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Top 10 Astonishing Facts About Giant Baba

Magazine Official Wrestling d’ao没t 1964 avec notamment Giant Baba.

Shohei Baba popularly known by his ring name Giant Baba was a Japanese professional wrestler, baseball player and promoter.

Giant Baba was born on 23rd January 1938 in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture. He was the second son of Kazuo and Mitsu Baba.

Giant Baba is best known for being the co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. This was a promotion Baba founded in 1972 alongside Mitsuo Momota and Yoshihiro Momota.

He was the booker, promoter, head trainer and president of the All Japan Pro Wrestling since its founding till his death in 1999. Giant Baba is considered as one of the most loved Japanese wrestler and national hero.

He was voted as the 92nd greatest person in the history of Japan as voted by the public. Giant Baba had several accomplishments and won several records in his wrestling career.

These are the ten astonishing facts about Giant Baba;

1. He was Diagnosed with Gigantism after Being One of the Smallest Children

Child Giant Baba with his family.

Giant Baba was not born so huge as he was in his later years of life. For most part of his early childhood life, Giant Baba was one of the smallest children in his class.

However, the small stature of Giant Baba changed later on in his life. At around the fifth grade, he began growing at a very rapid rate.

By the time he hit his ninth grade, Giant Baba was already 175 cm tall and the biggest child in his school. He was later on diagnosed with gigantism which never stopped him from chasing his dreams.

2. Giant Baba Played Baseball

Shohei Baba (Giant Baba).

While in high school, Giant Baba鈥檚 massive growth never stopped as he was 190 cm by the age of 16.

He joined the baseball team after receiving an invitation. Baba impressed in baseball as there was a time during practice game that he recorded 18 strike outs.

Hidetoshi of Yomiuri Giants met with Baba and advised him to drop out of school and join his team. In January 1955, Baba dropped out of high school and joined the Yomiuri Giants.

His first year was not great as he had to wait till the second year when he debuted. His performances earned him 12 wins, 1 loss in 1956, and 13 wins, 2 losses in 1956.

Baba was named the Nippon Professional Baseball league鈥檚 best pitcher awards in the two years.

3. Baba鈥檚 Professional Wrestling Career

Giant Baba doing an arm bar on Jack Brisco – Wrestling Annual – June 1975.

Giant Baba did not last long in baseball as he retired later on. He first met Rikid艒zan who encouraged him to try professional wrestling which he heeded to and tried out.

Baba met Rikid艒zan for a second time in April 1960 and began training in the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance. He debuted in professional wrestling on September 30th 1960 where he won his first match against Yonetaro Tanaka.

Rikid艒zan then went ahead and organised for Giant Baba鈥檚 relocation to the United States where he fought well, became famous.

In the east coast of the United States and New York, Baba was referred to as the Big Shohei Baba as a fan favourite and Baba the Giant as the villain.

4. Major Titles Baba Won in Professional Wrestling

PWF Heavyweight Championship (produced in 1972) Shibuya “Giant Baba 20th Memorial. Giant Baba Exhibition” shooting (2019).

Wrestling became part of Giant Baba鈥檚 life which earned him several awards during his career.

The first title Baba won was WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in February 1964 at the Madison Square Garden.

Baba returned to Japan from America after his trainer Rikid艒zan died in 1966, but titles never stopped following him.

In1968, Baba won two NWA International Tag Team Championships alongside Inoki which he held four times.

He also won the NWA International Heavyweight Championship thrice, the World Big League for a record six times.

5. Baba Founded the All Japan Pro Wrestling

After relocating to Japan, Giant Baba never gave up on his Wrestling career. Together with the two sons of Rikid艒zan, Giant Baba founded the All Japan Pro Wrestling.

It debuted in October 1972 and backed up by Nippon Television. The All Japan Pro Wrestling was so important for Japanese wrestlers who showcased their talents until Baba passed on.

6. He Fought for 3,000 Consecutive Matches

Giant Baba was among the fittest wrestlers who participated in several matches. He made history as he participated in several consecutive matches.

Between 1960 and April 1984, Giant Baba participated in three thousand consecutive matches without missing any booking. The cycle was broke when he suffered a minor neck injury.

7. Baba Never Had His Own Children

Giant Baba was a family man who married Motoko Kawai on September 16th 1971. Motoko Kawai and Giant Baba had kept their relationship a secret until ten years later when they made it public.

However, Giant Baba and his wife never had any children of their own for the fear of the child having gigantism.

The couple developed a close relationship with Baba鈥檚 student Atsushi Onita who was brought up as one of their own children. Sadly Motoko Kawai passed on due to liver cirrhosis on April 14th 2018 at the age of 78.

8. Private Life of Giant Baba

Giant Baba was a secretive, quiet and shy person outside the ring. No one knew a lot about his private life which he kept off the cameras.

Baba Never went out to drink with fellow wrestlers after their shows as he loved having a peace of his own mind. However, Giant Baba used to treat foreign wrestlers with respect.

He ensured they travelled in first class, stayed in best hotels, had beer and food he paid for personally.

Giant Baba was a great smoker of cigars which he quit after his friend was hospitalised due to cancer. He had incredible tolerance to alcohol which he drunk for long hours.

9. Baba Never Signed Contracts as a Promoter

Giant Baba was not the same as other wrestling promoters during his era. Contracts used to be signed by top wrestlers, but he believed in something else.

He used a handshake agreement rather than a signed contract. Baba had a great reputation for keeping his word when it was about match finishes as well as payrolls.

He was regarded as the most honest promoter in the wrestling career.

10. Giant Baba鈥檚 Death

Baba lived a healthy life until January 1999. He was confined to a hospital bed after a tragic event.

On January 31st 1999, Giant Baba passed on due to liver failure that came from the complications of colon cancer.

Giant Baba was a great personality who wanted all people around him to be successful even though some feared him due to his huge stature.