Tiny Hays

“A Self-Made Entertainer”

Karol Albert Hays was born June 27, 1927, the son of David Alvin and Clio Alverti Hays.  He was the second-born child of the family, oldest son James being born seven years earlier.  He was named after the doctor who birthed him, whose last name was Karol.  Since everyone who knew him called him “Tiny,” that is what we refer to him as in this article, although it seems he preferred his middle name to his given name when not going by Tiny.  Almost immediately, it was discovered that he had a pituitary gland problem, as at the age of just three months, he weighed 30 pounds. The family lived in Decatur, Illinois, during the earlier years. 

When Tiny was very young, the family was splintered, and Tiny and his mother moved to the Peoria area.  As soon as he turned 17, Tiny enlisted in the Navy during the heart of World War II and was discharged in 1946.  Because of his medical issue, as Tiny got older, he got considerably larger.  Upon his discharge from Pacific duty in the Navy he measured up as 6’3”, 285 pounds.

After Tiny’s discharge, he lived in Washington with his mother, step-father John Behrend, and Uncle Alexander Alverti, and he worked as a photographer for the Tazewell County Reporter. It is known he attended Chicago’s Ray School of Photography at some point in his life, and it is very possible he attended that school between his Navy discharge and his Reporter employment. Relatives recall Tiny being known as a very skilled photographer at a time when darkrooms were the norm for photo development.

In 1950 Tiny enlisted in the U.S. Army for his second military tour of duty, hoping to become an Army Signal Corps cameraman.  When he stepped on the old-time balance scale at the Chicago Induction Center, they found its 300-pound limit was insufficient, so they brought out a second scale and had Tiny put a foot on each one. Tiny topped out at 331 pounds, and while that was 120 pounds over the Army weight limit at that time, his enlistment was approved.  One article said he was approved because “he is well proportioned and can wear ready-made clothing.” The article states Tiny possessed a 50-inch waist, wore a size 51 coat, and had an 18-inch neck. A couple of photos of Tiny on the two scales were taken and experienced the 1950s version of “going viral,” appearing in dozens of newspapers throughout the country.  Tiny seemingly enjoyed his notoriety.

When Tiny was returning to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in January 1951 after a visit home, he appeared on Chicago’s Don McNeill Breakfast Club radio show, billed as the biggest man in the Army.  Coverage of this appearance is where we see the first use of the nickname “Tiny” for Tiny.

After Hays’ second two-year military stint, he enrolled in Bradley University in April 1952 at the age of 25 as a football team member.  At that time, he was billed as 6’4”, 353 pounds, the largest player in Bradley’s history.  But alas, for unknown reasons, Tiny did not play for the Braves during the 1952 season.

In 1954, Tiny was on the entertainment circuit.  He appeared daily on Peoria’s WTVH television station introducing a daily afternoon western movie under the name Texas “Tiny” Hays.  He also appeared at many other functions as a cowboy comedian, billing himself as the “world’s biggest hillbilly comic” at 535 pounds.  Different sources list him performing with a cowboy movie company in Chicago and also traveling on the Grand Ole Opry circuit, quitting that job, which required too much grueling travel, in 1966.

Tiny ran the Korn Korner for a time, a snack shop on the Square where Le Bakery currently sits.  His mother, stepfather, and uncle all worked at Marshall’s restaurant, and according to residents, Tiny could often be seen sitting on the Square when not behind his Korn Korner counter. The family lived in a farmhouse on Spring Creek Road near the old Columbia School (now Spring Creek Studios).  Tiny had a trailer on the property, and he also sold candy and snacks from the trailer.

“Tiny” was certainly a large man, but according to his military draft comments, he carried it well, as he was very tall.  One resident commented: “Around 1961 or 1962, Tiny came into Colonial Ford on the square in Washington where I worked at that time, and he purchased a used 1955 Ford 2-door coupe, and we had to remove the rear seat and replace it with the front seat so Tiny could fit into the car in order to drive it.  Also, the car leaned so far to the left that it was almost impossible to drive, but he did drive it.”  More than one resident remembered the sight of Tiny driving from the back seat and the lean of the car.

Tiny traveled to local fairs selling his popcorn and candy.  He also dabbled in the insurance business, working both out of the farm and at an office at 103 Hillcrest Drive, currently an apartment building.  At Hillcrest Drive, he also had a photo studio called Studio Royal. 

Residents remember Tiny’s office on Hillcrest, which had a real-live pet alligator and talking bird. Tiny sold animals out of the store, which was a satellite location for Don’s Pet Shop in Germantown Hills. He had different types of animals every week. In advertisements for Studio Royal, you can see Tiny’s showmanship shine through.

Tiny also ran the Royal Barbershop in Sunnyland in the early 1970s.

In his personal life, Tiny married Jo Ann Link on April 23, 1966.  After the couple married, they lived at 1873 Washington Road.  In 1969, they had their first child, Lou Ann, followed by Sarah Irene in 1970 and eventually moved to Pekin.  Unfortunately, the girls did not get to spend much time with their father as Tiny passed away as the result of a bleeding ulcer on December 18, 1973, at the age of 46.  He had been ill for several months.  He is buried in Veterans’ Cemetery in Pekin, Illinois. 

Karol Albert “Tiny” Hays was a larger-than-life figure.  He is one of the most memorable figures of mid-century Washington and fondly remembered by long-time residents.