On Friday, October 12, 2018, Massillon running back Jamir Thomas scored his 48th career rushing touchdown, breaking a record set in 1935-37 by Bob Glass. The following story written by James C. DeLong best describes Glass.
Few people who saw the Massillon Washington High School Tigers play at old Massillon Field in the mid-thirties will ever forget the herculean feats of fullback Bob Glass.
Standing about 5’-10” and weighing around 200 pounds, Glass was a rare combination of speed and power. Equally adept at smashing the middle of the line, running slants or streaking around the end, Massillon foes for three years were always confronted with the difficult task of setting up a defense that would hold Glass in check. Unquestionably, Glass was one of the best ball carriers in Ohio scholastic history.
Bob Glass
In addition to his superb ball carrying ability, Glass performed the other duties of the triple threat back – passing and kicking. He handled all the punting, kick-offs and extra points and did an outstanding job in each department. His poorest specialty was as a passer, although here he was still better than average, as he did most of the throwing during the 1937 season. On defense, he alternated at end and halfback.
Glass stepped into the Washington High grid picture from Longfellow Junior High School in 1935, when as a sophomore, and was given the task of filling the shoes of big D.C. McCants, who was a standout here in 1933 and 1934. Coach Paul E. Brown had followed Blass’s two-year apprenticeship at Longfellow closely and did not hesitate to install him in the starting line-up against Akron East in the 1935 opener. Glass responded with an outstanding exhibition of ball carrying and from that time on he started every game in his three year career except for the 1935 New Philadelphia game, which he missed due to an ankle injury.
Of the 47 touchdowns that Bob scored in his career here, probably the most important one came in the 1935 Canton McKinley-Massillon game. Here Glass broke a scoreless tie in the third quarter when he smashed over from the one yard line in this bruising battle to give Coach Brown his first win over Canton, 6-0, and to end a three year reign by the Bulldogs.
After completing his career at Washing High School, Glass led the Ohio High School All-Stars to a 19-0 victory over the Florida High School All-Stars in a game played in Florida in December, 1937, and then he enrolled at Tulane University, where he played three years as a starting halfback. He was on Tulane’s Sugar Bowl team during his sophomore year and in his senior year led the Green Wave in rushing, passing, kickoff returns and punting and played in the East-West Shrine Game. He received All-American mention at Tulane and was a high draft choice of the New York Giants of the National Football League. However, he never had an opportunity to test his talents in professional football as he was killed late in World War II while serving as a Marine Corps officer in the battle of Iwo Jima.
When Coach Paul Brown learned of Bob’s death in 1945, he remarked that “it must have been a big bullet” to kill Glass.
Bob Glass scores against Canton McKinley in 1935
Highlights of Bob Glass’ Career
Massillon was 28-1-1 during his career, winning three state championships
Scored 47 career touchdowns
Scored 49 career points after touchdown
Scored 330 career points
Scored the only touchdown in a 6-0 victory over Canton McKinley in 1935
Scored five career touchdowns against Canton McKinley plus four extra points
Scored 34 career points against Canton McKinley
Started 29 of 30 games
Carried the ball 31 times against Steubenville in 1937
Named 1st Team All-Stark County in 1935, 1936 and 1937
Named 3rd Team All-Ohio in 1935
Named 1st Team All-Ohio in 1936 and 1937
Inducted into Massillon Wall of Champions in 2008
Records Prior to 2018 Season
Career rushing touchdowns – 1st – 47
Career touchdowns – 1st – 47
Career points – 1st – 330
Single game rushing touchdowns – 3rd – 5 vs. Franklin, Cedar Rapids, IA, 1937
Single game rushing touchdowns – 5th – 4 vs. Alliance (twice), 1935 & 1937
Junior Varsity defeated Cleveland St. Ignatius, 7-6.
Freshmen lost to Cleveland St. Ignatius, 28-19.
8th Grade defeated Western Crusaders, 22-12. Final record: 5-3
7th Grade defeated Brunswick, 20-0. Final record: 6-2
This week’s schedule:
Thursday – Freshmen vs. Louisville at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 6:00 pm
Friday – Varsity vs. Louisville at Louisville, 7:30 pm
Saturday – Junior Varsity vs. Louisville at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 10:00 am
The Massillon Museum is staging a soft opening of the new Paul Brown Museum on Friday, October 26, from 4:00 to 9:00 pm. All Tiger fans are encouraged to stop by.
ESPN 990 is hosting a fundraiser at BW3 on Monday October 22, from 4:00 to 9:00 pm. Twenty percent of the take will be donated to the Massillon Tiger Football Program.
This year’s Massillon-McKinley blood drive will be held at the Massillon Rec Center on Monday, October 22, from noon to 7:00 pm.
Dean Clark (defensive back / wide receiver) and Jamir Thomas (running back/linebacker) were the guest co-captains and spoke briefly about Louisville, this week’s opponent.
In last Friday’s win over Sun Valley Thomas scored his 48th career touchdown, breaking a record set by Bob Glass in 1937. But he quickly put that mark behind him when when he said that all of the focus this week is on Louisville. “We do one week at a time,” he said.
As a defender, Clark addressed the Leopard offense noting that they pass the ball 70% of the time with a quarterback that is very good. The wide receivers are adept at finding the seams in the zone, given that most of the passes are of the short to intermediate range.
