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"Little League" |
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"Little League" The All-Japan Wanpaku Sumo Tournament is the sport's equivalent of the Little League World Series. There are more than 60,000 Wanpaku Rikishi (wanpaku translates to "naughty child"; rikishi, the word for a professional sumo wrestler, translates as "strong gentleman."). The youth league is open to both girls and boys, though only boys are allowed to enter the tournament. Children can begin while they are still in first grade. The oldest children are in sixth grade.
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 Goodwill |
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| "Little League" The Wanpaku Rikishi Tournament is held in Tokyo's most famous sumo ring. Of the 60,000 young wrestlers, only 450 make it to the finals. If you think those odds are tough, consider this: In nearly 400 years of recorded sumo history, the rank of Yokozuna (Grand Champion) has been conferred on fewer than 70 rishiki. (The photo itself is a link to its original source at spluch.blogspot.com.) |
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