I am sure that some guys were actually afraid of Andre, not because of him drinikng but due to the fact that he was all business when in the ring. When I first began to have regular event against him I was always amazed at how agile he was in the ring. Not to mention how strong he was. Made me feel very small and weak and that didn't happen with anyone esle in the business  believe me. I prided myself in being pretty strong and able to move around and muscle an opponent when and if needed but with him if he didn't want you to move him no one was going to.
 
He was the type that either liked you or didn't, no in between. He was a good friend of mine so perhaps you will also need to ask of someone else to get their opinion. I have nothing but good remarks for him as a wrestler and a man. He was not only my friend but a friend of my entire family.Yes he did drink but I personally never saw him in the ring drunk. That was probably part story . He did enjoy drinks but never saw that interfere with his work in thr ring.
 
Not sure how tall he was legit. I would guess at least 7' but he did slouch as he got more pain over the years. I remember that John Studd was 6'11" and Andre was a bit taller than him. I just know I always remembered the old Chineess saying of never anger a giant unless you expect trouble. I tried to follow that advice, some didn't and felt how he couuld play cat and mouse with them in the ring. Jake, Savage, Iron Shiek plus others.

JACK IS CORRECT. HE DID GET INTO A FIGHT WITH ANDRE ON THE BEACH OUTSIDE A NIGHT CLUB IN VA. BEACH. I WASN'T THERE AT THE CLUB BUT BOTH GUYS SAID THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT NEITHER OF THEM GOT HURT. I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SEE THOSE TWO BIG GUYS GO AT IT.
 
MULLY AND I HAD A SERIES OF 60 MINUTES CAGE MATCHES AND YES THEY DREW WELL AND AS A REWARD I GUESS WE HAD A SERIES  OF 90 MINUTES MATCHES IN THE CAGE TO FOLLOW. THEY ALSO DID VERY WELL. FROM WHAT I WAS TOLD AND BELIEVE NO ONE ELSE IN HISTORY HAS EVER DONE THAT.  IT WAS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER AND BELIEVE ME WE BOTH FELT THE TEMPERATURES AND WE BOTH LOST CONSIDERABLE WEIGHT DURING THE PROGRAM. ALL TOLL I BELIEVE WE HAD 12 TO 15, 6O MINUTES AND CAME BACK WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF 90 MINUTES ONES. SPECIAL REF WAS GEORGE SCOTT, THEY ALL WERE HIS IDEA. AT THE TIME WE WERE BRUTAL ENEMIES IN THE RING. I WOULD THEN COME BACK TO WRESTLE WITH MULLY AS HIS PARTNER WHEN HE WAS ATTACKED AT TV. TURNED OUT TO BE A GREAT RUN.
 
I REMEMBER THAT MATCH. MULLY WAS CUT VERY BADLY ON THE FOREHEAD,PROBABLY A RESULT OF SO MANY PREVIOUS MATCHES IN THE CAGE AND NO TIME TO HEAL PROPERLY. TOMMY YOUNG WAS THE REF. HE WAS AFRAID THE MULLY WAS GOING TO PASS OUT FROM BLOOD LOSS. TOMMY HIMSELF WAS GETTING LIGHT HEADED JUST SEEING HOW MUCH BLOOD WAS FLOWING FROM MULLY.  I PUT MULLY IN THE COBRA CLUTCH AND FORCED MY FOREHEAD AGAINST HIS AND WITH PRESSURE OVER TIME THE BLOOD FLOW STOPPED. WE WERE ABLE TO FINISH THE MATCH BUT WE WERE BOTH COVERED IN BLOOD.
 
I REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH MULLY. HE IS A REAL PROFESSIONAL AND WAS REALLY ABLE TO MOVE QUITE WELL IN THE RING. YOU MUST REMEMBER HOW BIG MULLY IS. ASIDE FROM ANDRE I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANOTHER TALENTED BIG MAN .
 
I HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT MEMORIES OF MY TIME AGAINST HIM AND THEN AS A PARTNER SEVERAL TIMES AND WHEN WE DID THE MACHINES IN NY. IT WAS GREAT.
 
FINE MAN AND GOOD FRIEND, EXCELLENT PRO.

NOT SURE WHAT YEAR IT WAS. SOME OF THE GREAT FANS HERE  WOULD KNOW. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE REAL TRUE FANS HERE HAVE GREAT MEMORIES AND HAVE RECLOECTION OF MUCH MORE FACTUAL INFO THAT WE OFTEN DO OURSELVES. SOMEONE HERE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP. THERE MAY BE SOME FOOTAGE OF SOME OF THE MATCHES. I JUST DON'T KNOW OF ANY BUT I AM SURE THERE IS SOME OUT THERE  
 
AS TO THE ATMOSPHERE, IT WAS GREAT AS YOU MENTIONED. I FEEL VERY FORTUNTE TO HAVE MADE MY MAJOR RUN AT THAT TIME. NOT THE SAME TODAY, NOT KNOCKING THE TALENT, BUT JUST NOT THE SAME STORY LINES AND THE SAME FAN RESPONSE.
 
THANKS FOR ALL THE KIND COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS AND SUPPORT.