Yubinhaad Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Sad news just broke. Jiji reports that former Yokozuna Kitanoumi died today at the age of 62. Nikkan had an earlier report that he was being treated for anaemia in a Fukuoka hospital.
Asashosakari Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Wow. He wasn't in good health of late, but...
Yubinhaad Posted November 20, 2015 Author Posted November 20, 2015 Cause of death was multiple organ failure due to rectal cancer. Time of death was 6:55pm, a little over two hours ago. Most sad.
inhashi Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 (edited) One of my favorite pictures of Kitanoumi. He had a gentleness to his voice that I will miss... This is just hard to believe 😞 Edited November 20, 2015 by inhashi 2
Naganoyama Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 This is not really a surprise, but it is still a shock and a sadness. Kitanoumi didn't smile very often and seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he seemed like a decent chap who took his duties very seriously. I will miss him.
Washuyama Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 (edited) Wow!!! I started watching sumo in the mid-70s when he was in his prime. To an 8-year old me, he was the Babe Ruth/Muhammad Ali/Pele'/Superman all rolled into one. When I would go to the KK, I would speak/ to almost all the rikishi... except him. I was too awed to speak (especially if he was wearing his tsuna). All I could muster was a humble almost 90 degrees bow (which would get a laugh from Banryuyama). Even as an adult I was too scared to speak to him when I went to his heya to watch keiko and reverted to that absurdly low bow. While most american kids my age had posters of Pete Rose or Johnny Bench on their bedroom wall, mine were Kitanoumi and Wajima (don't laugh, I was 8... not into icky girls yet.) RIP Superman... I will miss you. Edited November 20, 2015 by Washuyama 5
WAKATAKE Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Truly a shock that he would leave us so soon. I knew he was not healthy but I had no idea that it was that bad. One of the greats, you will be missed. 1
Shokikogi Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 What a sad and sudden shock! I was admiring his respectful attitude of a true dai-yokozuna. Rest in peace, you will be missed. 1
Masumasumasu Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 I am very sad to hear this. I'll never forget the time that he literally bumped into me. Rest in peace big guy. 1
Mihasan Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Sad days for world sport, two days ago it was Lomu, now Kitanoumi, RIP.
Kaiomitsuki Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 (edited) Kitanoumi vs. Takanohana : Kyushu 1972 Day 14 Kitanoumi vs. Wajima : Hatsu 1974 Day 1 1st Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Mienoumi : Hatsu 1974 Day 15 1st Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Daiju : Natsu 1974 Day 14 2nd yusho Edited November 20, 2015 by Kaiomitsuki 2
Kaiomitsuki Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Wajima vs. Kitanoumi : Nagoya 1974 Day 15 Lost... but the Tsuna Wajima vs. Kitanoumi : Nagoya 1974 Kettei-sen Lost... but the Tsuna Kitanoumi vs. Takanohana : Hatsu 1975 Day 14 3rd Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Wajima : Hatsu 1976 Day 15 5th Yusho
Kaiomitsuki Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Kitanoumi vs. Wajima : Natsu 1976 Kettei-sen 6th Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Chiyonofuji : Nagoya 1978 Day 1 13rd Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Wajima : Nagoya 1978 Day 14 13rd Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Wakanohana : Nagoya 1978 Day 15 13rd Yusho 1
Kaiomitsuki Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 (edited) Kitanoumi vs. Chiyonofuji : Hatsu 1981 Day 15 Tsuridashi... let's go for a Kettei-sen ;) Chiyonofuji vs. Kitanoumi : Hatsu 1981 Kettei-sen The Wolf wins... Kitanoumi vs. Chiyonofuji : Haru 1981 Day 15 21st Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Chiyonofuji : Natsu 1984 Day 13 24th and last Yusho Kitanoumi vs. Takanosato : Natsu 1984 Day 15 24th and last Yusho Edited November 20, 2015 by Kaiomitsuki 4
Swami Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Truly shocking news, he was an absolute legend of sumo. Swami 1
SumoSumoSumo Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Wow I am so sad to hear this... I've done a lot of looking up of these former greats and the era he was in seemed to be a spectacular time in the sport... 1
dingo Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Wow, absolutely shocking, happened so suddenly! May he stomp on the heavenly dohyo as he did on the one down here. What will happen in the Kyokai now? How will they proceed to choose a new rijicho? 1
Kintamayama Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Wow, absolutely shocking, happened so suddenly! May he stomp on the heavenly dohyo as he did on the one down here. What will happen in the Kyokai now? How will they proceed to choose a new rijicho? By sheer coincidence, the elections are slated for January.
Kintamayama Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Sad. Even sadder, another ex-great is very ill as well. Kitanoumi has been away for some time now, but the press downplayed the severeness of his illness, as all health matters in sumo usually are. The same thing is happening with the other person. We never really know how grave it is until suddenly they are dead.
Fukurou Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 Will they do anything during the basho to honor him? Where I live, there would be memorial patches or stickers on player uniforms/helmets, and a moment of silence.
Kintamayama Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 (edited) The plan is : Kitanoumi beya will be handed over to Yamahibiki Oyakata (ex-Ganyuu) and will be called Yamahibiki beya. Kitanoumi's body will remain at a local funeral home and will be moved to Tokyo on Saturday. A special rijikai session will convene tomorrow to discuss details of what will be. Edited November 20, 2015 by Kintamayama
Asashosakari Posted November 20, 2015 Posted November 20, 2015 The plan is : Kitanoumi beya will be handed over to Yamahibiki Oyakata (ex-Ganyuu) and will be called Yamahibiki beya.Although I wonder if that's going to be the final word on that. With Kitanoumi's death coming so suddenly it's anybody's guess if the transfer of heya assets etc. will go smoothly or not. Onogawa-oyakata (ex-Bushuyama) might also be caught in the crossfire eventually, as his kabu was on loan from Kitanoumi. It was never mentioned if the old "heirs must sell within three years" rule is still in effect now that selling is no longer an actual option under the new corporate system, but I assume some type of permanent decision will have to be made within a limited time frame. On a side note, Yamahibiki is one of the few kabu names that was either never in use for a heya before, or only for short-lived stables that failed to leave any trace of their existence. I have no idea if that's going to play any role, but with history and tradition sometimes manifesting themselves in Ozumo in strange and unexpected ways, it might.
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