It’s hard to believe 20 years have passed since the Junkyard Dog died. JYD, aka Sylvester Ritter, was killed in a car accident. He was only 45 years old. I say only because that’s my age as I write this blog.
My first memories of JYD were in World Class Championship Wrestling before he headed to the World Wrestling Federation. He engaged in a match against the Missing Link in what turned out to be a battle of the headbutts. He instantly became one of my favorites. He exuded a certain charisma that made him hard to dislike. I always wanted to be one of the kids he’d pull into the ring and dance with after a victory. Of course, he had a rich history in Midsouth prior to this. However, in my area, we didn’t get Midsouth at that time.
I saw Dog wrestle a few times in person. The first was at a House show in St. Louis. JYD battled Roddy Piper that night, beating the Rowdy one by disqualification after Cowboy Bob Orton interfered.
Hogan and JYD
Not sure who took this pic
I was also there the night he teamed with Hulk Hogan to beat Terry and Dory Funk, Jr. He was also a part of the Sam Mushnick Tournament in 1986 in St. Louis. He beat Hercules and Adrian Adonis before losing to the eventual victor Harley Race.
I had the LJN JYD figure. He was the first I tried to customize by panting his red tights white. That paint job didn’t last long and I eventually removed the chipping “artwork”. I also had a Junkyard Dog t-shirt, one of the few wrestling shirts I had at the time. And my only WWF ice cream bar purchase (from the ice cream man) was JYD.
JYD vs. Harley Race
Courtesy: WWE
I was disappointed when he didn’t win the Intercontinental Championship from Greg Valentine at the first WrestleMania. And I booed when his match against Race at Mania III ended so quickly. I held out hope as I watched him make it to the final three of the WrestleMania IV battle royal. But he came up short there too.
After leaving WWE and going to WCW I still cheered for JYD. However, I didn’t think he reached that level of popularity he enjoyed up north. A couple big highlights of his career include winning the Wrestling Classic Tournament and pinning Ric Flair in a non-title WCW World Title Match. I’m glad he was inducted posthumously into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004. Dog certainly earned his spot in wrestling history. RIP JYD.
While listening to the most recent episode of Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard, I learned an interesting fact about Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. The topic for the show is WrestleMania IV and the tournament for the WWF Championship. Co-host Conrad Thompson mentions during the episode that Valentine had competed for all three championships (at the time) in the first three WrestleManias.
WrestleMania
Courtesy: WWE
That statement got me to thinking. Of course, Conrad is right. Looking back Valentine was the Intercontinental Champion at WrestleMania. He defended against the Junkyard Dog and was counted out. I really, really wanted JYD to win the belt that night and thought he was going to do it.
Valentine, Johnny V and Brutus Beefcake
Courtesy: WWE
A year later, he and Brutus Beefcake were the unlikely WWF Tag Team Champions. They lost those belts to the British Bulldogs. Then at WrestleMania IV, the Hammer was part of the WWF Championship Tournament. He beat Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat (he had a thing for opponents with an animal name) in round one. Then in the second round, he lost to the eventual winner "Macho Man" Randy Savage.
Valentine vs. Savage
Courtesy: WWE
Valentine was a bad guy when I was growing up and a good one at that. Therefore I wouldn't have called myself a fan of him. However, as an adult, you can look back and understand the contribution wrestlers made to the business and judge them independently of just their persona in the ring. This is quite an accomplishment for Valentine and a WrestleMania fun fact that is overlooked.
I scoured the internet and racked my brain to determine if anyone else has wrestled for the three primary champions at WrestleMania. I came up blank. But I did find this cool site that offers up more WrestleMania fun facts. If I've missed someone who has competed for all three titles at WrestleMania, let me know. None-the-less though, Valentine is the first to do it. It's Hammer Time!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Long before Jim Johnston started composing music for the WWE or before Superstars sang their own theme songs on The Wrestling Album and Piledriver, wrestlers would come out to mainstream music. Michael Hayes is often credited with being the first to come to the ring with music, or at least rock music. Then, of course, the whole "Rock 'n Wrestling" connection happened a short time later and neither industry was the same again. Here are my five favorite songs from the radio that were made even more popular by the wrestlers (or companies) who used them. By the way, these are in no particular order.
1. Another One Bites the Dust. Before he belted out "Grab Them Cakes" on the first Wrestling Album, Junkyard Dog used to come to the ring to this hit by Queen. It's been more than 30 years since that happened, but I still think of the Dog and his post-match ritual of dancing with the fans on Superstars of Wrestling.
