Mike Penner (Christine Daniels)

Mike Penner aka Christine Daniels, a longtime Los Angeles Times sportswriter has died. Mike Penner was 52 years old at the time of his death. In 2007, Mike Penner made headlines after he announced that he was transsexual. According to a Los Angeles County coroner’s official, on Friday evening Penner was pronounced dead at Brotman Medical Center in Culver City. According to reports, the cause of his death is not clear but some sources suggest that Penner committed suicide.

Mike Penner was considered as a first-rate journalist and he had covered a variety of assignments including the Olympics, the Angels, World Cup soccer, tennis, sports media etc.

Times Editor Russ Stanton said:

“Mike was a first-rate journalist, a valued member of our staff for 25 years, and we will miss him,”

Stanton added:

“He respected our readers a great deal, enough to share with them his very personal journey. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Admiring Penner’s abilities, sports editor Mike James said:

“Mike was one of the most talented writers I’ve ever worked with, capable of reporting on any number of topics with great wit and style,”

James said:

“This is a tragic ending and a difficult time for all of us who knew him.”

He announced that he was “a transsexual sportswriter” with an essay in The Times’ Sports section on April 21st, 2007, and surprised readers and colleagues. On his transgender decision, Penner wrote in the essay:

“I gave it as good a fight as I possibly could. I went more than 40 hard rounds with it. Eventually, though, you realize you are only fighting yourself and your happiness and your mental health — a no-win situation any way you look at it.”