“We were proud of our kids last week,” said head coach Nate Moore. “The kids played hard.” But he said that they have a great challenge this week, on the road in a hostile environment. “We’re going to play hard for you guys,” he said.
The guest this week was inside linebacker coach Spencer Leno, who addressed the Louisville offense. “It’s going to be a backyard brawl,” he emphasized. “This is their Super Bowl. They’re going to be ready to play us, so we’re not looking past them. We’re focusing on the task at hand.”
The Leopards operate out of the spread offense and align with twin receivers or trips, with an occasional empty backfield. Junior quarterback Colton Jones (5′-11″, 185 lbs.) is very talented and is currently the passing yardage leader in Stark County this year. But don’t look for him to run much. Jones has a pair of good, rangy wide receivers that are his favorite targets. Watch for junior Davis Burick (6′-2″, 201 lbs.) and senior Jared Mathie (6′-0″, 202 lbs.). Senior Max Hartline (5′-11″, 183 lbs.) handles the running back duties and he is very effective.
Coach Moore added that the quarterback is good, with nice arm strength and a very good handle on the offense. He throws well and will stand in the pocket under pressure. The strength of the offense is the wide receivers. Not a lot of size on the offensive line (average: 5′-11″, 242 lbs.). Expect the Tigers to try and exploit this area.
Defensively, the Louisville maintains a balanced alignment, utilizing a good-sized 4-man front (average: 6′-2″, 245 lbs.). LInebackers junior Carter Rode (5′-10″, 176 lbs.) and Mathie are good players.
Louisville is currently 5-3, having lost to Canfield (21-14), North Canton (30-14) and Perry (29-12). But they have won five of their last six, including a victory over Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (31-12). Only two players go both ways.
“It’s a good football team,” summed up the coach. “They do a lot of things well.”
Behind the strong running of Jean-Luc Beasley and Raekwan Venson along with stout defense and special teams, the JV squad improved its mark to 8-0 with a 7-6 road win over Cleveland St. Ignatius.
The Wildcats moved the ball well in the first half, but the Tiger defense was unrelenting in the red zone and held Iggy to a pair of second quarter field goals. The first was from 29 yards out and the second from 26. A third scoring try was thwarted when Jerron Hodges scooped up a loose ball and advanced it 25 yards to midfield. With time running out in the half, quarterback Zach Catrone connected on a long pass putting the ball in scoring position. But a Tiger fumble at the goal line with seconds remaining negated the effort.
TJ Williams
The second half, however, was all Massillon. In spite of not scoring an offensive point, the Tigers controlled all the action, with the defense coming up with the big play. With 9:41 left in the fourth quarter, TJ Williams center-field picked an overthrown Ignatius pass and returned it 25 yards to paydirt, eluding two potential tacklers along the way. Ethan Fox converted the PAT and the Tigers were up 7-6. Now all they had to do was continue to play hard. On their next possession, Massillon advanced deep into Wildcat territory, but stalled out at the ten. Unfortunately during the drive, a 27-yard TD run was called back on account of holding.
Ignatius finally got their offense semi-untracked late in the fourth, converting their initial and only first down of the half with just 1:01 left on the clock. But a desperation fourth down long bomb was intercepted at the Massillon five and the Tigers then just ran out the clock.
The Tigers led in first downs, 13-8.
Report by Coach Dave Weber.
A replay of this game is available on the St. Ignatius Wildcats internet site: https://www.ignatiuswildcats.com/sibn-live#/
Bailey Yoder Curator of Football Heritage Massillon Museum
Mark your calendars: A new exhibit is coming! As part of the inaugural exhibitions at the Paul Brown Museum, we have collaborated with Akron photographer Stephen Tomasko to bring his show “Loyal to the Lot” to Massillon. These images, as part of an ongoing project since 2012, are set within the huge Cleveland Municipal Parking Lot and illustrate visual stories of Cleveland Browns fans who gather there. Those who showed up in torrential downpours to cheer on the Cleveland Browns today demonstrate the deep-seeded loyalty of this fan base.
The “soft” opening will coincide with the annual Beat McKinley Parade on October 26th, and will be on view from 4-9 pm that day. Come celebrate the longstanding tradition of football in Massillon and one of the greatest coaches to come out of Ohio, Paul Brown! And get a first look at the new museum expansion.
With support from Visit Canton @stephentomasko @cle_browns #football #fans #loyaltothelot #tailgate #paulbrown
On Friday, October 5, 2018, Massillon running back Jamir Thomas broke the record for career rushing yards, a record that was set in 1958-60 by Art Hastings with 3,090 yards. The Tiger ironman, who last year shattered the record for career rushing attempts, broke the current mark against national power East St. Louis, the all-time winningest team in the state of Illinois.
But who was this Art Hastings, whose record Thomas was gracious enough to break? The best way to answer this question is to present the following Canton Repository article written by Jim Thomas on July 18, 2018, coinciding with Hastings’ induction into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame.
Tiger leader Hastings was ahead of his time
MASSILLON Time eventually swept him away from Stark County consciousness. To Massillon Tigers fans and the people who saw Art Hastings perform his feats as a fullback for the Tigers from 1958-1960, the images of power and speed never fade.
