Akebono was the very first foreign-born man to reach the level of yokozuna. He remains a bridge between cultures and will be remembered for his ferocity and size in the ring, his generosity, kindness and care for others outside the ring.Thank you to John Jacques, Bumbo Kalima, and Lynn Matsuoka for sharing your memories of Chad (who later became Akebono). You knew him personally, and you give us all the gift of your stories.More about Sumo Kaboom and our BINGO game:www.sumokaboom.comBig Sumo Fan sponsors our BINGO game. Need sumo merch from the US? www.bigsumofan.comTwitter @SumoKaboomInstagram https://www.instagram.com/sumokaboom/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SumoKaboom/YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/SumoKaboomPodcastCheck out our Sumo Kaboom tshirts and sweatshirts at Bonfire. (https://www.bonfire.com/store/sumo-kaboom/)If you'd like to buy us a mawashi or support us monthly, go to: https://ko-fi.com/sumokaboom There's no way we could do this without you, so thank you!Ever wonder where we get our research? Check out the Show Notes section of our website.Please follow or send us a review. It all helps! Thank you so much!Special Guests: John Jacques and Lynn Matsuoka.