Editing Haystacks Calhoun (section)

== Professional wrestling career ==

Initially performing under the name "Country Boy Calhoun", he performed in various regional territories, including Houston, Kansas City, and Canada. However, he first appeared nationally on [[Art Linkletter]]'s ''[[House Party (radio and TV show)|House Party]]'', a televised variety show where Calhoun tossed full bales of hay into a high loft. As a result of this feat, he adopted the name "Haystacks Calhoun." Recognizing the show business potential of such a gimmick, Calhoun decided to exaggerate his [[hillbilly]] persona by adopting the fictional birthplace of Morgan's Corner, Arkansas, while sporting a bushy beard, white t-shirt, blue overalls, and a genuine horseshoe around his neck on a chain.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Slagle|first=Stephen Von|date=May 25, 2020|title=Haystacks Calhoun|url=https://historyofwrestling.com/haystacks-calhoun/|access-date=June 29, 2021|website=History of Wrestling|language=en-US}}</ref> Moreover, while promoters typically did not book him for championships, he seldom lost a match. He was often booked in handicap matches and battles royal. He was matched up against fellow wrestling giant [[Happy Humphrey]] (who was billed as the heaviest wrestler in the world) in a series of highly promoted altercations at [[Madison Square Garden]] during the early 1960s.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Schramm|first=Chris|date=April 1, 1999|title=Happy Humphrey was the giant|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/1999/04/01/happy-humphrey-was-the-giant/|access-date=November 15, 2021|website=Slam! Wrestling}}</ref> At over 750&nbsp;lbs (340&nbsp;kg), Humphrey outweighed Calhoun by over {{convert|150|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and was considerably slower than Calhoun. Calhoun took the majority of the decisions over Humphrey, many by count out as Humphrey often could not get himself back into the ring by the count of 20 when thrown out.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 26, 2019|title=The 5 Heaviest Wrestlers Ever (& 5 Heavier Than They Seem)|url=https://www.thesportster.com/wrestling/heaviest-wrestlers-ever-heavier-than-they-seem/|access-date=June 29, 2021|website=TheSportster|language=en-US}}</ref> Calhoun stated: "He had very poor balance, was easy to get around and easy to handle. I slammed him easier than the average-size fellow. When I learned he was up to 800 pounds I warned him that it wasn't healthy."<ref name=":1" />
[[File:Tex McKenzie, Haystacks Calhoun and Mario Milano - 1971 - Wrestling News n.24.jpg|thumb|Calhoun (middle), with [[Tex McKenzie]] and [[Mario Milano]], {{Circa|1971}}]]
On April 14, 1961, in the [[Chicago International Amphitheatre|Chicago International Amphitheater]], he challenged [[WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship|Capitol Wrestling NWA United States heavyweight champion]] "Nature Boy" [[Buddy Rogers (wrestler)|Buddy Rogers]] in a second attempt to take the U.S. title. This bout ended in failure when Rogers dropkicked Calhoun to the ropes and the middle rope broke and Calhoun tumbled to the concrete floor and was counted out.<ref>{{Citation|title=Haystack Calhoun vs. Buddy Rogers (04/14/1961)| date=September 11, 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcP6KizyhXc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/zcP6KizyhXc| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=June 29, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Calhoun had also lost his first championship bout with Rogers in New York's [[Sunnyside Garden Arena]] on January 28, 1961. Although mainly active in the eastern half of the United States, he also wrestled in Australia, on tour with other American wrestlers in bouts promoted by United States promoter Sam Menacker. He also wrestled for [[NWA: All-Star Wrestling]] in Vancouver, where he twice won the [[NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version)|NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship]] with [[Don Leo Jonathan]]. He formed a tag team with the over {{convert|600|lb|adj=on}} [[Man Mountain Mike]] on the West Coast. Their combined weight was over {{convert|1200|lb}} in the ring.<ref>{{cite book|page=87|first=Ross|last=Davies|publisher=Rosen Publishing Group|year=2001|title=Haystacks Calhoun|isbn=0-8239-3435-7}}</ref> After engaging in a feud against [[Dick the Bruiser]], Calhoun then generally traveled from territory to territory, never staying in one region for too long.

In 1966 he won both the [[NWA Tri-State Tag Team Championship]] and the NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship while teaming with a young [[Jack Brisco]] and Don Leo Jonathan, respectively.<ref name=":0" /> Moreover, he then helped attract fans to the fledgling Northeast promotion [[WWE#World Wide Wrestling Federation|World Wide Wrestling Federation]] (WWWF). On May 30, 1973, Calhoun paired with [[Tony Garea]] to defeat the Japanese duo of [[Mr. Fuji]] and Prof. [[Charles Kalani, Jr.|Toru Tanaka]] for the WWF Tag Team Title; six months later they dropped the titles back to Fuji and Tanaka.<ref name=":0" /> He continued working for WWWF until 1979. Calhoun as well continued working in various territories until retiring from wrestling in 1980.