McFarland Remembers Football Time With Racers
9/25/2009 3:30:00 PM | Football, Hall of Fame
Former Murray State Football student-athlete Dr. Edward "Eddie" McFarland made a visit to MSU Sep. 24 where he made a presentation to students and faculty about current trends in orthopedic surgery.
McFarland's playing career with the Racers came under head coach Bill Fergerson.
McFarland was named All-Ohio Valley Conference at defensive back three seasons from 1975-77 and is one of only two Racers to receive all-league honors three times. The other is Ronnie Merritt (1995-97).
McFarland was also named NCAA Academic All-America in 1977 and was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.
Seeing Roy Stewart Stadium brought back many memories this week for Dr. McFarland, particularly to 1973 when Fergerson recruited him out of Paducah Tilghman High School after the Tornado had won the state championship.
"Stewart Stadium was and still is impressive," McFarland said. "When I was being recruited, that one photo of Stewart stadium at night was awe-inspiring and I was excited to play at a facility like that, it was brand new having opened in 73. Everything was new and it was an exciting period for MSU Football."
McFarland also had observations on the physicality of the college football.
"It's interesting because you see these guys and they hit so hard," McFarland said. "You wonder how you played and survived."
McFarland graduated from Murray State in 1978 with a degree in biology. After earning his medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1982 and completing his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in 1987, he joined Johns Hopkins in 1992 where he created and directed the Johns Hopkins Division of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery.
He is a 1998 MSU Distinguished Alumnus and has spoken around the world on sports medicine.
McFarland is the Wayne H. Lewis Professor of Orthopedic and Shoulder Surgery and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the American College of Sports Medicine.
He also is the consulting orthopedic surgeon for the Baltimore Orioles and has published 120 publications about sports medicine including a book with MSU alum and one of MSU's current team doctors, Dr. Richard Blalock.
Murray State shaped McFarland and the days as a student-athlete are never far from his mind.
"In my career in sports medicine, the experience I had as a student-athlete at MSU has helped me especially when dealing with young people and their families when they are facing decisions because of injuries," McFarland said. "The strength of Murray State is the people, everyone was wonderful."
