Memories of Japan

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="040d2c00dvldtc.gif"> <div> Here are a few memories of wrestling in Japan for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. This was the best company to work for in my opinion.</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0f669500.gif" border=0 width="105" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> In the upcoming book of my Judo & Wrestling career, I share memories of others I've met and/or worked with, some of them are:<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Hollywood Hulk Hogan<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Vince McMahon<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Dynamite Kid<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Ravishing Rick Rude<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Jimmy Hart<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> JR Foley<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Andre The Giant<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Stu Hart & the Hart Family<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Jake The Snake<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Classy Freddie Blassie<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Chief Jay Strongbow<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Peter Maivia<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Mitch Santa Maria<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Clyde Whorten<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Yone<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> John Sailor<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Abdullah the Butcher<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Lex Luger<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Jake The Snake Roberts<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> The Ultimate Warrior<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Jim The Anvil Neidhart<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Aretha Franklin</div> <div> plus man more</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <bR> <div> Memories of Japan</div> <div> <IMG SRC="0f744320.gif" border=0 width="68" height="50" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="anchor"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="485" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 173 WIDTH="88"><div> <A HREF="#yoshiaki_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="0f8586d0.jpg" border=0 width="88" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Yoshiaki Fujiwara</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#keiji_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="0f9576e0.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Keiji </div> <div> Mutoh</div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="90"><div> <A HREF="#kuroneko_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="0fa576e0.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Kuroneko 'Blackcat'</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#osamu_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="0fb576e0.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Osamu</div> <div> Kido</div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#kengo_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="0fd576e0.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Kengo </div> <div> Kimura</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 154 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#hiro_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="0ff576e0.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Hiro </div> <div> Saitoh</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="91"><div> <A HREF="#strong_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="0fe586d0.jpg" border=0 width="88" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Strong Kobayashi</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="90"><div> <A HREF="#kuniaki_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="100576e0.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Kuniaki Kobayashi</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#killer_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="102586d0.jpg" border=0 width="88" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Killer </div> <div> Kahn</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="101"><div> <A HREF="#jushin_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="101576e0.jpg" border=0 width="87" height="110" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Jushin Thunder Lyger</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div>  <A NAME="anchor_1"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="373" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 153 WIDTH="88"><div> <A HREF="#gran_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="103586d0.jpg" border=0 width="88" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Gran Hamada</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="87"><div> <A HREF="#hidekazu_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="109506d0.jpg" border=0 width="80" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Hidekazu Tanaka</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="85"><div> <A HREF="#tyger_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="108506d0.jpg" border=0 width="80" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Tyger Hattori</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="#junji_" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><IMG SRC="107566d0.jpg" border=0 width="86" height="109" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> Junji</div> <div> Hirata</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="467" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 253 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="10be4d50.jpg" border=0 width="228" height="213" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   <IMG SRC="10cd2d60.jpg" border=0 width="210" height="214" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> 1990<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" >, Members of New Japan Pro-Wrestling during a stopover in </FONT></div> <div> Amman, Jordan<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > en-route to Bagdad Iraq, just 2 weeks before Desert Storm.</FONT></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="yoshiaki_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B><B>Yoshiaki Fujiwara:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Is one of the guys I trained with when I first went to Japan to become a pro-wrestler. His gimmick was a strong head butt and so was mine. During our matches, he'd give me his head butt which I wouldn't sell and vise versa. We'd always try to prove who had the strongest head, I'd break a table with mine and he'd butt a post with his. After some time the butting of the post affected him because he began to stutter, I told him to stop it before be wound up a vegetable. New Japan Pro-wrestling sent him to Florida to learn to shoot under Karl Gotch, when he returned to Japan he with the original Tiger Mask and a couple of other wrestlers left New Japan to start their own company UWF shoot wrestling.</FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="keiji_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <B>Keiji Mutoh: </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >To me, from the new generation of wrestlers, developed by New Japan, he was the most talented and charismatic. After Mr. Inoki left wrestling to go into politics, I thought they should have given him the big push. I felt he could have been Japan's Next t big star but the company went in a different direction. He is a great wrestler and a great talent.</FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="kuroneko_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Kuroneko, 'Blackcat':</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >The first time I met him was in Mexico in 1980 and we became good friends. In 1981 he joined New Japan and has been with them ever since, this is his 20th year with there. He always helped the foreign wrestlers that came over. We've been all over the world together but my most memorable moment with him was we went to Iraq with New Japan to help free the Japanese business men that were being held hostage. Saddam Husayn presented Inoki with 2 gold swords. When we left Iraq Inoki stayed on so we had to take the swords back to Japan. We checked them in at the airport and had to pick them up in transit in Paris. We arrived in Paris but the swords didn't. Kuroneko and myself spent hours all over the airport looking for them, we never did find them and had to return to Tokyo empty handed. </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="osamu_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Osamu Kido: </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >We used to call him Elvis because he hated to get his hair messed up. He was a good wrestler, who I liked to work with because I never got hurt but if I messed up his hair - look out. </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="kengo_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Kengo Kimura:</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Wrestled with his 2 partners against Abdullah the Butcher, Champagne Gerry Morrow and myself. I was in the ring with Kengo, I threw him out and went after him. Gerry & I threw him over the fence, we were giving each other the high five and we turned around to look at him he was no longer on the floor, he was standing in the middle of the ring, we couldn't believe that he never sold the beating we just put on him. Nevertheless he was a good wrestler and easy to work with.</FONT> </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="hiro_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Hiro Saitoh:</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >He started wrestling 3 months after I did. His first day of workout he arrived at the dojo with two other guys, it was summertime and all the windows were closed and it was hot in there, under the Japanese system they got the crap beat out of them that first day, before the workout was over the three of them were puking their guts out. That night his two friends ran, never to return but Saitoh stayed. I knew he'd become a good worker because he had the guts to stick it out. In 1983 he wrestled for Stampede Wrestling and was a guest at my wedding to my beautiful wife Helen. Because I'm his senior he has to do whatever I tell him to do, I knew he liked to eat, and I wanted to see just how much he could eat. I made him eat so much that he puked several times in my backyard. I bet that's a wedding he'll never forget.</FONT> </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="strong_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Strong Kobayashi:</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >The Pat Patterson of Japan. I hated working with him cause no matter what you did he always grabbed anyone he wrestled by the testicles. He'd apologize when I'd get mad but the SOB would do it again. Once during a match he stuck his finger up Ruska's ass, I thought Ruska was gonna kill him, he was so mad his face was as red a tomato. I was happy when he left the company to do porno movies.</FONT> </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="kuniaki_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Kuniaki Kobayashi: </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Started with New Japan the same time I did. We were wrestling against each other in Acapulco, Mexico. I threw him out of the ring and then grabbed him and ran him right out of the building onto the street, we beat each other all over peoples cars. Some of my wildest matches in Mexico were against him. He's a great guy inside and outside of the ring. I always consider him a friend.</FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="killer_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Killer Kahn:</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Was one of the big star's in my early career with New Japan. The company sent him to work in Mexico and the States, while he was in Florida he met an American girl who tricked him into marrying her. She took him to city hall knowing his English wasn't good and told him to say yes to everything he was asked and before he knew it he was married.</FONT> </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="jushin_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Jushin Thunder Lyger:</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >My best memory of him is when New Japan went to Pakistan for two weeks. 52 of us went, wrestlers and boy scouts to the refugee camp, 51 became sick but no one was sicker than Jushin. He was carrying Inoki's suitcase one day and he looked like the walking dead, I said "Isn't this a great place to be?" and he replied "If I live through this I will never come back here again." When we returned to Japan I'd tease him about going back to Pakistan and he told me he'd quit wrestling before going back there.</FONT> </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="gran_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <div> <B>Gran Hamada: </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >Even though he was with New Japan, the first time I met him was in Mexico. For a smaller wrestler he had a lot of fire, I loved working against him because the Mexican fans loved him which gave me more heat. The many times I worked in Mexico he always made me feel at home. He'd invite me to his house and feed me, he's a great cook. There aren't many guys in this business that care about anyone but he always looked after me.</FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor_1" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="hidekazu_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Hidekazu Tanaka:</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>I remember when he first joined New Japan as an announcer. Mr. Inoki's brother-in-law<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>(Baisyo)<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>was the main announcer and my roommate. When Tanaka came to do the announcing Baisyo<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>asked me to throw a scare into him, so when I got into the ring I started yelling at him he was scared as hell, I started laughing because I thought he was going to piss himself. He turned out to be a really nice guy who is still announcing for them today and doing a great job.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor_1" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="tyger_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tyger Hattori:</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >I knew him from both Judo and wrestling. One of the funniest thing's I remember about him was when I returned to New Japan after my stint with the WWF, on that first tour was Scott Norton (first time I met Scott) he used to be the world wrist wrestling champion and in the world of wrist wrestling he was nicknamed 'Flash' (because he used to beat his opponents so fast). Scott is 6'4" & about 320 lbs, Hattori is about 160 lbs & 5'5". Scott was sitting in the locker room and Hattori walked over to him smiling and told Scott how good he looked, he said "Scott you have big legs and oh you have very big arms, and you have big chest" then he paused and said "But one thing, face look like faggot" Scott got mad and chased him out of the locker room. I laughed so hard I was in tears. Scott and I became really good friends.</FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="10d34410.jpg" border=0 width="52" height="65" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" >Scott Norton </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" >   </FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div>       <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="#anchor_1" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> <A NAME="junji_"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#00FF00" FACE="Arial" ><B>Junji Hirata:</B></FONT> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" >About 6 months after I started with New Japan, he arrived at the arena in a suit and tie, Yamamoto (who was my trainer) had him do 300 squats in his suit & tie, the poor guy was sweating all over. He turned out to be a very good wrestler. In Calgary he wrestler as a Native 'Sonny Two Rivers', and later in Japan he became Super Strong Machine. Super nice guy and great wrestler.</FONT> </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="#anchor" TITLE="Memories of Japan"><U><U>back to the top</U></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="10f60630.gif" border=0 width="96" height="99" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="409" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 118 ><NOBR><bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Wrestling History"><U><IMG SRC="0be64200.gif" border=0 width="100" height="32" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Site Map"><U><IMG SRC="11182700.gif" border=0 width="130" height="112" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wrestling Matches"><U><IMG SRC="0c064200.gif" border=0 width="100" height="32" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>