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JUNKYARD DOG
For the entire decade of the 1980's,
Sylvester Ritter (better known to the world as The Junkyard
Dog) thrilled fans like few of his contemporaries. From New
Orleans' SuperDome to Atlanta's Omni to New York's Madison Square
Garden, the 280 lb. former professional football player-turned-wrestler
was easily one of the most beloved superstars in the entire
sport, as well as one of its biggest draws. During the height
of the WWF's popularity in the mid-1980's, JYD was one of the
wrestlers that became a true "mainstream" celebrity and was
known all across the country. However, JYD was a huge superstar
long before he stepped foot inside a WWF ring, and his exploits
(as well as his drawing power) in the NWA's Mid South, World
Class and Georgia territories are legendary. In his day, JYD
was truly a wrestling superstar like few others...
After a stint in pro football, Ritter
began his wrestling career as "Big Daddy" Ritter during the
mid-1970's in Stu Hart's Calgary-based Stampede Wrestling promotion.
The talented big man quickly made the transition from pro football
to pro wrestling, and on December 1, 1978 he won the areas top
belt, the Stampede North American Heavyweight championship.
"Big Daddy" held the North American title for nearly 6 months
before he was upset by another future superstar (who was also
breaking into the business through Stampede Wrestling) Jake
Roberts. But after a 4-month reign by the future "Snake", Ritter
regained the title from Roberts, only to be defeated by Larry
Lane after just a few weeks. After learning much about his craft
while wrestling in Canada, Ritter moved on to new challenges
-- and unimagined fame -- in America.
As The Junkyard Dog, Ritter became one
of the biggest stars the wrestling hotbed of the southern United
States had ever seen. Once he traveled south, and changed his
name & persona, The Junkyard Dog quickly established himself
as the one of the NWA's top draws, and most popular fan favorites.
One of the first men of the 1980's to use ring music, whenever
fans heard the opening bass notes of Queen's "Another One Bites
The Dust", they knew the Dog was in the house -- and exploded
with cheers. On March 14, 1980 in Shreveport, LA., JYD won the
Louisiana Heavyweight title by defeating one of his great enemies,
"The Big Cat" Ernie Ladd. However, after winning his feud with
Ladd, JYD began one of the longest, most intense feuds of his
career...
On May 2, 1980 a young Terry "Bam Bam"
Gordy defeated the Junk Yard Dog for his Louisiana Heavyweight
title, and at the same time began a legendary feud that lasted
for years -- The Junkyard Dog vs. The Fabulous Freebirds. JYD
regained his Louisiana title a few weeks later (adding it to
the Mississippi Heavyweight championship he won from Bull Ramos
the month before) from Gordy. The Dog also fought a "team" battle
against the Freebirds, enlisting the aid of both Col. Buck Robely
and Terry Orndorff as tag team partners, as the Dog used every
tool available to him while he feuded with Hayes & Gordy
over the Mid South Tag Team title throughout 1980.
However, eventually the simultaneous
Mississippi & Louisiana Heavyweight champion was forced
to relinquish both of his hard-earned belts after a dramatic
"sneak attack" by the young team of Gordy & Hayes, an attack
that left The Junkyard Dog "blind" for several long months.
After losing his sight to the bag of "abrasive powder" that
was thrown in his eyes by the `Birds, JYD would eventually return
(along with, later on, his "sight") and gain his revenge during
an inspirational series of "blind" Dog Collar matches against
his cowardly attackers. Not coincidentally, the fans rallied
behind JYD, and his appearances throughout the Deep South drew
enormous crowds for the NWA's Mid South wrestling promotion,
crowds that often exceeded 20,000 spectators.
JYD also traveled to the NWA's other
successful regional promotions, such as Dallas' World Class
Wrestling, Georgia Championship Wrestling, and Championship
Wrestling from Florida -- becoming a top performer and loved
hero everywhere he went. Far from a "ring technician", JYD had
a very limited repertoire in terms of technical moves. However,
the moves the Dog did possess were more than enough to
overwhelm most opponents. His head-butt, football tackle, and
of course, his running powerslam (called the "Thump") led to
victory after victory for JYD. Sylvester Ritter was a power-wrestler,
and was one of the first in a wave that would soon sweep over
wrestling for several years during the 1980's. Being one of
the first -- and best -- of the `80's power-wrestlers, he steamrolled
over his competition. After years of being one of the NWA's
most popular and successful wrestlers, a man who headlined several
cards held in the cavernous New Orleans SuperDome, the WWF --
in the middle of its nationwide expansion -- convinced Ritter
to leave the NWA and enter the World Wrestling Federation in
1983. From then on, Ritter's life was never the same...
As part of the World Wrestling Federation,
JYD became a household name, and although he never wore any
WWF gold, he was a huge star in the promotion for several of
its best years. JYD's merchandise was always a top seller, and
he appeared as a "special guest star" on numerous television
shows. JYD -- with his charismatic personality and good-hearted
charm -- was a big hit with the WWF's large base of kid viewers,
and his animated character on the WWF's Saturday morning CBS
cartoon show, "Hulk Hogan's Rock `N Wrestling" was very popular.
In the ring, the Dog continued his winning ways in feuds with
numerous opponents, including his old Stampede rival Jake "The
Snake" Roberts, the effeminate Adrian Adonis, and of course,
"King" Harley Race. JYD's feud with Race over the King of the
Ring crown and robe was perhaps his last major feud in the WWF,
as he slowly began to slide down the ladder after several years
of competing in the Federation.
By the end of the decade, The JunkYard
Dog moved on to new challenges, specifically a run in the NWA
against World Champion Ric Flair. As part of Sting's "Dudes
with Attitudes" counter-Horseman group, he created numerous
headaches for Flair & Co., and competed on several NWA Clash
of the Champions cards and PPV's before disappearing after the
angle had run its course. However, he returned to the promotion
(by then renamed WCW) and again challenged Flair. During this
2nd stint in WCW, JYD also patched up his longtime
feud with "Freebird" Michael Hayes, as the two formed a fairly
successful tag team. After a year in WCW, JYD again faded out
of the WCW storylines. Although he was still very popular, it
was clear that, after 15 years in the game, he was no longer
the steamrolling wrestler he once was. However, Ritter proved
on the independent circuit that he could still draw a crowd,
and he ended his career as he started it -- on the independent
circuit. In fact, not long after being honored by today's leader
in independent wrestling -- Extreme Championship Wrestling --
tragedy struck JYD, and the entire world of wrestling. On June
1, 1998 Sylvester Ritter was killed in a tragic auto accident
at the age of just 45. The world was shocked and saddened by
his sudden demise, which was, of course, totally unexpected.
In his own way, JYD was a pioneer in
the world of the 1980's "power wrestler", and his technique
was mimicked by many that followed him. As a role model and
celebrity, JYD was about as good as they got. And as a committed,
reliable, and top-drawing performer, Ritter was a promoter's
dream -- a true class act, by most accounts.
Click Next for more info
on JYD.
 More Photo's and now a video clip!
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