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Mike Penzel, who performed as Cpl. Kirchner in the WWF and Super Leather in Japan, passed away yesterday following a heart attack at his home in North Carolina, it was reported by FMW archivist BahuFMW:
Mike Penzel also known as Leatherface/Super Leather/Cpl. Kirchner passed away from a heart attack today. His wife tried to save him, but couldn’t.
— Bret (@BAHUFMW) December 23, 2021
After a run in the military as a paratrooper, Penzel was working as a bouncer when he met Hulk Hogan, who introduced him to Verne Gage. Gagne trained him to wrestle. After making some appearances as an enhancement talent, Penzel had a short run in WWF from 1985 to 1987 as Cpl. Kirchner, replacing Sgt. Slaughter as a patriotic character for the company.
Penzel exited the WWF in 1987 and later had a long run in Japan for different companies, including W*ING, FMW and IWA, working under a mask as Leatherface (and also billed as Super Leather), including a run as the FMW Brass Knuckles Champion.
Penzel's mother, Genevieve O'Callaghan wrote a fictional book Corporal Punishment, inspired by events in Kirchner's career.
In an odd story, WWE announced Kirchner's passing back in 2006 in error when they were informed of his passing, only to remove the announcement when Penzel's mother reached out to the company to inform them they were incorrect about the identity of the person they identified as performing as Kirchner.
Penzel, at the time working as as a truck driver, said the announcement was a shock to him, telling Slam! Wrestling, "Even back in the day, I'm thinking, 'Tom Spear, Tom Spear.' I don't recall the name Tom Spear. Them publishing my death is beyond me because I had calls from my family that notified me, asking me about it. I have no idea where this came from. This was a shocker to me. I haven't even been sick lately. It's pretty bizarre seeing your own eulogy sometimes, or hearing about. People called me all day yesterday. 'Are you alright?' I'd say, 'If I wasn't, then how could I answer the phone? What, I'm going to resurrect for you? Yeah, I'm dead but for you, I'll answer the phone.' It's pretty about that. I don't know where the story even came from."
The entire situation led to a resurgence of interest in Penzel, who began making convention appearances and returned to the ring for Juggalo Championship Wrestling as Super Leather. He last wrestled in 2009.
Penzel's Memorial Page can be found at this link.
On behalf of everyone at PWInsider.com, I'd like to express our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Penzel.
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