Giant Haystacks doesn’t just share one of his names with Andre The Giant – they were both absolutely huge!
And that is in more ways than one. Both men were two of the most famous wrestlers of all time. Haystacks for his work opposite Big Daddy in the UK, while the French Andre was perhaps the world’s most iconic wrestler.
They both had legions of adoring fans, but were equally giant. Andre was famed worldwide for his size, by Giant Haystacks was almost as big, and probably even more intimidating.
Andre The Giant Compared To Giant Haystacks
A photoshopped image from Giant Haystacks time in WCW showed the similarities in size between the two giants. Those who know little about Haystacks will be shocked to know how close he is in size to Andre The Giant.
Giant Haystacks was billed at 6 foot 11 and 685lbs. While the weight was likely fabricated, his billed height could be correct. Andre The Giant was billed at 7 foot 4, but was generally accepted to be at least 7 foot tall, maybe even 7 foot 1.
In his later years, which the image is taken from, Andre The Giant is heavily and clearly slouching. That is why he looks slightly smaller, and similar in size to Giant Haystacks.
However, this edited image may not show the whole true.
Ost’s Wrestling Archive uncovered an image of their pair together in New Zealand. If showed Andre The Giant and Giant Haystacks stood in front of one another.
The image, taken in 1980, clearly shows Haystacks as bigger than Andre. This may have been a perspective trick , but it certainly looks like the 6 foot 11 Giant Haystacks was taller than Andre The Giant.
Sadly, the pair never crossed paths in the ring during their legendary careers. Giant Haystacks spent most of his career, giving him little chance to wrestle with the Frenchman.
Andre did wrestle in the UK, albeit briefly. He had two tours of England in 1969, wrestling for Joint Promotions. However, this was six years before Haystacks wrestled for the company for the first time.
Despite Haystacks having a brief run in WCW in 1997, Andre the Giant had already died by then. He passed away in 1993, marking the end of the life of one of the all-time great giants in wrestling.
Giant Haystacks and Hulk Hogan almost wrestled each other, and his last match was against Big Show (as “The Giant”), but that is as close he came to facing off against Andre The Giant.
Would a match between the two men be good? Definitely not, Haystacks was an atrocious wrestler and Andre would not have been able to carry him to a good match.
But as a spectacle? It could sell out stadiums, any day of the week.