Mitsuharu Misawa- Supreme Triple Crown Champion - Excerpt: The proposal to join All Japan

"Amidst this lifestyle, Misawa absconded from the dorm at the end of his first year. He didn't run away because practice was too tough, but because he just didn't find amateur wrestling interesting. In fact, Misawa would often say, "To be honest, amateur wrestling is a boring sport. Why do you even get points for something like that?" He had endured a year of perseverance in order to pursue professional wrestling, but thinking that doing it for another two years would be a waste of time, Misawa went to the All Japan office, which was then located in the International Building in Roppongi, Tokyo, and asked directly to join.

Watanabe remembers this moment clearly.    

"We heard he was going to the All Japan office. He said he'd be back by the next morning's practice," but he never returned. The teachers started making a fuss, asking, "Where did Misawa go?" So, even though we knew, when we woke up, he was gone. The teachers were worried and searching for him. Eventually, Misawa returned that night and talked with the teachers in the instructor's room. I don't think they scolded him. Later, when Misawa returned to the training camp, I asked him, "How was it?" and he said, "I met with Tsuruta. He said, 'I understand how you feel, but you need to graduate from high school.' He promised me he'd let me in if I did, so I'll work hard until I graduate."

Misawa met with Motoko Baba, Yoshihiro Momota, and Jumbo Tsuruta at the All Japan Wrestling office, where Tsuruta advised him, "Just make sure you graduate from high school. I started wrestling after college, and I've never thought it was too late." Misawa decided to continue wrestling until graduation and returned to the dorm."