Congratulations to the Yank in Tokyo, Konishiki, for winning his third major sumo wrestling tournament title. He must be the best. It is a thrill to all who know the Hawaii native by his American name, Salevaa Fuauli Atisanoe.

Of course, the selection committee of the Japan Sumo Association refused to promote Konishiki to the top rank in the sport, yokozuna, or grand champion. No foreigner has ever been one. Konishiki is a true yokozuna, and they all know it.

The Japan Sumo Association committee first ruled that foreigners are eligible, then pretended to withhold the title on form. That's a laugh. It's as stupid as the major league baseball ownership committee withholding approval of Hiroshi Yamauchi of Kyoto as principal owner, with his son-in-law Minoru Arakawa of Seattle in control, of the Seattle Mariners. Which is the only way that anyone in Seattle knows to keep the club in town.

Someone ought to tell those self-important people that it's One World out there. One World in sumo. One World in baseball.