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"Rowdy" Roddy Piper Back In Town

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper Back In Town

Posted: Apr 17th 2008 By: CMBurnham

The last time "Rowdy" Roddy Piper had Poughkeepsie as his stomping grounds, he was pummeling an undercard wrestler named A.J. Petruzzi with one hand behind his back at a Superstars of Wrestling taping for the then-World Wrestling Federation at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center.

It was August 5, 1986. Piper says the other wrestlers were complaining that they had to work with all the young guys, so Vince McMahon asked Piper, who usually hosted his Piper's Pit interview segment at the tapings, to step in the ring for a match.

Petruzzi's father, Piper says, was working hard to push his son to the top of the wrestling business and his embarrassing loss to Piper estranged the father and son and Piper found out a few years ago that they had not spoken in 20 years.

"I never thought about it," Piper said, of putting one hand behind his back. "People think I premeditate these things. I'm not that smart."

"Hey, Petruzzi," Piper said. "You need to come down here. I didn't mean no disrespect to you and your father. The other wrestlers were just getting jealous."

On Sunday, Piper, real name Roderick Toombs - he turns 54 today - will return to Poughkeepsie for the first time in almost 22 years for an autograph signing at Collector's Realm on Raymond Ave. On Friday, he will be hosting a live Piper's Pit at a Northeast Wrestling show at Newburgh Free Academy.

"The people of Poughkeepsie - they should be sainted for putting up with us every three weeks," Piper said in an interview from his hotel in Newburgh. "They were always there, They were the greatest of crowds. We're talking three weeks of television we were doing back then. Three Piper's Pits. You're in high gear."

Piper anticipates that this will probably be the last time he will be in Poughkeepsie because he wants to scale back his wrestling appearances.

"This is probably the last time I think I'll put the kilt on," said Piper, who is in remission from Hodgkin's lymphoma. "I like to spend a little time with each one of the fans. It may take a little longer than usual. I want to say hello and goodbye to everybody in Poughkeepsie. There's an old saying in our business when someone passes: They lost their smiles and they couldn't find them. I'm going to be smiling for them. I'm the last of the Mohicans of the territory days. I've played some holes and Poughkeepsie is not one of them. I'm excited to come back to Poughkeepsie."

Piper has lots of memories from his many nights in Poughkeepsie, from Pipers Pit to taping the "Land of 1,000 Dances" video to various altercations within the unique brotherhood of pro wrestling.

"If that building could talk, man, it would scare the dog out of you," Piper said.

"Hot Rod" isn't sure how much more he'll be involved in professional wrestling. He was invited to this year's WrestleMania by WWE, but they only gave him two day's notice and he was filming a movie in Winnipeg, Manitoba entitled "Clear Lake." He also missed the last match of his close friend, Ric Flair.

"That was the saddest time in my career," Piper said. "The greatest wrestler in the world and I wasn't there for him. You've got to give me more than two day's notice. You can't call me every fourth month and expect me to be there."

He said he would consider attending WrestleMania 25 in Houston next year (Piper worked the main event of the first WrestleMania in Madison Square Garden - teaming with Paul Orndorff and facing Hulk Hogan and Mr. T). He also said he enjoyed in competing at MSG at the Royal Rumble in January.

"I killed that cancer and I come down and God bless them, all of a sudden, they jump to their feet," Piper said. "I was number 19, I think, and everyone in the ring stopped wrestling."

For a fleeting moment, everyone in the ring watched Piper and Jimmy Snuka relive their storied rivalry for one night only.

"You can't construct nor buy moments like that," Piper said.

 

Tags: Roddy Piper, Ric Flair, Paul Orndorff

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  • 1984 The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) def. The Long Riders (Bill Irwin & Scott Irwin) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 2005 Big Van Vader def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 2005 Carnage def. John O'Malley for the IZW Hardcore Title
  • 2005 Ryan Davidson became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 2005 The Lone Shining Star def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Tri-State Title
  • 2005 Michael Faith def. Outlaw for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 2005 The Real Impact Players (Aaron Neil & Se7en) def. The Red Dirt Outlaws (Devon Monroe & Kevin James) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 2011 Fuel def. Jonathan Cross for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 2022 Justin Lee def. Koko for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 2022 Dutch Hagen def. Wesley Crane for the WFC Heavyweight Title
  • 2023 Tunnel Vision (Derek James & Logan Knight) became the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 2023 Luke Richmond def. Brandon Groom for the BPW Oklahoma Title
  • 2023 Trench Blythe def. El Gallardo for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 2023 The Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) def. Native Law (Sheriff Schultz & Nashoba) for the NCWO Tag Team Titles

