The Japan Advertiser, Saturday 21st January 1939 (Page 8)

TAMANOUMI IS 4TH TO DEFEAT FUTABA

Last Season's Mat King Loses To Pupil of Late Grand Champ, Tamanishiki

    This year's crop of hisses ain't what they have been for the past two or three seasons to Futabayama, grand champion of sumo who went down before a younger man for the fourth time in the current tournament last night.
    Tamanoumi did it this time, a wrestler of the fourth rank and ace pupil of the late Tamanishiki, whose death in Osaka last month reduced the number of wrestlers ranking with Futaba to three. After five starts, Tamanoumi made short shrift of the holder of the tottering crown. A quick rush carried the grand champion to the edge of the ring, where he struggled mightily for a few seconds. Tama heaved but Futaba held. Then Tama heaved again and Futaba went out of the ring.
    Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, member of Supreme War Council, visited yesterday's sumo program, while the Kokugikan again turned away fans after piling them in since before midnight the night before. Matches were staged from 1 o'clock in the morning for the early birds and by 8 o'clock in the morning there was not even standing room left.
    Prince Asaka watched the matches for a while, reports Domei, and then received Shimadagawa, whose sumo career war interrupted by a call to the colors. After serving in China as a corporal, Shimadagawa is back at his old haunts now as a wounded soldier.

Other Tilts Exciting

    Yesterday's packed house was not disappointed in the performances given, according to the Nichi Nichi, despite Futaba's brief appearance although two consecutive victories had led folks to think he might do better
    Grand Champion Minanogawa, who has lost only one match this tourney, lived up to expectations by forcibly flattening the veteran Kagamiiwa.
    Dewaminato, who is so far down in the official rankings that he had hardly been noticed before the present meeting, continued his string of victories yesterday, disposing of Fujigatake with little difficulty. Dewaminato remains the only undefeated wrestler in the present tournament.
    There was a more lively encounter between Haguroyama, a candidate for ozeki, or champion ranking, and Champion Maedayama. After several exciting maneuvers which delighted the audience all the more because they failed, Haguroyama performed the feat known as "hanging" his adversary out of the ring.

Verdict Protested

    Another exciting affair was the encounter between Nayoroiwa and Kasagiyama, both of about equal ranking and both rated highly all around. The match went the full 10 minutes, ending with both wrestlers on the floor. The audience protected loudly when the referee declared Nayoroiwa the winner, but a conference with the judges upheld the verdict.
    The crowd liked it, though, when Tatekabuto, an 11th maker, needed only a flip of the wrist, relatively speaking, to toss the third-ranking Ayanobori out of the ring.
    Ryogoku, a fourth-ranker who is among the growing list of those who "beat Futaba," took another turn on the canvas yesterday in his match with veteran Banjaku. Ryogoku succeeded in tossing his opponent out of the ring but failed to keep both his own feet inside when he did. This little oversight gave the nod to Banjaku.

Results of yesterday's outstanding matches follow:
Ichiwatari pushed Takanobori out of the ring
Dewaminato shoved out Fujigatake
Tomoegata pushed out Fujinosato
Hatasegawa thrust out Jinmuyama
Dewanohana shoved out Kaikozan
Kaneminato slapped down Ayawaka
Taikyuzan threw Katsurugawa
Aobayama "hung" Wakashima out of the ring
Tsurugamine slapped down Yamatonishiki
Itsutsushima threw Toshuzan
Hishuzan pushed out Kojimagawa
Ryuozan slapped down Onami
Shachinosato pushed out Komanosato
Kashimanada hung out Asashigawa
Banjaku pushed out Ryogoku
Tatekabuto threw Ayanobori
Nayoroiwa "hung" Kasagiyama out of the ring
Haguroyama "hung" Maedayama out of the ring
Minanogawa slapped down Kagamiiwa
Tamanoumi pushed out Futabayama