The Cordova daily times., 1923-03-21
FAMOUS JAP
 WRESTLER IS
 COMING TOU.S.
To Teach Us and Learn Our Style of Mat
 Work

| states IS soon to see eXnlDlt1OHS Ol the great Japanese national sport of sumo and soon, also, sumo wrestlers are to invade the United States to learn the principles of catch as catch-can wrestling and boxing in order to bring this knowledge back to Japan and spread it among the athletes of the rising generation This is the dual object of Onishiki, l former grand champion in the art of the sumo, who has recently re- ,, tired from the ring and who expects to sail for America in May with a following of sumo experts.
 Was Popular Idol
 Onishiki, who for two years has been one of the popular idols of that section of Japan which has not turned from sumo to baseball, is busily engaged with the business of learning the English language, and just as soon as he feels that he can speak well enough to keep from going hungry on Broadway he expects to sail Five sumo wrestlers who rank about midway in the national associ- ation plan to accompany him.
 Onishikis principal object is to learn catch catch can wrestling and boxing that he may return to teach these sports here. At the same time, however, he proposes to give America it's first taste of sumo in exhibitions in the leading cities of the United States. The project is backed by a number of loyal sup porters of the former wrestler, the principal one being Baron Furukawa, head of the Furukawa syndicate, one of the five big companies of Japan.
 Withdrew From Ring
 This trip of the former grand champion is possible by Onishiki's voluntary withdrawal from the ring. In January the eve of the semi annual Tokio tournament brought strike among the younger wrestlers of the association, and Onishiki at | tempted to mediate. His efforts were lunsuccessful-it took the Tokio po- lice chief to settle the squabble- | and thereupon one of the most prom i ising men in the sport resorted to the true Japanese course of pro- cedure which should follow. He re- signed from the wrestlers' associa- tion - assumed responsibility - and quit the recognized ring for all time. This was signified by the clipping of the long locks which distinguish sumo wrestlers from other Japanese.
 Popular Sport
 A little has been written of sumo in America, so just word as to what Americans may expect to see when Onishiki learns to speak Eng ball sumo was in Japan what base ball has been for many years in the United States. Everybody went; everybody was we'll versed in the sport, and everybody got all worked up about the semi-annual tourna- ments in Tokio, just as Americans get all worked up about the world series. Times are changing, though, for popular interest in sumo is on the decline. Strength pure bull strength such as formerly made a football player-makes a sumo wrest- Ter Onishiki, who is just 29 years old, is feet inches in height and weighs 2S9 pounds-a very large man for a Japanese but a sumo man must be extraordinary large to succeed When match is held a circle about ten feet in diameter is drawn, and the object is for one wrestler to push the other out of the ring by one method or another They man. euver for 20 minutes maybe, then clinch, grapple and struggle about the ring. Finally one goes down, or is merely pushed across the white line.