View source for Mel Sheppard

{{Short description|American athlete}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{MedalTableTop|Mel Sheppard.jpg|Sheppard in a studio portrait}}
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Athletics (sport)|athletics]]}}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1908 Summer Olympics|1908 London]] | [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800 metres]]}}
{{MedalGold| 1908 London | [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 metres]]}}
{{MedalGold| 1908 London | [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's medley relay|Medley relay]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1912 Summer Olympics|1912 Stockholm]] | [[Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 400 metres relay|4 × 400 metres relay]]}}
{{MedalSilver| 1912 Stockholm | [[Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800 metres]]}}
{{MedalBottom}}

'''Melvin Whinfield "Peerless Mel" Sheppard''' (September 5, 1883 – January 4, 1942) was an American athlete, member of the [[Irish American Athletic Club]], and winner of four gold medals and one silver medal at the [[1908 Summer Olympics]] and [[1912 Summer Olympics]]. Along with [[Henry Taylor (swimmer)|Henry Taylor]] of the United Kingdom, he was the most successful athlete at the 1908 Olympics.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79030 |title=Mel Sheppard |work=Olympedia |access-date=March 6, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sh/mel-sheppard-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417052038/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sh/mel-sheppard-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-17 |title=Mel Sheppard}}</ref>

==Early life==
Born in the [[Almonesson, New Jersey|Almonesson]] section of [[Deptford Township, New Jersey]], Sheppard moved from Almonesson to [[Clayton, New Jersey]] at age nine, where he worked in a glass factory before moving to [[Haddonfield, New Jersey]] and then the [[Grays Ferry, Philadelphia|Grays Ferry]] neighborhood of [[Philadelphia]] in his mid-teens.<ref name="philly">Anastasia, Phil. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054815/http://articles.philly.com/2008-07-14/sports/25245497_1_4x400-century-olympics "A champion to remember Mel Sheppard won the first of his 4 Olympic golds 100 years ago."], ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', July 14, 2008, backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of March 4, 2016. Accessed October 22, 2016. "Sheppard was born in 1883 in Almonesson, a section of Deptford Township in Gloucester County. He lived there, in a twin house, for the first nine years of his life.... At age 9, Sheppard moved with his family to Clayton, and got a job 'rolling jars' in a glass factory for $9 a month. His family moved to Haddonfield a few years later, then to the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia when Sheppard was about 15."</ref>

===Track career===
Sheppard, or "Peerless Mel" as he was nicknamed, was rejected by the [[New York City Police Department|New York Police]] because he had a slightly enlarged heart. Cardiopulmonary problems notwithstanding, Sheppard won three consecutive [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] titles in the 880 yards (805 m) from 1906 to 1908 and became a main favorite for the [[Middle distance track event|middle distance]] events at the 1908 Summer Olympics in [[London]]. By late 1907, Sheppard held world indoor records for 600 yards, 880 yards, 1000 yards, and the mile.<ref name=Heidenstrom>Heidenstrom, P. (1992) ''Athletes of the Century.'' Wellington: GP Publications. {{ISBN|1-86956-044-2}}</ref>

During the indoor season of 1907–08, Sheppard raced Guy Haskins<ref>from [[New Zealand]] at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] three times and losing each. At a fourth meeting, Haskins ran a handicap race in a time well under Sheppard's record but Sheppard ran a relay instead. ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote, "Haskins is the greatest distance runner in America". See Heidenstrom, 1992. p. 28.</ref> In the first, he was beaten. In the second, about to be beaten again, he threw Haskins to the floor with a [[flying mare]], which he also did to another runner, Adam O'Shea, in the [[Millrose Games]] in which he was disqualified. In the third, he walked off the track as he was about to be beaten again.<ref name=Heidenstrom/> By May the ''New York Times'' reported that Haskins, "unquestionably the best half-mile and mile performer in the country", had been refused selection for the United States team to the 1908 Olympics for which he had been trying.<ref name=Heidenstrom/> He was not selected for the [[Australasia at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Australasian]] team either, largely for financial reasons.<ref name=Heidenstrom/>

