Thomas D. Shepherd

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,[lower-alpha 2] in 1914, where he compiled a 1–6–2 record.[10] He later coached the 1919 football team of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, taking over during the season following the resignation of his predecessor.[11] He led the team to a 2–4 record.[12]

In 1916, he was athletic director at Maine Central Institute, a private boarding school.[13] He was also athletic director and football coach at Baker University in Kansas, and at Manlius Academy (now Manlius Pebble Hill School) near Syracuse, New York.[14]

Shepherd had three brothers,[15] was married, and had one son.[16][17] 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.[18][16]

Shepherd is listed in the New Hampshire media guide as T.D. Sheppard,[10] and in the Trinity media guide as T. Shepard.[12] 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