MLB pitcher lost his leg in WWII — then took the mound with a metal one a year later ...Middle East

It’s hard enough to pitch in the majors on two legs.

Now imagine doing it on one.

Bert Shepard didn’t let his amputation slow him downAssociated Press

That is what Washington Senators’ Bert Shepard had to deal with when he lost everything below his right knee after being shot down in his P-38 over Germany during World War II.

A leg amputation wasn’t going to stop Shepard from pitching in the majors.

One leg be damned.

In the spring of 1945, Shepard received an invitation to the Senators’ spring training complex, and the rest was history.

He was brought on first as a coach, but Senators owner Clark Griffith promised him that he would see the field as a player.

And Griffith kept his promise.

On August 4, 1945, Shepard got his chance.

In cleanup duty during a blowout against Boston, down 14-2, the World War II veteran entered the game in the top of the fourth and went to the mound.

Shepard would go on to pitch 5 1/3 innings and give up three hits, one walk, one hit-batter, two strikeouts, and one earned run.

And thus, the legend of the prosthetic pitcher was born.

Shepard served his country during WWIIGetty Shepard (L) would only have one appearance in a Major League gameGetty

That would be Shepard’s first and only game he ever pitched in the majors, as his leg would have to be re-amputated in early 1947, followed by a handful more complications and re-amputations.

It was a never-ending nightmare for Shepard, but he still kept his head held high during this tumultuous period in his life.

“I’m not making any plans other than baseball,” Shepard said.

“I’ve never thought of giving up.”

He was determined.

“I’m not going to quit until I’ve given it a fair try,” he wrote from ward 55 at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., refusing to give in.

Shepard would never see a Major League mound again, but over the years did have a couple of managerial roles that he enjoyed, while still being close to the game that he loved so much.

Eventually he married and had four kids to raise.

He settled down as a safety engineer and took a liking to golf.

He even won the national amputee golf championship twice.

The story of Shepard is one of determination, grit, toughness and a whole lot of defeating the odds.

What most people couldn’t do on two legs, he did it proudly standing on one.

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