Sylvester Ritter
Born
December 13, 1952
Died
June 2, 1998 (45 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA
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.
Known For
Biography: Wrestlemania I
Self (archival footage) - The Junkyard Dog
2022
Dark Side of the Ring
Self (Archival Footage) · (1 episode)
2019
Andre the Giant
Self (archive footage)
2018
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Junkyard Dog / Stagger Lee
2013
The True Story of WrestleMania
Junkyard Dog
2011
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
Junkyard Dog
2010
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Jerry the King Lawler and Junkyard Dog
2010
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
Junkyard Dog
2009
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
The Junkyard Dog
2008
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
The Junkyard Dog
2007
WWE: The Ladder Match
Big Daddy Ritter
2007
Heroes of World Class
Junkyard Dog
2006
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
Junkyard Dog
2006
WWE Hall of Fame 2004
2004
ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998
Junkyard Dog (Honoree)
1998
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
1994
WCW WrestleWar 1991
The Junkyard Dog
1991
WCW Halloween Havoc '90
Junkyard Dog
1990
WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution
The Junkyard Dog
1990
NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush
The Junkyard Dog
1990
NWA Clash of The Champions VI: Ragin' Cajun
The Junkyard Dog
1989
NWA Clash of The Champions V: St. Valentine's Massacre
The Junkyard Dog
1989
NWA Starrcade '88: True Gritt
The Junkyard Dog
1988
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings
The Junkyard Dog (Appearance)
1988
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
The Junkyard Dog
1988
WWE SummerSlam 1988
The Junkyard Dog
1988
Hulkamania 3
The Junkyard Dog
1988
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
The Junkyard Dog
1988
WWE WrestleMania IV
The Junkyard Dog
1988
WWE Royal Rumble
The Junkyard Dog
1988
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
The Junkyard Dog
1987
WWE Houston Wrestling: December '87
The Junkyard Dog
1987
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '87
The Junkyard Dog
1987
WWE Houston Wrestling: The Paul Boesch Retirement Show
The Junkyard Dog
1987
The Best of the WWF: volume 11
The Junkyard Dog
1987
WWE WrestleMania III
The Junkyard Dog
1987
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
The Junkyard Dog
1987
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: January '87
The Junkyard Dog
1987
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
The Junkyard Dog
1987
WWE Houston Wrestling: November '86
The Junkyard Dog
1986
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
The Junkyard Dog
1986
WWF Wrestling Challenge
The Junkyard Dog · (24 episodes)
1986
WWE The Big Event
The Junkyard Dog
1986
The Best of the WWF: volume 8
The Junkyard Dog
1986
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: May '86
The Junkyard Dog
1986
WrestleMania II
The Junkyard Dog
1986
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
The Junkyard Dog
1986
The Wrestling Classic
The Junkyard Dog
1985
Saturday Night's Main Event
(9 episodes)
1985
WrestleMania
The Junkyard Dog
1985
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
The Junkyard Dog (archive footage)
1985
The WWF's Most Unusual Matches
The Junkyard Dog
1985
WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest
Junkyard Dog
1985
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84
The Junkyard Dog
1984
WWE St. Louis Wrestling: September '84
The Junkyard Dog
1984
NWA Lords of The Ring
The Junkyard Dog
1984
WCCW Parade of Champions
The Junkyard Dog
1984
NWA Boogie Jam
The Junkyard Dog
1984
WCCW Thanksgiving Star Wars '83
The Junkyard Dog
1983