 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | Katsuji Adachi (1942-04-25)April 25, 1942 Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan |
| Died | April 21, 2010(2010-04-21) (aged 67) Osaka, Japan |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Mr. Hito Tokyo Joe Katsuji Adachi |
| Billed height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Billed weight | 112 kg (247 lb) |
| Debut | June 8, 1967 |
| Retired | March 25, 1988 |
Katsuji Adachi (安達勝治,Adachi Katsuji) (April 25, 1942 – April 21, 2010), better known asMr. Hito, was a Japaneseprofessional wrestler who competed inNorth American and Japanese regionalpromotions from the 1950s until the mid-1980s. Most notably, he was thetag team partner ofMr. Moto (who was one of the earliest Japanese "heels") while wrestling inNational Wrestling Alliance regional territories during the late 1950s.
He is perhaps best known for his work inStu Hart'sStampede Wrestling, where he won multiple championship titles. He is also highly regarded byBret Hart as his most significant trainer alongsideKazuo Sakurada (a.k.a. Mr. Sakurada), who he trained with extensively in Stu Hart's "Dungeon."[1]
Katsuji Adachi debuted insumo wrestling in 1956 at the age of 14. He was part of theDewanoumi stable under theshikonaNaniwakai. His highest rank wasMakushita 17. He retired from sumo in January 1967.
Katsuji Adachi debuted forJapan Wrestling Association in June 1967. Helost toHaruka Eigen at theKawasaki Stadium on July 1, 1969.[2] The following year, Adachi appeared in the JWA New Year Champion Series in January 1970[3] and the Golden Series[4] in July before leaving the country to compete in North America during the early 1970s.
AsTokyo Joe, he andKung Fu Lee were managed byPercival A. Friend inNWA Central States in 1973.[5] The following year, he was one of three Japanese wrestlers along withKung Fu Lee andJumbo Tsuruta who participated in a 12-man battle royal on April 7, 1974. Held in theKiel Auditorium inSt. Louis, Missouri, the event also includedAndré the Giant,Bobo Brazil,Bill Miller,Billy Red Lyons,Black Angus Campbell,Reggie Parks,Frank Valois,Billy Howard andDory Funk Jr. who eventually won the event.[6]
Hito saw great success as a tag team wrestler inStampede Wrestling in Calgary, winning theNWA International Tag Team Championship (Calgary version) eight times. During this time, as part of Big Bad John's "army" withKing Curtis Iaukea andJohn Quinn, he feuded with"Cowboy" Dan Kroffat,Larry Lane andMark Lewin after attacking the then 60-year-oldStu Hart who had been handcuffed to the ring ropes.[7]
His first win took place in 1975 with partnerJohn Quinn, but the titles were then vacated. To reclaim them that same year, Hito teamed withGil Hayes to win a tag team tournament. The following year, he andHigo "Animal" Hamaguchi won the titles. ThenMichel Martel helped him gain his fourth tag title victory in 1977. Two years passed until he gained his fifth and sixth titles with Mr. Sakurada, winning and losing the titles against the likes of Bret andKeith Hart,Dory Funk Jr., andLeo Burke. Hito then pursued singles competition. He and Mr. Sakaruda would also have a short stint inChampionship Wrestling from Florida in late 1979[8] andWorld Class Championship Wrestling the following year,[9] winning the tag team titles in both promotions.
Hito won his firstStampede North American Heavyweight Championship on September 18, 1981, fromDavid Schultz, only to lose it back the following month. His second title reign lasted from November 6, 1981, until March 19 the following year, in which he was forced to vacate it due injuries resulting from an automobile accident in early 1982. While driving to a show inLethbridge withBruce Hart,Jim Neidhart,Gerry Morrow and a Stampede road hand, he had suffered facial injuries as well as a broken wrist and a dislocated knee after hitting the back tires ofsemi-trailer as it was pulling into a roadside gas station.[10]
On March 11, 1983, Hito won his eighth NWA International Tag Team Championship withJim Neidhart inCalgary, Alberta. They would win them one last time fromMike Shaw andMike Miller the same year. In March 1988, he retired from in-ring competition and remained to be Stu Hart's right-hand man in theDungeon.
Around 2003, Adachi moved back toOsaka, Japan, to work at his sister's okonomiyaki restaurant. In 2005, he moved back to Calgary. In August 2006, he made a guest appearance forHiroshi Hase's retirement ceremony.
According to Bret Hart, Adachi was one of Stu Hart's most trusted foremen and reliable workers in the heyday of Stampede Wrestling;Bret's DVD set also features rare footage of Adachi and Sakuradasquashing him. He has credited Adachi as being one of his greatest mentors, stating, "People often say to me, where would wrestling be without Bret Hart. But my answer to that is, where would Bret Hart be without Mr. Hito."
Adachi died on April 21, 2010, in Osaka. His cause of death is related todiabetes, which he had suffered from for several years and it caused the amputation of his right leg in October 2009.
,Internet Wrestling Database