Fred Shields

Who was Fred Shields?

Ferdinand J. "Fred" Zbikowski, sometimes known as Fred Shields, 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. He later served as a high school, college and senior amateur referee from 1946-1973. 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.