Pacific Stars & Stripes, Sunday 9th November 1958 (Page 21)

Fall Sumo Tournament Under Way

    FUKUOKA, Japan (UPI) - Yokozunas (grand champions) Tochinishiki and Chiyonoyama will not compete because of "unfit physical condition" but interest ran high in the 15-day official sumo tournament opening here Sunday.
    Top interest was in 30-year-old yokozuna Wakanohana's quest for his third straight tournament and 28-year-old popular ozeki (champion) Asashio's goal of winning the tournament undefeated and moving into a position for promotion to a yokozuna.
    Officials of the Japan Sumo Assn. breathed a sigh of relief when Wakanohana announced he would compete. He suffered an eye injury during a workout bout with his younger stablemate, Wakamisugi, and it was feared he might not be able to enter the tournament.

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    THE OFFICIALS were deeply concerned because they feared that a tournament without yokozunas would not draw spectators.
    Both Chiyonoyama and Tochinishiki came to Fukuoka but after light training, announced they were "not in the best of physical condition" to warrant their entry in the tournament to "live up to the dignity of yokozunas."
    Asashio, who has won one official tournament and several semi-official tourneys, is considered a logical successor to the yokozuna seats recently vacated by Yoshibayama and Kagamisato.