Author: <span>Eric Smith</span>

History

1894: Massillon 6 Canton Central 16

Repository Sports
Canton, O., Saturday, Nov.  18, 1944

IT HAPPENED JUST 50 YEARS AGO

(Editor’s Note:  This is a facsimile of a story that appeared in The Repository 50 years ago following the first Canton- Massillon game on Nov. 3, 1894.)
 
CANTON WINS
IN THE FOOTBALL CONTEST
WITH MASSILLON SATURDAY

A FINE GAME
Is That at Pastime Park
and Witnessed by an Enthusiastic Audience
How the Boys Lined Up.

The football game played at Pastime Park on Saturday afternoon between the Canton high school eleven and the Massillon high school eleven was undoubtedly the finest game of football ever witnessed in this city.  The attendance was not as large as the contest deserved, but the yellow and black colors of the Massillon enthusiasts and the crimson and black worn by the admirers of the Canton high school Varsity boys were plentiful, and they rooted for their respective teams with vim and vigor.

The Canton High school boys secured the ball at the kick off and kept it until within one yard of the goal.  Then the referee declared that the ball belonged to the Massillonians under the rule that the team having the ball must gain five yards within three downs.  This Canton failed to do.  Massillon then put the ball into play, and were soon forced to their goal with the ball, which scored the Cantons a safety, or two points.

The Massillons started out again with the ball, and by fine interference and excellent team work got the ball to Lester, their left halfback.  He showed some fine sprinting and made a touchdown, giving them four points.  Goal was then kicked and the game stood 6 to 2 in favor of Massillon at the end of the first half.  The small crowd of rooters from the west end crowed too soon, but they crowed lustily, cheering the hearts of the Massillon boys with their vociferous applause.  Many musical feminine voices were particularly noticed in their applause.

This had a good effect on the Cantons as well.  It ended the Massillon scoring.  Canton had the ball but didn’t keep it long.  Fine interference from Pumphrey, however, prevented a Massillon touchdown.  Cubbison got the ball and ran for the goal line but
Was Tackled and Thrown.
John quickly picked it up scoring the first touchdown for the Canton lads.  Goal was made and with the score 8 to 6 the Canton crowd went wild.  Two more touchdowns were made by the Canton boys in the half, one by Kirby, and the other by Pumphrey.  The half ended with the score 16 to 6 in favor of the Canton high school boys.

The line up was a follows:

M.H.S.                           Pos.                            C.H.S.
Yost (Capt.)                right end                     Cubbison
Edwards                    right tackle                      Howlen
Lewis                         right guard                      Turnbull
Foltz                              center                         Gauchat
Harrison                      left guard                       Oldham
Von Kanel                  left tackle                          Hawk
Stoner                           left end                              Jahn
Justus                        quarterback                           Day
List                           right halfback                         Linn
Lester                        left halfback                  Pumphrey
Dangler                         fullback               Kirby (Capt.)

Umpire – J.H. Carson, of Canton.
Referee – C. Rinck, of Massillon

History

1893: Massillon 16 Salem 6

Game played November 11, 1893
From The Massillon Evening Independent

SALEM COMES TO GRIEF
MASSILLON 16              SALEM 6

A fair sized audience saw the Massillon high school football eleven defeat the eleven from Salem high school by the score of 16 to 6 in a well played game at Russell Park on Saturday afternoon.  This was the first regular game that the local high school team has played this season, and they won a well earned victory.  While they are yet comparatively young in years as well as in experience on the football field, they have the making of good football players, for they thoroughly understand the game and all of its various points, and with steady practice will have a team that will be hard to defeat by teams of their own and even heavier weight.

When the two teams lined up for play it was at once discovered that the boys from the neighboring city were much larger and heavier than the local boys, but in a very few minutes after the contest began it was evident that while the Massillon boys lacked in strength and weight they more than excelled their plucky opponents in science and skill.

The local team’s victory was largely due to their good team work and the excellent interference for their runners when they had the ball in their possession and were heading for the coveted goal of their opponents.  Their best gains were made by runs around the ends, while they could not make any material gains by bucking the enemy’s line which was too heavy for them to break through.

The Salem team soon demonstrated to the onlookers that they were inferior to the home team, as they could not make any large gains by sending their backs around the ends of the Massillon line, for they were soon brought to earth by the excellent tackling of Captain Young’s men, but they did succeed in gaining lots of ground by bucking their opponents’ line, as their superior strength and weight were too much for the home eleven to overcome.

The best features of the local team’s playing were Roberta’s fine tackles and end runs for large gains, Captain Young’s good all around work, Emery’s tackling and timely interference and Hilton’s punting, tackling and runs, while the work of the balance of the eleven was good and showed that each player put his whole heart and soul in his efforts to help win the game.

The teams lined up as follows:

M.H.S.Pos.S.H.S.
Stonerleft endWoodruff
Garriguesleft tackleMeyerhoffer
McLee
Groffleft guardOldham
LantzcenterBullard
Pocockright guardOlder
Yostright tackleSouthworth
Edwardsright endFrench
EmeryquarterbackMcCarty
Capt. Youngleft halfbackWilson
Silvers
Robertsright halfbackWilson
HiltonfullbackKirkbride
Score:
Massillon16
Salem6
Touchdowns:
Massillon:Roberts 1Young 1Hilton 1
Salem:Kirkbride 1
Goals:
Massillon:Roberts 1
Salem:Dunn 1
Failed Goals:
Massillon:Pocock 2
Safety:
Massillon:1
Referees:Walter McLainMr. Gee