Kinji Shibuya | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Birth name | Robert Shibuya |
Born | [1] Utah, United States [1] | May 16, 1921
Died | May 3, 2010[1] Hayward, California, United States | (aged 88)
Alma mater | University of Hawaiʻi |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Kinji Shibuya Kenji Shibuya Sato Keomuka |
Billed height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) |
Billed weight | 249 lb (113 kg) |
Billed from | Japan |
Trained by | Tsutao Higami |
Debut | 1952 [1] |
Retired | 1976 [2] |
Robert "Kinji" Shibuya (May 16, 1921 – May 3, 2010) was an American professional wrestler and actor.
In 1952, promoter Al Karasick suggested Shibuya try professional wrestling. [1] He was originally given a villainous gimmick of a Japanese bad guy after World War II. [1] He wrestled in the United States and Canada's Stampede Wrestling and All-Star Wrestling. [1] Shibuya credited Verne Gagne for first making him popular as a villain in 1955. [2]
Shibuya was the frequent tag team partner of Mitsu Arakawa, who was billed as his cousin. [1] In 1957, they held the Minneapolis version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship. [1]
Shibuya was born in Utah and raised in California with his four brothers. [1] 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. [1] After college, Shibuya played semi-professionally for the Honolulu Polar Bears and Honolulu Warriors. [1]
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. [2] After retiring from wrestling, he also had small acting roles on shows such as Kung Fu and Mr. T and Tina. [1] He also appeared in the films Days of a Bawdy Ballad and Hammett. [1]
He was married for 59 years and had two children, [1] including Robert Shibuya, the Chairman & CEO of Mohr Partners, global corporate real estate advisory firm based in Dallas, Texas. Shibuya died on May 3, 2010, of natural causes. [1] [2] He was cremated, and his funeral service was held at a Buddhist temple. [2]
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
link)