In his high school swan song (a 42-0 shellacking of the McKinley Bulldogs on Nov. 19, 1960), Hastings rushed for four touchdowns to lift Massillon to its second straight Associated Press state poll championship and first team All-Ohio honors for himself.
The Massillon Evening Independent’s Jim Quilty wrote of that performance: “He concluded his final two years of varsity competition with 220 points, over 2,400 yards rushing and innumerable other marks which may withstand the assault of future years.”
Quilty couldn’t have known how true his statement would be.
It’s been nearly 60 years since Hastings last carried the football for the Orange and Black. It’s been 20 since he passed away. But even now, no Massillon Tiger has run for as many yards as Hastings did in a career. His, 3,090 yards in little more than two-plus seasons remains as the school’s standard of excellence and help make Hastings a member of the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.
Hastings’ record is still nearly 300 yards up on runner-up Falando Ashcraft’s 2,794. Massillon senior Jamir Thomas, who has 2,107 yards in his career, could finally break the mark this fall.
But Hastings was more than a career number. He was the best Tiger running back on teams that had future NFL players Jerry Allen and Charlie Brown.
Hastings ran for 213 yards in that McKinley game, second only to legendary Homer Floyd’s 263 yards in 1954. His Tiger teammates set the record for most rushing yards (551) and highest average per carry (14.2) in a game in that finale against McKinley and they still stand, too.
His 1.274 yards in the 1960 campaign were second only to Floyd’s 1,372 in ’54 and his 10.6 yards per carry that season topped Floyd’s 8.9.
Former Massillon Tigers Booster Club president Brock Herring was in junior high school on assignment – “You would go to the game on Friday and watch what the guys who played our position were doing, and you would get asked what they did right, or wrong” – when he first took note of Hastings’ abilities.
”I remember watching a game, and Massillon was on the 7-yard line,” said Herring, whose father, Bob, was a standout running back too. “They ran 31-power, a dive play. Art ran in there and there was a pile up. You are thinking it’s a 3-, 4-yard gain.
“Out of that pile came Art, right up the middle. HE goes (93 yards) for the touchdown. You are thinking ‘How the heck did he do that?’
“He just would not go down.”
Art Hastings breaks free against Canton McKinley in 1960 during a 42-0 victory.
You would laugh if you saw a 5-foot, 164-pounder line up at fullback today. If you saw a fullback in the game at all for that matter. But this was the late 1950s and the head coach was Leo Strang – and these were the powerful Massillon Tigers.
With a stable of running backs led by Hastings and a monster defense, Massillon was undefeated state and national poll champs in 1959. They were state champion again in Hastings’ senior year, 1960. The Tigers were 28-2-1 in Hastings’ career under Strang.
In Scott Shook’s 2010 book A Century of Heroes, Strang described his star back’s style of running thusly: “Hastings looks like his hips went out of joint. He was like trying to catch a dog in the middle of an open field.”
The only loss in Hastings’ final two years was a Week 8, 19-18 road loss to Warren Harding in his senior season in which the Tigers failed on all three two-point conversions tries. That loss snapped a 20-game winning streak and was thought to have destroyed the Tigers’ chance to defend their Ohio crown.
Led by Hastings, the Tigers roared back to life in what was then an 11-game regular season. They crushed Toledo Waite (56-14), fifth-ranked Springfield South (62-32) and McKinley (42-0) as Hastings ran for 552 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in the home stretch to claim the title.
“He was the best back in Ohio that year,” said Dave Null, the Tigers quarterback in 1960 and their future boys basketball coach for many years.
“Our junior year he was as good as any back in Ohio. He was very durable, never hurt. He wasn’t big but he was very strong. And he was as good running inside as he was outside.”
In the win over fifth-ranked Springfield to decide the state title, Hastings tallied four touchdowns including that school-record 93-yarder.
“Because of his size, defenders thought they could hit him and wrap him up,” brock Herring said. “But he would bounce off them or run by them. His balance and strength were his (keys). Some years later I met him. I introduced myself and thought how strong his hands were, years later.”
Art Hastings speeds through the hole against Canton McKinley in 1960 during a 42-0 victory.
Hastings was not only atypical for being a small fullback, he received and exceptionally small load of carries for being a dominant back. Strang believed in using a stable of backs and Hastings averaged just 13 carries as a junior and senior. In his time as a Tigers, Hastings shared the load with Brown and Allen, Doug Toles (who had a cup of coffee with Denver in the AFL), Ken Dean, Marty Gugov, Bob Herring, Joe Heflin and more.
“We all got a chance to do something,” Toles said. “It was evident by the scores and our freshness on the field.”
As for Hastings, Toles said he was “not the fastest guy on the field, but he was deceptively fast. He was a strong runner. Basically, strength and speed were his strengths. HE was very hard to tackle.”
“They have exceptionally good backs,” legendary Benedictine coach Augie Bossu told the Independent after Hastings ran eight times for 177 yards and three scores in a 36-6 1960 win over the Bengals. “That makes a great deal of difference.”
When it was over, Hastings had carried the ball 276 times in his career. It wasn’t until 1991 that Ashcraft broke the mark with 410 carries.
