The Life of Andre Roussimoff Trivia Quiz

Answer: Acromegaly

When Marian gave birth to Andre, she noticed that there was something different about her son. Compared to her other children, he appeared extremely large to her. The doctors assured her that there was nothing wrong with her baby, but when they brought the child home, he seemed to be constantly growing, and more quickly than the Roussimoffs other children.

By the time Andre was a year old, he was taller than his siblings, and his mother was quite embarrassed about taking her son out in public. However, her opinion changed after she consulted the local priest, who told her that her son had a great calling and that although he was larger than most, he would be revered my men of all races, creeds and ages.

When Andre was seven years old, the locals of Grenoble took up a collection for the Roussimoffs, so that they could find out what was causing Andre to grow as quick as he was.

The locals genuinely like Andre and felt very sorry for this sweet and loving child. The Roussimoffs made a trip to Paris, where it was discovered that Andre suffered from a disease known as Acromegaly, which is a form of Giantism.

The doctors told Boris and Marian, that they did not expect the boy to live past twelve years of age. However, Andre proved that he was destined for greatness, and lived long past the projected age limit that the doctors had set for his life span.

Answer: Monster Eiffel Tower

When Andre entered the ranks of Professional Wrestling, he stood six feet seven inches tall, and weighed in at three hundred twenty five pounds. He was the tallest man in the wrestling world. In the ring he was known as "Monster Eiffel Tower". Later, his wrestling name would be changed to "Monster Roussimoff". Andre proved that he was unbeatable, and he quickly climbed the ranks and became a fan favorite in France.

However, not many realized the pain that he was in. As his disease progressed, his joints began to bother him and he turned to drinking and eating in an over abundance, to soothe his depression.

In 1970, French-Canadian wrestler Edouard Carpentier, witnessed first hand the incredible power that Andre possessed in the ring. Carpentier decided he wanted to bring the big man to North America to wrestle. During 1971 and in the early part of 1972, Andre dominated professional wrestling. No one wanted to be in the same ring with him, and yet they could not resist the challenge that Andre put forth: 'That he could beat any man, at anytime'. Professional wrestlers flocked to the ring to prove that they could be beat him. Andre devoured them, and they left the ring with a broken spirit.

Answer: Jean Ferre

Although he was larger than life, he was still under-ranked in Professional Wrestling. However, the more strength he showed in the ring, the more the fans loved him, and he soon became a wrestling favorite to the North American fans. It was during the latter part of 1971, that he was given a name to suit is size: The 8th Wonder of The World. Andre continued to out maneuver men in the ring, and became a wrestling superstar in a very short amount of time.

In 1972, unbeknownst to Andre, Vince McMahon, Sr., was viewing wrestling events in Canada. McMahon, Sr., was looking for a superstar for his World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).

He took one look at Andre, and saw the potential of the large man, and wanted him under contract with his organization. Vince, Sr., moved in for 'the kill' rather quickly, and before Carpentiar knew what hit him, Andre was gone in a flash. Roussimoff now belonged solely to the WWWF and professional wrestling would never be the same.

Answer: World Wide Wrestling Federation

In 1972, Vince McMahon, Sr., signed Andre to a contract with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), and capitalized on Andre's size and changed his wrestling name to 'Andre The Giant'. When he was first signed to the contract, it was not an exclusive contract. Vince, Sr., had him traveling all across the United States to showcase is size, he also loaned Andre to various wrestling promotions and made certain that Andre's name was seen in conjunction with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). Andre's first official match in the WWWF was held at Madison Square Garden, where he faced off against Buddy Wolfe. Andre easily defeated Wolfe and pinned him without so much as breaking a sweat. Before long, Andre was performing to sold out crowds. Andre defeated opponent after opponent.

He was a true marvel in the ring and no other wrestler could match his strength.

Answer: Sports Illustrated

In December of 1981, Terry Todd wrote an article for Sports Illustrated Magazine entitled 'The Giant Among Us'. The December 21, 1981 issue was the biggest seller for Sports Illustrated. Todd traveled to France to discover the true history of Andre Roussimoff.

There he learned that every member of the Roussimoff family were over six feet tall, and sadly, because his grandfather, who was diagnosed years later from gentic testing as having Giantism, Andre suffered the same fate. The article that was written by Todd, brought out the human aspect of Andre, while WWWF was trying to capitalize on his giant structure.

Answer: March of Dimes

The March of Dimes was founded in 1938 by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The foundation has numerous chapters thoughout the United States, and contributes greatly to the needs of children born with birth defects. During Andre's career, he contributed approximately two million dollars to the March of Dimes.

When he was not wrestling, he would visit children from all different parts of the world that were afflicted with birth defects. In his big and gentle hands, the children felt safe and loved.

Answer: The Uncrowned Champion

Andre's fans considered him "The Uncrowned Champion," although he had the title for a short period of time. The reason his fans called him "The Uncrowned Champion," was because no one could defeat him, unless he let them.

Answer: False

While Andre and DiBiase did appear in the Championship Tournament Match, they did not compete against each other. DiBiase defeated "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan in the first round. Hulk Hogan faced off against Andre for round two of the Championship Tournament Match. In an unusal twist, both Hogan and Andre lost the second round, as both were disqualified.

Answer: No

In 1993, the world of Professional wrestling honored Andre Roussimoff, when he was inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame. At the special presentation, Andre's French relatives attended, as well as his daughter, Robyn Christensen. Also present for the ceremony was Hulk Hogan, "Big" John Studd, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, The Undertaker, and Vince McMahon, Jr.

Answer: The Gentle Giant

On January 27, 1993, Andre passed away in a hotel room in Paris, France. The cause of his death was cardiac arrest, and it was said that his acromegaly proved to be too much for his heart, which was the size of a normal human adult. After his death, Andre's body was cremated and his ashes were spread on his ranch in North Carolina.

Although this great man and wonderful entertainer has passed on, he has since been known as "The Gentle Giant." This is a fitting description for the man who always wanted to be normal size, and for a truly wonderful human being. All of this information can be found at www.andrethegiant.com