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Melvin Whinfield "Mel" Sheppard (September 5, 1883 - January 4, 1942) was an American athlete, winner of four gold medals at the 1908 Summer Olympics and 1912 Summer Olympics.
Born in Almonesson Lake, New Jersey, Mel Sheppard, or "Peerless Mel" as he was nicknamed, was rejected by the New York Police because he had a weak heart. But this didn't stop him to win three AAU titles in 880 yd (805 m) from 1906 to 1908 and became a main favourite in middle distance at London Olympics.
Noted for being a frontrunner, Sheppard, at London, went through the first 400 metres in 53 seconds and on to win the 800 m in the world record time of 1.52.8. He also won a 1500 m with a world record of 4:03.4. He earned his third gold medal on the medley relay race.
After winning an AAU titles in 880 yd in 1911 and 1912, Sheppard was again a main favourite of Olympic 800 m champion title at the Stockholm Olympics. At Stockholm, he tried the same tactics as in London, but after an opening lap of 52.4, he was overtaken by teammate Ted Meredith who set a new world record of 1.51.9. Sheppard won his fourth gold medal as lead-off runner on the 4 x 400 m relay team that set a world record of 3:16.6.
After retireing from sports Sheppard became a lawyer (he was one of the defenders of the Lindbergh child kidnapper Bruno Hauptmann). For many years, he was also the recreation director of the Millrose A.A.
Mel Sheppard died in Queens, New York City.
| Olympic medalists in athletics (men) | Olympic Champions in Men's 4x400 m relay
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1912 United States Mel Sheppard, Edward Lindberg, Ted Meredith, Charles Reidpath
1920 Great Britain Cecil Griffiths, Robert Lindsay, John Ainsworth-Davies, Guy Butler
1924 United States Commodore Cochran, Alan Helffrich, Oliver MacDonald, William Stevenson
1928 United States George Baird, Emerson Spencer, Frederick Alderman, Ray Barbuti
1932 United States Ivan Fuqua, Edgar Ablowich, Karl Warner, Bill Carr
1936 Great Britain Frederick Wolff, Godfrey Rampling, William Roberts, Godfrey Brown
1948 United States Arthur Harnden, Clifford Bourland, Roy Cochran, Mal Whitfield
1952 Jamaica Arthur Wint, Leslie Laing, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden
1956 United States Charlie Jenkins, Louis Jones, James Mashburn, Tom Courtney
1960 United States Jack Yerman, Earl Young, Glenn Davis, Otis Davis
1964 United States Ollan Cassell, Michael Larrabee, Ulis Williams, Henry Carr
1968 United States Vincent Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James, Lee Evans
1972 Kenya Charles Asati, Hezahiah Nyamau, Robert Ouko, Julius Sang
1976 United States Herman Frazier, Benjamin Brown, Fred Newhouse, Maxie Parks
1980 Soviet Union Remigijus Valiulis, Mikhail Linge, Nikolay Chernetsky, Viktor Markin
1984 United States Sunder Nix, Ray Armstead, Alonzo Babers, Antonio McKay
1988 United States Danny Everett, Steve Lewis, Kevin Robinzine, Butch Reynolds
1992 United States Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, Michael Johnson, Steve Lewis
1996 United States LaMont Smith, Alvin Harrison, Derek Mills, Anthuan Maybank
2000 United States Alvin Harrison, Antonio Pettigrew, Calvin Harrison, Michael Johnson
2004 United States Otis Harris, Derrick Brew, Jeremy Wariner, Darold Williamson
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