[sumo] Old news #1

[rowan klein]

A few years ago I was posting a "on this day" post. Time got the better of that. I have come across many interesting and amusing articles since then and I thought that I'd post a few over time. I hope you enjoy and this fills in some between basho time.

Pacific Stars & Stripes, Saturday 8th February 1964

HUNGER IN HAWAII 
Sumoists Can't Get their Fill

    HONOLULU (UPI) - Hungry sumo wrestlers hurdled the language barrier Wednesday night to reach the food at a cocktail party at Hawaii Gov. John A. Burns home. 
    Japan's newest yokozuna (grand champion), Tochinoumi, no newcomer to Hawaii, experienced the same kind of language and food problems faced by any
foreigner visiting Hawaii for the first time. 
    Leaning over the cocktail bar at the Burns residence, Tochinoumi was offered some teriyaki beef by a waitress. 
    Gulping a few slices down, the giant wrestler remarked: "umai" (delicious). 
    But the waitress, who knew a few Japanese words and expressions, heard it as "uma" (horse). She quickly assured the wrestler that horse meat is never served at the governor's mansion. 
    Tochinoumi, who visited here last year with a similar sumo tour group sponsored by the 442d Veterans Club of Hawaii, wasn't especially happy about the ham sandwiches and fruit served him and the other sumoists at lunch Wednesday. 
    Of course, there were tropical fruits, but, according to Tochi: 
    "The banana was all right, but the papaya ... I don't know. I like the mangoes. They're so much like our mangos." 
    The yokozuna was talkative as he maintained his position at the cocktail bar at the governor's reception. 
    He and 36 other wrestlers, including fellow yokozunas Taiho and Kashiwado, were being honored on their first day in Hawaii. 
    The reception started at 5 p.m. By 5:45, most of the wrestlers, who had been fortified only by the luncheon ham sandwiches and fruits, had stationed themselves at the pupu (hors d'ouvres) bar which offered Japanese sushi, teriyaki meats and sausages. 
    After emptying the pupu bar, the Japanese left for the Kanraku Teahouse where their sponsor, the 442d Club, had planned a party for them. There they could find rice. 
    The sumo tournament was to start Thursday night at Civic Auditorium. It will continue for five consecutive days. All are evening matches, except for Sunday when afternoon matches will be held. 
    Thursday the sumotoris were to watch a hula show at Waikiki and spend the rest of the day swimming, surfing, golfing or riding canoes. 
    On Friday they were to visit the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor to lay a wreath in memory of the U.S. Navy men who were killed on Dec. 7, 1941. 
    They will leave Honolulu Tuesday for San Francisco and Los Angeles, where they will also take part in tournaments. 
    And they hope - especially Tochinoumi - that they'll be fed a large portion of rice at future lunches. 
    Ham sandwiches are all right, he said, but rice is so much better. 


       
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