Courier Sports Writer

WATERLOO -- It was an entrance fit for a king.

There were four bagpipers in full regalia, three drummers and Roddy Piper in a kilt.

The entourage circled the ring in a slow procession.

Piper was 15, living out of a youth hostel and getting paid $25 to make his professional wrestling debut against Larry "The Axe" Hennig in Winnepeg, Canada.

Piper lasted all of 10 seconds against Hennig that night, but the promoter loved him so much he signed him on as what is known as a "jobber" in professional wrestling. Little did Piper and the unnamed promoter know it was the start of a Hall of Fame career that has now spanned four decades.

Saturday, Piper headlines the 2008 class of inductees into the Dan Gable International Wrestling Musuem and Institute George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The event is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. and will take place at the Five Sullivan Brothers Center rather than the museum, which was heavily damaged by the recent floods.

"Larry was less than amused," Piper described. "He pinned me in 10 seconds, still a world record, and broke my nose.

"But the promoter liked me so much he had to sign me and take me on to Kansas City with him where his next show was. They wrapped me up in a bunch of blankets and when we got to the border, he told the guards it was just his son sleeping."

That match and flight to America came in 1970.

From there Piper went on to such places as Minneapolis, Quebec, Winnepeg, Amarillo, Dallas, Charlotte, Atlanta, Japan, Portland and many other destinations.

He earned a black belt from legendary stuntman "Judo" Gene LeBell, the trainer of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. And by the mid-1980s and early '90s, Piper had become a full-fledged superstar in professional wrestling.

He won 38 world championships and more than 7,000 professional matches. Piper also became known for his "Piper's Pit," an interview segement of each show when he interviewed one of the stars and eventually got into an altercation with said his guest.

Piper also strayed into the entertainment business where he has starred in more than 20 movies and television shows.

Now in his 50s, a cancer survivor, father of four and a grandfather, Piper, who lives in Hillsboro, Ore., has a new outlook on life.

He also feels fortunate to be getting inducted into Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame and following in the footsteps of some of the all-time greats, such as Hennig.

"I don't feel like I'm getting rewarded this weekend," Piper said. "I feel like I'm paying homage and honoring the people who gave me life. The men who proceeded me into this Hall of Fame … they're better than me.

"They made me tough. We're a band of brothers, but in many ways these guys were like fathers to me."

Piper is looking forward to this weekend's festivities. He was scheduled to have dinner Thursday with friend and 2006 Hall of Fame Inductee Bret "The Hitman" Hart, who will accept his father's Hall of Fame award Saturday.

"This makes it extra special with Bret and some of the other greats who are going to be here," Piper said. "I don't have a speech prepared and have no idea what I'm going to say, but obviously everybody knows I have no trouble finding words to speak."

The six inductees this year are Piper, Abe Jacobs, Japanese Masa Saito, Leo Nomellini, Ray Gunkel and Stu Hart.

Piper, Jacobs and Saito and Brett Hart are attending. The daughter of Ray Gunkel is also planning to attend.

In addition, Wendi Weaver, the daughter of Penny Banner, will accept the Frank Gotch Award on behalf of her mother, who passed away last month. Also being honored are Father Jason Sanderson with the Lou Thesz Award and writers Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson with the Jim Melby Award.

Fans will be able to get autographs of many Hall of Famers at today's Fan Festival, which follows the inductions at 11 a.m. Price of admission for the 11 a.m. inductions is $10 per person.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com