Andre the Giant

by Michael Krugman

  Two and a half hours later, the Giant kicked Hogan’s chair. “Piss stop,” he muttered, sending Hogan up to the driver to arrange for a bathroom break.

  “Don’t tell me you drank that whole bottle of wine already,” Hogan said.

  “I didn’t drink one bottle,” André replied. “I drank all of them.”

  Despite starting his day by drinking a case of wine before noon, the Giant wasn’t fazed, wrestling his match that night, as Hogan remembers, “like he’d been drinking nothing but water.”

  Impressed by Hogan’s work ethic and tenacity, the Giant gradually grew to respect the younger athlete. He put Hogan over during a local TV interview in advance of a match at Philadelphia’s Spectrum.

  “For the first time, I’m gonna have a tough match, I know that,” the Giant said. “That guy, he never lost a match. But I never lost a match either. That guy, he’s in the wrestling I think three or four years. I know he gets some good matches, he beats lots of guys. He never wrestled against a big guy before, so I know I gotta...my way, because I wrestled big guys before, when I first come in USA, for me it was the first time I wrestled against some big guys, like Killer Kowalski, Don Leo Jonathan, Ernie Ladd. And that time, they gave me a real tough time. But I still beat ’em. And now, this guy comes, he’s the biggest after me, he’s the biggest guy in the wrestling.

  “There are good wrestlers,” André continued. “I wrestle against Inoki, Sakaguchi, and other really good ones. Sakaguchi used to be the Japanese champion in judo, he was in the Olympics, and was really good. Antonio Inoki, they are really good wrestlers too, but they don’t give me a hard time like I’m gonna have tonight.

  “That guy, he have everything to win, because if he beat me tonight, he gonna be the first one who defeat the Giant.”

  July 26, 1980: Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA

  ANDRÉ VS. HULK HOGAN IN “A SPECIAL BONUS MATCH”

  Hulk Hogan enters in a gold lamé cape and white tights, preening and posing like the classic superior heel. André follows, stepping over the ropes as he stares down Hogan, who backs off.

  They lock up, and André backs Hogan against the ropes. As Hogan hits the top rope, he spreads his arms, challenging referee Dick Worley to break André’s hold. Hogan stands up straight and faces André, who grabs him in a headlock. The Giant pulls on the Hulk’s hair and readies a right, but Hogan begs off, again making the ref do his job. He complains about the flagrant hair-pulling. They lock up and André catches Hogan from behind and wishbones him, butting his head between the spread shoulders. Hogan makes for the ropes, and André slaps him between the shoulders before breaking.

  Side headlock from Hogan as commentator Kal Rudman discusses how many eggs André has for breakfast (that’d be sixteen). André throws Hogan into the ropes and again prepares a right, but Hogan catches the top rope and begs off into the corner, waving a

  Big bearhug. Gorilla

  Monsoon is at right.

  “no-no” finger at André. The ref actually explains to André not to use closed fists, only the palm.

  Hogan attacks with a kick to the midsection, doubling André over for a few forearm shots to the back. Hulk stays on offense, attempting to slam the Giant, only to injure his lower back in trying the pickup. André takes the advantage and lands a big suplex on Hogan. Both men are downed from the impact, but André rolls over and helps himself upright with a hand around Hulk’s throat. He drops a shoulder, but Hogan rolls out and quickly covers André, who throws him off at the one-count.

  Hogan gets up and puts the boots to André before leaning in to choke him out. The ref breaks it up. Hogan pulls André up by his hair, hitting him with forearm smashes to the back of the neck. Hogan wraps his arms around André in a bearhug and tries to lift him, to little avail. The crowd chants “André! André!” until the Giant breaks the hold with a headbutt. Hogan goes immediately to another bearhug, but pushes the Giant into the corner, forcing Worley to break it up.

  A forearm across André’s face leads to a whip across to the other corner. Hogan lunges in and wraps his hands around André’s throat. He alternately chokes and punches as Worley counts, finally going for another bearhug. He pushes André off into the ropes, but the Giant catches hold and raises a boot to Hogan’s gut.

