Name: - Haystacks Calhoun
Height: - 6'1” (185cm)
Weight: - 601lb (273kg)
Born: - August 3, 1934
From: - McKinney, Texas
Trained by: - Orville Brown
Debut: - 1955
Retired: - 1975
Died: - December 7, 1989 (complications from diabetes)
Finisher: - Big splash
Also known as: - Country Boy Calhoun

Toured Australia: - 1971, 1972

Billed from “Morgan's Corner, Arkansas”, began wrestling for Orville Brown as “Country Boy Calhoun” until an appearance on “Art Linkletter's House Party”, where he showed his strength by tossing hay bales into a loft. Became a national attraction in US, and was in demand from wrestling promoters around the world, although he spent most of his time in the Northeast. Had a series of matches against “Happy Humphrey”, the heaviest wrestler in history, who out-weighed Calhoun by around 200lb. Teamed regurarly with Man Mountain Mike in California, the team boasting a combined weight of over 1200 lbs.

Also had a successful feud against Dick the Bruiser. While in WWWF, won the tag titles with Tony Garea in 1973. Ill-health forced his retirement around 1975, and he lost his left leg due to diabetes in 1986. Has been seen as the inspiration for the genre of wrestlers including Hillbilly Jim, Uncle Elmer etc.

Titles held: - WWWF World Tag (w/ Tony Garea), NWA US Tag (w/ Jack Brisco), NWA Canadian Tag (2, w/ Don Leo Jonathan), International Television Tag (w/ Abe Jacobs)

Haystacks Calhoun v Moondog Mayne, WWWF 1973

Credit: Mark Dalgleish, Wikipedia, Libnan Ayoub's 100 Years of Professional Wrestling
Photo credit: notinhalloffame.com