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Jim Ross Remembers Andre the Giant on the 19th Anniversary of His Passing

Posted: Jan 28th 2012 By: mikeiles

It?s likely that the first time any of us saw Andre the Giant we?ll never forget that moment in time.

I know that I won?t.

Andre was booked for a week in the mid-1970s to perform on Cowboy Bill Watts? Mid South Wrestling circuit. I had never met Andre in person and had only seen photos of the ?Eighth Wonder of the World.?

As a young referee, I walked into Watts? office around lunch time on Monday to drive Andre and Watts to meet members of the Tulsa media, where Andre would do interviews to support his match that night in the Tulsa Convention Center.

By doing these interviews in the afternoon, Andre would make the local, early evening newscast, which would stimulate last-minute, or ?walk up,? ticket sales. This was essentially a daily task in every Mid South city when Andre passed through, which was usually no more than twice a year.

Even as a young man growing up on an eastern Oklahoma farm, I had seen few farm animals that were as physically imposing as Andre the Giant. His hands and fingers were especially enormous. One could actually pass a silver dollar through his diamond ring.

Watts rented a van to haul Andre around in, as the Giant did not fit comfortably in any normal vehicle. Andre traveled by van to most cities, always driven by another, and he usually was accompanied by other wrestlers who knew what fun could be had by traveling with the Giant.

Except, however, when Watts would take Andre to the various Mid South markets via Watts own, self-piloted plane. As I recall, Watts? plane at that time would normally seat 6 people, but when Andre was a passenger, only Watts, Andre and perhaps one other individual could fly safely.

When I was the third member of the traveling party, it was my job, along with being a referee, to make sure that Andre had plenty to eat and drink. The food generally consisted of somewhere between 50-100 pieces of fried chicken, because in the 70s, fast food was scarce except for chicken joints. When in Southern Louisiana, Andre loved for me to pick up catfish, crawfish, gumbo or anything that might resemble French/Creole cooking.

Ordering for a small family equated to a nice snack for Andre the Giant.

Being Andre?s Mid South Wrestling concierge presented occasional food issues, as his mood and appetite for what he ate could change, and usually did change daily.

Some establishments thought that my ?to go? food orders were for a group of people. I never told anyone any differently. I did not want them to know that I was taking food to Andre the Giant, as to prevent them from trying to get a free peek at the Giant. Promoter/wrestler Watts always said if fans wanted to see Andre, let them buy a ticket.

Imagine how it would have been for Andre in today?s world of cell phone cameras, etc.

Perhaps that?s where the true story of Andre the Giant kicks in. Andre knew that he had an illness known as acromegaly, where the body produces too much human growth hormone. At that time, there was no cure for this affliction. Andre knew that fate had dealt him a terminal hand that would end his life at a young age.

The greatest sports-entertainment attraction who ever lived walked around on a daily basis knowing that he had been given a death sentence, so Andre lived each day to its fullest and as if it were his last.

Many fans remember the 500-plus pound, aging version of the Giant who was in horrific pain from a litany of injuries, specifically a debilitating back condition. This version of Andre the Giant was essentially immobile and was a shell of his younger self.

Looking back at video clips of a young Andre and having the privilege to referee some of his bouts in the 1970s, I can tell you, without exaggeration, that a near-400 pound Andre was an amazingly agile athlete who could drop kick and move like a much smaller man. Andre was programmed to rarely leave his feet, so many fans never saw just how amazing Andre the Giant actually was.

There will never be another Andre the Giant, in my opinion. He was ?guaranteed money? for so many wrestling territories. His mere presence on a wrestling card virtually guaranteed that the promoter and wrestler?s night in any given territory was going to be a success.

Little did most know that Andre the Giant, the greatest attraction ever in the game, lived the last several years of his life in constant pain, but continued to perform because of the love of the business and his fans.

Andre the Giant is, fittingly, the biggest and, arguably, the most memorable piece of the unique puzzle that comprises the amazing genre that is sports-entertainment.