15 Facts About Junkyard Dog

Junkyard Dog was known for entering the ring with his trademark chain attached to a dog collar, headlining cards that drew large crowds and regularly sold out the Louisiana Superdome and other major venues.

Junkyard Dog was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004.

Junkyard Dog graduated in 1975 with a political science degree and a minor in geography.

Junkyard Dog then signed with the Green Bay Packers in April 1976.

Junkyard Dog was waived from injured reserve in October 1976.

Junkyard Dog worked for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion the following year as "Big Daddy Ritter", holding the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship twice.

In September 1979, Ritter moved to Mid-South Wrestling, where booker "Cowboy" Bill Watts gave him the name and gimmick of Junkyard Dog, taken from Jim Croce's song "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown".

Junkyard Dog feuded with some of Mid-South's top heels, including a now infamous angle with the Fabulous Freebirds where they blinded him with hair cream.

Junkyard Dog initially used "Another One Bites the Dust" as his theme on a regular basis and made a habit of interacting with the growing number of young people in attendance, often bringing them into the ring after matches and dancing with them.

Junkyard Dog was eventually given his own theme, "Grab Them Cakes," which he co-sang with Vicki Sue Robinson.

Junkyard Dog competed in the inaugural Royal Rumble match at the namesake event on January 24,1988, but was eliminated by Dino Bravo.

Junkyard Dog found himself wrestling in tag-team matches with Simmons, Barry Windham, or Big Josh for the next few months.

Junkyard Dog formed another tag team, this time with The Big Cat.

Junkyard Dog was the founder of the Dog Pound stable in an independent Mid-South promotion based in southern Louisiana.

Junkyard Dog was returning home from his daughter LaToya's high school graduation in Wadesboro, North Carolina when his car rolled three times after he fell asleep at the wheel.