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William Dee Calhoun (August 3, 1934 – December 7, 1989) was a professional wrestler, who used the professional name "Haystack" or "Haystacks" Calhoun.

He was six foot four and sported a black bushy beard, wore bib overalls and had a horseshoe hanging from his neck to personify a farm boy image. There is a lot of contradictory information about his weight (anywhere from 450 to 600 or more pounds), and place of birth (some sources say Arkansas, others Texas). On the internet, there is reference to a fingerprint card for sale of William Dee Calhoun, wrestler, which lists his height as 6' 4" and his weight as 601 pounds, which also lists his place of birth as McKinney, Texas. [[1]].

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 U.S. promoter Sam Menacker. He also wrestled for NWA All Star Wrestling in Vancouver, where he twice won the NWA Canadian Tag Team title with Don Leo Jonathan. He formed a tag team with fellow 600+ pounder Mountain Man Mike on the west coast. At combined weight of over 1200 pounds they are still today the heaviest tag team ever in professional wrestling. He also once wrestled Happy Humphrey who was billed at 750 lbs. and won when Humphrey could not make it back into the ring by the count of 20

One of the most popular wrestlers from the late 1950s through the early 1970s, he died of diabetes at the age of 55, and is buried in Scott Cemetery, Collin County, Texas. Despite having been a headliner for years, he died in poverty. His daughter donated mementoes of his wrestling career to the Collin County museum.

Calhoun appears briefly at the end of the 1962 theatrical motion picture version of Rod Serling's teleplay "Requiem For A Heavyweight." The protagonist, played by Anthony Quinn, is a punch-drunk prize fighter slipping into oblivion but his manager, played by Jackie Gleason, finds a way to squeeze a few more bucks from his career by lining him up for a "professional wrestling" match. The opponent's name is stated on a poster for the event, and announced as Quinn's character approaches the ring, but only the upper fourth of the wrestler's torso is seen, from the rear, on screen. He scratches his head in response to the behavior of this unknown newcomer. The film's credits make no reference, however, to Calhoun's participation.

In the 2006 episode of "The Simpsons" entitled "Moe'N'a Lisa," Moe Szyslak tells Lisa Simpson that she should not waste her time interviewing him. After all, "I ain't no great man like Bob Seger or Haystacks Calhoun."

Wrestling Facts

Finishing and signature moves

Signature illegal weapon

Horseshoe

Championships and accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance
National

NWA Canadian Tag Team Championship (Vancouver version) (2 times) - with Don Leo Jonathan

World Wide Wrestling Federation

WWWF World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tony Garea

External links

Haystacks Calhoun photos from the Collin County Historical Society, hosted by the Portal to Texas History

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 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 U.S. promoter Sam Menacker. He also wrestled for [[NWA All Star Wrestling]] in [[Vancouver]], where he twice won the NWA Canadian Tag Team title with [[Don Leo Jonathan]]. He formed a tag team with fellow 600+ pounder [[Mountain Man Mike]] on the west coast. At combined weight of over 1200 pounds they are still today the heaviest tag team ever in professional wrestling. He also once wrestled [[Happy Humphrey]] who was billed at 750 lbs. and won when Humphrey could not make it back into the ring by the count of 20
-One of the most popular wrestlers from the late [[1950s]] through the early [[1970s]], he died of [[diabetes]] at the age of 55, and is buried in Scott Cemetery, [[Collin County, Texas]]. Despite having been a headliner for years, he died in poverty. His daughter donated mementoes of his wrestling career to the Collin County museum. He is ranked one of the 50 greatest WWE superstars of all time.
+One of the most popular wrestlers from the late [[1950s]] through the early [[1970s]], he died of [[diabetes]] at the age of 55, and is buried in Scott Cemetery, [[Collin County, Texas]]. Despite having been a headliner for years, he died in poverty. His daughter donated mementoes of his wrestling career to the Collin County museum.
 Calhoun appears briefly at the end of the 1962 theatrical motion picture version of [[Rod Serling]]'s teleplay "Requiem For A Heavyweight."  The protagonist, played by [[Anthony Quinn]], is a punch-drunk prize fighter slipping into oblivion but his manager, played by [[Jackie Gleason]], finds a way to squeeze a few more bucks from his career by lining him up for a "professional wrestling" match. The opponent's name is stated on a poster for the event, and announced as Quinn's character approaches the ring, but only the upper fourth of the wrestler's torso is seen, from the rear, on screen. He scratches his head in response to the behavior of this unknown newcomer. The film's credits make no reference, however, to Calhoun's participation.