Haystacks Calhoun 

Real Name - William Dee Calhoun

Lifespan - 8/3/34 - 12/7/89

6'4" 600 lbs. - McKinney, TX

Athletic Background - n/a

Teacher(s) - n/a

Professional Background - New York(`61), San Francisco[AWA](`61-`63), JWA(`63), Florida(`64), Vancouver(`66), Tri-State(`66), San Francisco[AWA](`66-`68), Vancouver(`68), San Francisco[NWA](`68), Australia(`72), San Francisco[NWA](`72), WWWF(`73-`75), Gulf Coast(`74), Florida(`74-`79)

Aliases - William Calhoun, Country Boy Calhoun, Haystack Calhoun, Hillbilly Calhoun

Groups - none

Peak Years - `61-`66

Finisher(s) - 

- Big Splash

- Horseshoe Shot

Favorites -

- Bodyslam

- Corner Avalanches

- Rope-Assisted Buttsit

- Overhead Chest Forearm

- Butt Bump

Place in History - Haystacks Calhoun rose to fame in the latter days of pro-wrestling's golden age on television.  He was a carnival act in the modern world, who fans flocked to see.  Calhoun cut his teeth in Texas before heading east where he made his name.  A passable athlete with good speed for a man his size and natural strength that came along with his mass, he could have found success as just a bigger-than-average wrestler.  Instead, he shed his boot, grew in a bushy beard and he squeezed himself into some overalls to become “Haystacks Calhoun.”  Characters like his had been popular all over the pro-wrestling world with people like Man Mountain Dean and Whiskers Savage being top headliners in their day.  Calhoun’s success also ran parallel to the careers to the Kentuckians and Plowboy Frazier who had success as giant country boys as well.  Calhoun wrestled in an era when there were few men even near four hundred pounds and he weighed well over that (although his billed weight fluctuated over the years).  He quickly learned how to play the Haystacks character and recognized that traveled was the key to his success.  He went all over, teaming with Don Leo Jonathan in Canada, feuding with Pak Song in Florida and he even partnered up with the humongous McGuire Twins.  Haystacks Calhoun made most of his money in New York and overseas and was able to maintain his status well into his 40s.  His role as a touring giant was used by others, but it was Andre the Giant that is best remembered and was most successful in that position.  Haystacks Calhoun was a trailblazer in his own way, a man who took his God-given size and built a career for himself and created his own unique place within the pro-wrestling world.