Now it’s 2018, and still no Tiger has taken the mantle from Hastings as Massillon’s career rushing leader.
Art Hastings was born in Bloomville, Mississippi, on March 5, 1942. He died in Barberton, Ohio, on January 25, 1998.
Highlights of Art Hastings’ Career:
Finished the 1959 season with seven consecutive 100 yard games.
In 1960, rushed 15 times for 189 yards and four touchdowns (1, 93, 6 and 8 yards) in a 62-32 victory over Springfield South. South was ranked No. 5 in the state prior to the game.
In 1960, rushed 14 times for 213 yards and four touchdowns (15, 29, 51 and 5 yards) in a 42-0 victory over Canton McKinley.
In 1959, named 3rd Team All-Ohio.
In 1960, named 1st Team All-Ohio.
In 1960, named WHBC Stark County Most Valuable Player
In 1960, received the Sportsmanship Award of the Massillon Junior Chamber of Commerce.
In 1960, was named Scholastic Magazine All-American.
In 2018, was inducted into the Stark County High School Football Hall of Fame.
In 2018, was inducted into the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame.
The 1959 team was ranked state and national champions.
The 1960 team was ranked state champion and 7th in the nation.
Records Prior to the 2018 Season
Career rushing yards – 1st – 3,090 yards
Single season rushing average yards per rush – 3rd – 10.6 yards
Single game rushing touchdowns – 4th – 4
Longest touchdown run – 4th – 93 yards
Single season rushing yards per game – 5th – 127.4 yards
Reference: Photos from 1961 Massillon High School Yearbook
Junior Varsity defeated Lakewood St. Edward, 27-14.
Freshmen lost to Lakewood St. Edward, 42-16.
8th Grade defeated Akron Ellet, 30-26.
7th Grade defeated Medina, 45-6 and Western Crusaders, 34-26.
This week’s schedule:
Wednesday – 8th Grade vs. Western Crusaders at Massillon Middle School, 5:00 pm
Thursday – 7th Grade vs. Brunswick at Brunswick Field #3, 5:00 pm
Friday – Varsity vs. Sun Valley, Pennsylvania, at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 7:30 pm
Saturday – Freshmen vs. Cleveland St. Ignatius at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 10:00 am
Saturday – Junior Varsity vs. Cleveland St. Ignatius at St. Ignatius, 10:00 am
Tre’von Morgan (wide receiver / outside linebacker) and Jamir Thomas (running back/linebacker) were the guest co-captains.
Massillon running back Jamir Thomas presents the football he carried to break the career rushing yards record to Bailey Yoder of the Massillon Museum.
During last Friday’s game aqainst East St. Louis, Jamir Thomas broke the 58-year old record for the most career rushing yards. The previous mark was 3,090 yards, held by Art Hastings. During the Booster Club meeting, Jamir presented the football he used to break the record to Bailey Yoder, football curator of the Massillon Museum. The ball will be on display during the public soft opening of the new Paul Brown Museum, which is scheduled for Friday, October 26, from 4:00 to 9:00 pm. Thomas already holds the record for the most career carries and is poised to break the record for the most career rushing touchdowns (47), a mark currently held by Bob Glass. He needs just one more TD to tie.
“I’m really proud of this,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore of Thomas’ performance. “He’s come a long way since his freshman year. He loves playing football. I’m really proud of what he’s accomplished.”
Eric Copeland was the guest assistant coach. Copeland said that the Tigers had difficulty in the first half adjusting to the speed of East St. Louis. But in the second half, the Flyers were a little slower as their 2-way players began to tire and it presented more of an even matchup. He also emphasized that the Massillon players believe that they’re a second-half team owing to their superior conditioning.
“They pushed us around,” said Copeland. “Our kids woke up. We fixed some mistakes. We made the plays when we needed to make them. I’m really proud of these guys. This is the best group of Tigers I’ve ever been around.”
Head Coach Nate Moore reviewed the game film, but noted that there were few defensive highlights due to the proficiency of the East St. Louis offense. In spite of manageable third downs, the defense couldn’t get off the field. But the Tigers made the defensive stops at the end when the game was on the line. “The crowd at the game was absolutely phenomenal,” he said. “It was definitely a factor in the game.”
Moore also boasted of his team beating the all-time win leader for the state of Illinois. That coming on the heels of doing the same feat against the New Jersey opponent, Montclair.
This week’s foe, Sun Valley of Pennsylvania, is not nearly the caliber of East St. Louis, coming in with a 3-4 record and having surrendered 195 points in their last five games. But they do have some offensive threats. Two players to keep an eye on are senior running back Julz Kelly (6′-0″, 180 lbs.) and senior quarterback Anthony Ellis (6′-2″, 190 lbs.). The quarterback rarely runs, but throws fairly well. Kelly has good speed and appears on film to be the catalyst for the offense.
The offensive line averages 6′-0″, 217 lbs. and the 3-front defensive line averages 5′-11″, 220 lbs., which places the Vanguards at a significant size disadvantage. Eight players go both ways, three of which are sophomores.
The Junior Varsity Squad is now 6-0 following recent victories over Austintown Fitch and Lakewood St. Edward.
