Jack Shepard
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1953-1956)
Jack Shepard was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1953 to 1956 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a span of 4 seasons. In 278 career games, he hit .260 with 195 hits, 12 home runs, and 75 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 195 lb
- Died
- 12/31/1994 in Atherton, CA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1953-06-19
- Last Game
- 1956-09-30
Full name: Jack Leroy Shepard
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 278 | 751 | 72 | 195 | 29 | 6 | 12 | 75 | 2 | 84 | 97 | .260 | .331 | .362 | .694 | -443 |
Career AVG .260 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .331 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .362 vs. league average .395 across their career seasons — 8.2% below league average.
Career OPS .694 vs. league average .728 across their career seasons — near league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | PIT | NL | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1954 | PIT | NL | 82 | 227 | 24 | 69 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 26 | 33 | .304 | .261 (+16%) | .333 (+11%) | .390 (+2%) | .723 (+6%) | 280.6 |
| 1955 | PIT | NL | 94 | 264 | 24 | 63 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 1 | 33 | 25 | .239 | .258 (-8%) | .332 (-3%) | .393 (-20%) | .726 (-12%) | -490.9 |
| 1956 | PIT | NL | 100 | 256 | 24 | 62 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 30 | 1 | 25 | 37 | .242 | .258 (-6%) | .331 (-7%) | .397 (-4%) | .728 (-5%) | -233.1 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 278 | 751 | 72 | 195 | 29 | 6 | 12 | 75 | 2 | 84 | 97 | .260 | — | — | — | — | -443 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (278 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 143 | 379 | 34 | 90 | 3 | 37 | .237 |
| Away | 135 | 372 | 38 | 105 | 9 | 39 | .282 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-09-30 | PIT | BRO | L | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-29 | PIT | BRO | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-29 | PIT | BRO | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1956-09-25 | PIT | NY1 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-24 | PIT | BRO | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956-09-23 | PIT | BRO | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-22 | PIT | BRO | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-21 | PIT | BRO | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956-09-20 | PIT | ATL | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-18 | PIT | ATL | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 232 |
| First Base | 2 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Palo Alto | CA | 1951, 1952, 1953 |
Jack Shepard: the record in brief
Between the debut on June 19, 1953 and the final game on September 30, 1956, Jack Shepard built the record summarized on this page. The team column never changes: it is the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1953 to 1956. Shepard, born on May 13, 1931, in Clovis, CA, USA, is listed as a catcher and both batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds. Shepard's death is recorded on December 31, 1994, in Atherton, CA, USA. Jack Shepard was the playing name; the full given name is Jack Leroy.
Across 278 games at the plate, Shepard's career line reads 195 hits in 751 at bats for a .260 average, along with 12 homers and 75 runs batted in. Shepard got on base at a .331 rate and slugged .362 (.694 OPS). Against a .261 league average for those years, Shepard's .260 average was near the norm. The highest hit total in a season was 69, in 1954. In 1954, a season of regular play, Shepard hit .304 while the league hit .261.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jack Shepard
- What years did Jack Shepard play?
- Jack Shepard played in Major League Baseball from 1953 to 1956.
- Was Jack Shepard a pitcher?
- No. Jack Shepard was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Jack Shepard hit?
- Jack Shepard hit 12 career home runs with 195 hits.
- What was Jack Shepard's career batting average?
- Jack Shepard batted .260 over his career, with 195 hits in 751 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jack Shepard have?
- Jack Shepard drove in 75 runs in his career.
- Is Jack Shepard in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jack Shepard has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.