Week of Sun 10-18 to Sat: 10-24

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  • 10-18 2019 Tego def. Prince Mahalli for the ASP Inter-County Title
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  • 10-20 1971 Bill Watts became the TSW North American Champion
  • 10-20 1986 Crusher Yurkov def. Steve Simpson for the WCCW Television Title
  • 10-20 2001 The Texas Outlaws (Beau Dalton & Butch Dalton) def. The VIP Crew (Rocco Valentino & Vinnie Valentino) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 10-20 2001 Amanda St. George became the OPW Oklahoma Womens Champion
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  • 10-20 2007 Chris Fury became the SECW Light Heavyweight Champion
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  • 10-20 2018 Fuel def. Alex Royal for the UWE Heavyweight Title
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  • 10-20 2018 Dusty Gold became the UWE Apex Champion
  • 10-20 2018 Anarchy [2nd] def. Dusty Gold for the UWE Apex Title
  • 10-21 1969 Fritz Von Erich became the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
  • 10-21 1985 King Parsons def. John Tatum for the WCCW Television Title
  • 10-21 2005 Mitch Carter def. Kenny Campbell for the SRPW X Division Title
  • 10-21 2006 J. T. LaMotta def. John O'Malley for the IZW Cruiserweight Title
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  • 10-22 1984 The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) def. The Long Riders (Bill Irwin & Scott Irwin) for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 10-22 2005 Big Van Vader def. Aaron Neil for the IZW Heavyweight Title
  • 10-22 2005 Carnage def. John O'Malley for the IZW Hardcore Title
  • 10-22 2005 Ryan Davidson became the MSWA Mid-South Cruiserweight Champion
  • 10-22 2005 The Lone Shining Star def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Tri-State Title
  • 10-22 2005 Michael Faith def. Outlaw for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 10-22 2005 The Real Impact Players (Aaron Neil & Se7en) def. The Red Dirt Outlaws (Devon Monroe & Kevin James) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 10-22 2011 Fuel def. Jonathan Cross for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 10-22 2022 Justin Lee def. Koko for the WFC Hometown Heroes Title
  • 10-22 2022 Dutch Hagen def. Wesley Crane for the WFC Heavyweight Title
  • 10-22 2023 Tunnel Vision (Derek James & Logan Knight) became the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champions
  • 10-22 2023 Luke Richmond def. Brandon Groom for the BPW Oklahoma Title
  • 10-22 2023 Trench Blythe def. El Gallardo for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 10-22 2023 The Stage Dive Mafia (Rook Tyler & Axel Savage) def. Native Law (Sheriff Schultz & Nashoba) for the NCWO Tag Team Titles
  • 10-23 1965 Lee Fields & Bobby Fields became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champions
  • 10-23 1967 Spoiler #1 & Gary Hart def. Brute Bernard & Mike Paidousis for the WCCW American Tag Team Titles
  • 10-23 1968 Manuel Perez & Pepe Perez def. The Blue Demons (Blue Demon #1 & Blue Demon #2) for the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Titles
  • 10-23 1988 Jerry Lawler def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW World Title
  • 10-23 2003 Payton Scott def. Chris Matthews for the ACW Heavyweight Title
  • 10-23 2005 Matt Garza & Mr. Brown def. Brandon Bishop & John Zorthos for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 10-23 2005 Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) def. Matt Garza & Mr. Brown for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 10-23 2011 Javi Hernandez became the UWF06 Heavyweight Champion
  • 10-23 2015 Vinny Pacheco def. Buster Cherry for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 10-23 2015 The Creepsters (Buster Cherry & Mr. Barnes) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 10-23 2021 Richie Adams def. Tommy Dean for the WFC Prime Title
  • 10-23 2021 Toxic Masculinity (Johnny Lightning & Johnny Dynamite) def. The Space Age Cowboys (Paul Puertorico & Jason Jones) for the WFC Tag Team Titles
  • 10-23 2021 Luke Langley def. Alex Royal for the WFC Heavyweight Title
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  • 10-24 1998 The VIP Crew (Rocco Valentino & Vinnie Valentino) def. The Texas Outlaws (Dan Wilder & Bernard Funk) for the OPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 10-24 2004 Se7en def. John O'Malley for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 10-24 2009 Xavior became the SWCW Cruiserweight Champion
  • 10-24 2009 Dawn of Extreme (Ty Thunder & Crucifer) def. Texas, Inc. (Tim Rockwell & Bernard Funk) for the ComPro Tag Team Titles
  • 10-24 2009 The South Side Soul Assassins (Tyson Jaymes & 3rd Rail) def. The Good Ol' Boys (Bud Barnes & Moonshine) for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
  • 10-24 2009 The Good Ol' Boys (Bud Barnes & Moonshine) became the SWCW Tag Team Champions
  • 10-24 2009 Rated N (Crisstopher Crow & Shane Sanchez) def. The Good Ol' Boys (Bud Barnes & Moonshine) for the SWCW Tag Team Titles
  • 10-24 2020 Sam Stackhouse def. Alex Royal for the WFC Heavyweight Title
  • 10-24 2021 Ryan the Ripper def. Drake Gallows for the EPW Internet Television Title
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