Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

MASSILLON LOST
TO RAVENNA
IN A DIRTY GAME
Players Don’t Bewail Score;
Condemn Treatment
SAY THEIR OPPONENTS SLUGGED
Massillon Players and Officials Say
Ravenna Official was More Ignorant of Game
Than Willfully Unfair
Locals’ Official Assaulted When He Penalized Ravenna

In what was said to be the dirtiest game in which it ever participated, the Massillon high school football team was defeated at Ravenna on Saturday afternoon by a score of 13 to 0.

The “dirt,” however, was not on the Massillon team and the Ravenna captain told several of the Massillon players that the locals were the cleanest set of players Ravenna every played. The Massillon captain could not return the compliment.

According to the local high school authorities the game abounded with slugging and not only would one man hit a player but several would be on the job with hammer and tongs. The referee who officiated probably desired to be fair, but he knew so little about the game that such a thing was well nigh impossible. Massillon had one official on the field but he was powerless. At one time he is said to have penalized the Ravenna team for an off side play and the fullback struck him.

“It was the worst exhibition of football I ever saw,” said Coach Jones, when asked about the game this morning. “The locals are not making any excuses for the defeat but the local management is disgusted with the treatment received. Reports are that one of the touchdowns was illegal and this is substantiated by three Ravenna subs who were on the side line and saw the man who was running with the ball step over the line. However, the official allowed the touchdown to be counted. It is said that the local players held their tempers in check and played a clean game.

esmith