November 2009 retirees

[Kintamayama 45,111]

Makushita:

Kiouzan

Jonidan:

Wakaouki

Takaki

Kakushouma

Tatsuhibiki

Ooitou

Jonokuchi:

Daitoku

Dewahikari (Mongolian)

Kusumi (Banzuke Gai)

Not one Sandanme rikishi this time.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Kintamayama

[Sumo Menko Man 13]

I wish Chiyotaikai was among them....I'm afraid I am going to have to see him retire as a Sekiwake.

[shumitto 418]

Nothing in the papers so far, but as it stands Kitazakura will keep going along with the poems about perseverance. I somehow expected an unexpected retirement from Kotokuni, something in the line of "the Juryo wonder is over, now time to hang it up after failling to reach a winning record this time around" thing, but... he is apparently injured.

[ryafuji 814]

One wonders why Kitazakura is continuing, considering that presumably he'll be so far down the makushita ranks next time that even a 7-0 wouldn't return him to juryo. Time for him to hang up his mawashi.

[Harry 67]

Jonidan 19 Wakaoki Goki 5-2 in Kyushu is retiring? Or do I have the wrong Wakaoki? Any reason? Being there with Viki I was lucky enough to meet him in Nagoya and Tokyo and it seems odd he'd be done especially after a 5-2 basho. Guess I'll have to ask her if she knows anything.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Harry

[Asashosakari 19,319]

Jonidan 19 Wakaoki Goki 5-2 in Kyushu is retiring? Or do I have the wrong Wakaoki? Any reason? Being there with Viki I was lucky enough to meet him in Nagoya and Tokyo and it seems odd he'd be done especially after a 5-2 basho.

It's not that rare in the lower divisions. Others this year:

Futasegawa

Futamusashi

Wakasuruga

Oka

Kyokuryudake

Satsumariki

Half of them would have been promoted to the next division with their final result. Some just prefer to go out on a high note, I guess.

[Harry 67]

Yeah, just seems odd as I just met him and chatted with him. Was drinking way too much beer and sake with him in August after having cheered him on in July, now intai... guess it happens.

[madorosumaru 7]

There are thousand and one reasons why rikishi quit sumo. Most decisions are not made at the spur of the moment. At times, the young fellow does not leave on his own volition. Within the last year, there have been at least two or three that left because they were accused of stealing. Another had a rumored dispute with his oyakata. Others have been forced out because of "bad personal habits." There have even been cases in the past of young rikishi running off with the okamisan.

Most of the time, the young man would look at his situation and decide that he has no future in sumo. He would want to leave while he is still young enough to begin another career. Some guys have agreements with their parents that they would try for X number of years and then go home to, say, the farm or the fishing boat, if they don't succeed.

The rikishi in question, Wakaoki, is going to be 23 years old on Dec. 23. He has been in ozumo for nearly five full years. Aside from a couple of cups of green tea at the lowest sandanme, he has been a jonidan rikishi. A 5-2 record in one basho doesn't mean squat. He is not going anywhere in ozumo. It's time for him to move on.

The precise timing of a retirement can be determined by many factors. Maybe, he was waiting for a job to come through. There could have been certain matters at the heya that had to be resolved. I've read that it is not uncommon to take six months--even a year--after a kid makes the decision to quit before actually walking out the door.

[ilovesumo 12]

Oh heck.......Was so busy with the news of retired gaijin that I missed that one.......Wakaouki........too bad. :-O

Met him too with Viki. Intelligent boy who was eager to study. I hope very much he finds a real good spot in life.

[Asashosakari 19,319]

Many thanks for the additional insights. :-O

The rikishi in question, Wakaoki, is going to be 23 years old on Dec. 23. He has been in ozumo for nearly five full years. Aside from a couple of cups of green tea at the lowest sandanme, he has been a jonidan rikishi. A 5-2 record in one basho doesn't mean squat. He is not going anywhere in ozumo. It's time for him to move on.

To quantify this a bit - at the same age, even if he had been a full division better, i.e. a regular sandanme with the occasional unsuccessful foray into makushita, he'd be an extreme longshot to ever reach juryo.

My unsupported impression is that the ones who had finished high school before going Ozumo tend to quit a bit younger if it's clear they're not going anywhere (e.g. like Wakaoki they might be active from 18 to 23, rather than 15 to 25+); perhaps their job prospects are generally better so they have a clearer alternative to sumo.

[Harry 67]

Sent him an email while it still works (contains the string wakaoki though I suppose he could keep it anyways). He says he left because he wants a change?challenge, another world, another life. Simple as that.

[ilovesumo 12]

Many thanks for the additional insights. (I am not worthy...)

The rikishi in question, Wakaoki, is going to be 23 years old on Dec. 23. He has been in ozumo for nearly five full years. Aside from a couple of cups of green tea at the lowest sandanme, he has been a jonidan rikishi. A 5-2 record in one basho doesn't mean squat. He is not going anywhere in ozumo. It's time for him to move on.

To quantify this a bit - at the same age, even if he had been a full division better, i.e. a regular sandanme with the occasional unsuccessful foray into makushita, he'd be an extreme longshot to ever reach juryo.

My unsupported impression is that the ones who had finished high school before going Ozumo tend to quit a bit younger if it's clear they're not going anywhere (e.g. like Wakaoki they might be active from 18 to 23, rather than 15 to 25+); perhaps their job prospects are generally better so they have a clearer alternative to sumo.

Makes sense. Now that's a matter I'd like to see a stat for.