==1908 Olympic Games==
[[Image:Sheppard defeats Wilson in 1500m.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Sheppard narrowly defeating [[Harold A. Wilson (athlete)|Harold A. Wilson]] in the [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 1500 metres|1500 metres]] race in the 1908 Olympic Games]]
[[Image:Melvin W. Sheppard 1910 Olympic Mecca card front.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|1910 Mecca Cigarette trading card]]
[[Image:Melvin W. Sheppard 1910 Mecca card front2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Sheppard wearing the Winged Fist of the Irish American Athletic Club]]
The 1908 Olympics were the first true championships for the 1500 metres. In the finals, only the winner of each of the eight heats would qualify for the final, and there was no seeding to ensure that top runners were separated in their heats. Top runners like [[1904 Summer Olympics|1904]], [[1906 Summer Olympics|1906 Olympic]] champion [[James Lightbody]], [[John Halstead]], second-fastest in history in the event, and three-time [[Amateur Athletic Association|AAA]] champion [[George Butterfield (athlete)|George Butterfield]] all failed to advance.

Sheppard won the 1500 metres, setting an Olympic record at 4:05.0 in the first round that fell in the very next heat, when [[Norman Hallows]] ran a 4:03.6. Sheppard matched Hallows' time in the final the next day to win the first running gold medal awarded at the 1908 Games.

In the [[Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metres|800 metres]], Sheppard won his first round with a time of 1:58.0; [[James Lintott]] remained close throughout the race and threatened to eliminate Sheppard from the competition. Sheppard ran the first 400 metres of the 800 metres final in 53 seconds and went on to win in the world record time of 1.52.8.

He earned his third gold medal on the medley [[relay race]]. He was the final runner on the American team, running half of the 1600 metre race. He was passed the baton by fellow Irish American Athletic Club member [[John Baxter Taylor, Jr.]], who would become the first [[African American]] to win an Olympic gold medal. Even without being in as good of form as he had been in the individual races, Sheppard had little trouble retaining the leads giving to him teammates [[William Hamilton (athlete)|William Hamilton]], [[Nathaniel Cartmell|Nate Cartmell]], and [[John Taylor (relay runner)|John Taylor]]. The team won both the first round and final in times of 3:27.2 and 3:29.4. Sheppard's 800 metre split for the final was 1:55.4.

==One-Mile Relay world record==
At the [[Amateur Athletic Union]] metropolitan championships held at [[Travers Island]] in 1909, Sheppard was part of the Irish American Athletic Club's four-man relay team that broke the world's record for the one mile relay with a time of 3 minutes 20 2/5 seconds. The other three men on the record breaking team were: C.S. Cassara, [[William Robbins (athlete)|William Robbins]], and [[James Rosenberger]].<ref>"Mile Relay Record at Travers Island." ''New York Times'', September 26, 1909.</ref> His 1910 trading card called him "undoubtedly the greatest mid-distance runner the world has ever seen."<ref>[http://www.wingedfist.com/sheppard2.html 1910 Mecca Cigarettes Champion Athlete and Prize Fighter Series trading card.]</ref>

==1912 Olympic Games==
[[File:Shepard 2163716796 8037c683fd o.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Sheppard in [[1912 Summer Olympics]] in Stockholm]]
After winning Amateur Athletic Union titles at {{convert|880|yd}} in 1911 and 1912, Sheppard was a favorite to defend his Olympic 800 metres title at the [[1912 Summer Olympics]] in [[Stockholm]]. At Stockholm, he tried the same tactics as in [[London]], but after an opening lap of 52.4 he was overtaken by teammate [[Ted Meredith]], who set a new world record of 1.51.9. Sheppard won his fourth gold medal as lead-off runner on the 4 × 400 metre relay team that set a world record of 3:16.6.

==Post-competition career==
Sheppard was a member of the [[New Jersey National Guard]] and the [[69th Infantry Regiment (New York)|69th Regiment]]. During [[World War I]], he served as an athletic director at a number of military training camps. After the war, he coached for a number of amateur athletic clubs. Sheppard worked for [[John Wanamaker]] and was the recreational director for the Millrose Athletic Association, which was formed by [[Wanamaker's]] employees.<ref name=obitnyt>{{cite news |title=Melvin Sheppard, 57, Olympic Star. He Was Rejected as a Police Candidate Shortly Before Setting Olympic Mark |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1942/01/04/archives/melvin-sheppard-57-0lympij-star-1908-track-champion-dies-at-home-in.html |work=[[New York Times]] |date=January 4, 1942 |access-date=July 12, 2010}}</ref> Sheppard coached the U.S. women's track and field team at the [[1928 Summer Olympics]] in [[Amsterdam]].<ref name="philly"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://library.la84.org/6oic/USOC_Reports/1928/USOCReport1928.pdf |title=Report of the American Olympic Committee: Ninth Olympic Games Amsterdam, 1928; Second Olympic Winter Sports St. Moritz, 1928 |publisher=[[American Olympic Committee]]/[[LA84 Foundation]] |year=1928}}</ref>{{rp|154}}

