Andre the Giant
Real Name: Andre Roussinoff
Stats: 7' 5" 525 lbs.
Born: May 19, 1946

Without a doubt one of the most popular and beloved figures in the sport of Professional Wrestling, Andre Rene Roussinoff was truly a GIANT. Roussinoff suffered from a growth hormone abnormality causing his enormous overall size and weight. At his largest, Andre stood 7' 5" and weighed almost 525 lbs.

He began wrestling in his native France in 1964 under the name "the Butcher." He moved to the North America in 1970, under the tutelage of Canadian legend Edouard Carpentier wrestling under various names.

In 1973 Andre began wrestling in the World Wrestling Federation where he became a crowd favorite because of his size and demeanor. Known as "Andre the Giant", his quickness and strength were so impressive that the Washington Redskins football team considered signing him for a tryout.

Throughout most of his career, Andre wrestled as a fan favorite, winning a number of Battle Royals and teaming with several partners to win various Tag Team championships, but he never got a shot at the World Title.

In 1987, Andre finally received a shot at the WWF World Heavyweight title against Hulk Hogan after turning into a villain. In front of more than 90,000 fans at Wrestlemania III, Andre suffered a controversial loss, the first in his career. He would later avenge this loss, capturing the WWF Heavyweight title in 1988.

Andre died in his sleep at age 46 in 1993.

Andre the Giant toured the world as an extremely popular figure and will live in the hearts of wrestling fans for years to come.

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