Bert Shepard

Bert Robert Shepard

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 185 lb.

• Debut August 4, 1945
• Final Game August 4, 1945
• Born June 28, 1920 in Dana, IN USA
• Died June 16, 2008 in Highland, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Bert Shepard's one shot at major league glory came after he was shot down over Europe during World War II, losing a leg in the process, and spending time as a POW. Shepard entered the Air Force in May 1942, and was shot down over Germany on May 21, 1944, on his 34th mission with the 55th Fighter Group. He retired from the Air Corps in April 1945.

After pitching in one major league game for the Washington Senators in 1945, he was a Senators coach the following season. He later went on to be a player/manager in the minors. He was a key participant on the National Amps baseball teams of former servicemen with amputations secondary to war injuries.

In 1949 he was managing the Waterbury Timers, when on August 2nd he was released due to the team being unable to pay his salary. The players on the team voted whether to strike in protest, but the vote was 9-6 against the strike. [1] The players then raised money, primarily from local merchants to pay the manager's salary for the rest of the season. [2] He returned to the team on August 11th. [3] In 1952 Shepard was fired as manager of the St. Augustine Saints with a 2-13 record. Both victories occurred while Shepard was on the mound.

Further Reading

• Richard Tellis: Once Around The Bases, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 1998, pp. 107-120.

Related Sites

• Bert Shepard at the SABR Bio Project