Sylvester Ritter

from Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA

Image of Sylvester Ritter

Biography

Sylvester Ritter was an American professional wrestler and professional football player, best known for his work in Mid-South Wrestling and the World Wrestling Federation as The Junkyard Dog (or JYD for short), a nickname Ritter received while working in a wrecking yard. Entering the ring with his trademark chain attached to a dog collar, to the music of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust," JYD regularly headlined cards that sold out the Louisiana Superdome and other major venues, becoming "the first blackwrestler to be made the undisputed top star of his promotion". JYD was one of the most electrifying and charismatic wrestlers in the country, particularly during his peak in the early 1980s. JYD was most known for his head butt and upper-body strength, the latter of which saw him regularly body slam such large wrestlers as The One Man Gang, Kamala, and King Kong Bundy. The word "Thump," which referred to JYD's power slam, was prominently displayed on his wrestling trunks.

Timeline

2022Aged 70

  • Poster for Biography: Wrestlemania I

    Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog

2018Aged 66

  • Poster for Andre the Giant

    Self (archive footage)

2013Aged 61

  • Poster for Legends of Mid-South Wrestling

    Junkyard Dog / Stagger Lee

2011Aged 59

  • Poster for The True Story of WrestleMania

    Junkyard Dog

2010Aged 58

  • Poster for WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog

    (Unknown)

  • Poster for WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time

    Junkyard Dog

2009Aged 57

  • Poster for WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event

    Junkyard Dog

2008Aged 56

  • Poster for Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II

    The Junkyard Dog

2007Aged 55

  • Poster for WWE: The Ladder Match

    Big Daddy Ritter

  • Poster for Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1

    The Junkyard Dog

2006Aged 54

  • Poster for WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

    Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for Heroes of World Class

    Junkyard Dog

2005Aged 53

  • Poster for The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s

    Junkyard Dog (Archive Footage)

2004Aged 52

  • Poster for WWE Hall of Fame 2004

    Self

1998Aged 46

  • Poster for ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998

    Junkyard Dog (Honoree)

1994Aged 42

  • Poster for The Life And Times of Paul Boesch

    Junkyard Dog (archive footage)

1991Aged 39

  • Poster for WCW WrestleWar 1991

    The Junkyard Dog

1990Aged 38

  • Poster for NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for WCW The Great American Bash 1990

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for WCW Halloween Havoc 1990

    Junkyard Dog

1989Aged 37

  • Poster for NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun

    The Junkyard Dog

1988Aged 36

  • Poster for WWE Royal Rumble 1988

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for WWE WrestleMania IV

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for Hulkamania 3

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for WWE SummerSlam 1988

    The Junkyard Dog

  • WWE U.K. Rampage 1988

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings

    The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)

  • Poster for NWA Starrcade 1988

    The Junkyard Dog

1987Aged 35

1986Aged 34

1985Aged 33

  • Poster for Most Unusual Matches

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!

    Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports

    The Junkyard Dog (archive footage)

  • Poster for WrestleMania

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for The Wrestling Classic

    The Junkyard Dog

  • Poster for The WWF's Amazing Managers

    The Junkyard Dog

1984Aged 32

1983Aged 31

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