"Rowdy" Roddy Piper: Wrestling's Bad Boy Quiz

Answer: Larry Hennig

Roderick Toombs aka Roddy Piper was an unruly teen who was expelled from school and after a falling out at home, found himself on his own. A local priest, worried about Piper's welfare and future, recommended he get into the wrestling business. Roddy, along with his trusty bagpipes, had his very first professional match at age fourteen.

He lost in just ten seconds to the legendary Larry Hennig who outweighed him by over one hundred pounds. Bull headed and stubborn Piper stuck to it and eventually became a superstar.

Answer: "Playboy" Buddy Rose

Piper really hit it big in Portland when promoter Don Owen took the wild and crazy Scot under his wing. Owen taught Piper the ins and outs of the industry and the two remained very close friends until Don's death in 2002. On September 4, 1980 Roddy defeated Buddy Rose to begin his second reign as PNW Heavyweight Champion which lasted just a few weeks.

When Vince McMahon began his quest to conquer the wrestling world in 1984, Piper now with the WWF always refused to compete in Portland out of respect for Don Owen.

Answer: Gordon Solie

Known as "The Dean of Professional Wrestling" the late Gordon Solie was the measuring stick for wrestling broadcasters for over thirty years. Working his entire career for Florida, JCP, and Georgia Solie was partnered with Roddy Piper on weekly telecasts in 1982.

At first the two clashed with Solie calling the action right down the middle and Piper always favoring the heels. When Solie openly disapproved of heel Don Muraco's tactics, "The Magnificent One" decided to get physical. In a fit of rage and courage, Piper saved Solie from the barrage of Muraco and thus endeared himself to the fans for the first time.

Answer: Andre the Giant

In January 1984, Roddy Piper arrived in the WWF and the promotion would never be the same again. Still nursing an ear injury from his epic battle with Greg Valentine at "Starrcade '83" Piper was at first a manager and given a talk show. Week after week the fans watched as the obnoxious and arrogant Scot made insulting and inflammatory comments about their heroes. One week Piper had the legendary Andre the Giant on the show and boasted that given five minutes in the ring he could body slam The Giant. Cool as a cucumber Andre simply stood up and jerked Roddy up in the air by his tee shirt, said something to him and walked away.

Answer: Busted a coconut over his head

In July 1984, one of the greatest television spots of all time occurred when the hated Piper came face to face with the beloved Jimmy Snuka. After several minutes during which Piper mocked Snuka and his South Pacific Heritage, Piper proceeded to bust a coconut over Jimmy's skull. Literally knocked senseless Snuka then had a banana smeared in his face, was whipped with a leather belt and spat on numerous times.

This single act ignited a war which made Piper arguably the most hated heel in wrestling at the time.

Answer: Bobby Heenan

In the spring of 1985, Roddy let the incomparable manager Bobby Heenan fill in as a guest host of several segments of "Piper's Pit". It was during these segments that the WWF brass noticed Bobby's microphone skills and eventually led to his becoming a color commentator in the fall of 1986.

Answer: Broke his Arm with a Crutch

After a brief hiatus from the WWF Roddy Piper returned in September 1986 and the fans immediately embraced him. Shortly thereafter Piper was attacked by Adrian Adonis, The Magnificent Muraco and his former friend and "bodyguard" Bob Orton. The heels injured Piper's leg so severely that he needed the aide of a wooden crutch to walk.

In vengeance Piper not only decimated "The Flower Shop" he also hit Adonis in the arm with his crutch, thus breaking it. This was really a work because Adonis had sustained some severe injuries in a legitimate brawl with Dan Spivey and needed some time off.

Answer: Rick Rude

After a triumphant return at "Wrestlemania V" Piper began to do color commentary on "Prime Time Wrestling" alongside Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan. Week after week Piper would mock Heenan and his "Family" of wrestlers which included the reigning WWF Intercontinental Champion Rick Rude.

At "Summerslam '89" things grew hotter when Piper "mooned" Rude which caused him to become so distraught he lost the match and the belt to The Ultimate Warrior. The Piper/Rude feud lasted trough the fall of 1989 and culminated in a series of "Steel Cage Matches".

Answer: Buff Bagwell

Like most of the top tier wrestlers of the 1980s WWF, Piper found his way to WCW in the late 1990s. After renewing his feud with "Hollywood" Hogan and defeating Bret Hart for The United States Title he entered into an angle with Buff Bagwell. At "Bash at the Beach" on July 11, 1999 Buff defeated Roddy in a "Boxing Match" with some assistance from his mother, Judy.

Answer: Sean O'Haire

In the spring of 2003 Roddy Piper made his return to the WWF after a seven year absence. Knowing that his best days were behind him, in addition to wrestling on a part time basis he took the young Sean O'Haire under his wing to groom. The alliance was brief as Piper was terminated in July 2003 when he made some off the record comments in an interview. With his mentor gone, O'Haire soon found himself unemployed as well.