High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Melvin Whinfield "Peerless Mel" Sheppard (September 5, 1883 – January 4, 1942) was an American athlete, member of the Irish American Athletic Club and winner of four gold medals at the 1908 Summer Olympics and 1912 Summer Olympics. Along with Henry Taylor of United Kingdom, he was the most successful athlete at the 1908 Olympics.