Birthplace: Rayville, Louisiana Ernie Ladd went from being an All-Pro football player for the San Diego Chargers to being an incredibly successful draw in the 1970's as one of the first black wrestlers to portray a heel. He saw success in the WWWF, but he might be most known for his time in Mid-South, where he would help to groom The Junkyard Dog into being one of the company's top talents. He's a member of the Grambling State University Hall Of Fame, the San Diego Chargers Hall Of Fame, as well as the WWE Hall Of Fame. That really shows you how naturally gifted an athlete Ladd was.