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Fred Shields

1912 – 1985

American soccer referee

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About Fred Shields

Lived 1912 – 1985 (aged 72). Fred Shields was an American association football player and association football referee.

Fred Julius Shields (born Ferdinand Julius Zbikowski; November 18, 1912 – January 28, 1985) was a U.S. soccer player who was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1936 Summer Olympics. He played professionally in the American Soccer League and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Zbikowski was born in Harrison, New Jersey, where he played soccer at Harrison High School. He then attended Panzer College. He played for the Newark Portuguese in the State League, Independent F.C. in the Northern New Jersey League, Prague Football Club and the Kearny Scots-Americans of the American Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1936 Summer Olympics. He served with the Third Army during World War II. Shields was a physical education instructor at Harrison High School for 40 years; his wife also taught at the school, and his son Ron was HHS principal for 19 years. He served as a high school, college and senior amateur referee from 1946 to 1973. He was also a referee of some 1948 National Challenge Cup games. At some point, he changed his name to Fred Shields. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1968 under that name.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Harrison High School
Also known as
Fred Julius Shields

People in Fred Shields's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Fred Shields's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Fred Shields?

American soccer referee (1912-1985)

When was Fred Shields born?

Fred Shields was born on 18 November 1912 in Harrison.

When did Fred Shields die?

Fred Shields died on 28 January 1985 in United States.

What was Fred Shields's occupation?

Fred Shields was an association football player and association football referee.

What nationality was Fred Shields?

Fred Shields was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Fred Shields

· Wikidata: Q5496260

· DBpedia: Fred Shields (soccer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Fred Shields. https://biography.guide/fred-shields/

MLA: "Fred Shields." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/fred-shields/.

Chicago: "Fred Shields." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/fred-shields/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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