18.06.2007, 06:53
Atlanta Constitution & Journal
Atlanta, Georgia
11 July 1976
Will Calhoun's toe injury knock him out for good?
guilford, conn (ap) -- broken ribs, a busted nose, injured knees and ankles. haystack calhoun says he has known the pain of them all in 20 years of professional wrestling.
the amiable giant accepts the injuries as part of the nightly pounding of large body against large body.
and he says he's ready for the consequences of his latest setback, an infected toe that could sideline him for two weeks, if he's lucky, or end his career, if he's not.
"why worry," he asks. "if it's going to be it's going to be. worry wouln't change anything."
calhoun says the injury was a fluke, "one of those goofy things that happen."
he says he was 'rassling' in atlanta in an 18 man, every-man-for-himself "battle royal." as usual, he was barefoot.
the match ended only after 17 men were tossed over the top rope and out of the ring. calhoun, whose strategy is "to hide in the middle of the ring," was left inside.
but as he was leaving the roing, he cut the underside of the fourth toe on his right foot and it became infected, he says. the infection spread to the bone and a doctor at yale-new haven hospital told him he might have to lose the toe, he adds. calhoun says the doctor also told him he might lose the leg if the toe went untreated. a hospital spokesman confirmed calhoun was treated for a toe infection.
the bearded wrestler whoe advertised 601 pounds made his master of the ominous-sounding and deadly-looking "big splash", had been bouned out of action by a few ounces of damaged meat and bone.
this week he left his base of operations at a guilford motel for his mother's home in tucumcari, n. mex., where his family doctor will treat him, says his mother, mittie white.
"if the toe comes off, i''ll be back. if that's not it and it's the leg i figure i won't be around long anyway," says calhoun.
"i'd become an invalid with my size and one leg. and i'm not going to become an invalid and have somebody take care of me," he says. "rather than be an invalid i'd just rather go and check out."
if the doctor tells him the leg must be amputated, calhoun says he'll refuse. but he doesn't think that will happen.
the 40-year-old perennial good guy and favorite of the crowds says he already misses the matches he'll have to cancel in several cities.
"i may be from the old school, but i believe i have a certain obligation to the fans. they (promoters) advertised me in these towns already and people will come to see me. and i won't be there," he says.
calhoun, who says wrestling every night some weeks, talks confidently of his return and plans an active schedule. "i'll want to go every night as much as possible to get back in condition," he says.
it shouldn't be tough fro him to get matches.
"i could work eight nights a week if i anted," thanks to promoters who are pleased with his poularity with the fans," he says.
"in this business a person has to evaluate himself. the people have to either love you or hate you. you make up your own mind if you want ot be a dirty wrestler or a clean wrestler."
calhoun says wrestling has treated him well financially.
"there's no hospitaliztion or insurance plan for a 'rassler'. i have to pay for this operation out of my own pocket. i won't be a charity case," he says.
despite the constant travel and physical abuse of his profession, the man born in texas as william d. calhoun says he loves it.
"i've been an athlete most of my life even though i was big. after all these years of wrestling i can still say i enjoy it," he says.
"at first, it's a very rough life, a very hard life. but as you get used to it and you establish places you stay and you get back to those places, you have friends. that makes it enjoyable."
the guilford motel "is just where i keep my clothes," a quiet, convenient jumping-off point for matches in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
calhoun, twice divorced, has a 14-year-old daughter living with his mother. but wrestling amid the glare of arena lights and the frantic screams of fans is his life.
"i still have another 10 good years provided i can stay healthy. of course, the older you get the harder it is to get over injuries," he says.
his career has never been threatened by injuries and he is optimistic about his latest problem, he says.
"they might get me down, but they can't keep me down. you have to have a certain amount of ruggedness to get in this business."
but he says he won't wrestle barefoot again.
Atlanta, Georgia
11 July 1976
Will Calhoun's toe injury knock him out for good?
guilford, conn (ap) -- broken ribs, a busted nose, injured knees and ankles. haystack calhoun says he has known the pain of them all in 20 years of professional wrestling.
the amiable giant accepts the injuries as part of the nightly pounding of large body against large body.
and he says he's ready for the consequences of his latest setback, an infected toe that could sideline him for two weeks, if he's lucky, or end his career, if he's not.
"why worry," he asks. "if it's going to be it's going to be. worry wouln't change anything."
calhoun says the injury was a fluke, "one of those goofy things that happen."
he says he was 'rassling' in atlanta in an 18 man, every-man-for-himself "battle royal." as usual, he was barefoot.
the match ended only after 17 men were tossed over the top rope and out of the ring. calhoun, whose strategy is "to hide in the middle of the ring," was left inside.
but as he was leaving the roing, he cut the underside of the fourth toe on his right foot and it became infected, he says. the infection spread to the bone and a doctor at yale-new haven hospital told him he might have to lose the toe, he adds. calhoun says the doctor also told him he might lose the leg if the toe went untreated. a hospital spokesman confirmed calhoun was treated for a toe infection.
the bearded wrestler whoe advertised 601 pounds made his master of the ominous-sounding and deadly-looking "big splash", had been bouned out of action by a few ounces of damaged meat and bone.
this week he left his base of operations at a guilford motel for his mother's home in tucumcari, n. mex., where his family doctor will treat him, says his mother, mittie white.
"if the toe comes off, i''ll be back. if that's not it and it's the leg i figure i won't be around long anyway," says calhoun.
"i'd become an invalid with my size and one leg. and i'm not going to become an invalid and have somebody take care of me," he says. "rather than be an invalid i'd just rather go and check out."
if the doctor tells him the leg must be amputated, calhoun says he'll refuse. but he doesn't think that will happen.
the 40-year-old perennial good guy and favorite of the crowds says he already misses the matches he'll have to cancel in several cities.
"i may be from the old school, but i believe i have a certain obligation to the fans. they (promoters) advertised me in these towns already and people will come to see me. and i won't be there," he says.
calhoun, who says wrestling every night some weeks, talks confidently of his return and plans an active schedule. "i'll want to go every night as much as possible to get back in condition," he says.
it shouldn't be tough fro him to get matches.
"i could work eight nights a week if i anted," thanks to promoters who are pleased with his poularity with the fans," he says.
"in this business a person has to evaluate himself. the people have to either love you or hate you. you make up your own mind if you want ot be a dirty wrestler or a clean wrestler."
calhoun says wrestling has treated him well financially.
"there's no hospitaliztion or insurance plan for a 'rassler'. i have to pay for this operation out of my own pocket. i won't be a charity case," he says.
despite the constant travel and physical abuse of his profession, the man born in texas as william d. calhoun says he loves it.
"i've been an athlete most of my life even though i was big. after all these years of wrestling i can still say i enjoy it," he says.
"at first, it's a very rough life, a very hard life. but as you get used to it and you establish places you stay and you get back to those places, you have friends. that makes it enjoyable."
the guilford motel "is just where i keep my clothes," a quiet, convenient jumping-off point for matches in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
calhoun, twice divorced, has a 14-year-old daughter living with his mother. but wrestling amid the glare of arena lights and the frantic screams of fans is his life.
"i still have another 10 good years provided i can stay healthy. of course, the older you get the harder it is to get over injuries," he says.
his career has never been threatened by injuries and he is optimistic about his latest problem, he says.
"they might get me down, but they can't keep me down. you have to have a certain amount of ruggedness to get in this business."
but he says he won't wrestle barefoot again.