1925 Eddie Farrell Press Photo – University of Pennsylvania

In 1925, Eddie Farrell walked on to a major league baseball field armed with a bat, glove and a degree in dentistry from the University of Pennsylvania.

Just a jock Doc was not.

The rookie infielder debuted with the Giants on June 15, 1925, three days before graduating. Fast-forward ten years and Farrell would hang up his cleats, dust off his diploma, and open shop as a dentist in Newark.

This black-and-white press photo shows the Pennsylvania captain in his baggy grey flannels, glove outstretched to catch an imaginary line drive to shortstop. Taped to the rear on a scrap of light blue paper appears a typewritten description of the image:

15459
COLLEGE BALL CAPTAIN TO JOIN GIANTS
Captain Eddie Farrell, of the University of Pennsylvania baseball team, who will join the N Y Giants on June 23rd after taking his final New York State Dental Board examination.  Eddie is considered the hardest-hitting and best fielding shortstop the Red and Blue has ever had.
YOUR CREDIT LINE MUST READ :-(BY UNITED)

The picture was supplied by the news agency, United Newspictures, according to a stamp on the back. A second stamp reads “REFERENCE DEPT. JUN 10 1925 N. E. A.”