Jack Shapiro

Jack Emanuel "Soupy" Shapiro (March 22, 1907 – February 5, 2001) was an American gridiron football player who played in one game with the Staten Island Stapletons of the National Football League (NFL) in 1929. Shapiro is most famous for being the shortest player in NFL history at about .

Early life In 1907, Shapiro was born in New York City, New York, United States, North America. His parents had immigrated to the United States with their previous four boys and three girls, as well as their niece. Jack was the only one of his family to be born in America. His father and two of his brothers did odd jobs for a living, resulting in earnings of $9.00 a week.

Shapiro attended Evander Child High School in the Bronx. While in high school, he was a starter on the football team for three straight years. During the last game in his senior year, however, he was injured and was forced out of the game. His playing weight in high school was .

Recognition In 1999, Shapiro received recognition in the Guinness Book of Records as being the shortest player on record in NFL history.