GIANT HAYSTACKS - GENTLE GIANT by Aaron Spencer
If you mention the word British wrestling, then you more than likely associate it with the likes of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks. Today it's the latter I always miss the most. Today I give you a special look at what was one of the most recognized names not just in British wrestling but also all over the world. Today I take a special look at Giant Haystacks.

Today Aaron Undercover takes a special look back at the one and only Giant Haystacks, and you are all welcome to join me down the career path of this wrestling great.
One of the most recognized British wrestlers of all time, Martin Ruane (his real name) AKA Giant haystacks died on Sunday November 29th, 1998 after a 2-year battle with cancer. Haystacks had Irish parents but he was born and raised in Manchester. Haystacks stood 6`11" and weighed in between of 40 and 45 stone at his heaviest. Giant Haystacks will always be remembered for his long running feud with Big daddy. It was this feud that set the audiences alight with cheers and boo's for their hero's. Audiences of 10 million a week watched Giant Haystacks on TV. Haystacks was seen hauling his massive bulk around the ring and making very short work of his opponent.

Haystacks and Daddy didn't meet that often in the ring, but when they did meet it had the audiences glued to their seats, two of the biggest men not just in British wrestling but in the world would lock horns in the ring. Although haystacks and Daddy weren't the most gifted athletes when it came to wrestling, but it was there pure size that made you want to watch the match. Haystacks would also take on smaller opponents, which would look like David meeting Goliath all over again. Haystacks would work on his smaller opponent by throwing him around the ring and putting his opponent in to sleeper holds and nerve holds.  Haystacks would kick his opponent while he was down and the referee would give out a public warning sending the crowd in to fits of joy. Haystacks was the most hated man in British wrestling, hated where ever he wrestled, which was almost all over the world.

Haystacks wrestled all over the world, to name a few countries Germany, France, New Zealand, Australia, Africa (*He was actually made an honorary citizen of Zimbabwe), Canada and the USA. He was a spectacle to be seen. Haystacks played the heel to perfection, and would give the crowd the one finger many years before Steve Austin. Haystacks had you glued to the sets every time you seen him on TV, and if you had the privilege to see him live you would get scared just seeing him perform in the ring. I had the privilege to watch Haystacks live many times, and each time he would scare me. It was his huge frame and ring psychology that would not just imitate his opponent but the crowd as well,
Although his parents wanted him to become a musician, with his mighty large hands Haystacks found it hard to play the piano, and after many jobs which included building, tyre maker and club bouncer haystacks finally found what he was good at, professional wrestling. He started wrestling in 1967 and in the mid 70`s became a household name and one of the biggest wrestlers in Europe. Time haystacks made his pro TV debut in the UK already knew him around the world. His first TV appearance in the UK was 1975 where he teamed with Big Daddy to take on and defeat the St Clair brothers. He was a sensation and from that moment on Giant Haystacks became a symbol of the rough and tumble world of professional wrestling, his super-splash during which he brought his full weight down on an unfortunate opponent became one of the most feared moves in the game. He is best remembered in the UK for his "feud" with Big Daddy which filled halls - including the 10000 capacity Wembley Arena - for many years as he targeted the people's champion in both solo and tag action. In 1980 he embarked on a world tour and returned many months later undefeated after 42 contests. Although he was offered very large sums to move to America on a permanent basis he resisted, as he did not want to uproot his young family at such a crucial time in their lives.

Such a large man was always going to get the attention of television and film producers, Haystacks performance in Brian Glover's acclaimed TV play about wrestling "The Wild Bunch" led to him being offered a role opposite Sir Paul McCartney in the former Beatle's big screen extravaganza "Give My Regards To Broad Street". Haystacks also appeared in the Academy award nominated "Quest For Fire" and in many films and commercials abroad.

Sir Paul McCartney was among Haystacks celebrity friends, and would take his young son to watch the Giant in action when he was top of the bill in Sussex. Among his fans was the Queen Mother who admitted to watching British wrestling every Saturday afternoon, and announced Haystacks was here favorite wrestler. After a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Frank Sinatra claimed that he had seen the Giant on television that afternoon and stated that he thought that British wrestlers were the best in the world.

Everyone I have spoken to that knew Haystacks have told me what a wonderful human being he was. Mad Eli was a good friend of Haystacks and has nothing but great words, Eli went on to tell me that Haystacks was a gentle giant, and that what a great man he truly was. Haystacks was portrayed as a heel from his immense size, but deep down it was Haystacks who was the true gentleman and Daddy who was in many peoples minds that knew him was the "Bastard". Haystacks was a very shy and quite man, but once in that ring he came out as the nastiest human being walking the planet. Among Giant haystacks catch phrases were " Don't Bring Me Midgets To Wrestle" and " No More Mr. Nice Guy". in actual fact Haystacks did have a spell a few times as a face, and will be remembered mostly by old time wrestling fans as facing kendo Nagasaki and unmasking Kendo Nagasaki which I remember as a feud that wasn't to be missed.

Biggest memory I have of Giant haystacks was the last time I ever saw him perform, I was a 17year old kid in 1993, I was at the royal Concert Hall in Nottingham where All-Star wrestling put on a show. There must have been 450 fans in the hall, and the main event was Pat roach and Danny Boy Collins to face kendo Nagasaki and my hero Giant Haystacks. The fans were going crazy for this match, and on the balcony above where I was sitting with my sister and my nephew was a group of Kendo and Giant haystacks supporters and the crowd was booing haystacks and Kendo while a few of us on the lower decks and the bunch up on the balcony cheered the heels. Boy that night was electric, you could feel the electricity, a few fights broke out in the crowd as they didn't seem to appreciate us cheering for haystacks, and even so my childhood hero the man I had seen so many times live before lost, it was the best night I had ever had at any one wrestling show.

Highlights of Giant Haystacks' career included battling Andre The Giant in New Zealand and Canada, winning several prestigious German tournaments, defeating Kendo Nagasaki to become the CWA World Heavyweight Champion and finally signing a three year deal with WCW to tag as Loch Ness with Hulk Hogan. It was in 1996, on a routine trip home from America the big man fell ill and collapsed at his Manchester home, he was taken to hospital and that is where surgeons found inoperable stomach cancer. It was initially thought that chemotherapy had kept the demon disease at bay, but sadly he lost his greatest battle on 29th November 1998 aged just 52.

Outside of the ring Giant Haystacks was a gentle and quietly spoken man, greatly respected by the wrestling business and a much-loved husband to wife Rita and their three sons. His mighty presence is still missed by wrestling fans globally.