Wikipedia

Thomas D. Shepherd

Thomas Dudley Shepherd[a] (August 2, 1889 – October 5, 1954) was an American college football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts (now the University of New Hampshire) in 1914, Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas in 1915, and Trinity College of in Hartford, Connecticut in 1919, compiling a career coaching record of 8–13–2.

Thomas D. Shepherd
Shepherd in the 1912 edition of The Prism, Maine yearbook
Biographical details
Born(1889-08-02)August 2, 1889[1]
Belmont, Massachusetts, U.S.[2]
DiedOctober 5, 1954(1954-10-05) (aged 65)
Elmira, New York, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Maine[3]
Playing career
1908[4]Wesleyan
1910–1912[5]Maine
Position(s)Fullback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1914New Hampshire
1915Baker
1919Trinity (CT)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1915Baker
Head coaching record
Overall8–13–2
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 KCAC (1915)

Biography

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Shepherd in 1911

Shepherd graduated from Wellesley High School in Massachusetts, and initially attended Wesleyan College in Connecticut, where he was a member of their 1908 football team,[4] then entered the University of Maine in his sophomore year.[6] He played football for Maine from 1910 to 1912,[5] where he was noted "because of his punting, field goals and aggressiveness as a back."[7] In an October 1910 game, he successfully kicked four field goals, which was notable in that era.[4] A fullback, he was captain of the 1912 team.[8] He also competed in track and field for Maine, in the hammer throw and shot put.[7] He was a member of Psi Upsilon fraternity.[9]

Shepherd served as head coach of the New Hampshire football team at New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts in Durham, New Hampshire,[b] in 1914, where he compiled a 1–6–2 record.[10] In 1915, he was appointed head football coach, director of gymnasium, and manager of athletics at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas.[11] In 1916, Shepherd was athletic director at Maine Central Institute, a private boarding school.[12] He coached the 1919 football team of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, taking over during the season following the resignation of his predecessor.[13] He led the team to a 2–4 record.[14] He was also athletic director and football coach at Manlius Academy (now Manlius Pebble Hill School) near Syracuse, New York.[15]

Shepherd had three brothers,[16] was married, and had one son.[17][18] During World War I, he served in the United States Navy.[9] He moved to Elmira, New York, in November 1937, where he worked as an insurance agent until his death.[9] He died in Elmira in October 1954, of a heart attack at age 65.[19][17]

Head coaching record

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Shepherd is listed in the New Hampshire media guide as T.D. Sheppard,[10] and in the Trinity media guide as T. Shepard.[14] In the Maine media guide, he appears in the list of all-time lettermen as Thomas D. Shepard.[5]

 
Signature on draft registration card of 1917, Thomas D. Shepherd
Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
New Hampshire (Independent) (1914)
1914 New Hampshire 1–6–2
New Hampshire: 1–6–2
Baker Wildcats (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (1915)
1915 Baker 5–3 4–0 T–1st
Baker: 5–3 4–0
Trinity Bantams (Independent) (1919)
1919 Trinity 2–4
Trinity: 2–4
Total: 8–13–2
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

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  1. ^ His surname appears as Shepard, Sheppard, or Shepherd in various sources; he wrote his surname as Shepherd on his draft registration cards.
  2. ^ The school became the University of New Hampshire in 1923 and adopted the Wildcats nickname in 1926.

References

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  1. ^ "WWI Draft Registration Card". June 1917. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via fold3.com. Thomas D. Shepherd
  2. ^ "WWII Draft Registration Card". April 1942. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via fold3.com. Thomas Dudley Shepherd
  3. ^ "New Hampshire Schedule". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. September 21, 1914. p. 2. Retrieved April 28, 2020 – via newspapers.com. Coach Sheppard
  4. ^ a b c "Four Field Goals by Shepherd". The Boston Globe. October 23, 1910. p. 15. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com. Thomas D. Shepherd
  5. ^ a b c "2019 Maine Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Maine. 2019. p. 96. Retrieved April 28, 2020 – via goblackbears.com. Shepard, Thomas D.
  6. ^ The Prism. University of Maine. 1913. p. 51. Retrieved April 29, 2020 – via umaine.edu. Thomas Dudley Shepard
  7. ^ a b "Boston Boys Helped Maine Win State Football Title". The Boston Globe. November 14, 1911. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com. Thomas D. Shepard
  8. ^ "Captains of 1912 Football Elevens". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. December 18, 1911. p. 6. Retrieved April 29, 2020 – via newspapers.com. T. D. Shepard
  9. ^ a b c "Thomas Shepherd, Hospital Insurance Aide, Dies at 65". Elmira Advertiser. Elmira, New York. October 5, 1954. p. 14. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b "2017 New Hampshire Media Guide". University of New Hampshire. 2017. p. 66. Retrieved April 26, 2020. T.D. Sheppard
  11. ^ "Baker's New Coach". The Baker Orange. Baldwin City, Kansas. September 18, 1915. p. 1. Retrieved October 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  12. ^ "Football Notes". The Boston Globe. October 4, 1916. p. 5. Retrieved April 29, 2020 – via newspapers.com. Thomas Shepard
  13. ^ "Shepherd, Old Maine Star, New Coach at Trinity". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. October 24, 1919. p. 14. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b "2016 Trinity Football Media Guide" (PDF). Trinity College. 2016. p. 6. Retrieved January 11, 2018. T. Shepard
  15. ^ "Ex-Grid Star Dies". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. Associated Press. October 5, 1954. p. 17. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com. Thomas D. Shepherd
  16. ^ "Funeral in Wellesley for Sumner W. Sheppard". The Boston Globe. December 23, 1926. p. 5. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b "Thomas D. Shepherd". Star-Gazette. Elmira, New York. October 5, 1954. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Ruth Adams Married To Divinity Student, Richard G. Shepherd". The Bridgeport Post. Bridgeport, Connecticut. September 4, 1955. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Ex-Maine Football Star and Coach Dies". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. October 5, 1954. p. 46. Retrieved May 3, 2020 – via newspapers.com. Thomas D. Shepherd
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