Giant Haystacks

For the American wrestler, see Haystacks Calhoun.

Giant Haystacks
Ruane in 1981
Birth nameMartin Austin Ruane
Born(1946-10-10)10 October 1946
Camberwell, London, England
Died29 November 1998(1998-11-29) (aged 52)
Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England
Cause of deathLymphoma
Spouse(s)Rita Boylan
Children3
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)
  • Giant Haystacks
  • Haystacks Calhoun
  • Loch Ness
  • Loch Ness Monster
  • Luke McMasters
Billed height6 ft 11 in (211 cm)[1][2]
Billed weight685 lb (311 kg)[2]
Billed fromManchester
United States (in Germany)[3]
Scottish Highlands (as Loch Ness)[4]
Debut1967
Retired1996

Martin Austin Ruane (10 October 1946 – 29 November 1998)[5] was a British professional wrestler of Irish parentage, best known by the ring name Giant Haystacks. He was one of the best-known wrestlers on the British wrestling scene in the 1970s and 1980s. He also worked in Canada and the United States under the name Loch Ness Monster or simply Loch Ness.

Ruane was known for his massive physical size, billed as standing 6 ft 11 inch (2.11 m) tall and weighing from 31 stone (430 lb; 200 kg) at the beginning of his career to 48 stone (670 lb; 300 kg) by the end of it; at his heaviest, he weighed 49 stone 13 pounds (699 lb; 317 kg).[6][7] In the 1970s he formed a heel team with Big Daddy. After Big Daddy turned face and the team broke up, the two engaged in a long-running, high drawing feud. During his career, Ruane held the European Heavyweight Championship and British Heavyweight Championship in the UK, and won the Stampede International Tag Team Championship in Canada, with the Dynamite Kid.

  1. ^ "Giant Haystacks". Online World of Wrestling. 14 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Inside the Dungeon of Doom". WWE. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  3. ^ Six man tag match tag match, Germany 1985, preceded by interview in which Haystacks refers to himself plus teammates Mal Kirk and Mighty John Quinn as "Us Americans". Event occurs at 0:20
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference big was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Szreter, Adam (3 December 1998). "Obituary: Giant Haystacks". The Independent. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference ODNB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Giant Haystacks". The Herald. 4 December 1998. Retrieved 3 February 2022.