It's twenty years next month since the death of Haystacks.
In contrast to another big man I always liked Haystacks. His size made him genuinely frightening and at least there was variety to his matches. I first saw him on Blackpool Pier on an independent show. His appearance when he began walking to the ring took breath away. Klondyke Bill was big, but the sheer presence of Haystacks was something else.
Actually, Ginsberg was one of the hardest men in the game; hence he was so relaxed about "playing the fool" particularly in his tag matches. He knew he had nothing to prove to anyone. I believe that he had quite a legendary dressing-room brouhaha with John Lees from Stalybridge and the general consensus was that Lees came off worse. Ginsberg was really a Jack Atherton boy and liked nothing better than to actually do a wrestling bout. There are still good skilful bouts with both Pat Curry and Mike Marino around from the World of Sport days.
Towards the end of his career he became a mini-celebrity with appearances on Coronation Street (where he actually spoke the occasional line) and Granada Reports and he also had his own show on Radio Piccadilly. The last show he worked for me was in the ballroom of The Dixon Arms in Chelford (now luxury flats) against "Black" Jack Milligan (Tony Francis). Francis played heel and Ginsberg was the blue eye. The bout commenced with Francis refusing to wrestle Ginsberg until he removed his offending helmet. Ginsberg shrugged and removed it then, later in the bout, when Francis started with all the old tricks (punching blindside, rubbing the ropes across the eyes etc), Ginsberg retrieved his helmet from his second and replaced it atop his head to the cheers of the crowd.
I recall Brian Dixon asking me once why I used Ginsberg so regularly on my bills. I said that I had come to know him and regarded him as a friend. Dixon looked at me pittyingly and said, "Ginsberg has no friends!"