Ouchiyama Heikichi

Ouchiyama Heikichi

Ōuchiyama Heikichi (born Heikichi Ōuchi, 19 June 1926 - 1 November 1985) was a sumo wrestler from Hitachinaka, Ibaraki, Japan.

He joined Tokitsukaze stable in 1944 and reached the top makuuchi division in 1949. After finishing as runner-up to Chiyonoyama with a 13-2 record in March 1955 (Chiyonoyama defeated him in a playoff) he was promoted to sumo's second highest rank of ōzeki. He only managed to stay at ōzeki for eight tournaments, as injury meant he had three consecutive make-koshi or losing scores which saw him demoted from the rank. He fought in the maegashira ranks until his retirement in 1959. He became an elder of the Japan Sumo Association, working as a coach at his old stable. He was known as Shikoroyama Oyakata until 1961 and then Tatsutayama Oyakata until his death in 1985.

He was well known for his extraordinary size: at 2.02 m (6 ft 7 1⁄₂ in) tall he was the tallest modern era ōzeki until Akebono in 1992.