Yamato Go
Encyclopedia
Yamato Go is a former sumo
wrestler from Oahu, Hawaii, United States
. His highest rank was maegashira 12.
. He made his professional debut in November 1990, joining Magaki stable
. His brother, Glenn, joined two months later, competing under the name of Onami. Yamato reached the salaried sekitori
ranks in March 1995 when he was promoted to the jūryō division. He reached the top makuuchi
division in January 1997, the first wrestler from his stable to do so since it was re-established in 1983. He chalked up a winning record of 8-7 in his debut and was ranked there for seven tournaments. He was forced to sit out the March 1998 tournament with a life-threatening bout of pneumonia
which sent him down to jūryō. Still not fully recovered in May, he turned in a disastrous 1-14 record and fell to the unsalaried makushita division. Just before the July tournament he was hit by a car and was forced to withdraw once again. This sent him down to the bottom of makushita. After a 5-2 score in September he decided to retire rather than face another long struggle back up the rankings, and started up his own restaurant, Kama'āina's, in Tokyo
's Roppongi
district.
Although Yamato never rose high enough in the rankings to face a yokozuna in tournament competition, he once defeated Takanohana
eight times in a row in training.
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler from Oahu, Hawaii, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His highest rank was maegashira 12.
Career
He was a schoolfriend of future yokozuna AkebonoAkebono Taro
is a retired American born-Japanese sumo wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining the professional sport in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian sumo wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990...
. He made his professional debut in November 1990, joining Magaki stable
Magaki Stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, formerly one of the Nishonoseki group of stables. Wakanohana Kanji II, the 56th Yokozuna in sumo history, re-established the stable in 1983 and is its current oyakata. Its first wrestler to reach the top division was the Hawaiian born Yamato in 1997...
. His brother, Glenn, joined two months later, competing under the name of Onami. Yamato reached the salaried sekitori
Sekitori
A sekitori is a sumo wrestler who is ranked in one of the top two professional divisions: makuuchi and juryo.Currently there are 70 rikishi in these divisions...
ranks in March 1995 when he was promoted to the jūryō division. He reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in January 1997, the first wrestler from his stable to do so since it was re-established in 1983. He chalked up a winning record of 8-7 in his debut and was ranked there for seven tournaments. He was forced to sit out the March 1998 tournament with a life-threatening bout of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
which sent him down to jūryō. Still not fully recovered in May, he turned in a disastrous 1-14 record and fell to the unsalaried makushita division. Just before the July tournament he was hit by a car and was forced to withdraw once again. This sent him down to the bottom of makushita. After a 5-2 score in September he decided to retire rather than face another long struggle back up the rankings, and started up his own restaurant, Kama'āina's, in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
's Roppongi
Roppongi
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, famous as home to the rich Roppongi Hills area and an active night club scene. Many foreign embassies are located in Roppongi, and the night life is popular with locals and foreigners alike...
district.
Although Yamato never rose high enough in the rankings to face a yokozuna in tournament competition, he once defeated Takanohana
Takanohana Koji
is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. He was the 65th man in history to reach sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, and he won 22 tournament championships between 1992 and 2001, the fifth highest total ever...
eight times in a row in training.