Gene Sheppard
Center Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Gene Sheppard was a center fielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Indianapolis ABCs. In 7 career games, he hit .125 with 2 hits and 2 RBI. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020.
- 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
- Center Fielder
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 160 lb
- Died
- 10/19/2003 in Sparta, IL, USA
Full name: Eugene Preston Sheppard
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .125 | .176 | .250 | .426 | 0 |
Career AVG .125 vs. league average .273 across their career seasons — 54.2% below league average.
Career OBP .176 vs. league average .342 across their career seasons — 48.4% below league average.
Career SLG .250 vs. league average .393 across their career seasons — 36.3% below league average.
Career OPS .426 vs. league average .734 across their career seasons — 41.9% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | AB3 | NAL | 7 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .125 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 1 season | 7 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .125 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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
Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Away | 6 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .154 |
Last 6 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938-08-22 | IN7 | MEM | L | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1938-08-14 | IN7 | KCM | L | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-08-14 | IN7 | KCM | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-05-22 | IN7 | KCM | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-05-22 | IN7 | KCM | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938-05-15 | IN7 | MEM | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 2 |
| Center Field | 4 |
Gene Sheppard: the record in brief
The season rows for Gene Sheppard begin in 1938. Sheppard's only club in the season tables is the Indianapolis ABCs. At 5'11" and 160 pounds, Sheppard is listed as a center fielder. Sheppard was born on March 11, 1917, in Sparta, IL, USA. Sheppard died on October 19, 2003, in Sparta, IL, USA. Gene Sheppard was the playing name; the full given name is Eugene Preston.
Sheppard collected 2 hits in 16 at bats across 7 games, good for a .125 batting average, adding 2 runs batted in. Over the seasons Sheppard played, league hitters batted .273; the .125 career figure is 54.2% below that. The OPS comparison is .426 to a league .734, 41.9% below average. Only one season appears, 1938 for the Indianapolis ABCs, when Sheppard played 7 games and went 2 for 16.
The Negro Leagues section records 2 hits in 15 at bats for Sheppard, a .133 average. Negro Leagues totals are drawn from box-score research and sit in their own table on this page.
Sheppard played 4 games at center field, more than anywhere else, and also saw time at left field (2).
Frequently Asked Questions about Gene Sheppard
- Was Gene Sheppard a pitcher?
- No. Gene Sheppard was a position player (Center Fielder).
- How many home runs did Gene Sheppard hit?
- Gene Sheppard hit 0 career home runs with 2 hits.
- What teams did Gene Sheppard play for?
- Gene Sheppard played for one team, the Indianapolis ABCs (1938).
- What were Gene Sheppard's career stats?
- In 7 games, Gene Sheppard had 2 hits, 2 RBI, and 2 runs, with a .125 batting average.
- What position did Gene Sheppard play?
- Gene Sheppard played primarily as a center fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Gene Sheppard and how much did he weigh?
- Gene Sheppard was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 160 pounds.
- What was Gene Sheppard's career batting average?
- Gene Sheppard batted .125 over his career, with 2 hits in 16 at bats.
- How many RBI did Gene Sheppard have?
- Gene Sheppard drove in 2 runs in his career.
- Is Gene Sheppard in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Gene Sheppard has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.