Junkyard Dog

Junkyard Dog was the ring name of Sylvester Ritter, an American professional wrestler and college football player born in 1952 who died in 1998. He played football at Fayetteville State University, earned honorable mention All-American status, graduated in 1975 and signed with the Green Bay Packers in 1976 before a knee injury ended that. He debuted in 1977 and worked as Leroy Rochester and Big Daddy Ritter, holding the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship twice, before booker Bill Watts gave him the Junkyard Dog name and gimmick in Mid-South Wrestling in 1979. Entering the ring with a chain attached to a dog collar, he headlined cards that sold out the Louisiana Superdome, held the Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship and later worked for the World Wrestling Federation. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.