2. Tom Sawyer. Growing up, Kerry Von Erich was my absolute favorite wrestler. He was the Modern Day Warrior, so it only made since he came to the ring to Rush's Tom Sawyer, with the opening line "Modern day warrior mean mean stride..." I still think of those crowded shows at the Dallas Sportatorium as Kerry would get mobbed making his way to the ring as the song blasted over the PA.
3. Carry On My Wayward Son. This is the theme song of former Stride Pro Wrestling Champion Ax Allwardt. He's used it for as long as I've known him, which dates back to All American Pro Wrestling shows I attended in 2008. Now he's got a tag team partner in Scott Phoenix and as Stride Pro Wrestling tag team champs, they've changed their tune to Rock You Like a Hurricane, another classic hit from my childhood. But it's Kansas that gets the nod for this list as well as Ax for keeping the 80s alive when he steps into the ring.
4. Obsession. Saturday Night's Main Event was a huge deal to me growing up. I would check the TV Guide religiously hoping a new episode would be on. After the Superstars who would be wrestling that night would cut a quick promo, the sweet sound of a synthesizer would take over and clips of my favorite Superstars would play.
5. Take Me Home. And then after that 90-minute rollercoaster ride of wrestling emotion, Phil Collins would wrap things up. Take Me Home would play as the pics or video from the night would recap and the credits would role. To this day, I love the song but hearing it made me sad early Sunday morning as I knew it would be weeks until another SNME would be on. What say you? What are your favorite mainstream hits to make it to the wrestling world? Weigh in here or on Facebook.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin I've been a bit nostalgic this week with my wrestling blogs. Since Monday I've written about Bobby Heenan & Brother Love, Bruiser Brody, Terry Funk, Kevin Von Erich and the very first Saturday Night's Main Event. I'm keeping the trend alive for today's Mother's Day post. It was that first SNME that aired in May 1985 that featured a segment honoring the moms of some of the WWF Superstars.
Junkyard Dog & his mom
Courtesy: WWE Network
Cyndi Lauper was at the top of the music charts at the time and had become involved in the Rock 'n Wrestling Connection, seconding Wendi Richter in her feud against the Fabulous Moolah. Before the party started, Richter successfully defended the WWF Women's Championship against Moolah and Junkyard Dog beat Pete Doughtery. JYD's mom, Bertha, was ringside for the match. She got in the ring and celebrated after Dog's victory. Hulk Hogan had also dedicated his championship defense to his mother.
Freddie Blassie & his "mom"
Courtesy: WWE Network
Then it was party time. For some reason, Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff and Freddie Blassie were invited. Blassie's "mom" Laura was a woman young enough to be Blassie's daughter. Hulkster's mom, Ruth was there too. Cyndi's mom, who was in several of the music videos was on hand. Moolah came in and crashed the celebration. Keep in mind there's a large cake in the shot and you know where that's headed. Moolah insulted Cyndi and her mom Catrine. The mother and daughter along with Richter lunged at the former champ knocking her and "Mean" Gene into the cake.
Moolah and Mean Gene
Courtesy: WWE Network
Segments like these became commonplace on Saturday Night's Main Event. It definitely was a mix of sports and entertainment and as cheesy as it was, I miss those days, a lot.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin When Terry Funk debuted in the WWF in 1985 he came with more than his traditional cowboy hat. The tough Texan toted a branding iron to the ring, along with his manager Jimmy Hart. The end of the iron had two crosses, representing Funk's residence of the Double Cross Ranch.
Funk leaves his mark Courtesy: WWE
My memories of the branding iron include Funk using it to mark his opponents after a match. This paved the way for Jake "The Snake" Roberts to allow Damien to slither over opponents, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake to cut the hair of his fallen foes and "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase to stuff cash into the mouths of his Million Dollar Dream victims.
Funk brands Hogan YouTube/WWE
Even big names were branded by Funk. One night WWF Champion Hulk Hogan got the treatment. This lead to a feud between the two. Funk had also been battling the ever popular Junkyard Dog and once Dory Funk, Jr. was brought in, the brothers battled JYD and Hogan several times. The two teams clashed in the main event of a house show I attended in 1986 in St. Louis.
Jimmy Hart gets branded Courtesy: WWE
Sometimes the tables were turned and the good guy would use the branding iron. JYD lost to Funk on Saturday Night's Main Event. But when Funk tried branding the Dog, JYD fought back and knocked the former NWA Champion out of the ring. During a tug-of-war with the Mouth of the South as the rope, the mouthy manager lost his pants. Hart squirmed feverishly as his butt got branded and the crowd cheered with delight. JYD getting pinned moments earlier no longer mattered.