A week ago, the Tigers downed Fitch on the road, 39-8, finishing the game with a running clock. Eric Thurman scored three touchdowns to key the win. The first two were 25-yard and 30-yard passes from Zach Catrone and the third was a 75-yard punt return. Xavier McElroy also had a 3-yard TD run. Daymiere Adams wrapped up the scoring with two touchdown passes from Catrone, the first from 40 yards out and the second from 26 yards out. Ethan Fox kicked three extra points.
Last Saturday, Massillon traveled to state power Lakewood St. Edward and came away a 27-14 victor. Jean-Luc Beasley opened the scoring with a 10-yard run. Zach Catrone then connected on two touchdown passes, 50 yards to Eric Thurman and 20 yards to Heath Manson. Raekwan Venson added a 12-yard run to put the game away. Venson also ran for a 2-point conversion. Ethan Fox converted a pair of PATs.
This week the JV Team travels to Cleveland St. Ignatius as they keep their hopes alive for an unbeaten season.
Harry Agustus Stuhldreher — Everyone’s All-American
Written by Mike Riordan Contributors: Gary Vogt and Ron Prunty
“Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, The Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore their names are Death, Destruction, Pestilence, and Famine. But those are aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Crowley, Miller and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below.”
The Foursome achieved football immortality when Grantland Rice, a sportswriter for the former New York Herald Tribune, penned “the most famous football lead of all-time.” This was written after Notre Dame’s 13-7 upset victory over a strong Army team on October 18, 1924.
Notre Dame Four Horsemen: Dan Miller, Elmer Layden, Jim Crowley, Harry Stuhldreher
HIGH SCHOOL
Harry Stuhldreher was born October 14, 1901, in Massillon, Ohio. He grew up there and delivered papers with Luther Emery, the legendary Massillon sports writer. When Knute Rockne played for the pro Massillon Tigers (according to his biography in the College Football Hall Of Fame) Harry gained free entry into a pro Massillon Tiger game. While reaching for Rockne’s gear he asked, “Carry yer bag, Mr. Rockne?” Fate had drawn the two together and fate would bring them mutual immortality.
Harry (known as Hessie and Stuhlie) played for Coach John Snavely on the Tiger teams of 1917, 1918 and 1919. He was not a regular on the 1917 team, which ended with a 7-2 record and beat Canton McKinley, 7-6.
But that changed the following year. The 1918 team was 2-2-2. This was a unique season, when several games were canceled due to the Spanish Flu epidemic, including the one against the Canton McKinley game. In addition, the New Philadelphia game was forfeited when Coach Snavely pulled his players from the field because of what he believed was a biased ruling against the Tigers. Final score: New Philadephia 1, Massillon 0.
Paul Brown, Dave Stewart, Harry Stuhldreher
The 1919 team finished 8-1. Playing at a paltry 5′-5″ and weighing just 137 lbs., Harry started the first nine games. The Tigers beat McKinley that year 21-0, but he was held out due to an injured arm.
During his 3-year career at Massillon, Harry was described as a good, although not outstanding player. Unfortunately, Harry never got the chance to play in a Canton McKinley game.
In 1920 Harry moved to Pennsylvania where he played football for Kiski Prep and graduated in 1921. He was coached at Prep by future Massillon Head Coach Dave Stewart. It was Harry that recommended Coach Stewart to the Massillon administration for consideration as the coaching to succeed Elmer Snyder. Of course, Stewart (Paul Brown’s coach) went on to a very successful tenure with the Tigers.
NOTRE DAME
In college Harry played for Notre Dame’s legendary coach Knute Rockne in 1922, 1923 and 1924. Notre Dame’s record during his three years was 29-2-1 and his team captured the National Championship in 1924. “Stuhldreher was a self-assured leader who not only could throw accurately but also returned punts and proved a solid blocker. He was often labeled cocky, feisty and ambitious, but his field generalship was unmatched.”
Harry Stuhldreher – Notre Dame
Four games into his sophomore season, he beat out the older but slower Frank Thomas (future coach of Alabama). At that time players were not eligible for varsity competition until their sophomore year. Notre Dame finished 1922 with a record of 8-1-1. They tied Army 0-0 after winning the first 6 games the lost their season finale at Nebraska on Thanksgiving Day, 14 – 6.
Rockne once said of Harry Stuhldreher, “Harry made an error in his sophomore year. He never made another.”
As a junior his team recorded a record of 9-1, again losing to Nebraska late in the season. Harry would not lose another game at Notre Dame. In fact, Harry only lost to one team while at Notre Dame and that was Nebraska, in 1922 and 1923.
Luther Emery once wrote, “When Harry Stuhldreher was at Notre Dame the Massillon Tigers would start their summer practice before Notre Dame. “Stuhlie” would come down and work out with the Massillon team.”
As a senior Harry was one of the smallest quarterbacks in Notre Dame’s history, standing 5′-7” tall and weighing just 150 lbs. Notre Dame started the season 2-0 but it was after their rivalry game, a 13-7 win against Army at the Polo Grounds, that The Four Horsemen became immortalized. Notre Dame finished the season 10-0 with a season finale Rose Bowl victory over Stanford, 27-10 on New Year’s Day, January 1, 1925. Notre Dame was proclaimed National Champions by 10 poling/foundations/associations of the day. This would be Notre Dame’s last bowl appearance until the 1969 season. Harry had made All-American twice but this year he was voted Consensus First team All-American Quarterback.