  Hulk goes flying and comes up on one knee, setting André up for a kneelift that sends Hogan to the ropes. André picks him up, chops him twice, and then slams him to the canvas. He lifts Hulk upright and whips him into the corner for a running shoulderblock. He whips him to the other side and goes for another shoulderblock. This time, Hogan pulls Worley in between them and the ref takes the shot from André. Worley collapses in the corner as Hogan escapes to the outside. At last Worley recovers enough to call for the bell at 7:23. Hogan parades around with a raised fist and wounded look, indicating his victory. Meanwhile, André helps Worley to his feet.

  Ring announcer Gary Capetta declares the match a DQ and awards it to André as Hogan fumes outside. André challenges him to come back in, but Hogan refuses. André calls for the ring mic and says, “You know what? I think you’re talking too much and you not do anything, so come in that ring, I’m gonna show you what.”

  The crowd cheers, and Hogan goes up the aisle.

  André and Hogan battled before their biggest crowd on August 9, 1980, at the World Wide Wrestling Federation supercard Showdown at Shea. The event—the third ever wrestling card presented at the Flushing, New York, Shea Stadium—was headlined by a Steel Cage match between WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino and Larry Zbysko.

  In the weeks leading up to the match, Blassie promised interviewer Vince McMahon that André would fall “like a big oak tree. . . . That will be the first time that he will go down in defeat, I guarantee ya, that prophecy will come true.”

  “There’s no doubt that, Hulk Hogan, should you defeat André the Giant, you will be, literally and figuratively, the biggest man in professional wrestling,” McMahon suggested to the charismatic challenger.

  “Without a doubt, Vince McMahon, I already am the biggest man in professional wrestling today,” Hogan agreed. “André the Giant is a freak of nature. I am the only true athlete. I will remain undefeated, André the Giant. It was only a matter of time before the newspapers, the public, the whole world, brought you out of your hiding place and now you’re gonna face me, one-on-one, ha-ha. Breaking bones, scarring faces, and remaining undefeated is my goal.”

  “Hulk’s hammer!” Blassie barked at the interview’s conclusion, foreshadowing the events to come.

  Hogan remembers the day of the match as a bit of a nightmare, including getting lost on the way to Shea and winding up at LaGuardia Airport. But when he finally stepped into the ring with André, the Giant’s wide grin reassured him that everything was under control. “It gave me comfort to know I was in the ring with someone who knew what he was doing,” Hogan recalled later in his memoir.

  A live crowd of 36,295 were in attendance for the Showdown, and while Bruno might have been the top-billed star, the match people were most excited for was André vs. the flaxen-haired upstart.

  August 9, 1980: Shea Stadium, Flushing, NY

  SHOWDOWN AT SHEA

  ANDRÉ VS. HULK HOGAN (W/FREDDIE BLASSIE)

  Blassie escorts Hogan—resplendent in gold lamé cape—across the field to a shower of boos. They get into the ring, where Hogan is immediately greeted by André.

  Vince McMahon is the ring announcer. “From Venice Beach, California, tipping the scales just this morning at 349 pounds, Hulk Hogan!”

  He spreads his arms and the cape, as if to catch all the boos. The timekeeper rings the bell to restore order.

  “From Grenoble, France, weighing 487 pounds, the Eighth Wonder of the World, André the Giant!”

  André stands tall and strong, his hair long and bushy, his fists held high. They meet in the middle of the ring to be checked out by referee Gilberto Roman. Hogan—wearing an elbow pad—confers with Blassie before allowing himself to undergo
a cursory search.

  The bell rings. André and Hogan circle each other, then stare each other down. The ref reminds them that it’s okay to wrestle, but they just stand still, gazing into each other’s eyes. They lock up, and André shoves Hogan into the corner. He comes out and they lock up again. Hogan catches André in a headlock, pulling him forward. André simply stands up straight, lifting Hogan off the mat. He maintains the hold until André throws him into the ropes. Hogan comes off, and they collide.

  Splashing down on Hogan,

  Showdown at Shea.

  They lock up again, and this time it’s André who takes control with a headlock. Smiling, he squeezes Hogan’s head. Hogan powers the Giant off and into the ropes. André tackles, but they both remain standing. André has a huge grin, enjoying the hunt. Hogan leans over to confer with Blassie.