Look closely there's blue ink on Orndorff's pecs The branding iron is missing though
Obviously, the branding iron wasn't hot, but it did leave a mark. The same can be said about my LJN action figures. I learned quickly that pressing Funk's iron onto an ink pad leaves a lasting impression. More than 30 years later, "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff is still a marked man. Eventually, Funk's iron did get fired up in "extreme" situations in other companies. And who can forget when he traded in the iron for a chainsaw in the late 90s?
Nearly a year ago I had Jonathan Bowles from WrassleRoos on the My 1-2-3 Cents podcast. It was a popular episode and even my friends who aren't wrestling fans were intrigued by this line of clothing. As you can see in the picture, WrassleRoos are comparable to Underoos from the 70s and 80s.
My WrassleRoos shirt
I have a WrassleRoos shirt that Chad bought me at a convention in Los Angeles last year. I get comments on it many times when I wear it. It's the Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff and Roddy Piper in animated form from Hulk Hogan's Rock 'N Wrestling Cartoon. Despite finding them very, I had never tried the underwear. TMI alert: I'm more of a boxer-brief guy, but when a clearance sale was announced earlier this month, I decided to snag a few pair. I ordered the ones with "Macho Man" Randy Savage stars, the Ric Flair "RF" and the luchador masks. I also tried to get the Junkyard Dog "Thump" but they were sold out in my size. I'm obviously not in any shape to model the underwear for the camera, but trust me when I tell you they are fun to wear. The price was right too, at $4.99 on clearance it's a savings of about 11 bucks a pair.
WrassleRoos are comfortable too. It's been years, probably decades since I've worn briefs, but when I put on those red Ric Flair skivvies on I let out a "Woo!" It really is like being a kid again with the Underoos. I'm excited to see what new designs are coming up. That clearance sale is still going on some items, you can check it out here or get some of the other current WrassleRoos that are available.
Most of you know I'm obsessed with wrestling. It's the whole reason for this website in the first place. In 1985 the world was introduced to WWF action figures made by LJN. They were about 8 inches tall and made of solid rubber. That summer I got the first five in the series. By Christmas of that year I'd added to my collection.
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Junkyard Dog, Hillbilly Jim and Nikolai Volkoff joined Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Snuka, The Iron Sheik, Andre the Giant and Big John Studd that year. Up until that point I'd just been playing with my Superstars on the couch. But I was also gifted the official WWF wrestling ring that Christmas. I could have legitimate matches, including over-the-top rope battle royals.
Miss Elizabeth
The following Christmas I specifically remember adding Mr. Fuji, Tito Santana and the lovely Miss Elizabeth to the collection of figures. Yes, I was 13 years old at the time, but I still had matches nearly every day. By then I had several other superstars in the lineup that I'd received for my birthday or saved up my allowance and bought. With a boom box next to the ring, I would announce the Superstars as they made their way to the ring complete with music.
Part of my collection
I haven't outgrown those figures as you'd probably expect. They are in my garage and I do break them out from time to time. Sometimes I hold an impromptu match, but usually I get them out for a blog post or a YouTube video. Even I transitioned into a few of the Hasbro, Jakks Pacific and Mattel figures, but as far as I'm concerned nothing beats those old school unposeable LJN figures with the easy to chip off paint.
By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents During CM Punk's "Pipe Bomb" promo a couple years ago, the WWE Superstar wanted the company to bring back the famed ice cream bars from the 80's and 90's. It's something that generated a lot of online buzz after it was said, and I have to wonder if the company would consider bringing back the sweet treats.
From WWE.com
Of course, I hope that they do. I loved the WWF Ice Cream Bars. But when I was a kid, they were in short supply, at least in my area. The first time I had one was on Easter Sunday. Believe it or not, the ice cream man was cruising through the neighborhood. After indulging on peanut butter eggs and chocolate bunnies earlier in the day, I figured why not chase it all down with an ice cream bar. After collecting the loose change in my room, I flagged down the truck. I scanned the selections and much to my surprise, I saw Hulk Hogan's image staring back at me. I knew right away what I was getting that day.
The Superstar on my bar was none other than the Junkyard Dog. For those who never had a WWF Ice Cream bar, it was a Superstar on a cookie on top of vanilla ice cream with a chocolate coating on the back. They were delicious. I think the bars were available at the arenas for house shows, but other than that and my experiences with the ice cream man, I don't remember seeing them in stores. So, in reality, I may have had less than a half dozen growing up. I also have no recollection of them returning in the early 90's.
Did this really happen? Seriously
They say, what's old is new. So as "children of the 80's" look back on the things from their childhood, it would be a great time to bring back the ice cream bars. WWE is a household company now, and probably more child-friendly than it's been in decades, so I think the company would generate some cold hard cash. Of course, along with current Superstars and Divas, the bars would need some Legends too.
