Sheffield played baseball at Little Rock University and UALR under head coach Marshel Davis from 1969-71, becoming the sport's first African-American letterman in school history. A .346 hitter who started in centerfield, Sheffield had a reputation as an outstanding hitter and base runner and earned NAIA All-District honors in 1971.
“To tell you the truth, I cried,” said Sheffield on learning of his induction. “I played ball back in the late '60's and early '70's, and we played because we loved the game. One year we only had 13 players but we played some pretty good baseball. We traveled around in our own cars. It was almost like barnstorming baseball. It just didn't matter to us as long as we were playing baseball.”
A native of Coshocton, Ohio, Sheffield grew up playing baseball before entering the military upon high school graduation. Following his four years in the military that included a stint at Little Rock Air Force Base, Sheffield returned to Little Rock to attend LRU in the fall of 1968.
After graduating from UALR with a bachelor's degree in political science in 1972, Sheffield went on to earn his juris doctor from UALR William H. Bowen School of Law in 1989. Sheffield also pursued a master's degree in public administration from UALR and finished his coursework in 1985, but was accepted to law school before the completion of his dissertation.
Sheffield worked 27 years with the Arkansas Insurance Department, including seven years as Deputy Insurance Commissioner. In 1999, he became Redistricting Director for the Arkansas Secretary of State's Office, and in 2004 became the Democratic Party nominee for lieutenant governor. While remaining in private practice in recent years, Sheffield has worked as an adjunct professor at Pulaski Technical College. In 2010, Sheffield was appointed to the Arkansas Supreme Court for a one-year term.
He has two children, Nicky Sheffield and Shane Miller, and one granddaughter. He and his wife, Dee Dee, reside in Little Rock.
“Just to think that the school thinks enough of us that played back then, it's humbling,” said Sheffield. “That the school would remember that, it just kind of chokes you up a little bit.”