  André catches Hogan’s wrists and headbutts between his shoulders. The Giant smiles widely as Hogan shakes his head, begging for mercy. A second headbutt gets the crowd cheering wildly. Pulling Hogan’s arms behind his back, André puts a big boot between the shoulders and stretches Hulk out. After a battle of strength, Hogan reverses the hold only to have it reversed on him, winding up where he started. He backs André into the corner, then turns and starts swinging. André responds with a big right that sends Hogan reeling. André chases him to the opposite corner and headbutts him, leaving him hanging on the ropes for support.

  Hogan gets his arms around André’s waist in a bearhug. The crowd is chanting the Giant’s name. Hogan squeezes, his hands locked at André’s lower back. André is grimacing in pain, though not putting much effort into breaking the hold. As the bearhug continues, you can see André and Hulk calling spots. Finally André raises his massive head and butts himself free, dropping Hogan to the mat.

  Hulk rolls out and is consoled with a pat on the back from Blassie. Hulk goes up the wooden steps to the apron, only to be caught by André, who suplexes him over the ropes. He goes for the splash, but Hogan rolls away in time. Both men are down, and referee Roman begins counting. The wrestlers rise, with Hogan getting to his feet fast enough to put a boot to André’s head. Elbow to the back of the neck is followed by a series of rights. André catches Hogan, scoops him up, and slams him to the mat. Unfortunately, one of Hogan’s yellow boots clips the ref as André lifts him up, knocking the ref silly. André goes over and tends to Roman, his back to the fallen Hogan.

  Hogan puts a knee into André’s back, kicks him while he’s down, and then scoops him up for a bodyslam of his own. He covers, but the ref is still down and André tosses him off. They rise, face off, and André lifts and slams Hogan once more. André hits the big splash and covers just as a replacement ref runs into the ring. Hogan kicks out, but the ref counts three.

  The crowd cheers, and André basks in the glow, his arms raised and his fists pumping. Meanwhile, Hogan and Blassie are up to no good. André returns to the still-down Roman. Hogan comes from behind and nails the Giant with a newly loaded elbow pad. Hogan whips André into the ropes and catches him with a loaded Hogan Hammer lariat. André goes down flat. As all eyes turn to the Giant, Hogan slips the foreign object out of the pad and into his tights. The bell rings. Hulk comes down onto the field and raises his arms in triumph. Shea boos as he leaves.

  A stretcher is brought out for André, but he sits up and waves the trainers away. Vince returns and takes the mic. “Ladies and gentlemen, the time, 7 minutes and 48 seconds. The winner, André the Giant.”

  André stands up and shows the blood covering his face as he accepts his victory.

  Bodyslamming André was something that had rarely been seen in the United States. And while it was the Giant who scored the victory, busting André open marked a milestone moment in Hogan’s career. McMahon Sr. knew that the fans would take a wrestler far more seriously after he’d taken the Giant down. Leaving him in a pool of his own blood meant surefire money in the bank for their next matchup.

  August 20, 1980: Fieldhouse, Hamburg, PA

  “The Incredible” Hulk Hogan, entering with Blassie, draws plenty of heat. Blassie taunts André—475 pounds—with his cane during the introductions. They lock up and do battle until André powers Hogan into the corner. Hulk is unamused, and confers with Blassie before locking up again. Hogan shoves André in the opposite corner, and the Giant responds with a boot to the midsection that sends his back toward the ropes. Fists clenched, they stare each other down. André gets a headlock on Hogan, who throws him off into the ropes and hits

  Boot to the back,

  Showdown at Shea.

  a clothesline into André’s belly. Hogan hits a pair of forearms to André’s shoulders, then scoops him up for a bodyslam.

  “Look at that,” Vince McMahon marvels. “I can’t believe that!”

  Hogan drops a knee, then lifts André up. The Giant punches out and pays back the bodyslam. He whips Hogan into the ropes and a big boot. He attempts a splash, but Hogan rolls out and chats with Blassie. The Classy One slips a foreign object into Hulk’s elbow pad.

  Hogan gets back in the ring and takes two headbutts. André whips him into the ropes for the boot, but Hogan avoids it. He comes off the other side and nails André in the head with the loaded Hogan Hammer lariat. André goes down, and Hogan slips outside to return the foreign object to Blassie.

  Hogan raises his arms outside as André sits in the ring, bloody. Vince comes to ringside with a mic to “have a word with André.”

