Hall of Fame
Position: End
Years: 1913-1915
Place of Birth: Dunkirk, NY
Date of Birth: Apr 20, 1893
Place of Death: Columbia, MD
Date of Death: Aug 14, 1985
Jersey Number: 5
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170
High School: Dunkirk, NY (Dunkirk HS)Andover, MA (Andover Academy)
Murray Shelton lived by the old football adage: "Pick your spots." He was a cautious, painstaking player who waited for just the right moment to unleash his pass-catching talents as an end of Cornell's first unbeaten team. Shelton and Big Red captain Charles Barrett, the quarterback, formed a devastating pass combination which relied heavily upon intelligence and instinct. In 1915, they led Cornell to a 9-0 record and were both named to Walter Camp's All-America listing. In the eighth game of the season, the Big Red needed a 33-point second half to put down a threatening Washington & Lee club, 40-21. In the final contest of the campaign, Penn was on the verge of ending Cornell's mastery. But, the Big Red caught fire in the final quarter and scored 17 points to claim a 24-9 triumph. Cornell played Harvard, which had not lost a game in four years; Cornell won 10-0. The game's only touchdown was set up when Shelton recovered a fumble deep in Harvard territory. In Shelton's three years, Cornell had a 22-6-1 record.
