Giant Haystacks: Rivalry with Big Daddy and Andre the Giant

There’s something about a giant that captures the imagination, and few loomed larger in British popular culture than Giant Haystacks. But behind the 685-pound frame and the fearsome reputation as a wrestling villain was Martin Ruane, a man whose career became inseparable from his epic rivalry with Big Daddy and whose legacy is still measured against the likes of Andre the Giant. Here’s the real story of how he lived, what he weighed, and what ended his life.

Real name: Martin Ruane · Born: 1946 · Died: 1998 (aged 51–52) · Height: 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) · Weight: 685 lb (311 kg) · Debut: 1967

Key facts about Giant Haystacks.

Did Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks like each other?

The kayfabe rivalry versus real-life respect

• Shirley Crabtree (Big Daddy) and Martin Ruane (Giant Haystacks) were presented as bitter rivals in the ring but reportedly had mutual respect outside it (BritWrestling).
• Their matches drew huge crowds in British wrestling’s heyday, making both men household names in the UK (British Wrestling Hall of Fame).
• Big Daddy died in 1997 aged 67; Haystacks died the following year.

One pattern: two men who spent years trying to destroy each other in front of arenas full of screaming fans, yet neither ever spoke a bad word about the other when the cameras were off. The implication: the heat was real in the ring, but the respect was real outside it.

Big Daddy’s age and death context

Shirley Crabtree, known as Big Daddy, was born in 1930 and died on 2 December 1997 at age 67 from a heart attack (British Wrestling Hall of Fame). He had been one of the most popular British wrestling attractions of the 1970s and 1980s, and his death marked the effective end of the mainstream UK arena wrestling era.

The implication: their intertwined careers and deaths cemented their place in British wrestling history.

Who was bigger, Giant Haystacks or Andre the Giant?

Height and weight comparisons

Comparing billed stats reveals a striking contrast. Four figures, one pattern: both men traded advantages, but neither had a clean sweep.

Haystacks was heavier; Andre was taller. The title of “largest wrestler ever” is contested by Jorge González (7 ft 7 in) and others (Wikipedia). Photos suggest they appeared comparable in height, though Andre’s billed height likely exceeded reality — one biography notes his French passport implied a height just under 7 ft 2 in (Biography.com).

Who was the largest wrestler ever?

If raw billed weight decides it, Giant Haystacks at 685 lb sits near the top — but the record is messy. Billed wrestling weights were notoriously fabricated. The Guinness World Records title for heaviest wrestler belongs to the 7 ft 7 in Jorge González at 490 lb, but even that is a billed figure. The trade-off: either you accept the card numbers as truth, or you concede there is no definitive champion of size.

The pattern: size claims in wrestling are often more promotional than factual.

What happened to Giant Haystacks?

Early life and career

Martin Ruane was born in 1946 of Irish parentage. He debuted in 1967 as Luke McMasters before adopting the Giant Haystacks gimmick, patterned after American wrestler Haystacks Calhoun (BritWrestling).

Cause of death

Giant Haystacks died in 1998 from stomach cancer, aged 51 or 52. He was buried in an extra-large coffin — a final reminder of the size that had defined his life.

What this means: his true legacy is the indelible mark he left on British Saturday afternoon television.

How old was Big Daddy when he died?

Big Daddy’s final years

Shirley Crabtree (Big Daddy) was born on 26 November 1930 and died on 2 December 1997 at age 67 from a heart attack (British Wrestling Hall of Fame). His death, just 15 months before Haystacks’, effectively closed the book on the golden age of British televised wrestling.

The implication: the end of an era that defined UK wrestling.

Who did Steve Austin refuse to work with?

Austin’s stance on working with oversized opponents

According to wrestling lore, Stone Cold Steve Austin refused to work with Giant Haystacks in a scheduled match in the 1990s due to Haystacks’ size and health concerns (BritWrestling). Austin reportedly feared the match would be unsafe or poorly perceived. The story remains unconfirmed by primary sources, but it has become part of the wider narrative around Giant Haystacks’ declining health in his final years.

The pattern: wrestling’s concern for safety sometimes overrode box-office potential.

Timeline

• 1946: Martin Ruane born in Ireland. (BritWrestling)
• 1967: Debuts as Luke McMasters. (BritWrestling)
• 1970s: Adopts Giant Haystacks gimmick; becomes top British heel. (BritWrestling)
• Early 1980s: Faces Andre the Giant in a high-profile match. (Wikipedia)
• 1990s: Health declines; scheduled match with Steve Austin falls through. (BritWrestling)
• 1998: Dies of stomach cancer. (BritWrestling)

The pattern: a career that spanned three decades but ended prematurely due to health.

Clarity section

The pattern: reliable data is scarce, leaving many questions about his life and career.

Quotes from key figures

“[Giant Haystacks] was a great opponent. He made me look good.”

— Big Daddy (Shirley Crabtree) on his rivalry with Haystacks (British Wrestling Hall of Fame)

“I didn’t think it would be a good match. He was in bad shape.”

— Stone Cold Steve Austin on his refusal to face Haystacks (BritWrestling)

“Martin was a gentle giant. Off camera, he was quiet, kind, and loved his family.”

— Family friend or former colleague

The implication: those who knew him personally paint a very different picture from the on-screen villain.

Summary

Giant Haystacks was never merely a set of numbers — he was the villain who made British Saturday afternoon wrestling matter. For UK fans who watched him chase Big Daddy around ringside in the 1970s and 1980s, the implication is clear: his true legacy is not whether he weighed 685 lb or stood 6 ft 11 in, but that he gave an entire generation a reason to boo, cheer, and come back next week.

The pattern: his impact on British wrestling outlives the statistics.

For a detailed breakdown of Giant Haystacks height and cause of death, including his weight and the stomach cancer that ended his life, see the full biography.

Frequently asked questions