| No. 18, 36 | |||||
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| Position | Tackle | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born | (1914-01-12)January 12, 1914 Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||
| Died | November 1, 1961(1961-11-01) (aged 47) | ||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||
| Weight | 222 lb (101 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school | Greater Latrobe | ||||
| College | Washington & Jefferson (1932–1933) Nebraska (1934–1937) | ||||
| NFL draft | 1938: 5th round, 32nd overall pick | ||||
| Career history | |||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||
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Charles Frederick Shirey (January 12, 1914 – November 1, 1961) was an American professionalfootball player. He playedtackle incollege football for theWashington & Jefferson Presidents andNebraska Cornhuskers. At Nebraska, he was a three-time first-team All-Big Six Conference selection and a first-teamAll-American as asenior in 1937. He was selected by thePhiladelphia Eagles in the fifth round of the1938 NFL draft but declined to play for them, instead becoming a high school coach and teacher. In 1940, he decided to play professionally, signing with theGreen Bay Packers. He was sold mid-season to theCleveland Rams and played two seasons with them before retiring, later working at a chemical company until his death in 1961 at age 47.
Shirey was born on January 12, 1914, inLatrobe, Pennsylvania.[1][2] He attendedGreater Latrobe High School where he competed infootball,basketball andtrack and field.[3] His father was initially opposed to him playing football; it took a two-year "campaign" from Shirey, his friends and coaches for his father to allow him to try out the sport.[4] He helped the football team compile a record of 6–2 in his last year and also set country records in theshot put and thediscus throw.[5][6] After high school, Shirey enrolled atWashington & Jefferson College in 1932.[3]
In 1932, Shirey playedfreshman football for theWashington & Jefferson Presidents.[3] Atackle, he played for thevarsity team as asophomore in 1933 and was the largest player on the team, standing at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) while weighing 210 pounds (95 kg).[7] He later met Bill Weir, a player for theNebraska Cornhuskers who was working in Pennsylvania; in 1934, on Weir's advice, Shirey transferred to theUniversity of Nebraska–Lincoln.[1][8]
At the time, it was considered unusual for a player from as far as Pennsylvania to play for the Cornhuskers: sportswriter Wally Provost noted that "In the matter of homegrown talent, the Huskers were almost as pure as Ivory soap. Now and then you'd see an Iowan or a Kansan on the roster. But to have a player from Pennsylvania! That, indeed, was a novelty."[8] In 1934, Shirey was starting tackle for the Nebraska freshman team.[9] He then became a standout for the varsity team in 1935, mentored by coachLink Lyman.[10] TheLincoln Journal Star reported that "Shirey's work in getting down underpunts has made him stand out," and he had two games that season where he recoveredfumbles on kicks.[10] At the end of the season, he was named first-team All-Big Six Conference, the onlysophomore selected.[11] He helped Nebraska compile a record of 6–2–1 while winning the Big Six title.[12]
Prior to the 1936 season, Shirey bulked up in "muscular beef" to a weight of 222 pounds (101 kg).[13] He served as the Cornhuskers' starting left tackle during the season and repeated as an All-Big Six Conference selection while the Cornhuskers won the Big Six title.[14][15][16] He played a final season for Nebraska in 1937, starting at tackle alongsideTed Doyle, described as his "twin", as both were born on the same day and had the same height and weight.[2] Against thePittsburgh Panthers in the 1937 season, Shirey served as Nebraska's teamcaptain.[17] Shirey received a third All-Big Six selection for the 1937 season and was also named first-teamAll-American; he is one of only 20 Nebraska players ever to receive three first-team all-conference honors.[16] He also helped the Cornhuskers to another Big Six title.[18] Shirey competed in theEast–West Shrine Game at the conclusion of his collegiate career.[19] In his three years with Nebraska varsity, he helped them win every conference game.[8] He also competed in track for one year at Nebraska.[20] Shirey graduated in January 1938.[21]
Shirey participated at the 1937Chicago Charities College All-Star Game,intercepting a pass thrown bySammy Baugh.[22] He was selected by thePhiladelphia Eagles in the fifth round (32nd overall) of the1938 NFL draft but did not sign with the team.[1][16] Instead of joining the Eagles, he accepted a position as football, basketball and track coach atBeatrice High School, where he also worked as a teacher.[23] He remained in these roles through 1939.[24] In two seasons as basketball coach, he posted records of 8–14 and 7–12, respectively.[25] Shirey resigned from Beatrice in May 1940 to sign with theGreen Bay Packers, stating that they made an offer "I couldn't refuse".[26] He appeared in three games for the Packers before being sold to theCleveland Rams in October 1940.[1][27] He played in seven games for the Rams in 1940, then returned in 1941 and appeared in three games in his final season.[1]
After his stint in professional football, Shirey "divorced himself entirely from the gridiron game".[28] He worked for a chemical company inCleveland, Ohio, and inDetroit, Michigan, for 16 years.[25] On November 1, 1961, while working inLivonia, Michigan, he had acerebral hemorrhage, dying later that night in a hospital at the age of 47.[29] Shirey was posthumously inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 1976.[16]
