Kirkpatrick was born in Granite, Maryland in 1901 and graduated from Baltimore City College in 1919. He received his BA degree from St. John's (Md.) College in 1923 and his LLB from the University of Baltimore in 1932. While at City College, he played lacrosse, track and football - gaining letters in all sports.

Abercrombie was educated at the public schools in Baltimore and entered Johns Hopkins University in the fall of 1897 after graduating from the Baltimore City College. He earned his AB degree from Johns Hopkins in 1901 and his M.D. degree in 1905. The first lacrosse game he ever played in was in 1896, between the Maryland Athletic Club and the Crescent Athletic Club.