Guest CM Punk Report post Posted October 19, 2006 Former WWE Superstar Thomas Spear, professionally known as Corporal Kirchner, passed away of natural causes Sunday in his home in White Marsh, Md. He is survived by his two sons, daughter and step-daughter, as well as two grandchildren. A Vietnam veteran, Kirchner is known for defending his country in the ring as well as out. He is not only revered as one of sports-entertainment’s toughest competitors, but also one of its greatest patriots. In the early 1980s, Kirchner was a close protégé of another patriot, former WWE Champion and Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter. Perhaps one of Kirchner’s most celebrated victories took place at WrestleMania 2 where he defeated WWE Hall of Famer Nikolai Volkoff in a Flag Match. See Kirchner in action in the Flag Match from WrestleMania 2. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snuffbox 0 Report post Posted October 19, 2006 That sugarcoated obit left something out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UseTheSledgehammerUh 0 Report post Posted October 19, 2006 Thomas Spear was a professional wrestler. Early in his career he was known as Corporal Kirchner and is known in North America for his brief feud with Nikolai Volkoff in the WWF in 1986. He was considered one of the toughest men in the WWF at the time and his career suffered because many wrestlers were afraid to to work with him. He was terminated by the WWF and allegedly assaulted Vince McMahon in the process. He then made a successful wrestling career for himself in Japan. He sought out a wrestling career in Japan, using the Super Leather and Leatherface gimmicks. His career in Japan was as the masked Leatherface, utilising the mask and character of the villain of the movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He originally wrestled for Atsushi Onita's FMW promotion and was considered by many to be the toughest hardcore wrestler in FMW. He was put into jail for six months following an attempted assault by a fan, which left the fan with severe facial injuries. During his brief time in jail, the Leatherface character which Kirschner created was given to another wrestler, Rick Patterson, who eventually left FMW and went to IWA. During his stint in IWA, Kirschner was released from prison, and during a subsequent Leatherface (Patterson) match in IWA, the original Leatherface (Kirschner) appeared in the crowd. This set up the team of the Leatherfaces, which lasted only one match and was intended as a transition of the character away from Patterson. The match was a Bed of Nails match (and was part of the 1995 King of the Deathmatch tournament in Japan) against two popular wrestlers, Shoji Nakamaki and Hiroshi Ono. In a match that would become legendary among hardcore wrestling fans, Kirschner ripped off a piece of the bed of nails and placed it on Ono's throat, before performing a leg-drop. He then powerbombed Ono onto the bed of nails. Kirschner afterward left the promotion. After his departure, the promotion claimed that he was fired in an attempt to salvage Ono's destroyed reputation. In 2005, ECWA Super 8 Tournament Finalist Andrew Ryker said Kirschner was his inspiration for getting into the wrestling business. Kirschner died on Sunday, October 15 2006 of natural causes at his home in White Marsh, Maryland. He is survived by his two sons, daughter and step-daughter, as well as two grandchildren. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted October 19, 2006 Well, let's just say I'm not that sad to see him go, and leave it at that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dubq 0 Report post Posted October 19, 2006 Shit, I always forget that he was Leatherface/Super Leather overseas. What a fucking crazy contrast in gimmicks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spman 0 Report post Posted October 19, 2006 Does anyone know or remember the exact details behind the story of him assaulting Vince and getting fired? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted October 19, 2006 Cpl. Kirschner was essentially a Sgt. Slaughter rip-off that they brought in after Slaughter left. He couldn't wrestle worth a damn and didn't get over at all. Vince let him go, citing that his work was subpar, and he beat the shit out of him. He was blackballed from working in the United States again, hence his move to Japan and adoption of the Leatherface gimmick. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruiser Chong 0 Report post Posted October 19, 2006 Natural causes? He wasn't that old, was he? Anyway, didn't know much of him other than his brief run with the WWF and the tidbits about what an ass he was. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dobbs 3K 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Didn't Leatherface and Cactus Jack team up in IWA for at least one match, IIRC? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasbeen1 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Never met him. If he served and was honorably discharged, he should get some respect for that at least. He'd have made a good modern heel, a badass military man, but that wasn't going to happen in the Hogan/cartoon era WWF. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toshiaki Koala 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Cpl. Kirschner was essentially a Sgt. Slaughter rip-off that they brought in after Slaughter left. He couldn't wrestle worth a damn and didn't get over at all. Vince let him go, citing that his work was subpar, and he beat the shit out of him. He was blackballed from working in the United States again, hence his move to Japan and adoption of the Leatherface gimmick. Good for him. Vince is a scumbag. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Masked Man of Mystery 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2006 RIP....he seemed awful young, though, what defines "natural causes"? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spman 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2006 RIP....he seemed awful young, though, what defines "natural causes"? "Natuaral Causes" almost always means that the guy died of some humiliating condition and the family just wants to save face. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheech Tremendous 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Cpl. Kirschner was essentially a Sgt. Slaughter rip-off that they brought in after Slaughter left. He couldn't wrestle worth a damn and didn't get over at all. Vince let him go, citing that his work was subpar, and he beat the shit out of him. He was blackballed from working in the United States again, hence his move to Japan and adoption of the Leatherface gimmick. Good for him. Vince is a scumbag. Yes, because we all know that assualting your jerk boss because you weren't any good at your job is a reasonable thing to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted October 20, 2006 Never met him. If he served and was honorably discharged, he should get some respect for that at least. He'd have made a good modern heel, a badass military man, but that wasn't going to happen in the Hogan/cartoon era WWF. Wasn't this the basis of Sgt. Slaughter's original gimmick? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enigma 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2006 HE'S NOT DEAD! http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2006/10/21/2087452.html Looks like WWE.Com fucked up huge. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2006 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." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Slayer 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2006 I'm gonna have to break out that line should I ever be prematurely eulogized Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfdogg 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2006 haha. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasbeen1 0 Report post Posted October 21, 2006 Never met him. If he served and was honorably discharged, he should get some respect for that at least. He'd have made a good modern heel, a badass military man, but that wasn't going to happen in the Hogan/cartoon era WWF. Wasn't this the basis of Sgt. Slaughter's original gimmick? Yes but he turned face to go against Iron Sheik just as Hogan was winning the belt, and as soon as that was done he was out-even if it was due to his own actions. I don't think it would have fit for a few more years, his original gimmick, not the Iraqi thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jericholic82 0 Report post Posted October 23, 2006 i knew somehting was up cuz mick foley refered to him in his book as Mike Kirschner, not Thomas Spear stupid wwe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Super Leather Report post Posted October 23, 2006 "Yeah, I'm dead, but for you I'll answer the phone." That's amazing. I used to have the Wrestling Superstars Corporal Kirschner action figure. This was also after he was no longer appearing on WWF TV, as a jobber or otherwise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UseTheSledgehammerUh 0 Report post Posted October 24, 2006 Oh Corporal Man My Hero Now At His End Ha He Did Not Die Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
