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A new book Big Daddy versus Giant Haystacks: A Super Heavyweight Story will examine the lives and legacies of two of the UK's most popular professional wrestling personalities of all time
The book has been written by Steven Bell, who wrote a great book about The British Bulldogs several years back.
Promotional material notes:
The incredible story of two wrestling legends who defined the sport in Britain in its glorious heyday. Big Daddy vs Giant Haystacks is a rags-to-riches tale of unlikely fame, family loyalty, tragic death, and a uniquely British pop-culture phenomenon.
From the acclaimed author of Dynamite & Davey: The Explosive Lives of the British Bulldogs.
As the 1970s began, Shirley Crabtree (Big Daddy) was a semi-retired wrestler, aged 40; the younger Martin Ruane (Giant Haystacks), a down-on-his-luck father of three. Both were living in poverty, scratching out a living in the murky underworld of northern England as nightclub doormen. A decade later, they were two of the most famous faces in Britain, with record-breaking millions tuning in to watch them clash at Wembley. But the glory wouldn’t last forever.
Perfect for all wrestling fans, this engrossing book:
Takes you on a riveting narrative-nonfiction roller-coaster ride through one of British pop culture’s most unlikely success stories
Features exclusive insights from key figures of the era – including wrestler Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart, former British heavyweight champion Tony St. Clair, and ‘Superstar’ Mal Sanders, plus promoters and historians
Traces the rags-to-riches lives of Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks – real-life giants Shirley Crabtree and Martin Ruane
Charts the rise of British wrestling as a national obsession, drawing millions of viewers each week
Is packed with nostalgia and enhanced by a stunning photo section
This compelling book will whisk those who were there straight back to the era of big-time British wrestling – and give those who weren’t a tantalising taste of what they missed.
Steven Bell is the author of Dynamite & Davey: The Explosive Lives of the British Bulldogs, The Man of All Talents: The Extraordinary Life of Douglas Clark and From Triumph to Tragedy: The Chapecoense Story. His only child, Bruno, is named after star striker and victim of the Chapecoense air disaster, Bruno Rangel. He has also written for several sporting magazines, including These Football Times and Inside The Ropes.
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