==Death==
Sheppard died at his home in [[Bayside, Queens]] in [[New York City]].<ref name=obitap>{{cite news |title=Mel Sheppard Dies Suddenly |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ttkOAAAAIBAJ&pg=2764,6460110&dq=mel+sheppard&hl=en |quote=Mel Sheppard, the first American to win both the 800-metre and the Olympic titles, died un expectedly at his home here today, he was 68 years old. ... |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |date=January 5, 1942 |access-date=July 12, 2010}}</ref> He was interred in New Camden Cemetery in [[Camden, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rites in Bayside for the Noted Middle-Distance Runner |agency=[[Associated Press]] |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 5, 1942}}</ref> His ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' obituary cites "acute indigestion" as the cause of death. He was survived by his wife Estelle (née) Symon, his daughter Adelaide Kohler of [[Wildwood, New Jersey]] and his son Melvin Sheppard Jr., who was on [[Princeton University]]'s track and cross country teams in 1932.<ref name=obitnyt/>

==Legacy==
While it is claimed that "after retiring from sports Sheppard became a lawyer (he was one of the defenders of the [[Lindbergh kidnapping|Lindbergh child kidnapper]] [[Bruno Hauptmann]])," this is an Internet myth. The lead attorney for Bruno Hauptmann was a Edward J. Reilly. "The Trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann," by Sidney B. Whipple, originally published by Doubleday, Doran & Co., NY, 1937, makes no mention of Sheppard. Whipple lists the defense team present for the first day of trial as "Mr. Reilly, Mr. Fisher, Mr. Pope, Mr. Rosecrans." There is no evidence that Sheppard ever practiced law, or had anything to do with the [[Lindbergh kidnapping|Lindbergh child kidnapper]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Trial of the Century |url=https://forum.trackandfieldnews.com/forum/historical/17609-trial-of-the-century?p=364658#post364658 |website=Track & Field News - Forum - Historical | date=April 6, 2006 |publisher=[[Track & Field News]] |access-date=September 29, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |author=Cook, Theodore Andrea |title=The Fourth Olympiad London 1908 Official Report |publisher=[[British Olympic Association]] |location=London |date=May 1909 |url=http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf |access-date=2008-12-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222443/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-27}}
* {{cite web |last=De Wael |first=Herman |year=2001 |url=http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/olymp/ath1908.html |title=Athletics 1908 |work=Herman's Full Olympians |access-date=2006-07-27}}
* {{cite book |last=Greenberg |first=Stan |year=1987 |title=Olympic Games: The Records |publisher=Guinness Books |location=London |isbn=0-85112-896-3 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/olympicgamesreco00gree}}
* {{cite book |last=Kieran |first=John |year=1977 |title=The Story of the Olympic Games; 776 B.C. to 1976 |publisher=J.B. Lippincott Company |location=Philadelphia and New York |isbn=0-397-01168-7 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/storyofolympicga0000kier_j1r1}}
*Nelson, Cordner and Quercetani, Roberto (1985) ''The Milers'', Tafnews Press, {{ISBN|0-911521-15-1}}
* {{cite web |last=Wudarski |first=Pawel |year=1999 |url=http://olympic.w.interia.pl/ |title=Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich |access-date=2006-07-27 |language=pl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216130930/http://olympic.w.interia.pl/ |archive-date=February 16, 2009}}

==External links==
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{Team USA Hall of Fame|new_id=mel-sheppard}}
* {{Find a Grave|28899427}}
* [http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/aia/primarydocs/iaac/iaac01.htm Archives of Irish America - NYU]
* [http://www.wingedfist.org Winged Fist Organization]

{{Footer Olympic Champions 800 m Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 1500 m Men}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 4x400 m Men|1912}}
{{Footer US NC 800m Men}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor 800m Men}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor 600y Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1928 Summer Olympics}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheppard, Mel}}
[[Category:1883 births]]
[[Category:1942 deaths]]
[[Category:American men middle-distance runners]]
[[Category:American men sprinters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:New Jersey National Guard personnel]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:People from Bayside, Queens]]
[[Category:People from Clayton, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Deptford Township, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Haddonfield, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Camden, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Camden County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:United States Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:World record setters in the sport of athletics]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]