Stuhldreher’s obituary reads, “The undefeated 1924 team went to the Rose Bowl and defeated Stanford 27-10. It was that year that Mr. Stuhldreher was selected virtually unanimously as All-American quarterback”
“Even as a freshman, Harry had the most promise of the Four Horsemen. He sounded the leader on the field.” — Knute Rockne
Don Miller, Harry’s roommate and member of the Four Horsemen said, “Harry was the greatest quarterback in the history of Notre Dame University … not only a great passer and blocker but also a great safety man on defense.”
Harry Stuhldreher will always be associated with the “Hail Mary” desperation touchdown pass. Jim Crowley, a member of the Four Horsemen, used this story in many of his speeches. “During a tense game against Georgia Tech, Fighting Irish lineman Noble Kizer (member of the Seven Mules) suggested a Hail Mary prayer. Shortly thereafter, Stuhldreher threw a touchdown pass on fourth down. After the game, Kizer said, “That Hail Mary is the best play we’ve got.”
PROFESSIONAL
September 16, 1925 Stuhldreher had offers to play for three pro teams in the Connecticut area, but signed a contract to play for the Providence Steam Roller in the team’s inaugural NFL season. The Steam Roller had a non-league game on September 20th, annihilating West Point Artillery club 127-0. Stuhldreher played in that game, but he jumped teams when his demand for a salary increase was refused. He immediately signed with the Waterbury/Hartford Blues for $7,500 plus a $500 bonus. On October 11, Jim Crowley, another member of the Four Horsemen, signed and joined Stuhldreher against Adams, Massachusetts.
Crowley scored three touchdowns and Stuhldreher booted two field goals and three extra points. Crowley picked up his check after the game and said adios to the Blues. On Sunday December 13 all Four Horsemen were signed (for a speculated cost of $5000 for one game) to play the Cleveland Bulldogs in their last game of the season. The Bulldogs prevailed 13-6 and the Blues ended the season 10-2
In 1926 the Brooklyn pro team of the American Football League (AFL) was named “Horsemen” after the signing of Harry Stuhldreher and Elmer Layden, two of Notre Dame’s Four Horsemen. The team’s first game was decided by a 60-yard pass from Stuhldreher to Ed Harrison. Unfortunately, that was their only offensive highlight and their only win. The Horsemen ended with a 1-3 record, playing their last game on November 7, 1926, with a 21-13 loss to the New York Yankees. They then merged with the NFL’s Brooklyn Lions to complete the season. The local media dubbed the team the “Horse-Lions.”
On November 14, 1926, and playing for the Brooklyn Lions, Harry finally got his win against the Canton Bulldogs, winning 19-0. Notable players on the Bulldog team included Washington High School’s own Ben Roderick and Canton’s greatest player Jim Thorpe.
VILLANOVA
Harry Stuhldreher was named head football coach of Villanova in 1925 and found immediate success, being tabbed, “The Man who brought horsepower to Villanova Football.”
Villanova’s president, Father Hickey, asked, “How can we bring that winning Notre Dame spirit to Villanova?” The answer was to bring on a 23 year old, a three-time All-American from Notre Dame to be the 17th head coach of Villanova.
In his 11 years (1925-1935) as head coach, his teams were 65-25-9, with an undefeated season in 1928 at 7-0-1. He had only one losing season. His winning percentage of .722 remains the highest among all Villanova head coaches with at least a 2-year tenure. And his 65 victories were more than Villanova’s first 12 coaches accumulated in 31 seasons.
Coach Harry was instrumental in picking his replacement before moving on. His choice was Maurice J. “Clipper” Smith, a Notre Dame 1920 graduate and lineman coached by Knute Rockne. “Clipper” coached eight years at Villanova. Beginning late in his first year his teams had a record of 25-2-2, sixteen shutouts and was undefeated in 1937.
Outgoing Villanova Coach Harry and Replacement Clipper Smith
WISCONSIN
In 1936 Harry Stuhldreher was hired as the 19th head football coach for Wisconsin, which the Wisconsin State Journal called, a “Coaches Graveyard.” “The little man with the big job.” Harry responded, “Gentlemen, I’ve bought a one-way ticket from Philadelphia. I plan to stay here for a long time.”
Harry served in a dual role as Director of Athletics (1936-1950) and Head Football Coach (1936-1948). In 13 seasons his teams posted a 45-62-6 record. This gives him a career record of 110-87-15 in 24 seasons.
1941 – Wisconsin played at Ohio State and first year coach Paul Brown. Ohio State prevailed 46-34. The Wisconsin band did not travel to this game and it was Harry Stuhldreher, not Paul Brown, who invited the Massillon Tiger Swing Band to perform at halftime (the band’s first appearance at Ohio State) under the direction of George “Red” Bird. George “Red” Bird would later become the Cincinnati Bengals Entertainment Director for Paul Brown.
1942 – Wisconsin finished 3rd in the Nation in the final AP poll with an 8-1-1 record and 2nd in the Big Ten at 4-1. They tied Notre Dame 7-7 and beat Paul Brown and Ohio State’s first National championship team by a score of 17-7, Wisconsin’s first ever win over a top-ranked team. This team featured All-Americans Dave Schreiner, Pat Harder and Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch.