I've written about Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling Cartoon before, but the recent passing of actor James Avery has inspired me to write again. Avery is best known for his role as "Uncle Phil" on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and the voice of Shredder on the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. A little known fact, Avery was the voice of the Junkyard Dog on WWF inspired cartoon.
Hogan & Friends
I thought Avery did a pretty good job of sounding like JYD. I've included an episode featuring the Dog at the end of this blog. Sadly now, both of these talents are gone. May they both rest in peace.
The cartoon aired two seasons on CBS and featured Hogan, who was voiced by Everybody Loves Raymond's Brad Garrett. Other superstars besides Hogan and JYD included Andre the Giant, Hillbilly Jim, Roddy Piper, Iron Sheik, Moolah, and Wendi Richter. I don't know why the real wrestlers didn't provide the voices for their animated alter egos, but there were live action skits in between the cartoons.
I was in 7th grade when the show finally debuted. I was outgrowing cartoons, but I was sure to get up each Saturday morning in 1985 and 86 and watch. I picked up a copy with a couple of episodes on VHS years ago. Watching those cartoons bring back great memories, even though they're cheesy as you can imagine.
I'm looking forward to the soon-to-be released animated Scooby Doo film with WWE talent. I believe it's the first animated endeavour the company has embarked on since Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling was cancelled nearly 30 years ago.
Although I share a lot on this blog, I'm not going where you might think I am with the title of this post. I'm referring to the first live wrestling matches I ever attended. Thanks to the power of social media, and @TheHistoryofWWE on Twitter, I confirmed the date.
December 27, 1984, my dad, brother, uncles, cousins, and friends headed to the famed St. Louis Arena for a night of WWF action. Hulk Hogan defended his WWF championship against Brutus Beefcake, long before he became known as "The Barber." A vile "Rowdy" Roddy Piper locked up with the Junkyard Dog, with Lou Thesz as the special guest referee, and "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka battled Piper's main man "Cowboy" Bob Orton.
Looking back on the night, it was a who's who of the WWE Hall of Fame these days. The notable absence being Andre the Giant, who I unfortunately never got to see wrestle in person. But that night at the Arena was so much fun none-the-less. I had been watching wrestling for just over a year at that point. I had become a fanatic about it earlier in the year. I was just buying into the whole "Hulkamania" craze, so, of course, we all went wild when the Hulkster defeated Beefcake in the main event.
We had floor seats at the show and probably sat about eight rows back. Fans weren't as obnoxious back then as they are now, holding up signs and standing to block the view with every out-of-the-ring moment. But since we were young marks, we'd run to the entrance side before and after each match, holding to slap hands with the greatness that was before us.
Unfortunately, I did not bring a camera to this event and capture the action, but many of the moments are still burned in my brain. Orton and Piper double-teamed Snuka and dropped him crotch-first on the top rope. That prompted an angry JYD to run off the heels. Beefcake hit a beautiful high knee (his finisher) in what we thought might end the reign of Hogan, but the Hulkster kicked out and mustered the strength to win. I also remember feeling bad for SD Jones and watching him go down in defeat to the Spoiler. I always had a soft spot for Special Delivery, may he rest in peace. The night also featured a very young, Bret Hart as he wrestled soon to be manager Johnny V to a draw.
The action reaffirmed my love for wrestling and set me on the path of remaining an obsessed fan. Who knew that night so many years ago would lead me to several more house shows, live WrestleManias, and even a chance to step inside the squared circle. Thanks to my dad for taking me and sharing that special memory with my brother. What a night.
In 1990, something rare happened in the WWF. It was April 1, Wrestlemania 6 and Hulk Hogan defended the WWF heavyweight title against the Intercontenental champion and fellow baby face, The Ultimate Warrior. Back then, face vs face matches didn't happen very often. It was the passing of the torch of sorts (or so we thought) with Hogan and Warrior. So I got to thinking, which other top WWF faces would have been good contenders for the Hulkster's gold? Here's the list I came up with, and in no particular order. The only thing is, I used guys that Hogan never faced, with the exception of one (at least to my knowledge, if I made a mistake, sorry)
Bruno vs. Honky Tonk Man Photo courtesy: WWE
Bruno Sammartino: As Hulkmania was becoming a world wide phenomenon, Bruno Sammartino had been long retired and working on the WWF commentary team. However, from time to time Bruno stepped back in to the ring to face the likes of Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, and Adrian Adonis. The former champ even competed in the Wrestlemania 2 battle royal. While Bruno was well past his prime at the time Hogan was on top, this battle would have been epic.
