That Ted Shiro was one of Maine's greatest athletes is recognized by his induction into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame.
So gifted was the Waterville sharpshooter in basketball, scoring over 1,000 points at Colby, and gaining a tryout with the Boston Celtics, his baseball prowess (a la Michael Jordan?) has often seemed forgotten.
Ted was a real Wonderkid. While a student at Waterville H.S.
(1942-1946) he played for the semi-pro Waterville Americans and, at the age of 14, was selected to attend a spring baseball school conducted by the Pittsburgh, Pa., Pirates. He had a shot at a Class C contract, but declined because his parents deemed him too young and wanted to see him stay in school.
in 1945, the Associated Press labeled Shiro a “boy wonder" and likened him to former N.Y. Giants young stars Fred Lindstrom and Mel Ott.
While a student at Waterville, the prodigious athlete played summers with the Winslow Taconnets and the Bath lron Works.
In a recent Kennebec Journal article, Gary Hawkins relates tales of Shiro's exploits against Danny Mac Fayden and Carlton Willey.
After completing high school, Teddy declined another tryout offer - this time from the Red Sox - and chose to enter Manlius, N.Y., prep school. At Manlius he was acclaimed “the best all around athlete’” of 1947. He had starred in football, basketball and baseball. On the diamond, he had batted nearly .400 against “strong college freshmen opposition.”
After his sojourn in the Empire State, Teddy returned to his native Waterville to attend Colby College. At Colby Shiro was able to add to his fabulous hoop laurels. He continued to excel in baseball as well, playing for Eddie Roundy’s Mules.
in 1950 he played for the Bangor Athletic Club that won the Eastern Maine semi-pro championship. Military service followed his Colby graduation and Shiro was the player-manager for the Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, nine from 1952 to 1954. Today, he can swap Army basketball stories with new HOF teammates Frank Nappi and Billy Joyce.
In 1954 and 1955, Shiro completed his baseball career as player-manager of the Augusta Millionaires.
Now retired, Ted and his wife, Arden, are living in East Winthrop.
He has four children and four step-children.
Portland Press Herald January 13, 2016
https://www.centralmaine.com/2016/01/13/maine-sports-legend-ted-shiro-dies/
Shiro is a member of seven sports halls of fame, including the Maine Basketball, New England Sports and Maine Baseball halls of fame.
Shiro earned 12 varsity letters playing three sports at Waterville High School, where he graduated in 1947. He helped the Panthers win 67 consecutive basketball games and back-to-back state championships in 1944 and ’45. Waterville also won a New England high school basketball title in this time as well.
In 1945, Shiro became the first high school basketball player to earn All-New England honors for two consecutive years.
“He had all sorts of talent,” Beckerman said. “Can you imagine winning 67 games in a row? Just incredible.”
"He was the epitome of a tremendous athlete," said Sumner Lipman, a Naples resident and Shiro's friend for 65 years. "He was a great sport, very competitive but as soon as the match was over, it was over. That's what people don't understand about sports. You can compete but still be very good friends afterward."