[sumo] Yaocho - Taiho and Kashiwado?

[Joe Kuroda]

--- Barbara Ann Klein <baklein at attglobal.net> wrote:

> In yet another regurgitation of the yaocho story,
> Yomiuri refers to a 1963
> claim that yokozunas Kashiwado and Taiho fixed about
> (see below). What is
> the background on this one?

Yokozuna Kashiwado was often considered to be a tragic
yokozuna. For one thing he came around about the same
time as Taiho but despite his excellent techniques and
skills he was often overshadowed by Taiho's exploits.

Kashiwado also suffered from serious injuries. Just
prior  to him winning all-win Yusho at the 1963
September basho, he was on kyujo for four straight
bashos and had received stinging and harsh comments
from sumo officials, media and fans as he was accused
not fully fulfilling his obligations.

More than anyone else, as Kashiwado's fierce rival,
Taiho knew how hard Kashiwado was training trying to
come back and was suffering from all the unkind
remarks he was receiving. 

As most knowledgible sumo fans knew, even with injury
fully recovered, it would have taken a super human
effort for Kashiwado to beat Taiho after missing four
straight bashos with his dohyo sense not fully back.
Kashiwado could have beaten the others with some
efforts but not Taiho so easily.

Shintaro Ishihara, the current governor of Tokyo, was
a columnist for a major Japanese newspaper at the time
and he accused this 1963 September basho bout between
Taiho and Kashiwado which Kashiwado won to earn the
all win yusho to be yaocho.  

I suppose then still young writer Ishihara wanted to
make a big name for himself and wanted to becom a
center of attention.  For whatever, I believe enormous
pressures were placed from everywhere and he soon
realized what he has done and apologized for
"erroring". 

Was the bout really a yaocho? I doubt very much it was
but I believe it was one of those bouts Taiho found it
so hard to crush his best rival and friend so soon
after coming back from his major injury and felt for
what Kashiwado had to go through during the absence. 

Only another yokozuna can truly understand what his
fellow yokozuna has to go through and Taiho knew it
could have been easily him.

Incidentally about Itai.  If I recall Itai's
accusation was not so much about Chiyonofuji but
Akebono as he implied he was the "nakabon", a
go-between during the era as well as claining he sold
his bouts in his later years.

The Kyokai threatened to sue Itai but decided not to
as they said it would take too long to settle the
issue.     

.....Jonosuke 
  <  Heart  Technique  Physique      &#24515;&#12288;&#25216;&#12288;&#20307;&#12288;>

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