Welcome back to Rotten Ink Arena. The night’s wrestling card looks to be a good one. As you can see, we have a sellout crowd as the main eventer that will be the topic of this “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update is considered by many to be one of the greatest Big Men of wrestling of all time, and when I say Big I mean Big! As tonight’s wrestler will be Haystacks Calhoun, the massive country boy who packed in fans and entertained them for decades. This massive hillbilly would be booked as an attraction and was a household name when active. To this day fans speak of his legacy. So in honor of Haystacks, grab some popcorn, some hot dogs and a double fist some soda and let’s talk about Calhoun!
Haystacks Calhoun started his pro wrestling career in 1955 working for a small indie promotion that was run by Orville Brown in Texas. Haystacks would turn pro in 1956, and he was an attraction out the gate as he stood at 6’4” tall, was a hillbilly weighing around 600 pounds and would travel the territories like Texas, Kansas and Canada and would even at this early part of his career would be featured on the variety TV Show “House Party” and amazed viewers as he could toss full bales of hay high into the loft of barns. Hence why he was called Haystacks almost his whole career. The fans loved Haystacks as the massive lovable hillbilly was always standing up for what was right and was a brawler who entertained them in matches. Promoters at the time would not book Haystacks into title bouts as he was used more as an attraction wrestler who would enter battle royals, fight in handicap matches and would be pitted against other massive wrestlers who was going at the time. While a very large man in weight, and somewhat limited in his skills Haystacks Calhoun worked past his limitations and proved to be one of NWA’s biggest draws at the time. While working for the WWF (then known as WWWF) in the early 1960’s, he would be booked into matches at Madison Square Garden against Happy Humphrey who weighed over 750 pounds and the two big men would put on some real slobber knockers, and over the many matches they had Haystacks would come out the winner of most matches, mostly wins by count out.
Haystack Calhoun would not stay in one territory for very long as he knew that he need to keep on the move in order to become a major attraction and not overstay his welcome with promoters and fans. In the early 1960’s he would have a feud with Nature Boy Buddy Rogers for the NWA United States Heavyweight Title and would try for the belt many times, but could never take it off Rogers. In one match Rogers dropkicked Calhoun into the ropes and the middle rope broke from his weight causing the massive Haystacks to fall out of the ring and be counted out. Also during this time, while he mostly would wrestle in America, he would make trips to Canada as well as Australia in order to compete in matches and entertain the fans. During this time he would also find himself winning some Tag Team Gold with partners like Don Leo Jonathan and Amazing Zuma. In the late 1960’s the WWF was having issues, as they were having a very rough time and the money was not coming in, but thanks to the returning Haystacks Calhoun and a handful of others they helped bring in the business and helped make the WWF one of the biggest and best territories. Haystacks would stick around WWF until 1979 and after leaving we would go back wrestling around the territories before retiring in 1980, and during his career he would win a few belts but was another example of a true icon of the sport that didn’t need a title to draw money and become one of the biggest well loved wrestlers of all time. And I should also note he did have some runs as a heel. Haystacks retired in 1980 due to his health declining bad and his weight was getting out of control, in 1986 he even lost his left leg from diabetes and sadly he would pass away on December 7, 1989 at the age of 55. After his death in 2017 the WWE (WWF) would put him into the Hall Of Fame.
Growing up a wrestling fan I knew the name Haystack Calhoun not just because of the old wrestling magazines and books my brother and I had, but because I remember by dad talking about him! And whenever fans who make lists of top big men of wrestling Haystacks is almost always on them, and help keeping his memory alive as well as making him be apart of my fandom. For me as well Haystacks Calhoun is one of the best Hillbilly characters to step in a WWF ring only rivaled by Hillbilly Jim and I loved that Haystacks would wear a horseshoe on a chain around his neck and Jim would do that same thing later in his career. Haystacks really was a larger then life wrestler who weighed over 600 pounds and was so massive that he was a sight to behold and he was smart as he knew he was limited and his style would wear thin fast if he stayed to long in one area so he made himself an attraction that fans would pay to see in action. Plus promoters and Haystacks was super smart as he would hardly loose matches cleanly and he was protected in order to keep his stock high in wrestling, and this also once more made him seem like a big deal in fans eyes. And during his career he would also only hold Tag Team Titles in the territories, as they never felt he could be the face that runs the place in any territory. One other cool thing about Haystacks was that he played himself in the 1962 film “Requiem For A Heavyweight” that was written by Rod Serling and starred Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney, Jack Dempsey and Muhammad Ali! And that’s one other thing about Haystacks as besides wrestling his appearances on TV Shows, Movies as well as other forms of media made him an even bigger star. While Haystacks might have been very slow, not technical in the ring, a massive human being and a over all a attraction wrestler he hands down is a true legend and icon of the sport and I think all wrestling fans would agree with me on that.
We are now at the point of this review were we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Haystack Calhoun for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from Single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready lets step into the ring with Haystack Calhoun.
