The Japan Advertiser, Tuesday 21st May 1940 (Page 8)

Futaba Ailing

    Futabayama, Adonis of sumo and one of only two remaining active grand champions in classic Japanese wrestling, has withdrawn from the ring for no other reason, it is said, than that he has lost four matches thus far in the current summer tournament at Kokugikan in Ryogoku. Futaba, who rode to glory on a succession of undefeated seasons, took unto himself a wife last year and has been ailing all winter. He complained of a pain in his side on returning from the Kwansai spring tour, but doctors could find nothing whatever wrong with him. Smarties in the sumo circle say Futaba may retire.

FUTABAYAMA QUITS SUMO FOR SEASON

Wrestling Grand Champion Admits Lack of Confidence, but Not Retiring Yet

    Futabayama, one of the two top-ranking wrestling champions, will rest for the remainder of the current season, it was announced by the Japan Sumo Association yesterday according to the Kokumin. The official reason for this move by the popular wrestler is the injury said received Sunday, when he was defeated for the fourth time in 11 matches.
    Futabayama denied any injury or illness, however, when interviewed in his honor in Kobiki-cho, near the Kabukiza. He said frankly that he had lost four times in the present tournament and that as a top-flight wrestler he could not bear to appear in the ring again and run the risk of further defeats. He said that he had spoken with his advisers and coaches and had secured their consent to his leaving the tournament for the rest of the season.
    "When one is beaten so many times, one begins to lose confidence. Besides, to appear in the ring after many defeats would be setting a bad example for future top-rankers," he declared. About his future, the wrestler said that although it was not for him alone to decide, he did not want to retire yet.
    "I am young. Also I don't want to have it thought that I quit because of my poor showing," Futabayama asserted.
    The sumo champion has been doing fine in several tournaments since defeating the late Tamanishiki in January, 1936. He went undefeated for 69 consecutive matches until January last year when he went down before a fourth ranker, Akinoumi. He was beaten three more times in the 13-day tournament. He went to see a doctor but was told that there was nothing the matter with him physically. In January's matches this year, he lost only once.
    Haguroyama, the next man to Futabayama in rank in the eastern camp, will rest also for the remainder of the tournament. His illness has been diagnosed as appendicitis. This sudden absence of the two leaders in the eastern camp has put the sumo promoters in a quandary, for they must reshuffle the the entire match list. The defeat of the eastern camp is seen certain for even after Sunday's matches, the score stood 145 to 100 in favor of the the westerners.