On August 2, the Japanese National High School Tournament took place. This was the culmination of competition between 5,000 high schools and 10,000 junior high schools.
The winners of the Japanese National High School Tournament.
The boys team victors were from Azabu Gakuen while the girls were from Morimura. The Boys individual champion was Hamanaka Takamitsu and the girls was Ishii Mari.
The 20th European Go Congress took place from August 7 to 21 at Cambridge. 130 players attended. The new European Champion was Patrick Mérissert-Coffinières 4d, the first winner from France. Matthew Macfayden took the two week event. 15 year old Ronald Schlemper won the weekend tournament. The lightning event was won by Robert Rehm and the team competition was taken by the Reading Weak Group.
August 8 saw the death of Miyashita Shūyō, the "Wild Bull of Fukushima."
Miyashita Shūyō.
Winner of the 10th Ōza and the 1st and 2nd Lightning Meijin titles, he was a disciple of Hon'inbō Shūsai, and made frequent instructional tours of Europe and America.
He described the beginning of his professional journey in heartbreaking terms. "I was only nine years old, with no yearning yet for the big city, instead, the sorrow of parting from my parents, compounded by loneliness, brought me to tears again and again along the journey. I resented bitterly that I had learned go at all."
His nickname came from the power of his game, he was known for being virtually motionless at the board, his expression stern. In 1932 he won an amazing 18 straight games in a win and continue tournament. That same year he defeated Hon'inbō Shūsai (on three stones). His daughter Suzue became a pro as well. His hobbies included baseball, stock speculation, photography and drinking.
Miyashita's funeral.
On August 12, Ishida Yoshio defeated Kajiwara Takeo to earn the right to challenge Ōtake Meijin.
Photos from Go Review and the Kidō Yearbook. Biographical information regarding Shūyō is taken from John Fairbairn's How Strong was Go Seigen?