1943 – Stuhldreher coached a college All-Star team to a 27-7 win over the Washington Redskins.
1947 – Wisconsin finished 3-2-1 in the Big Ten which placed them 2nd.
As Athletic director he developed a concept of “Athletics for All” and his leadership produced a well-rounded development of all sports and the accompanying facilities.
Harry Stuhldreher retired from football in 1950 after 33 “Hall of Fame” years as player, coach and executive.
RETIRED FROM FOOTBALL ??
After his years with Wisconsin he was known as Mr. Football. He was extremely involved and active while being so called “retired.”
This is a list of some of the activities in which he was involved:
Past President, American Football Coaches Association
Assistant to Vice President, U.S. Steel Corp.,1959 – 1965
He was past President or Director of
Junior Achievement of S.W. Pennsylvania, Inc.
Allegheny Council, Boy Scouts of America (Silver Beaver)
Boys Club of Pittsburgh
Kiski Preparatory
Pop Warner Midget Football Conference
He was principal speaker at the Canton Junior Achievement banquet in the spring of 1956
Harry Stuhldreher – 1964
Mr. Stuhldreher wrote the books, “Quarterback Play” and “Knute Rockne, Man Builder.” The latter was a source for the movie, “Knute Rockne, All American,” starring Ronald Reagan as George Gipp. He also wrote a short novel titled, “The Blocking Back.” Along with his books he was a regular contributor of articles for the Saturday Evening Post. His wife was also a writer and the couple had four sons.
In August 1962 Mr. Stuhldreher was master of ceremonies at ground-breaking ceremonies for the National Professional Football Hall of Fame. Then during Football’s Greatest Weekend in 1963, the charter class of 17 pro football greats were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. During the ceremony, Mr. Stuhldreher made the formal presentation of Hall of Fame membership to ‘Slingin’ Sammy Baugh.’
Mr. Stuhldreher passed away at age 63 on January 26, 1965, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before his death, Harry told his family that he never really enjoyed the role of a ‘horseman.” “He hated horses, and he hated getting on that horse they always made him get on,” Harry Jr. recalled. He used to tell us he was always afraid he would fall off and get hurt or embarrass himself, and my dad did not like to be embarrassed.His son Michael said, “He loved Massillon as his home, and he was very, very proud of it ”
Harry Stuhldreher will be forever linked with Knute Rockne and Notre Dame. Towards the end of his life he made appearances with the other members of the famous Four Horsemen. One was in Massillon in 1963 and they visited the Massillon Tigers locker room prior to the Cleveland East game.
His wife once said, “Harry has become a football legend. No matter where he speaks or what he says, he is always remembered as the quarterback of the Four Horsemen.”
1963 – Four Horsemen: Elmer Layden, Jim Crowley, Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller
Mr. Stuhldreher’s Awards include
Walter Camp Consensus 1st Team All-American Quarterback, 1924
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award, 1965
Staff Award for the American Football Coaches Association, 1965
Massillon, Ohio Washington High School Distinguished Citizen Award ,1994
Four Horsemen of Notre Dame $.32 U.S. Postage Stamp, issued 1998
Villanova Wall of Fame, 2002
Mr. Stuhldreher’s Hall of Fame Inductions include
Helms Foundation Hall of Fame
Notre Dame University Hall of Fame, 1958
National Football Foundation / College Football Hall of Fame at Rutgers University, 1958
Massillon, Ohio, Washington High School All-American Hall of Fame Charter Class Inductee, 1964
Madison, Wisconsin, Sports Hall of Fame ,1966
Wisconsin University Football Hall of Fame,1994
Massillon, Ohio, Washington High School Wall of Champions Charter Class Inductee, 1994
Stark County Ohio High School Football Hall of Fame Charter Member, 2002
Kiski Prep School, Saltsburg, PA. Sports Hall of Fame, 2015
Massillon, Ohio, Washington High School Tiger Hall of Fame, 2015
Wednesday – 7th Grade vs. Medina at Massillon Middle School, 5:00 pm
Wednesday – 8th Grade vs. Akron Ellet at Ellet High School, 5:00 pm
Thursday – Freshmen vs. Lakewood St. Edward at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 6:00 pm
Friday – Varsity vs. East St. Louis, IL, at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 7:30 pm
Saturday – Junior Varsity vs. Lakewood St. Edward at St. Edward, 10:00 am
Tre’von Morgan (wide receiver / outside linebacker) and Aidan Longwell (quartertback) were the guest co-captains.
“It’s really good to be 6-0,” said Massillon Head Coach Nate Moore, reflecting back on the 42-14 victory over Austintown Fitch.. “Our kids played hard again. We overcame adversity.” The Tigers held a slim 21-14 lead entering the fourth quarter, but exploded for 21 unanswered points. “It was good to pull away in the fourth quarter,” said Moore. “Our preparation and our strength and conditioning was a big part.”
The guest assistant coach was Dan Studer. “It’s been a real blessing to come back home,” he said. “It’s where I’m supposed to be. It’s a dream come true.” Studer spoke extensively about the weight room and the strength program. The middle school also has excellent facilities and it’s where the initial techniques are taught. But the real weight training begins in the freshman year at the high school, where the focus is on football conditioning and other aspects based on the position played. Studer encouraged all Tiger fans to pay a visit to the newly remodeled weight room.
