Cultural icon Hulk Hogan died on July 24 at age 71. Forty years ago, he wrestled for a world title in Peoria. I was there.

At the time Junkyard Dog got an offer to join the WWF and he was contemplating his options in the bathroom. While in there both Bill Watts and Grizzly Smith talked about it.

In 2004, Junkyard Dog was posthumously given the biggest bone of all when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame alongside 10 of his contemporaries — including WWE rivals Valentine and Race.

The WWF had its first Dog Collar Match three years later when The Junkyard Dog defeated The Magnificent Muraco on an episode of WWF on PRISM Network in Philadelphia in July 1986. Other promotions ...