Charlie Shepard

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (1933–2009)}}

{{Distinguish|Charlie Shepherd}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography

| name = Charlie Shepard

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = July 11, 1933

| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.

| death_date ={{Death date and age|2009|7|23|1933|7|11}}

| death_place = Plano, Texas, U.S.

| team =

| number = 21

| status =

| position1 = Running Back

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 2

| weight_lbs = 215

| college = North Texas State

| NFLDraftedYear = 1955

| NFLDraftedRound = 18

| NFLDraftedPick = 208

| NFLDraftedTeam = Baltimore Colts

| playing_years1 = 1956

| playing_team1 = Pittsburgh Steelers

| playing_years2 = 1957–62

| playing_team2 = Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| career_highlights =

• 4× Grey Cup champion (1958, 1959, 1960, 1961)
• Inaugural Grey Cup MVP (1959)

| CFLWestAllStar = 1959

| awards =

| honours =

| DatabaseFootball = SHEPACHA01

}}

Charles LaFayette Shepard Jr. (July 11, 1933 – June 23, 2009) was an American all-star and Grey Cup champion running back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1957 to 1962.[http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/s/shepard_charlie.htm CFLAPEDIA entry: Charlie Shepard]

A graduate of North Texas State University, Shepard played with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1956, rushing for 91 yards in 12 games.[http://www.nfl.com/player/charlieshepard/2525467/profile NFL: Charlie Shepard] He next joined the Blue Bombers in 1957 for an all-star 6-year stay. He would play in the Grey Cup championship game 5 of those years, winning 4 times. His best season was 1959, when he rushed for 1076 yards, was an all-star and was Grey Cup Most Valuable Player.[http://www.bluebombers.com/page/history Winnipeg Blue Bombers History] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018004259/http://www.bluebombers.com/page/history |date=October 18, 2011 }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.bluebombers.com/article/grey_cup_moments__1959 |title=Winnipeg Blue Bombers Grey Cup Moments: 1959 |access-date=2012-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120175759/http://bluebombers.com/article/grey_cup_moments__1959 |archive-date=2010-11-20 |url-status=dead }} He rushed for 3768 yards with the Bombers and was an excellent punter, never averaging less than 43.1 yards per punt in a season.{{cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/players/shep00400.html|title=Charlie Shepard NFL CFL Stats and Bio|website=profootballarchives.com|access-date=July 12, 2023}}

He has since been inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame, in 1992,[http://www.bluebombers.com/page/wfc_hall_of_fame Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104005012/http://bluebombers.com/page/wfc_hall_of_fame |date=2010-01-04 }} and the North Texas State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.{{Cite web |url=https://admin.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=661276 |title=North Texas State University Athletic Hall of Fame 2005 |access-date=2012-05-06 |archive-date=2013-06-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602072315/https://admin.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=1800&ATCLID=661276 |url-status=dead }} Charlie Shepard died July 23, 2009, age 76.[http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Former-Bomber-Charlie-Shepard-dies-49139592.html Former Bomber Charlie Shepard dies]