Fond farewell to ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper
Wrestling icons pay tribute to ‘enthusiastic, controversial and bombastic’ performer
LOS ANGELES— The pro-wrestling world lost one of its best known personalities on Friday with the death of Canadian “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
The WWE posted on its website that Piper, whose real name is Roderick Toombs, died on Friday, but there was no immediate word on the cause of death. He was 61.
Born in Saskatoon, Piper rose to prominence in the 1980s, battling the likes of Hulk Hogan in what was then the World Wrestling Federation. WWE chairman Vince McMahon described Piper as one of the most “entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE.”
Some of the other big names from pro-wrestling in the 1980s were tweeting their condolences and paying tribute on Friday.
“Sad to hear about Roddy Piper. He once worked 91 nights w/out a day off. WWE wouldn’t be what it is today w/out him. Wonderful athlete & friend,” tweeted Jesse Ventura, who was one of Piper’s contemporaries.
“I am shocked and saddened to hear of Roddy Piper’s passing. He was one of a kind and one of the all time greats,” wrestling star Steve Austin said in a post on Twitter.
“I love you forever, god bless you bubba,” tweeted the Iron Sheik.
“I am so sad to tweet that my friend Roddy Piper passed away last night. He was really such a sweet man. My heart is with his family,” tweeted singer Cyndi Lauper, who made frequent appearances in wrestling shows in the ’80s and ’90s.
Piper’s family moved around the Prairies in his youth and he became involved in wrestling at the age of 15 in Winnipeg. He turned pro in the late ’70s and eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he became involved in what is now World Wrestling Entertainment, making a name for himself in high-profile bouts with the likes of Hogan and Mr. T.
He helped to launch Wrestle Mania and later became a commentator for pro-wrestling matches before trying his hand at acting.
Piper returned to the wrestling world in the 1990s, published his autobiography and the WWE named him to its Hall of Fame in 2005.