Paul Shorten
{{short description|American football wide receiver (born 1963)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox gridiron football person
|name=Paul Shorten
|image=
|import=no
|position1=Wide receiver
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1963|1|23}}
|birth_place=Toronto, Ontario, Canada
|CIS=Toronto
|high_school=
|height_ft=5
|height_in=10
|weight_lbs=170
|CFLDraftedYear=1987
|CFLDraftedRound=2
|CFLDraftedPick=18
|CFLDraftedTeam=BC Lions
|playing_years1={{CFL Year|1987}}
|playing_team1=BC Lions*
|playing_years2={{CFL Year|1987|1988}}
|playing_team2=Toronto Argonauts*
|playing_years3={{CFL Year|1988|1989}}
|playing_team3=Winnipeg Blue Bombers
|career_footnotes=
|career_highlights=
- Grey Cup champion (1988)
- All-Canadian (1986)
- CIAU receiving yards leader (1986)
}}
Paul Shorten (born January 23, 1963) is a Canadian former professional football wide receiver who played one season with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was selected by the BC Lions in the second round of the 1987 CFL draft. He played college football at the University of Toronto.
Biography
Paul Shorten was born on January 23, 1963, in Toronto, Ontario.
=University of Toronto (first stint)=
Shorten attended the University of Toronto, and played college football for the Toronto Varsity Blues of the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union (CIAU) as a slotback.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/168385404/ | title=U of T slotback named to All-Stars | work=The Toronto Star | date=November 22, 1986 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Hunter, Paul | pages=D6}} He caught 33 passes for a CIAU-leading 676 yards during the 1986 season, earning All-Canadian honors.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/168378163/ | title=Blues star sidelined in dispute | work=The Toronto Star | date=September 2, 1987 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Hunter, Paul | pages=H8}}
=BC Lions=
Shorten was selected by the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in the second round, with the 18th overall pick, of the 1987 CFL draft. He officially signed with the team on May 26 for $34,000 plus a $2,000 signing bonus that would have doubled if he made the team.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/red-deer-advocate/168375960/ | title=Bombers' draft pick sits at home | work=Red Deer Advocate | date=May 29, 1987 | agency=Canadian Press | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=2C}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun/168376094/ | title=CFL player moves | work=The Vancouver Sun | date=May 27, 1987 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=C5}} He was released on June 20.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun/168376310/ | title=CFL moves | work=The Vancouver Sun | date=June 20, 1987 | agency=Canadian Press | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=H4}} However, on June 22, it was reported that Shorten had been re-signed to the team's practice roster.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-mcmurray-today/168376605/ | title=Transactions | work=Fort McMurray Today | date=June 22, 1987 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=7}} On June 27, it was reported that he had been re-released by the Lions.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/168376964/ | title=CFL transactions | work=The Toronto Star | date=June 27, 1987 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=D7}}
=Toronto Argonauts and return to the University of Toronto=
Shorten was then signed to the practice roster of the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in mid July 1987.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-times/168377155/ | title=Transactions | work=The Sun Times | date=July 14, 1987 | agency=The Canadian Press | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=11}} He was released by the Argonauts on August 21, 1987, so he could return to the University of Toronto for his final season of college football.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leader-post/168377323/ | title=Transactions | work=The Leader-Post | date=August 22, 1987 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=C9}} Initially, the CIAU was not sure if Shorten still qualified as an amateur due to his stints on the practice rosters of both the Lions and Argonauts during the 1987 season. Nonetheless, the CIAU ended up letting him play the 1987 season.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator/168378456/ | title=Custis pleased with Marauders' season | work=The Hamilton Spectator | date=October 26, 1987 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=B2}} He returned to the Argonauts in 1988 but was released in July 1988 before the start of the 1988 CFL season.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star/168378852/ | title=Transactions | work=The Kansas City Star | date=July 10, 1988 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=14}} He was signed to the practice roster again shortly thereafter.
