WINNIPEG – Bag pipes, a kilt and a personality that stole the show, ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper was a wrestling legend.
He died at just 61 but leaves behind an inspirational story that started in Winnipeg.
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“He was 17 years old and he only had 10 dollars… but the reason I taught him was because he said he wanted to be a wrestler,” said former professional wrestler Tony Condello, who was Piper’s first coach.
Condello took Piper under his wing in 1972 and coached him for three years at his club on River Avenue. He said Piper’s drive and desire to be in front of the camera made him stand out from the other students.
“The way he wrestled and his gimmick, he stood right up like fire,” said Condello.
The promoter clearly remembers the day Piper, whose real name is Roderick Toombs, came up to him with a set of bag pipes because he was playing in a local band between wrestling practices.
When Condello found out Piper could play the bag pipes he said, “I’m going to call you Rod because his name was Rodney and Piper because of the bag pipes.”
Piper will be remembered by many sports fans for his entertaining battles in the World Wrestling Federation, later becoming the WWE.
“It goes a long way to say what a Canadian can do and especially what a Winnipegger can do… not just in wrestling but in Hollywood,” said Matt Lothian of the Manitoba Association of Celtic Sports, who grew up watching Piper on television with his friends.
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“He had a dream and that dream came true because he worked at it,” said Condello.
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