John Shinbin was born on June 21, 1902. Shinbin played one season for the Hamilton Tigers of the IRFU / BIg Four (the Tigers would later merge with the Hamilton Wildcats to form the modern Tiger-Cats in 1950). Shinbin was a guard (or inside using the terminology of the day) and like all players of that time would have played both offence and defence.

Shinbin married Esther Blanche Prack on June 11, 1932. John Shin passed away on February 25, 1954, and is buried Woodland Cemeter