Following films, Coach Moore gave a scouting report on this week’s opponent, East St. Louis from Illinois. He emphasized that every player was good and the team plays well, noting that this will be Massillon’s biggest test to date. The Flyers come into Tigertown with a 5-1 record, having lost 52-38 to undefeated King High School from Michigan in the season opener.
Offensively, the Flyers run a “college-like offense” and average 49 points a game. It’s very basic, but executed extremely well. Last week, East St. Louis rolled up 762 total yards in a 57-33 victory over previously undefeated Belleville West. They are very good at the skill positions and have tremendous speed.
The leader of the offense is Quarterback Tyler Macon (6′-0″, 180 lbs.). Although just a sophomore, he plays above his age and has a very live arm, with over 1,000 yards passing so far this year. He is also heavily used as a rusher, having gained 635 yards. Expect his number to be called often.
The primary wide receivers are junior Antonio Johnson (6′-3″, 170 lbs.) and junior Lawaun Powell, Jr. (6′-1″, 175 lbs.). Johnson is a 4-star recruit with college offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky and Virginia Tech. Powell is a 3-star recruit and has offers from Kentucky and Virginia Tech. Not to be overlooked is sophomore Kaentez Lewis (6′-2″, 170 lbs.), who is being recruited by Southern Illinois.
Alternating at the running back position are junior DaMonta Witherspoon (5′-11″, 190 lbs.) and Treven Swingler (6′-1″, 190 lbs.). Both are very effective.
The offensive line averages 6′-3″, 284 lbs. Both senior tackles are being recruited: Demond Taylor (6′-3″, 275 lbs.) by Northern Illinois and Darrell Simmons, Jr.(6′-4″, 290 lbs.), a 3-star, by Iowa State.
Defensively, the Flyers start six of their offensive starters. Moore noted that they are not as effective execution-wise on defensive as they are on offense, having surrendered 24 points a game. The defensive backs will line up in man-to-man coverage, sometimes with a safety over the top (sometimes with the safety on the back side of the defensive line). That allows them to commit the remaining defenders to the run, similar to Austintown Fitch.
The best player is senior inside linebacker Cameroon Clay (6′-3″, 200 lbs.), who has been offered by Southern Illinois. Moore said he is big and very good. The two heavily recruited wide receivers line up in the secondary. The defensive line is a 3-front, averaging 6′-2″, 263 lbs.
While the offense is outstanding and the defense is decent, the special teams are very poor, similar to a good Cleveland Glenville team.
“It’s a tremendous challenge for our football team.,” said Moore. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Tuesday – 7th Grade vs. Orrville at Massillon Middle School, 6:30 pm
Wednesday – 8th Grade vs. Austintown at Massillon Middle School, 5:30 pm
Thursday – Freshmen vs. Austintown at Austintown, 6:00 pm
Friday – Varsity vs. Austintown Fitch at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium, 7:30 pm
Saturday – Junior Varsity vs. Austintown Fitch at Austintown, 11:00 pm
Justin Gaddis (center), Deon Williams (offensive/defensive lineman) and Aidan Longwell (quartertback) were the guest co-captains. Dave Weber (tight ends/fullbacks) was the guest assistant coach.
Reflecting back on the Tigers’ 42-0 victory last week over Akron Firestone, Head Coach Moore said, “I’m proud of the guys. We took care of business. But we will move on quickly. We have a good opponent coming up this week. They are always physical. They always have something different for us. We had a good practice today. The kids practiced hard.”
This week’s opponent is Austintown Fitch. Their scores so far this season:
Hudson (1-4) W 20-9
Erie, PA (1-4) W 15-8
Shaker Heights (4-1) W 16-6
Warren Harding (3-2) L 14-49
Youngstown East (3-2) W 13-0
The Falcons will utilize two quarterbacks out of the spread offense: senior Bobby Cavalier (6′-1″, 166) and senior Dom Montalbano (6’0″, 175). Both will run and pass in the offensive scheme, although one is the better passer while the other is the better runner. The running back is junior C.J. Woodberry (5’8″, 161), who Moore says is adequate for the position. But he real threat is the speedy senor receiver/cornerback Ralph Fitzgerald (5’9″, 165), who is fast enough to have outrun the entire Warren Harding secondary. He is the one person who could break the big play. Their best lineman is tight end #76 Tom Leskovac (6’3″, 242). But he is usually covered up by a wide receiver in an unbalanced set and not expected in a pass receiver role. The line averages 5’11”, 238 lbs. Three returning starters on offense
Defensively, Fitch may come out in just about anything, so the Tigers will need to adjust on the fly. The defensive line is very active, with two players at 283 lbs. and 301 lbs. The other two are smallish. The linebacking corps is a strength and the secondary has good quickness with solid players at the corners. Three returning starters on defense.
History 
In his high school swan song (a 42-0 shellacking of the McKinley Bulldogs on Nov. 19, 1960), Hastings rushed for four touchdowns to lift Massillon to its second straight Associated Press state poll championship and first team All-Ohio honors for himself.
