Katsuhisa Shibata

[KinchStalker]

Katsuhisa Shibata (柴田勝久)

Profession: Wrestler, Referee
Real name: Katsuhisa Shibata
Professional names: Katsuhisa Shibata, Shibata
Life: 12/12/1943-1/4/2010
Born: Kuwana, Mei, Japan
Career: 1966-1999
Height/Weight: 178cm/110kg (5’10”/242lbs.)
Signature moves: Mexican stretch
Promotions: Tokyo Pro Wrestling, Japan Wrestling Association, New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Titles: none

Katsuhisa Shibata was a charter member of NJPW and remained with the company as a referee until the end of the millennium. He is also, inarguably, the most overshadowed first-generation wrestler in puroresu history.

Katsuhisa Shibata worked a factory job upon graduating from junior high but joined the Asahiyama sumo stable at 16 with an athletic background in kendo and bodybuilding. Shibata remained in the Osaka-based stable for six years, competing first as himself before adopting the shikona Tessen Shigeru and Mienoyama Masahisa. (See Haruka Eigen for a photograph of Shibata during this time.) In May 1966, he left to join Tokyo Pro Wrestling along five other ex-rikishi. He debuted on their kickoff show with a loss to Hiroshi Nakagawa, the one recruit who left the business after Tokyo Pro’s first tour. Shibata remained with Tokyo Pro as it cut ties with Toyonobori and Tadaharu Tanaka and joined the IWE on its first tour. He wasn't invited to join the JWA at first, so he shared an apartment with Masanori Saito and Masao Kimura to await the call, which only he would receive. He joined Inoki’s entourage.

During the 1970 World Big League tour, Shibata left for Mexico to take the place of a returning Kantaro Hoshino. His tenure for EMLL, where he worked mononymously as Shibata, was not as illustrious as that of his contemporary Masio Koma. He got a light heavyweight title shot against Ray Mendoza on August 28. One month later, on October 2, he was the first Japanese wrestler to lose a hair match against Raul Mata. After Koma left the territory to work up north, Shibata formed a tag team with Motoyuki Kitazawa. In August 1971, he and Rene Guajardo lost a hair match against Mendoza and Dory Dixon. From what I have read, the rudo style imprinted itself onto the rest of Shibata’s in-ring career.

In February 1972, Inoki visited Mexico to meet with Shibata and Kitazawa. An article in Gong magazine cast doubt on whether Shibata would join New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as an unnamed executive was said to have approached him to invest in the company as an executive, which he reportedly declined. Whatever the case, he joined NJPW, and went to a double countout against Inca Peruano on its kickoff show. One year later, Shibata tagged with Inoki in the main event of the first show broadcast on World Pro Wrestling, in which they defeated Jan Wilkens and Manuel Soto. He went on to participate in the first three World League tournaments, but a shoulder injury led Shibata to retire after the first tour of 1977. He transitioned into refereeing, a capacity in which he would work for NJPW for 22 years. Two years after this pivot, he became a father. Katsuyori never saw his father wrestle, but as early as kindergarten he aspired to follow in his footsteps. During his retirement ceremony on June 25, 1999, Shibata gave Katsuyori a bodyslam as a gesture of encouragement.

Katsuhisa opened the Shibata Dojo wrestling school. At one point, he also ran a New Japan merchandise store called Toy Shibata. He came out of retirement to referee on Big Mouth Loud’s first show, although he did not officiate the main event with his son (who lost to Kazunari Murakami). This was followed by appearances for Dradition and Showa Pro Wrestling. According to a blog post by the Great Sasuke, he also worked on a Michinoku Pro tour of Kyushu island at an unspecified date. On January 4, 2010, Shibata died of a stroke.