15 of History’s Largest Units, (Big Dudes)

We’ve all heard the expression of someone being ‘larger than life,’ and that usually refers to their personality. This is mostly true with historical and famous individuals, who left their mark on the world through their actions. That alone can make you imposing, no matter how you look.

Then there’s the people who, alongside that larger than life presence, also had the physical presence to back it up. Here, we’ll look at figures from the distant and not so distant past, their reputation as ‘absolute units,’ and the impact they had on the world as a whole.

William Howard Taft, The Largest US President

Before becoming president, William Howard Taft served as the first civilian Governor-General of the Philippines. As president, he was known for being a trust-buster, initiating more antitrust lawsuits than his predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt.

André the Giant, The Eighth Wonder of the World

Born André Roussimoff, his immense size was due to a hormonal disorder. He was the first person inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1993 and is beloved for playing Fezzik in the 1987 film ‘The Princess Bride’.

Robert Wadlow, The Tallest Man in History

Reaching 8 feet 11.1 inches, Robert Wadlow is the tallest man in recorded history. He needed leg braces to walk, and a faulty brace led to a fatal infection that ended his life in 1940 at just 22 years old.

King Henry VIII, The Tudor Titan

A jousting accident in 1536 limited the king’s activity. While he had a 32-inch waist in his youth, his final suit of armor shows it had expanded to 52 inches, and his weight was estimated at 392 pounds.

Daniel Lambert, England’s Heaviest Man

A jail keeper from Leicester, Daniel Lambert weighed 739 pounds at his death in 1809. It took 20 men nearly half an hour to lower his massive coffin, which required 112 square feet of wood to build.

Yao Ming, The 7-Foot-6 Basketball Legend

Playing for the Houston Rockets, the 7-foot-6 Yao Ming was an eight-time NBA All-Star. His parents were both professional basketball players in China, and at birth, he weighed 11 pounds, double the average for a Chinese newborn.

Shaquille O’Neal, A Dominant Force in Basketball

One of the most dominant players in NBA history, Shaq stood 7 feet 1 inch tall and weighed about 325 pounds. By the time he was 13 years old, the future four-time NBA champion was already 6 feet 6 inches tall.

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, ‘The Mountain’ from Game of Thrones

The Icelandic strongman, known for playing ‘The Mountain’ on ‘Game of Thrones’, stands 6 feet 9 inches tall. He won the World’s Strongest Man title in 2018 and set a deadlift world record by lifting 1,105 pounds in 2020.

George Foreman, The ‘Big George’ of Boxing

George Foreman is a two-time heavyweight champ, famous for his comeback career where he became the oldest champ at age 45. He’s also known for his famous grill, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide.

Angus MacAskill, The World’s Largest True Giant

Recognized as the largest ‘true’ giant without a growth disorder, Angus MacAskill stood 7 feet 9 inches. He was famous for his strength, once lifting a ship’s anchor that weighed 2,800 pounds while working for P.T. Barnum’s circus.

Maximinus Thrax, The Giant Roman Emperor

This Roman emperor from the 3rd century AD was said to be 8 feet 6 inches tall, though we don’t know if it was an exaggeration. Ancient art shows features like a prominent brow and jaw, suggesting he may have had acromegaly.

Luciano Pavarotti, The Larger-Than-Life Tenor

The world-famous Italian tenor was known as the ‘King of the High Cs’. At his heaviest, the 5-foot-11 singer weighed around 396 pounds. He sold over 100 million records, making him a best-selling classical artist.

Winston Churchill, Britain’s Imposing Wartime Leader

While not exceptionally tall at 5 feet 6 inches, Britain’s wartime Prime Minister had a stocky, imposing build. His powerful physical presence, combined with his famous speeches, helped boost morale during the war.

Goliath of Gath, The Biblical Giant

The giant defeated by David is described differently in various texts. The oldest manuscripts say he was 6 feet 9 inches, while later versions claim 9 feet 9 inches. His coat of mail alone weighed about 125 pounds.

Babe Ruth, Baseball’s Larger-than-Life Slugger

The 6-foot-2 slugger’s large frame and legendary appetite were part of his persona. This power helped him hit 714 home runs, and he was one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.