Ōhikari Sadayuki

Ōhikari Sadayuki (September 24, 1927 – January 14, 1996, real name Sadayuki Shibata) was a sumo wrestler and coach from Kamiiso, Hokkaido, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1944, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1950. His highest rank was komusubi. He was a runner-up in the May 1956 tournament and earned five kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna during his career. He retired in 1963 and became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association under the name Ōnomatsu Oyakata, working as a coach at Dewanoumi stable. He died in 1996 at the age of 68.

Ōhikari Sadayuki
大晃定行
Personal information
BornSadayuki Shibata
(1927-09-24)September 24, 1927
DiedJanuary 14, 1996(1996-01-14) (aged 68)
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 12 in)
Weight155 kg (342 lb)
Career
StableDewanoumi
Record526-539-15-3draws
DebutJanuary 1944
Highest rankKomusubi (July 1958)
RetiredNovember 1963
Elder nameŌnomatsu
Special Prizes1 (Fighting Spirit)
Gold Stars5

Career

His first job after graduating from school was as a driver but he had a large physique which was well suited to sumo, and he was recruited by future yokozuna Chiyonoyama, who came from nearby Fukushima. He joined Dewanoumi stable in January 1944. Originally fighting under his own surname of Shibata, he reached the jūryō division in January 1949 and adopted the shikona of Ōhikari in January 1950.[1] He reached the top makuuchi division in September of that year. In September 1952 he defeated his first yokozuna, Azumafuji, although he finished the tournament with only four wins against eleven losses.[2] His best result in a tournament was in May 1956 when he was runner-up to then ōzeki Wakanohana Kanji I, losing to him in a playoff for the yūshō or championship after both wrestlers finished with identical 12–3 records.[3] He had fought only his fellow maegashira ranked wrestlers until the final day, when he defeated sekiwake Tsurugamine.[3] Ōhikari was awarded the Fighting Spirit sanshō or special prize, the only one of his career. He made his debut in the sanyaku ranks at komusubi in July 1958, but fell just short of a majority of wins with a 7–8 record. He had one more appearance at komusubi in November 1958.[1]

Ōhikari (far right) with stablemate Chiyonoyama in 1951

He was known for his endurance and ability to avoid injury, and on the seventh day of the January 1963 tournament, he became the first wrestler to fight 1000 consecutive matches from his professional debut. He extended this record to 1068 matches, but a ruptured Achilles tendon in November 1963 ended his streak, and he immediately announced his retirement. 945 of those bouts had been in the top division, which is the seventh longest consecutive run of makuuchi bouts as of 2017. He had fought in the top division for 13 years and 64 tournaments, with 455 wins against 489 losses, and one draw.[1] He had five gold stars, his yokozuna wins coming against Azumafuji, Kagamisato, and Wakanohana I (three times). Despite fighting in 79 career tournaments, he never managed to win a championship in any division.[1]

Retirement from sumo

Ōhikari stayed in sumo as an elder of the Japan Sumo Association, working as a coach at Dewanoumi stable under the name of Ōnomatsu Oyakata until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 in September 1992.[4] He sold his Ōnomatsu stock to former sekiwake Masurao, who went on to found Ōnomatsu stable. He died in January 1996 at the age of 68.

Fighting style

Ōhikari liked to push and thrust at his opponents, and was known for the power of his tsuppari, a series of rapid thrusts to the chest. His most common winning kimarite or techniques were yori kiri (force out), utchari (ring edge throw) and oshi-dashi (push out).[5]

Pre-modern top division record

  • The New Year tournament began and the Spring tournament returned to Osaka in 1953.
Ōhikari Sadayuki[1]
- Spring
Haru basho, Tokyo
Summer
Natsu basho, Tokyo
Autumn
Aki basho, Tokyo
1944 (Maezumo) West Jonokuchi #3
32
 
West Jonidan #29
32
 
1945 Not held East Sandanme #29
32
 
West Sandanme #11
23
 
1946 Not held Not held East Sandanme #14
43
 
1947 Not held West Sandanme #4
41
 
East Makushita #16
321draw
 
1948 Not held East Makushita #7
33
 
West Makushita #5
51
 
1949 East Jūryō #10
67
 
East Jūryō #11
96
 
East Jūryō #6
78
 
1950 East Jūryō #7
96
 
West Jūryō #2
1041draw
 
West Maegashira #16
78
 
1951 East Maegashira #17
69
 
West Maegashira #20
87
 
West Maegashira #16
87
 
1952 East Maegashira #15
87
 
West Maegashira #12
114
 
East Maegashira #2
411
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi Jūryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi Maegashira
- New Year
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
Spring
Haru basho, Osaka
Summer
Natsu basho, Tokyo
Autumn
Aki basho, Tokyo
1953 West Maegashira #6
78
 
West Maegashira #7
510
 
West Maegashira #11
510
 
West Maegashira #14
96
 
1954 East Maegashira #11
69
 
East Maegashira #14
78
 
West Maegashira #15
69
 
West Maegashira #17
78
 
1955 West Maegashira #18
96
 
West Maegashira #13
87
 
East Maegashira #12
69
 
West Maegashira #14
78
 
1956 East Maegashira #15
96
 
West Maegashira #8
78
 
West Maegashira #9
123
F
West Maegashira #3
312
 
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi Jūryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi Maegashira

Modern top division tournament record

  • Since the addition of the Kyushu tournament in 1957 and the Nagoya tournament in 1958, the yearly schedule has remained unchanged.

[1]

Year in sumo January
Hatsu basho, Tokyo
March
Haru basho, Osaka
May
Natsu basho, Tokyo
July
Nagoya basho, Nagoya
September
Aki basho, Tokyo
November
Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka
1957 East Maegashira #11
87
 
East Maegashira #9
87
 
West Maegashira #7
510
 
x West Maegashira #15
105
 
East Maegashira #9
96
 
1958 West Maegashira #4
78
East Maegashira #5
87
 
West Maegashira #3
96
 
East Komusubi
78
 
East Maegashira #1
87
 
East Komusubi #2
411
 
1959 East Maegashira #4
96
 
East Maegashira #2
69
 
East Maegashira #7
78
 
West Maegashira #8
69
 
East Maegashira #11
96
 
East Maegashira #4
96
1960 East Maegashira #1
78
 
East Maegashira #3
96
 
East Maegashira #1
69
 
West Maegashira #3
510
 
East Maegashira #5
96
 
West Maegashira #1
78
1961 West Maegashira #2
411
 
East Maegashira #6
96
 
East Maegashira #2
69
 
West Maegashira #5
96
 
West Maegashira #1
69
West Maegashira #4
69
 
1962 East Maegashira #10
87
 
East Maegashira #9
510
 
East Maegashira #12
105
 
East Maegashira #7
105
 
West Maegashira #1
510
 
West Maegashira #6
69
 
1963 East Maegashira #11
96
 
West Maegashira #4
510
 
West Maegashira #7
69
 
West Maegashira #9
78
 
East Maegashira #10
771draw
 
West Maegashira #10
Retired
0015
Record given as win-loss-absent    Top Division Champion Top Division Runner-up Retired Lower Divisions

Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique     Also shown: =Kinboshi(s); P=Playoff(s)
Divisions: Makuuchi Jūryō Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi

Makuuchi ranks: Yokozuna Ōzeki Sekiwake Komusubi Maegashira

See also

References

  1. "Ohikari Sadayuki Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  2. "Aki 1952". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  3. "Natsu 1956". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  4. "Ohikari Sadayuki Kabu History". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  5. "Wins of Ohikari". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
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