Ricky Steamboat vs. Randy Savage Photo courtesy: WWE
Ricky Steamboat: I'd argue that Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat was the best wrestler to never hold the WWF heavyweight title. His run as IC champ was derailed early on in the run, and from what I've read it was all political stuff. None-the-less, I think the Dragon would have made an excellent champion, and he would have been a competitor unlike any other that Hogan had faced in the 80's. The champ was used to guys like Big John Studd, King Kong Bundy, and the One Man Gang. Steamboat's matches in the WWF against Randy Savage and Rick Rude, coupled with his battles early on with Ric Flair in the NWA would have prepared him for a run as the WWF's top dog or dragon.
Bam Bam Bigelow & Hogan as partners Photo courtesy: WWE
Bam Bam Bigelow: When the Beast from the East first arrived in the WWF in 1987, I had visions of big success for Bigelow. In fact, when Bam Bam entered the WWF heavyweight title tournament at Wrestlemania 4, I had him picked to win in my bracket. You can imagine my disappointment when he lost in the opening round to the One Man Gang. Soon after that Bigelow floundered and ended up leaving the WWF. Even though Bigelow was comparable to other big men Hogan had faced up until that point, Bam Bam had an athletic skill unmatched by his peers. This would have been one for the ages.
Dusty Rhodes Photo courtesy: WWE
Dusty Rhodes: As the former NWA world heavyweight champion, "The American Dream" would have made an excellent opponent for Hogan when he arrived in the WWF in 1989. The Hulkster had just regained the title from Randy Savage, and Dusty was on a big push going over guys like Big Bossman, Akeem, and even Savage. However, Dusty was in the twilight of his career at this point, retiring a couple years after coming to the WWF. But I still think the fans would have popped big time for a chance to see two of the most popular men in the history of wrestling square off for the WWF title.
Graham & Hogan Photo courtesy: icollector
Superstar Billy Graham: If Hogan looked to emulate anyone in the wrestling business, it would have been Superstar Graham. Although he had been a heel for quite a long time, in the late 80's when Superstar returned to the WWF, he came in as a babyface. He feuded with the Natural Butch Reed and One Man Gang, and even teamed up with Hogan and Bigelow at the 1987 Survivor Series. Clearly by this point in his career, Graham was plagued with injuries and far from being the man he was when he held the title. However, because of the similarities in style, I would have liked to seen this match.
Hogan vs Atlas Photo courtesy: PWI
Tony Atlas: In his rule breaking days, Hogan and Tony Atlas did compete against each other. He was one of the few men who could match strength with Hogan. There are photos everywhere of Atlas pressing Hulk over his head. The former tag team champion Atlas was a midcarder at best by the time Hogan's run at top started, but I still think it would have been a great opportunity for him. I'm talking about Tony Atlas and not Saba Simba.
Tito! Photo courtesy: WWE
Tito Santana: With two runs as the IC champ, you'd think Tito Santana would have gotten a WWF title opportunity at some point. Because he was a coholder of the tag team titles during the championship tournament at Wrestlemania 4, Tito missed out on that opportunity too. It would have been nice to see him get a chance against Hogan. I think a champion vs. champion match would have been good between these two.
Superfly in action Photo courtesy: WWE
Jimmy Snuka: In the mid 80's "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka may have been the WWF's second most popular guy right behind Hogan. Snuka is one of the first guys I remember seeing compete in a WWF ring. His feud with Roddy Piper was one of the best in that era. Imagine seeing Snuka climb to the top rope, "spread his wings", and do the Superfly leap on a prone champion. No doubt Snuka would have brought something out of Hogan and a battle between these guys would have been one fans everyone would enjoy.
JYD vs. Harley Race Photo courtesy: WWE
Junkyard Dog: Much like Snuka, Junkyard Dog was one of the company's most over faces in the 80's. He brought a different kind of charisma to the ring. Although he never reached champion gold in the WWF, I think he was one of those guys who was over enough to be IC champ. In a different time, I have no doubt he'd not only held that secondary title, but would have been a contender for the WWF gold.
Hacksaw & Hulk as partners Photo courtesy: WWE
Hacksaw Jim Duggan: This one would not have been pretty, but putting two of the WWF's top patriots in the ring against each other would have been fun. As JR would say, it would have been a slobber knocker to say the least. Both men love the good ol' USA, so to see Hogan and Duggan bring that passion to the ring would have been an interesting sight. Duggan and Hogan beat many of the same men, including Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, and Harley Race.
I'm keeping the trend alive for today's Mother's Day post. It was that first SNME that aired in May 1985 that featured a segment honoring the moms of some of the WWF Superstars.
