Considered by many to be UBC's all-time multi-talented athlete. From 1923 until 1930, was a campus and national star in tennis, a UBC football hero plus a top track & field, rugby, soccer and badminton player. Held a UBC football field goal record that lasted 56 years.
In 1923, freshman "Cokie" Shields appeared on the UBC athletic scene as a tennis player reaching the final of the UBC singles tennis championship. By 1924 he was establishing himself as the player to watch as he won the UBC doubles championship as well as again playing in the singles final. In 1925, playing for UBC in a Provincial tennis tournament, "Cokie" reached the men's final in the under 20 open singles championship. This same year he advanced to the final of the UBC badminton championship.
In addition to his play on the courts, Shields was the young star of the 1924 UBC "freshman" rugby team, leading it to the Provincial championship that season. He was called up to play for the Varsity squad near the end of the year where in more than one game "gave an exhibition of kicking and tackling that made him the outstanding player on the field" (Ubyssey). That same 1924/25 session, Shields played for the UBC soccer team and was referred to as "'Honky' Shields...who was wont to be a trumpeter."
"Cokie" did not attend UBC in 1925/26 but returned in 1926/27 to resume tennis as well as play Varsity soccer. In tennis, Shields played a dominant role in one of UBC's very early intercollegiate competitions. In October 1926 he led UBC to victory in the Western Canada Intercollegiate tennis championship. He won the men's singles title and, with Harry Seed, the men's doubles championship. The next month Shields confirmed his mastery over collegiate and local competition by winning the singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles at the UBC tennis tournament.
By the end of 1926 Shields was not only the top Western Canadian collegiate player but also the winner of the British Columbia Tennis Championship, a title he won again in 1927.
When not recording victories on the courts in 1926/27, "Cokie" was on the soccer field with the Varsity team and according to the Ubyssey was an "ideal fullback... yet to turn in a poor game with this club."
In 1927/28 Shields was emerging as a headliner in UBC track and field. He was considered one of UBC's top discus throwers and in 1927 was Varsity's top shot putter, number one broad jumper and a competitive high jumper. He was the co-winner in the broad jump at the 1928 meet with the University of Washington, setting a UBC record. In 1928/29 "Cokie", with Percy Williams, Bobby Gaul and Gavin Dirom, would form the nucleus of one of UBC's strongest ever track teams.
Shields returned to rugby in 1927/28 playing on both the Intermediate and Varsity teams. He also served on the 1927/28 UBC Men's Athletic Executive as the tennis representative.
Despite his full schedule of track and field and rugby this year, Shields still found plenty of time for tennis as a member of the doubles tennis team that was the Western representative at Forest Hills (the North American version of Wimbledon), having won the 1927 Northwest (US and Canada) Sectional doubles title.
It was in 1927, after having established himself on campus in tennis, track and field, rugby, soccer and badminton, Shields decided to try his hand at yet another UBC sport, one that was relatively new on campus, football. As one might expect, this sport became another athletic endeavour mastered by Shields – a game he played for several years after his university days were over. Making his football debut in October of 1927, the Ubyssey reported ''...as a kicker, he will no doubt make himself known as a Babe Ruth of the pigskin".
It soon became apparent he was a dangerous runner which together with his kicking added a great deal to UBC's offence. In 1928/29, a season in which UBC's football team went undefeated, "Cokie", in a game against Victoria, kicked a 45-yard field goal, a UBC record that stood for 56 years! The Ubyssey described him as "...displaying his breath-taking speed and awesome kicking in every game... his superhuman toe has been the power behind the throne in varsity's victories."
Playing football in 1928/29, Shields was also on both the rugby field and the soccer pitch, playing alongside Bobby Gaul with the Intermediate rugby team and continuing to be a key member of the Varsity soccer team. As it turned out, "Cokie" played five sports during the 1927/28 school session and again during the 1928/29 year. He shone as a football player, played championship tennis, starred at track and field and played Blue and Gold Varsity rugby and soccer.
In 1929/30 Shields returned for his final year on campus. The Blue and Gold football team this year was crowned Western University champions by virtue of its Hardy Cup series victory over Saskatchewan and it was the kicking and running of Shields along with Gavin Dirom's ball toting that led UBC to this victorious season. Shields did it all this season – he loved to run with the football, often recorded punts of more than 60 yards and proved to be a "triple threat" by completing several passes.
Following UBC, Shields continued to play football in Vancouver and during the 1930s was ranked as high as the number five tennis player in Canada. Shields pased away in Ontario on June 15, 1956.
"Cokie" was a rare athlete – a standout at the Varsity level in six different sports.
Researched and written by Fred Hume, UBC Athletics Historian