=Winnipeg Blue Bombers=
On July 17, 1988, it was reported that Shorten had been signed to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' practice roster after being released from the Argonauts' practice roster the same day.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger/168379362/ | title=Transactions | work=The Star-Ledger | date=July 17, 1988 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=19}} He was promoted to the active roster several days later, replacing American wide receiver Ken Winey.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator/168379842/ | title=Transactions | work=The Hamilton Spectator | date=July 21, 1988 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=B5}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-leader-post/168379935/ | title=CFL Report / Week Two | work=The Leader-Post | date=July 21, 1988 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=C2}} Shorten dressed in 15 games for the Blue Bombers during the 1988 season, recording three catches for 34 yards, 24 punt returns for 88 yards, one kickoff return for 15 yards, and one tackle. He was released by the Blue Bombers on October 29 but signed back to the team's practice roster in early November.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-winnipeg-sun/168380568/ | title=CFL moves announced Saturday by the league | work=The Winnipeg Sun | date=October 30, 1988 | agency=The Canadian Press | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=53}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-times/168380712/ | title=Transactions | work=The Sun Times | date=November 5, 1988 | agency=The Canadian Press | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=16}} The Blue Bombers finished the year with a 9–9 record, second place in the CFL Eastern Division.{{cite web | url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/1988cflwpg.html | title=1988 Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL) | publisher=Pro Football Archives | accessdate=19 March 2025}} Shorten replaced offensive guard Brad Tierney on the active roster for the team's Eastern Semi-Final game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-winnipeg-sun/168381165/ | title=Bruno Predicts A Close One: 'They're crazy' | work=The Winnipeg Sun | date=November 13, 1988 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Bender, Jim | pages=18}} Shorten then played in the Eastern Final victory over the Toronto Argonauts.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-transcript/168382573/ | title=Lions, Blue Bombers advance to Grey Cup | work=The Times-Transcript | date=November 21, 1988 | accessdate=19 March 2025}} On November 27, 1988, Shorten split time on kick returns with teammate Ken Pettway as the Blue Bombers beat the BC Lions by a score of 22–21 to win the 76th Grey Cup.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/waterloo-region-record/168382691/ | title=Breeze was an ally for Grey Cup champs | work=Waterloo Region Record | date=November 28, 1988 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Kerr, Grant | pages=C1}} The next year, Shorten was placed on the injured list on July 1, 1989, with a finger injury.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-winnipeg-sun/168383595/ | title=Drop four from lineup | work=The Winnipeg Sun | date=July 2, 1989 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=25}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-winnipeg-sun/168383686/ | title=Walking wounded back | work=The Winnipeg Sun | date=July 18, 1989 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Bender, Jim | pages=35}} On August 7, 1989, it was reported that he had been released by the Blue Bombers.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/whitehorse-daily-star/168383917/ | title=Transactions | work=Whitehorse Daily Star | date=August 7, 1989 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=24}}
=Semi-pro football=
Shorten then played semi-pro football for the Ottawa Bootleggers in 1989.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ottawa-citizen/168384563/ | title=Bootleggers remain perfect | work=The Ottawa Citizen | date=September 3, 1989 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Warren, Ken | pages=B2}} He also later played for the Gateshead Senators in Britain and was inducted into the team's hall of fame in 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.gateshead-senators.com/hall-of-fame.html |title=SENATORS HALL OF FAME |publisher=Gateshead Senators |access-date=May 12, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513011625/http://www.gateshead-senators.com/hall-of-fame.html |archive-date=May 13, 2015 }}
=University of Toronto (third stint)=
In 1991, Shorten returned to the University of Toronto to earn more credits on his physical education degree with hopes of getting into teachers' college.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/168386980/ | title=Shorten's back earning points on playing field and classroom | work=The Toronto Star | date=September 26, 1991 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | pages=NY17}} Despite having already played professional football, Shorten played college football for the Toronto Varsity Blues during the 1991 season as both a cornerback and receiver. In one November game that year, he scored four receiving touchdowns.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/168386599/ | title=Western stops comeback by the frustrated Blues | work=The Toronto Star | date=November 3, 1991 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Zwolinski | pages=G4}}
=Touch football=
In 1995, Shorten played for the Toronto Landell Lightning at the Canadian touch football championships.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/168394119/ | title=Touch football calls big play | work=The Toronto Star | date=October 5, 1995 | accessdate=19 March 2025 | author=Laskaris, Sam | pages=SC4}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.justsportsstats.com/footballstatsindex.php?player_id=shortpau001 Stats Crew profile]
{{76th Grey Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shorten, Paul}}
Category:Canadian football wide receivers
Category:Canadian football slotbacks
Category:Canadian football defensive backs
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Toronto Varsity Blues football players
Category:Toronto Argonauts players
Category:Winnipeg Blue Bombers players
Category:Canadian expatriate sportspeople in England