Two grand sumo champions, Chiyonoyama and: Yoshibayama, kept the clean winning record for the first eight days of the sumo tournament being held at the Kuramae Arena in Tokyo.
    Another grand champion, Azumafuji, who lost three matches in the first, seven days, did not show up to the match with Hajimayama.

Results of the matches Sunday were as follows:
Tamanoumi beat Wakabayama
Kotonishiki beat Shimanishiki
Shinobuyama beat Shionishiki
Miyanishiki beat Nariyama
Orochigata beat Narutoumi
Kotogahama beat Kuninobori
Matsunobori beat Futatsuryu
Tochinishiki beat Ouchiyama
Mitsuneyama beat Kitanoumi
Hajimayama won by default over Azumafuji
Kagamisato beat Wakanohana
Chiyonoyama heat Asashio
Yoshibayama beat Dewanishiki.

    I think I made a big mistake in going to the Sumo so early, for I arrived while the third grade bouts were starting and it would be hours before the good wrestlers came on. Not that Sumo isn't interesting, enough to keep me interested for six or seven hours, it's just that I couldn't see the good wrestlers when they did come on..
    I was initiated into several old Sumo traditions right away. The first two were drinking beer and eating snacks and the third was drinking sake. Between the beer and the sake and more beer and some more sake and a few bits of food in between, I was quite far gone I when the better wrestlers started.
    After a while I thought I was at a football game in the States. The  cheers of the crowd brought back memories and the Sumo wrestlers are even bigger than football players. But mostly it was because, with all the beer and sake in me, I saw so many Sumo wrestlers up there.
    Last thing I remember thinking was just how that platform could hold all the people I saw on it. I never did see the top grade wrestlers that trip. I fell asleep before they came on.

(To Be Continued)