Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Ryan graduated from Holy Cross in 1930, where he established himself as an outstanding two-sport athlete for the Crusaders. In 1926, as a member of the football team, Ryan tossed two touchdown passes to Hymie Shanahan against Harvard in a 19-14 HC victory.\n', '

It was, however, in baseball where Ryan gained the most fame, as he was the star shortstop on Crusader teams that won the Eastern Intercollegiate Championship in 1929 and 1930. The team posted a 45-5-1 record in those years. Ryan was inducted into the Holy Cross Varsity Club Hall of Fame posthumously in 1964.\n', '

After college graduation, Ryan signed with the Chicago White Sox and hit a home run in his first time at bat at Comiskey Park. In 87 at bats, however, Ryan batted only .207 that year and showed little of the fielding range that later became his hallmark. In 1932, he was traded to the Giants for Doc Marshall. The Giants won the World Series in 1933 and Ryan, batting .238 in 146 games, finished ninth in National League MVP voting.\n', '

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