Best Of Haystacks Calhoun
Match 1: Haystacks Calhoun vs. Buddy Rogers
Before the bell rings Haystacks is upset that Roger’s manager is in the ring and makes the referee kick him out of the ring so the match can start. Once the bell rings Haystacks shows that he has the power, but Rogers shows that he has the skills and even angers Haystacks when he out maneuvers the big man. But once Haystacks gets Rogers into a headlock its hard for him to escape the bigger mans grip, he is finally able to break free once he stops on Haystacks bare foot. And then after some moving around Rogers is able to get Haystacks into a chin lock and tries to wear the big man down buy putting as much pressure as he can. When the referee is not looking Rogers will change the chin lock into fully chocking Haystacks as the crowd works themselves up over the cheating. And even when Haystacks tries to fight out of the lock, Rogers quickly gets the move back on him. Once the hold is broke both Rogers and Haystacks attack each other’s eyes, with Haystacks getting the better of the exchange and almost getting a couple of pin falls that are only broken up thanks to Rogers getting his foot on the ropes. In the end Rogers is able to dropkick Haystacks who falls into the ropes breaking the middle rope and getting counted out. This is a great match as both are very entertaining, and Rogers is able to work around the limitations of Haystacks and is able to make the big man look good as well as himself. This match is one of the most legendary of Haystacks career and while he lumbers around the ring and lands your typical big man moves, he still shows that fans loved him and that he was really an attraction in the ring that you paid to look at and his wrestling ability was secondary to his larger then life appearance. This is a solid match mostly due to the work of Rogers and because Rogers this match will get three stars.
Grade: ***
Match 2: Haystacks Calhoun vs. George Cannon
This is the battle of two big really big men as Gorge Cannon himself weighs almost 400 pounds making this a pure attraction as it becomes a “Big Splash” match and the pair exchange words in the ring and then a coin is tossed to see who splashes first with Haystacks winning the coin toss and as Cannon goes down to the mat for the splash he is attacked by Haystacks to drops a lumbering knee to his neck and then uses his horseshow chain to beat up his opponent. He then delivers two terrible looking splashes to Cannon and leaves the ring as this match is thrown out. This is TERRIBLE as the “match” is more of just a jumping and the moves that Haystacks uses look bad and his splashes are awkward and very poorly done. It’s clear that Haystacks is the heel in this match up and this is so bad that I am done righting about it. Nothing really good to say about this “match” at all besides Cannon is slightly good on the mic. and that Haystacks is clearly way past his prime as he looks bad and his in ring work is even super sloppy.
Grade: ½
Match 3: Haystacks Calhoun vs. Dick Cole
This match starts with Haystacks getting booed by the fans and when the bell rings he gets Cole tied up into the ropes and unloads kicks and punches on him knocking him silly. He then untangles Cole and bounces him off the ropes and hits him with a standing elbow, once Cole hits the mat Haystacks lands a big splash and gets the three count in this 100% one sides squash match. This is another match that clearly Haystacks is way out of shape and is having a very hard time moving around the ring as all of his kicks, punches and even his big splash just look really bad, so bad that at one point the commentator makes a remark that all his moves look like they are being done in slow motion. Dick Cole is clearly just a jobber who does his job well as he gets beat up and pinned. It’s a shame that this match I selected is another bad example of this classic big mans work.
Grade: ½
Match 4: Haystacks Calhoun vs. Bill Steele
Steele tries to start the match off by charging and then body slamming Haystacks and this does not work in his favor as Haystacks just goes off on Steele and starts pummeling him with kicks and punches. Haystacks then knocks Steele to the mat and sits on him causing the much smaller man much pain, and then Haystacks ends the match with his massive big splash for the pin. This is once more a total one sided quick squash match that is ended fast in order to save Haystocks the stress of a longer match as he was clearly not in the best of health and shape. But unlike the last two matches I reviewed he does seem to be getting around better and is able to make his moves and punches look more strong and powerful. I give Bill Steele some credits as he tried to do his best to put on a good TV match with Haystacks that was clearly just a throw away opening contest.
Grade: *1/2
Match 5: Haystacks Calhoun vs. Nicolai Volkoff
Before the bell even rings Volkoff tries to attack Haystacks and this only angers the big man as the bell rings Volkoff who is the faster of the two goes on the attack and the both of them exchange hits and brawler moves. And even though Haystacks is the way bigger man Volkoff is able to hold his own and even able to land some hits that rock the 600-pound hillbilly. But of course during the match Haystacks would use his weight to gain the advantage. In the end Volkoff backs Haystacks into the corner and hits him with punches and kicks to the face, but Haystacks dodges a charging knee strike and as Volkoff falls to the mat Haystacks lands a big splash and gets the three count. This is a pure brawling match that allowed both men to throw massive hits and neither looked super weak in the fight and Volkoff’s style masked the limitations of Haystacks ability. Most of the match is Volkoff working, but Haystacks does what he needs to do in order to draw the fans into the match. Over all while it was just a sloppy brawl it was very entertaining and was a fun watch.
Grade: **1/2
Haystacks Calhoun was a massive man who had a larger then life personality and was a perfect attraction for the Golden Age of wrestling, while he was not super skilled in the ring and by the end of his career was a shell of the superstar of his early day he still was a draw and fans loved to see him in action. He was loved as a baby face and was hated as a heel when he had a brief run as one and while if Haystacks Calhoun was around today he would be booed out of the building for his sloppy and limited move set, he is a great throwback attraction wrestler who was a star in the simpler days of wrestling. But the matches are over and the clean up crew have started their jobs so I think it’s time for us to leave the arena, but before we do I would like to let you know that for the next update we will be travel to the world of Marvel Comics and Tyco Toys and take a look at the super underrated Dino Riders! So until next time read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. See you next time as the war machines of dinosaurs will be coming our way as we countdown to Christmas Eve.
Rotten Ink 