In the 1940s, Adventure magazine started including some fact articles along with the fiction. This particular one caught my eye because of the caption below the illustration: “Watch your language, lad,” Angus replied patiently. “I wouldn’t want to hurt a little fellow who don’t weigh a drop over three hundred.”
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| St. Ann’s Big Boy, from Adventure, November 1949 |
I read the article – it’s about Angus MacAskill, also known as Giant MacAskill. The man was 7 feet 9 inches tall, weighed about 425 pounds and had a 80 inch chest.
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| A photo of Angus MacAskill’s hand, courtesy this blog |
McAskill was also part of Barnum’s Circus, along with Tom Thumb. A photo of the two from EBay:
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| Angus MacAskill with Tom Thumb (Courtesy EBay Seller) |
If you visit Nova Scotia, there’s a museum to see. More details on this blog.
The article from Adventure has some interesting stories. Not sure how believable they are, but fun to read. Especially the one about the sailors who stole rocks from MacAskill’s field, and the giant’s response. Download it here.
PS: I wonder if the author is the Harold Preece who was Robert E. Howard’s friend? If anyone knows, leave a note in the comments section.