1905.cite web|author=|title=68 Yokozuna in 400 Years|publisher=Le Monde Du Sumo|url=http://www.lemondedusumo.com/english/MDS10_68_yokozuna.php?mag=mds&num=10|date=June 2005|accessdate=2007-10-10] He retired at the early age of 31 in January 1907 owing to an injury suffered in a cycling accident in September 1905, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Top division record

"*There was no fusensho system until March 1927
"*All top division wrestlers were usually absent on the 10th day until 1909

References

ee also

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

External links

*ja icon [http://www.ep.sci.hokudai.ac.jp/~tsubota/hoshi/ho2101.html his record]
*ja icon [http://shivare.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ozumo/vic/v_osaka.html list of championship winners in Osaka sumo]