  Hogan and Blassie leave, and André lurches out of the ring. “Hogan! Come here!” he shouts, blood dripping down to his chest.

  The feud continued through to the end of 1980, drawing huge houses everywhere André and Hogan wrestled. But by the next year, Hogan had left World Wide Wrestling Federation after a disagreement with McMahon Sr. over his featured role as “Thunderlips” in the film Rocky III. He wound up in Verne Gagne’s AWA, where he morphed into the promotion’s leading babyface.

  No matter how you slice it, there is little doubt that Hogan’s rivalry with André represented a landmark moment in his career. Taking on the Giant night after night marks a crucial rung on Hogan’s climb to the very pinnacle of professional wrestling.

  HOWARD FINKEL: “Who knew what was going to happen seven years later, but back then, André and Hogan was a very interesting match because the roles were reversed, with André being the babyface and Hulk being the heel, managed by Freddie Blassie. We just didn’t have a clue what we would be seeing seven years later.”

  4

  André was at the top of his game as 1981 began. In February, he won rare championship gold, teaming with Dusty Rhodes to defeat the “Cowboy Connection,” Bobby Jaggers & R. T. Tyler, and win NWA Florida Tag Team titles. But after one defense—against Nikolai Volkoff & Super Destroyer—the titles were vacated, and left inactive until 1986. Back in World Wrestling Federation, André faced off against Killer Khan, the Mongolian Giant, and their first match together ignited one of wrestling’s most legendary feuds.

  Though he was billed as hailing from Mongolia, Killer Khan (born Masashi Ozawa) was in fact Japanese. Khan first encountered André while training at New Japan’s famed dojo. The Giant’s future nemesis was given the honor of running errands for André, including carrying the star’s bags backstage.

  The six-foot-five Khan received the Mongol Giant gimmick from the legendary Karl Gotch, known in Japan as “the god of Pro Wrestling” in honor of his defining role in developing the “strong style.” Khan came to America in 1979 and worked his way around the territories, wrestling André in a few Georgia Championship Wrestling Tag matches in 1980. Later that same year, Khan was brought up to New York and World Wrestling Federation. He feuded with World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund and Intercontinental Champion Pedro Morales before being matched against André on May 2, 1981, in Rochester, New York.

  The match immediately entered the history books. According to Khan, his intent was to kneedrop onto André’s chest from the top turnbuckle. But when the Giant began
to rise, the Japanese wrestler ended up landing on André’s left ankle. The Giant might have been huge, but his ankle was no match for three hundred pounds of Killer Khan. The bone fractured . . . or did it?

  “This wasn’t an angle,” Khan told writer Keith David Greenberg, but in truth, André had injured his ankle the previous evening at home, putting his weight wrong as he got out of bed.

  TIM WHITE: “He made it to the ring just to put Khan over. They had to put the heat on somebody, so they put the heat on him. André would always say, ‘Khan broke my ankle. I might have broken it the night before, but he broke it again.’”

  VINCE McMAHON: “Killer Khan accidentally fell on André and broke his ankle. Khan was a good guy and very respectful to André. He was all upset when it happened, but André didn’t hold it against him. He didn’t kill him, didn’t beat him up. He knew it was a freak accident because when you’re in the ring, shit happens. It’s the old expression: it’s not ballet.”

  Whatever the truth, the bimalleolar fracture was repaired by Dr. Harris S. Yett, orthopedic surgeon at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital. Dr. Yett explained the difficulties involved in the operation to Sports Illustrated, noting how two enormous surgical screws were needed to mend the broken malleolus. What’s more, two tourniquets had to be used to take in André’s massive thigh. Dr. Yett described the Giant’s cast as the biggest they ever had to make.

  HOWARD FINKEL: “I don’t know what we did to get the stink off of it, but we preserved it all these years, and it’s a great conversation piece.”

  A nine-foot bed was required for André’s stay at Beth Israel, and special crutches had to be made for his recuperation, as the biggest available were still not big enough to support the Giant’s colossal frame.

  Little more than a month after his “injury” in the Khan match, André returned to World Wrestling Federation television. Coming out on crutches for his first on-camera interview since the injury, he discussed his surgery with Vince McMahon.