Misplaced Pages

Kinji Shibuya

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
American professional wrestler (1921–2010)

Kinji Shibuya
Birth nameRobert Shibuya
Born(1921-05-16)May 16, 1921
Utah, United States
DiedMay 3, 2010(2010-05-03) (aged 88)
Hayward, California, United States
Alma materUniversity of Hawaiʻi
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)Kinji Shibuya
Kenji Shibuya
Sato Keomuka
Billed height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Billed weight249 lb (113 kg)
Billed fromJapan
Trained byTsutao Higami
Debut1952
Retired1976

Robert "Kinji" Shibuya (May 16, 1921 – May 3, 2010) was an American professional wrestler and actor.

Professional wrestling career

In 1952, promoter Al Karasick suggested Shibuya try professional wrestling. He was originally given a villainous gimmick of a Japanese bad guy after World War II. He wrestled in the United States and Canada's Stampede Wrestling and All-Star Wrestling. Shibuya credited Verne Gagne for first making him popular as a villain in 1955.

Shibuya was the frequent tag team partner of Mitsu Arakawa, who was billed as his cousin. In 1957, they held the Minneapolis version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship.

Personal life

Shibuya was born in Utah and raised in California with his four brothers. He attended Belmont High School in Los Angeles. He played football for the Los Angeles City College football team, and he also played football at the University of Hawaiʻi. After college, Shibuya played semi-professionally for the Honolulu Polar Bears and Honolulu Warriors.

Shibuya was featured on a "This is Your Life" segment on the television show Canvas Cavity and appeared on the show several times in the 1970s and 1980s. After retiring from wrestling, he also had small acting roles on shows such as Kung Fu and Mr. T and Tina. He also appeared in the films Days of a Bawdy Ballad and Hammett.

He was married for 59 years and had two children, including Robert Shibuya, the Chairman & CEO of Mohr Partners, a global corporate real estate advisory firm based in Dallas, Texas. Shibuya died on May 3, 2010, of natural causes. He was cremated, and his funeral service was held at a Buddhist temple.

Championships and accomplishments

References

  1. ^ Oliver, Greg (May 8, 2010). "Kinji Shibuya dead at 88". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  2. ^ Lano, Mike (May 20, 2010). "Remembering Kinji Shibuya: Hated and beloved". SLAM! Wrestling. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. "Honorees". Cauliflower Alley Club. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  4. Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2000). "Texas: NWA / World Class American Heavyweight Title ". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. pp. 265–266. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  5. "NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1967-1968/05) - American Heavyweight Title (1968/05-1986/02)". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  6. Will, Gary; Duncan, Royal (2000). "Texas: NWA Texas Tag Team Title ". Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 275–276. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
  7. "NWA Texas Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.

External links

Links to related articles
NWA World Tag Team Champions (Minneapolis version)
1950s
1960s
National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Champions (San Francisco version)
1950s
1960s
1970s
Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Champions
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
2000s
Categories: