Keller And Pedrotty Romp To Touchdowns As Improved Orange And Black Aggregation Chalks Up Third Victory of 1944 Campaign
By FRED J. BECKER The Tiger is on the prowl again.
And once again he’s that victory-hungry Tiger, stalking his prey on a chalk-lined gridiron and striking with a deadly attack reminiscent of that Tiger of other years.
A Tiger imbued with a new-born fighting spirit roamed up and down the gridiron at Tiger stadium Friday evening and another near capacity audience of almost 16,000 watched him batter his way to a 19-6 conquest of the Big Red of Steubenville Wells high school. Third Triumph For Tigers In subduing a big, husky aggregation from the banks of the Ohio river, the orange and black of Washington high school last night recorded its third victory in 4, 1944 engagements, its lone reverse coming 2 weeks ago at the hands of a powerful, smooth working outfit from Cleveland Cathedral Latin. It was Steubenville’s second trimming in 4 engagements, East Liverpool inflicting a 20-7 defeat on the Stubbers 2 weeks ago.
In conquering the Big Red Friday night, Coach Elwood Kammer’s boys ran Washington high’s string of victories over the eastern Ohio school to 8 in a row with Steubenville having but 2 triumphs to show for 10 duels with the Tigers, those victories coming way back in 1930 and 1931. Heat Bothers Players It was a warm balmy night out at the stadium last night, much too warm for this time of the year and the heat and heavy atmosphere made the going rather tough for the boys on the gridiron but despite this handicap the Tigers looked different last night – they looked more like the team that ran roughshod over Akron West in the season’s opener for a 60-7 triumph.
There was something in the general atmosphere around the stadium last night, which was different but familiar. It was that old air of confidence. One felt it just as soon as the Tigers trotted out on the field. They were the same boys who trotted out 2 weeks ago against Cathedral Latin and a week ago against Canton Lincoln but somehow they were different. Once again they seemed to have that old Tiger spirit – that spirit to win and before the evening was over they proved it by upsetting a husky foe, powerful but not too well versed in gridiron strategy.
Three times the Tiger took off his gloves and struck with deadly efficiency to score touchdowns. On 2 other occasions he lost points, once when a rugged Steubenville line gave an heroic exhibition of stonewall qualities and stopped the Tiger on the 2 yard line and once when a penalty robbed the orange and black of a touchdown after a thrilling 49-yard canter by little Bert Webb.
Although only in Massillon territory twice during the contest the Stubbers made one of those forays count for their lone touchdown, that coming late in the fourth quarter when Preston Robinson intercepted a pass tossed by Tiger Don McGuire and raced 45 yards in a clear field for the visitors’ only score. The tally was registered against the second team and was almost a pure gift but it kept the Big Red from being shutout, something which has not occurred this season.
That the Tigers were on the prowl is indicated clearly by the statistics which showed 15 first downs for Coach Kammer’s gladiators to 6 for Steubenville.
As expected both teams resorted frequently to the aerial game in their efforts to advance the ball but neither was very successful. The Tigers tried 10 passes, completing 3 for 61 yards and having two intercepted, one interception giving the Stubbers their lone touchdown. Steubenville tried 10 aerial heaves with big Joe Gilliam doing the pitching and completed but 2 for 26 yards with the Tigers intercepting 3. Big Advantage In Ground Gained In yards gained the orange and black held a wide margin over the invading Big Red. The Massillonians had a net gain of 269 yards as compared to only 70 for Steubenville.
The Tigers had a gross yardage of 273 with a loss of only 4 yards. Steubenville had a gross of 87 with a loss of 17.
Fumbles again were prevalent, the Tigers dropping the leather 5 times and recovering on 3 occasions. The Big Red fumbled 3 times and recovered twice.
Defensively the Tigers played a bang up game with their performance being an improvement over what they showed a week ago against Canton Lincoln. The forward wall was much too tough for the invaders on defense and effectively halted most of Steubenville’s attempts to gain ground either through the line or around the wings. About three-fourths of the Big Red’s offensive burden was carried by big Joe Gilliam who did all of the visitors passing and most of their line plunging and end running. Joe took quite a pounding but without him Steubenville wouldn’t have had much of an offense.
Every man on the Tiger line did a good job last night, both on offense and defense, with Dick Ielsch, Jim Gibson, Bob Heltzel and Bill Gable getting into a lot of plays. Glenn Keller and Junie Pedrotty did a fine job of backing up the line while Webb, Wilmer Luke and Vic Turkall took care of busting up Steubenville’s aerial attack in fine style. Offensively the Tigers showed a much improved running and line smashing attack with Keller and Pedrotty carrying the mail with dispatch and effectiveness, Keller scored 2 of the Tigers touchdowns while Pedrotty tallied the third. Keller raced around the Big Red’s ends and through the line for consistent gains and Pedrotty, a stocky, energetic young man, put on tap his finest performance of the season with many brilliant slashes through the line until forced to the bench in the third period with an injured ankle.
That the Tigers had something on the ball last night is shown by the yardage they picked up in scoring their touchdowns. The first Massillon set of counters came early in the first period, the Tigers moving the ball 47 yards in 9 plays for a touchdown.
The second tally came early in the second period on an unbroken march of 85 yards with only 8 plays being required to travel nearly the entire length of the field. The third touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a march of 54 yards in 11 plays.
The Tigers won the toss and received but on the first play Pedrotty fumbled on the visitors 44 and Steubenville covered. But Junie made up for his slip a minute later when he pulled one of Gilliam’s passes out of the air on the Big Red’s 47. First Touchdown March Immediately the Tiger machine swung into action and started off on a touchdown march. Webb ran wide around left end and was run out of bounds after a 12 yard gain. Turkall crashed off right tackle for 7 more. Steubenville, however, was offside and the Tigers took the 5 yard penalty which made it first down and 5 to go. Webb was stopped without a gain at left end. Keller then breezed around left end for 4 and Pedrotty rammed the line for a first down on Steubenville’s 22. Keller again sprinted around left end for 9. Turkall tried the same place but picked up only half a yard before being forced out. But on the next play Vic, on a reverse to the left, rammed his way to the 4 yard line and Keller, running wide around left end scampered over the goal line for the first Massillon touchdown. Turkall’s attempted placement was wide.
A short time later Gilliam in another attempt to heave a long one to Jim Robinson saw Turkall pull the ball down on the Massillon 28 but the Tiger attack was stalled and Vic punted to Pete Polovina who was downed on his 41. Once again Gilliam took to the air and once again the Tigers were on the job, this time Webb pulling down a Steubenville pass on Massillon’s 15.
This time the Tiger machine did not stall and set off on a drive that was to cover 85 yards and pick up another touchdown. Keller hammering around his left end picked up 10 and a first down. Then Pedrotty crashed through a hole at left tackle with battering ram force and raced 20 yards before being floored.
Webb fumbled on the next play but recovered with a loss of 6. An attempted Webb to Zeller pass failed to click but on the next play Webb tossed a beautiful shot to Wilmer Luke who reached up to smother the leather in his big hands and race to the Big Red’s 34 before being nailed. It was an overall gain of 26 yards. Keller picked up 7 yards in a dash around right end and once again Pedrotty found that hole at left tackle and rammed through for 15 from a “T” formation play to put the ball on Steubenville’s 12 as the first quarter ended.
On the first play in the second period Pedrotty on a spinner went through right tackle and scored standing up to raise the Tiger total to 12. Turkall again failed in his placement kick. Tigers Lose 2 Touchdowns Now the Tigers were destined to run into a bit of bad luck and a stiffened Steubenville defense and it cost them 2 touchdowns. Again an intercepted pass set the Tigers in motion, Webb pulling in another Gilliam pass on the Massillon 40 and running it back to midfield. A steady Tiger march carried the ball to Steubenville’s 16 where Pedrotty was forced from the game with an injured ankle. Don Sedjo took over the fullback duties and in 3 smashes carried the ball to the 3 but here the Big Red braced and Webb and Sedjo were unable to advance into pay territory, the Stubbers taking the ball on their 2 yard line.
Harold Gibbs got off a swell punt from behind his goal line down to his 43. Don McGuire, in for Turkall who was relieved because of an ailing shoulder, tried a pass which was intercepted by Jim Robinson. Again Gibbs punted, this time McGuire taking the ball on his 30 and returning to the 38 where the Tiger launched their third touchdown march.
Keller smashed through the line for a first down to Steubenville’s 49. On the next play Webb, running from punt formation, raced through right tackle and out into the clear. Reversing his field the little Tiger merchant dashed toward the left side and breezed past6 the Big Red secondary and on across the goal without a hand being laid on him but the officials, darn’em detected a Tiger back in motion and called the ball back inflicting a 5 yard penalty on Massillon and nullifying Webb’s brilliant sprint, the most thrilling dash of the game.
However, the Tigers were not stopped and proceeded to make the touchdown the hard way. Sedjo hit the line for 6 and Webb, again running from punt formation, picked up 8 yards. Keller made it a first down on the Steubenville 39. Webb picked up 3. A Tiger pass failed but Keller smashed through right tackle for another first down to the 29. McGuire tossed again and this time Luke made a good catch for a 17 yard gain to the visitors’ 12. McGuire was stopped without a gain at right end. Turkall, coming back into the game, ripped off 7 on a reverse, going to the 5. Sedjo smashed to the 3 and then Keller against swept around left end and across for the third Tiger touchdown. This time Turkall made good on his kick from placement.
A short time later Kammer pulled out all his regulars with the exception of Sedjo and Gene Krisher at center and shoved his second stringers into the fray. McGuire, attempting a pass, tossed a perfect strike – but instead of hitting a Tiger receiver the ball landed in Preston Robinson’s outstretched hands on the Tiger 45. With a clear field ahead of him Robinson galloped unmolested for Steubenville’s only touchdown, Gilliams’ attempted placement failed.
Kammer then yanked his second team and put in the third string of all sophomores and they registered a first down before the game ended. Like Old Times Massillon – 19 Pos. Steubenville – 6 Zeller LE Gibbs Ielsch LT Carducci Heltzel LG Porter Krisher C Lawrence Gable RG Domanico Gibson RT Barsuk Luke RE J. Robinson Keller QB Roe Turkall LH Gilliam Webb RH Polovani Pedrotty FB Wagner
Touchdowns: Massillon – Keller 2; Pedrotty. Steubenville – P. Robinson.
Point after touchdown: Massillon – Turkall (placement).
Statistics Mass. Steub. Total first downs 15 6 Yards gained by rushing 212 61 Yards lost by rushing 4 17 Net yards gained by rushing 208 44 Forward passes attempted 10 10 Forward passes completed 3 2 Yards gained by passing 61 26 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 269 70 Passes had intercepted 2 3 Number of punts 2 3 Average distance of punts 38 33 Number of kickoffs 4 2 Average distance, kickoff 37 35 Number of fumbles 5 3 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 2 Number of penalties against 2 6 Yards lost by penalties 10 50
Improved Tigers Hand Canton Lincoln 12-0 Shellacking SECOND WIN FOR LOCAL GRIDDERS Overflow Crowd Of 17,500 Watches Washington High Gladiators Tally 2 Touchdowns In Hard Fought, Spectacular Clash
By FRED J. BECKER
Back again on the 1944 Football Victory train are those Tigers of Washington high school. Knocked off a week ago by the Cleveland Cathedral Latin Lions Coach Elwood Kammer’s gridiron gladiators Friday night climbed aboard the Football Victory express at Fawcett stadium, Canton, by mauling the Canton Lincoln Lions 12 to 0 before an overflow crowd of 17,500.
A lion – Cleveland variety – smeared the Massillon Tiger 6-0 a week ago. Last night another lion – Canton variety – waged a desperate battle in an unsuccessful effort to duplicate the feat of the Clevelanders. The Lincoln Lions, a powerful opponent, caught the Massillon Tiger on the rebound and the orange and black made the Cantonians their victims as they proved that a Massillon Tiger can take a lacing one week and come back stronger than ever the next. Hard Fought, Spectacular Duel In a hard fought and spectacular contest in which no quarter was asked and none given, the Tigers last night proved superior to the Cantonians for the second straight year. In 1943 the Massillonians edged the Lincoln Lions 15-0. The largest crowd to see a scholastic gridiron duel in Canton this season jammed Fawcett stadium to overflowing and was treated to a highly interesting battle as the Tigers proved to both Massillon and Canton fans alike that they have it when the chips are down and that they profited immensely from the bitter experience of defeat.
For Lincoln it was the first defeat in 3 games, the Lions having conquered Lima South and Akron Buchtel in previous duels. For Massillon it was the second triumph in 3 encounters, the Tigers lacing Akron West in their inaugural and then losing to Cathedral Latin last week. Two Paying Forays Three times the Tigers struck across the Canton goal line and into the heart of the Lincoln Lions stronghold.
Twice these forays paid off in points. The other time the touchdown was lost because of a 15-yard penalty inflicted on Coach Kammer’s lads for clipping.
On at least 3 occasions the Lincoln Lions struck deep into Tiger territory but on at least 2 of these attempts the Massillonians had what it takes to repel their adversaries when their goal line was threatened. On the other the Lions wiped out their own chances of scoring by failure to complete a forward pass, the Canton receiver dropping the pigskin right on the Massillon goal line.
A much-improved Tiger machine checked the victory march of Coach Junie Ferrall’s Lions last night – a Tiger machine that really functioned on defense with a hard charging line that smashed its way through the Canton forwards and, except for Lincoln flurries late in the third period and again early in the fourth quarter, overwhelmed the Canton adversary so thoroughly Lincoln found it virtually impossible to get its offensive attack rolling.
The most outstanding thing in Massillon’s play last night was its improved defense. A week ago the Tigers were torn apart by Cathedral Latin’s powerful smashes. Last night the Tigers smothered the best offensive attempts of a formidable Canton team, which in many respects was the equal, it not superior, of the Cleveland outfit.
Don’t think for a minute that the Tigers did not conquer a hard fighting and worthy foe last night. The Lions, yearning for victory and for the first time in 2 years seeing a chance to accomplish that goal, were in there fighting every inch of the way but pitted against an aroused Tiger they found themselves lacking the punch to drive across points and wound up on the losing end after a hectic encounter that was not in the bag for the Tigers until the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. Tiger Aerial Game Off Offensively the Tigers also showed improvement. Their running attack, which bogged down against Cathedral Latin, was again functioning with the elusive Bert Webb and the hard driving Vic Turkall carrying the brunt of the Massillon ground gaining drives. One phase of the Massillon offense, however, was not up to its early season standard. That was the forward passing department. The Tigers had plenty of opportunities to register gains in an aerial assault but most of the time the passers and receivers had difficulty establishing contact.
Shining in a defensive role was the entire Tiger forward wall which gave a vastly improved performance over that of a week ago. Standing out prominently was the improved play of big Jim Gibson at tackle and the steady and brilliant performance of Center Fred Bonk who had a hand in stopping almost every smash the Lions aimed at the line. Jack Zeller, sophomore end, who replaced the injured Bob Clark also did a good job, along with Co-Captain Bill Gable, Dick Ielsch and Bob Heltzel, Wilmer Luke, Webb, Turkall, Co-Captain Glenn Keller, Junie Pedrotty and Don Sedjo did a fine job in the secondary and Gene Krisher, another sophomore, rushed in for a defense role when the Lions became troublesome in the third and fourth periods, had a lot to do in checking the Cantonians and keeping them away from pay dirt.
Both Tiger touchdowns were scored by Vic Turkall. The first came in the second period, the Tigers marching 38 yards on 5 plays after recovering a Canton fumble and the second coming early in the third period when the Tigers took the kickoff and marched 66 yards down the field in 8 plays.
The Tigers held a 9-5 edge on the Lions in first downs, the Cantonians failing to make the necessary yardage at any time in the first half so stout was the Massillon defense. The Lions made their best offensive showing in the last 2 periods when the Tiger defense bogged down for a bit but each time the orange and black had what it takes when it was necessary to dig in and throw back their opponents to keep them away from scoring territory.
The Tigers had a net gain of 163 yards as compared to 93 for the Lions and completed 5 of 13 aerial attempts for 36 yards, having 2 intercepted. Lincoln tried 11 passes, completing 2 for 8 yards and having 1 intercepted.
Both teams had difficulty holding on to the ball, the Tigers fumbling 3 times and recovering only one while the Lions fumbled 4 times and recovered but once. The Tigers drew a total of 50 yards in penalties while Lincoln’s penalties added up to 40 yards.
Right at the outset of the game the Tigers defense had a chance to prove its mettle and did so with flying colors, turning back the Lions after a pass interception had given them the ball on the Massillon 7. It was Lincoln’s best opportunity of the game to score but an aroused Tiger rose up in all its might and smashed 4 straight attempts by Lincoln to carry the ball across the Massillon goal. Keller Overhauls Permar The Tigers kicked off to Lincoln and the Lions were held. Jack Permar punting to Massillon’s 38. Webb dashed wide at left end for 8 yards and Pedrotty rammed the line for a first down. Turkall failed to gain in an attempted end sweep. On a flanker play with Webb running out wide, Turkall passed to the little Negro halfback who sprinted down the field for 8 yards. On the next flanker play Turkall attempted a pass to Webb but the midget Massillonian fell in turning to receive the ball and the pigskin nestled into Jack Permar’s arms and the Lincoln halfback, with an almost clear field ahead, set out under full sail for the Tigers goal line from his 40-yard line.
It looked like a Lincoln touchdown for a few seconds as Permar shot by the entire Massillon team but racing across the field to cut him down – and we mean racing – was Glenn Keller and the Tiger co-captain caught up with Permar near the sidelines, lunged at him and pulled him down from behind on the Tiger 7 yard line. Permar had stepped off 53 yards before being overhauled by Keller and the Canton fans were in a state of wild enthusiasm.
Here it was, they said to themselves. Here was that Lincoln touchdown coming up – but they counted their points too soon – because the Tigers felt entirely different about the whole thing and in the next minute or two proceeded to prove it by smashing the Lions right into the earth as they attempted – and failed to score. Tigers Halt Lincoln Splurge Robertson, Lincoln fullback, rammed into the Tiger forward wall and gained exactly nothing. Permar also hit the line and picked up a yard before being set down by Dick Ielsch. Permar then tried his right end only to come smack up against Fred Bonk and down he went again, after gaining a yard. This brought up fourth down with the ball on Massillon’s 5. Here the Lions tried some masterminding. Coach Ferrall sending in Bob Horner, a big, fleet-footed halfback. Horner dropped back far out on the blank. Permar took the ball from center and attempted a lateral to Horner who dropped the ball and Luke covered on his 11 and it was Massillon’s ball and Lincoln’s bid for a touchdown had fizzled.
Early in the second quarter the Tigers got a break and struck quickly for a touchdown which was wiped out when a clipping penalty on Massillon nullified the score.
Turkall, whose punting throughout the game was splendid, kicked from his 32 yard line. The ball hit the ground and bounded against Ronie Bowers, Lincoln tackle. Before a Canton Lincoln player could get to the ball Bill Gable pounced on it on Canton’s 35 and the Tigers for the first time were deep in Lincoln territory. Turkall’s attempted pass to Luke failed but then Vic tossed a lateral to Webb and the dusky Massillon speedster ran and squirmed his way through the Lions and across the goal line on a brilliant run only to see his efforts go for naught when the officials spied a Tiger clipping on the 35 yard line, calling the ball back and inflicting a 15 yard penalty on Massillon, putting the leather back on 50.
Again the Tigers took to the air. Turkall tossed a long lateral to Chick Cary, playing for the first time since the opening game, out on the flank and Cary heaved a pass to Luke who made a valiant attempt to hold the ball but it slipped out of his grasp and into the waiting hands of Bruce Beatty, Lincoln end, on Canton’s 24.
After making 2 at left end, Permar fumbled when hit hard by Keller and the Massillon co-captain covered on Lincoln’s 24. Sedjo smashed through right tackle for 6 but Massillon lost another scoring opportunity when again guilty of clipping on the next play and the 15-yard penalty took the ball back to the 30 and 3 attempts to advance the leather failed with the Lions gaining possession on their 48.
But once again, a Canton fumble gave the Tigers another chance and this time they took full advantage of their opportunity and did not stop until they had scored a touchdown, their first of the game. Webb In 24 Yard Dash On the third play after regaining the ball, Horner fumbled and Bob Heltzel covered for Massillon on Canton’s 38. On the final play the Tigers brought the old Statue of Liberty play out of moth balls and Webb, taking the ball from Turkall, poised as if to pass, raced wide around his left end and 24 yards down the field before being forced out of bounds on Lincoln’s 14 yard line. It was a nifty piece of stepping by the Tiger halfback.
Turkall then smashed through left tackle for 7 to the Lincoln 7. Webb picked up 2 more through the same spot and then Turkall raced around his right end and down to the 2 before being nailed. On the next play he bowled through right tackle and over for the first points of the game. Turkall’s attempted place kick was blocked by the Lions.
In the closing minutes of the second quarter Lincoln made a belated effort to score and covered a fumble by Turkall on the Canton 43. With the quarter about over Permar attempted a pass to Beatty but the Canton end dropped the ball with a clear field ahead as the gun sounded.
Coming out for the third period the Tigers received and without any wasted motion marched right down the field 66 yards for their second touchdown.
On Lincoln’s first kickoff the Tigers were offside and the ball was brought back with Oberlin kicking off a second time from the 45 yard line. Sedjo took the ball on his 16 and rammed it back to the 34 before being downed. Turkall swept left end for 4 and Sedjo cracked the line twice for a first down to his 45. Turkall breezed through left tackle for 8 and Webb dashed around left end for another first down to Lincoln’s 32. Turkall hit down to Lincon’s 32. Turkall hit right tackle for 4 and then Webb in the game’s most sensational display of open field running, dashed around left end and squirmed and sidestepped his way to the Lincoln 8 before being tackled, a gain of 20 yards on a splendid run.
Turkall took the ball on the next play and for a second it looked as if he was trapped far back of the line of scrimmage, but he ducked successfully out of reach of Bowers, Lincoln tackle, and set sail for the sideline, racing around his right end and across the goal line, shaking off several would-be Canton tacklers in his successful jaunt. Again his attempted place kick was wide when partially blocked by Canton. Lincoln Bid Is Checked Trailing by 2 touchdowns the Lions took the kickoff and uncorked their best offensive splurge of the game. Gable kicked to Pellegrino who returned 25 to the Lincoln 43. With Fullback Robertson doing most of the line battering the Lions clipped off 3 first downs and carried the ball to the Tiger 26.
Krisher was rushed into the Massillon secondary, replacing Sedjo in an attempt to bolster the Tiger defense and the Massillon sophomore was the right boy for the job. The Lions hammered their way to the Tiger 17 but here Bonk and Keller nailed Robertson on fourth down and halted the Lincoln march, the Tigers gaining possession of the ball when the Lions failed to make the required yardage.
After an exchange of punts, Webb fumbled early in the fourth quarter and Bill DeGarmo, Lincoln center, covered on the Massillon 42. Once again the Lions made a desperate try for points, making a first down to the Massillon 30. But once again the Tiger defense stiffened and Permar took to the air, hurling a beautiful long pass to…..REST OF ARTICLE MISSING.
More Like it Massillon – 12 Pos. Canton L. – 0 Zeller LE Beattty Ielsch LT Wilkins Gable LG Zettler Bonk C DeGarmo Heltzel RG Bowers Gibson RT Oberlin Luke RE Bing Keller QB Kindig Turkall LH Permar Webb RH Pellegrino Pedrotty FB Robertson
Referee – Lobach. Umpire – Rupp. Head Linesman – Boone. Field Judge – Welsh.
Statistics Mass. Lin. Total first downs 9 5 Yards gained by rushing 154 113 Yards lost by rushing 27 1 Net yards gained by rushing 127 112 Forward passes attempted 13 11 Forward passes completed 5 2 Yards gained by passing 36 8 Total net yardage, rushing and passing 190 121 Passes had intercepted 2 1 Number of punts 6 6 Average distance of punts 33 32 Number of kickoffs 3 1 Average distance of kickoffs 35 40 Number of fumbles 3 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 2 3 Number of penalties against 6 6 Yards lost by penalties 50 40
Powerful Cathedral Latin Lions Trounce Tigers 6-0 TOUCHDOWN COMES IN FOURTH PERIOD Massillon Winning Streak Snapped By Speedy Hard Driving Cleveland Team; Third Orange And Black Loss In 92 Games
By FRED J. BECKER When the other fellow packs more of a wallop than you do, you generally wind up on the losing end and that’s what happened out at Tiger stadium Friday night when the husky, hard driving Lions of Cleveland Cathedral Latin high school invaded Massillon and planted a convincing 6-0 kayo on the Washington high school Tigers. A near capacity audience of about 17,000 spectators sat in on the kill.
Program Cover
Cathedral Latin’s one touchdown margin of victory, however, does not begin to tell the story of how thoroughly the boys from Ohio’s metropolis on Lake Erie mauled the daylights out of the Tiger. The cold statistics of what actually happened out there on the gridiron last night reveal just how thorough a job the Lions did in tearing into bits the hitherto formidable Massillon Tiger. Huge Crowd Sees Tiger Downfall Of course the more than 16,000 fans who were jammed into the stands saw what happened with their own eyes. They need no statistics to tell them the story. They witnessed the overthrow of the famed orange and black football juggernaut and they came away from the scene of carnage convinced that Cathedral Latin’s team Friday night was just about the greatest to ever appear against any Washington high school aggregation at Tiger stadium.
The Lions scored the touchdown that brought them the most cherished victory in the school’s history in the fourth quarter after an uninterrupted march of 34 yards in which they tore and slashed their way through the Massillon defense almost with the ease a hot knife slips through butter. They threatened 3 times prior to that victory march and twice breaks of the game – fumbles recovered by the Tigers – halted them and on the third occasion an intercepted pass kept them away from pay dirt. Fumble Hurts Tigers A fumble also robbed Massillon of its best scoring chance, the Tigers taking the leather to Latin’s 16-yard line in the second quarter only to lose the ball and see its best scoring opportunity blown away on the breeze when Vic Turkall fumbled and Bill Eline, Cleveland center pounced on the ball.
The victory Cathedral Latin scored over Washington high last night was not an upset. It was too convincing for that. The Lions won because they were by far the better ball club. They won because they had the stuff that brings victories. They overpowered the Tigers both offensively and defensively throughout most of the game. They had what it takes to win. The Tigers last night did not.
There was nothing flakey about Latin’s triumph. It could have been a victory by a margin of 3 or 4 touchdowns. Why it wasn’t is a glowing testimonial to the gameness and intestinal fortitude of a bunch of kids who, although almost hopelessly outclassed, never for a minute gave up and battled with everything they had to the last second.
It was a case of experience against inexperience and Latin had the experience – a veteran ball club that knew what it was all about and had the strength and power to make the most of its superior experience and ability.
Cathedral Latin had been waiting a long time – 6 years – for the opportunity which came its way last night and when the opportunity presented itself the Lions made the most of it. They won the Cleveland scholastic championship last season by knocking off Cleveland Lincoln 18-12 after Lincoln had won 29 straight games.
They looked the part of champions last night as they knocked off the Tigers and brought to an abrupt end a Massillon winning streak that had mounted to 11 straight – 10 in 1943 and a 60-7 triumph over Akron West a week ago to open the 1944 campaign.
In 4 contests prior to Friday night’s shindig the Cathedral Latin Lions had been duck soup for the Tigers, being on the short end of lopsided scores in 1939, 1940, 1941 and 1942. The teams did not meet on the gridiron last season. Lions Have Poise And Power But last night the Lions had what it takes, a great team with poise and power, and as a reward gained a great victory. Their victory was richly deserved and if they continue to play the remainder of the campaign as they did here the Lions are going to finish up next November as one of Ohio’s outstanding schoolboy aggregations.
The defeat the invading Clevelanders plastered on the Tigers Friday night was the third a Massillon team has soaked up in 92 contests, dating back as far as 1935. Other teams to turn back the orange and black were New Castle, Pa., 7-0 in 1937 and Canton McKinley 35-0 in 1942. During all those years only one other team came close to up-setting the Bengals. That was Mansfield high which gained ties with the Tigers in 1937 and 1941, both battles ending in 6-6 scores.
This leaves the Tigers a record of 87 victories, 3 losses and 2 ties over more than a 9-year stretch. There’s hardly another school anywhere that can point to that kind of an achievement but last night’s defeat, however, puts quite a dent into the 1944 championship aspirations of the Tigers and only the future will tell how good a team the Tigers are this year.
Coming contests will prove if Coach Kammer’s boys, after tasting defeat, can bounce back and, profiting by experience, become a better ball club. There’s still plenty of time between now and November for the orange and black to wipe out the stain of that reverse last night and to again establish themselves as a power in Ohio scholastic circles.
To the victor belongs the spoils and to Cathedral Latin goes all the plaudits and superlatives for the great game it played. No one can say anything that would take away from the Clevelanders any of the honor due them for the almost flawless performance they put on tap last night as they crushed the Tigers and swept on to a rich reward and well deserved victory. To attempt it would be unsportsmanlike, to say the least.
But in justice to the Massillon lads it must be said that the Tiger team which went out to do battle with Cathedral Latin last night was not the team which romped so merrily over Akron West a week ago. The orange and black had none of the fire and dash which characterized its performance in the opening game. Lacking was the precision and team play, both on offense and defense, which made Akron West look so poor and the Tigers so great. Tigers Sluggish All during this week Coach Kammer and his assistants tried to snap the Tigers out of an apparent sluggishness which made its appearance last Monday. They didn’t succeed and it’s hard to tell how Friday night’s game might have ended had the Tigers been the same team they were a week ago.
In their first game the Tigers turned loose a dazzling offense that had Akron West running around in circles. They displayed a defense that smothered every Akron attempt to gain ground. Last night, with the exception of a few brief instances, the Tigers offense looked woefully weak and their defense must have been locked up in the club house, so dismally did it fail in its efforts to halt the beautifully executed Cathedral Latin offense, powered by a smooth working backfield that plunged through and ran around the Tigers behind a line that performed in truly brilliant fashion.
True the masterful performance staged by the Clevelanders was bound to make the Tigers look bad but we still believe the Tigers are a better ball club than they looked last night.
Coach Kammer told his team and local fans all week that Cathedral Latin had a big, powerful ball club and the Lions proved it last night. Speed was expected to play a prominent role in the outcome of the game and it did – Latin in addition to having the power and experience, also had the speed and how they used it as they ran the orange and black right into the ground.
Depending almost entirely on a ground offense, Latin operating from a “T” during most of the game and then in the later stages shifting to a single wing, put on tap an offense that was beautiful to watch. Seldom did the Tigers stop it. The powerful Latin line manhandled the Tiger forward wall and tore great, gaping holes in it time after time. Only some great work by the Massillon secondary checked the Latin ball toters and kept them away from scoring territory until that fatal fourth quarter when the inspired Lions no longer could be denied their share of glory.
Offensively, the Tigers were stopped cold. Their running attack which looked so sharp a week ago, was just not there last night. As a matter of fact the fast changing Cleveland forwards roared through the Tiger line like a cyclone and clipped the Massillon offense before it could get under way. Only in the aerial game did the Tigers display any superiority over the visitors, completing 3 of 7 attempts for 64 yards while Latin failed to connect in 7 tries and had one pass intercepted. Tigers Badly Outplayed The statistics show just how wide a margin the invaders held on the Tigers. The Lions made 18 first downs to 5 for Massillon. The Clevelanders roamed over the gridiron almost at will every time they gained the ball. In yards gained the Lions had a net yardage of 282 as compared to 130 for the Tigers. The visitors fumbled 6 times and recovered the ball twice. Massillon fumbled 4 times and failed to recover on any of the miscues. Those figures tell the story – they show without any doubt why the Tigers finished on the short end of the score.
Outstanding in the Cleveland backfield were 2 boys – Cliff Oliver, the lad who scored Latin’s winning touchdown – and Leo Hyland, a pair of big, rangy lads who had speed and power to burn. They made life miserable for Coach Kammer’s boys all night and it generally took a flock of orange and black tacklers to bring them to earth and for the most part they were brought to earth only after clipping off good sized gains. Seldom were they stopped without picking up yardage. Bill Feldkircher was another Cleveland back whose performance was not far behind that shown by Oliver and Hyland.
The entire Cathedral Latin forward wall played a superb game, outclassing the Massillon line throughout most of the contest. Performing in yeoman like fashion for the Lions were such stalwarts as Capt. Bill McKeen and Frank Gaul at the tackles, and Bill Eline at center.
Its offense stopped dead in its tracks Massillon showed little in the way of individual offensive ability but shining like a beacon light in a defensive role was little Bert Webb, Negro halfback, who in his position in the Massillon secondary, tackled like a demon and more than once brought to earth Cleveland ball toters who had flashed through the Massillon line and seemed headed for extensive gains until stopped by the midget Tiger halfback. Co-Captain Bill Gable, also stood out prominently in a defensive role. It took a lot of hard, sharp tackling to stop the pile driving Cleveland backs and the Tigers did not have that kind of tackling last night.
Massillon received and right from the start the surging Lions began to smother the Tiger’s offensive attempts in a very emphatic manner. Early in the game the locals were backed up to their 11-yard line on a Latin quick kick but Turkall kicked the Massillonians out of danger with the game’s most beautiful kick – a punt that traveled well over 50 yards and put the ball on Latin’s 27.
After another exchange of punts the Cathedral Latin offense began to roll and one began to get a glimpse of what was in store for the Tigers.
Turkall punted to Feldkircher who signaled for a fair catch near midfield. Gable, apparently not seeing the signal, crashed into the Clevelander and the Tigers drew a 15-yard penalty putting the ball on their 29. Oliver made 6 on a slash through the line but what looked like a Cleveland touchdown drive was halted when Hyland fumbled on the next play and Webb covered for Massillon on his 21-yard line. Hyland was hit hard by Jim Gibson and the ball slipped from his grasp.
But not in the least daunted by this break, the Lions smothered Massillon’s attempts to gain and again Turkall punted, this time to the Latin 34. Once again the Cleveland machine began to clip off yardage in a steady march toward the Tiger goal. The Lions reeled off a 3 first downs and were on Massillon’s 27 yard line when once again they fumbled, this time Feldkircher dropping the leather and Wilmer Luke and Don Sedjo covering for Massillon on the Tiger 19.
Now came the Tigers only real bid for a touchdown during the entire game. Turkall and Keller found the Latin line like a stonewall and picked up a yard in 2 tried but Sedjo battered his way through on the third attempt for 8 and then plunged again to give the Tigers a first down, their first of the game, on Massillon’s 30. Keller picked up 2 around left end and then Webb tossed a pass to Luke which netted 17 yards and took the ball to Massillon’s 49.
Sedjo hit for 2 and then took a lateral from Webb and picked up 5 more. Once again the Webb-Luke aerial team went into action and Luke made a beautiful catch of Webb’s pass, almost getting into the clear. The Tiger end stumbled as he turned after taking the ball and before he could get on an even keel again he was mowed down by Latin tacklers. The play, however, netted 23 yards and took the ball to Cleveland’s 19. Turkall tried a pass to Luke, which failed and then Massillon’s best and only bid for a touchdown went glimmering when Turkall fumbled on the next play and Eline pounced on the ball for Latin on his 16 yard line.
Again the Cleveland machine went into high gear and the Latin backs drove their way down the field to the Massillon 21 before the Tigers succeeded in slowing the advance. Then Joe Petkovic, unlimbered his passing arm and tossed a long one toward the Tiger goal but the ball never reached its intended receiver. Turkall intercepted the pass deep in Massillon territory. He stepped out of bounds on the 5 yard line and here the Tigers put the ball in play, once again halting a threatened Latin touchdown march.
But Latin was not getting all the bad breaks. After making 9 yards in 2 plays Turkall broke through on a plunge off right tackle and streaked down the field to his 36 where he again fumbled when hit hard and Eline again covered for Latin. The half ended, however, before Latin could get its offensive machine into motion again.
But the Clevelanders had just too much power to be kept away from pay dirt all night.
Near the end of the third quarter Turkall punted to Hyland who was tackled on Massillon’s 34 by Webb. Here the Latin machine really began to travel in high gear. Feldkircher smashed off right tackle for 8 before being stopped by Gable. Oliver cracked the line and made it a Latin first down on the Tiger 22. Feldkircher was nailed for a 2 yard loss by Glenn Keller but Oliver picked up that loss and more on a sweep around left end to the 14. He then hit the line for a first down to the Tiger 10. Feldkircher picked up 4 on a dash at right end as time expired. Oliver Goes Over Play began in the fourth period with the ball on Massillon’s 6. On the first play in the quarter Oliver again crashed through the line to the 3 yard line and on the next play hammered his way through the Tiger forwards and across the goal line for the points that were to decide the battle. Hyland tried to plunge the ball over but failed. The Lions marched 34 yards in 8 plays.
The Tigers made a desperate last-ditch fight of it but Latin, now out in front, put a damper on every Massillon effort and kept play, for the most part, in Tiger territory. The Tigers had one chance to go places but again a fumble robbed them of their opportunity. This break came when Luke fumbled on Latin’s 46 after taking a pass from Webb. And once again Bill Eline came up with the ball for Latin.
The Clevelanders had driven deep into Massillon territory and were just 6 yards from the Tiger goal in the closing seconds. But they lost their chance to score again when a bad pass from center got away from Feldkircher and rolled back to the 17 before he recovered it. Just one more play followed before the game ended.
Statistics Mass. Latin Total first downs 5 18 Yards gained by rushing 76 305 Yards lost by rushing 10 23 Net yards gained by rushing 66 282 Forward passes attempted 7 7 Forward passes completed 3 0 Yards gained by passing 64 0 Total net yardage, Rushing and passing 130 282 Passes had intercepted 0 1 Number of punts 5 4 Average distance of yards 38 34 Number of kickoffs 1 2 Average distance of kickoffs 25 37 Number of fumbles 4 6 Times ball lost on fumbles 4 4 Number of penalties against 3 3 Yards lost by penalties 25 25
Tigers Smother Akron West 60-7 In Opening Grid Tilt
BENGALS TALLY 9 SETS OF COUNTERS
Kammer’s Lads Flash Speedy, Hard Hitting Offense With Webb, Turkall And Sedjo In Spotlight; 87 Yard Dash Scores For West
By FRED J. BRICKER
A champion gains recognition as a champion because he has a certain something which makes him superior to all challengers – and that goes for football or twiddle winks. And once he gains the throne room he must retain or improve that superiority to withstand the attacks of those who would separate him from his crown. Incidentally the task of subduing a Tiger, king of jungle beasts, it seems, requires far more skill and strength than it does to subdue a steer out in the wide open spaces, so a group of so-called cowboys discovered to their sorrow Friday night.
A year ago the Tigers of Washington high school gained recognition as scholastic football champions of Ohio by emerging victorious over 10 challengers, among them the Cowboys of Akron West high school, subdued 13-6, after a wild and wooly battle. Tigers in Auspicious Start This year another group of ambitious Massillon youngsters, eager to defend that hard-won championship, appear determined to do an even better job in fighting to retain the state title, than did the 1943 Tigers in winning it. At least they made a very auspicious start out at Tiger stadium last night when they ran rough shod over a hapless bunch of Akron West Cowboys 60 to 7 in tilting the lid on the 1944 gridiron campaign.
Before a crowd of nearly 15,000 football-hungry spectators and in a colorful setting that only a Massillon gridiron spectacle can produce, Coach Elwood Kammer’s 1944 Tigers – and we mean all 40 of them – romped and smashed their way to one of the most convincing triumphs any orange and black outfit has ever scored in its opening engagement. Tigers In Scoring Spree Scoring 2 or more touchdowns in each of the 4 quarters and with substitutes – second and third stringers – being used freely and often the Tigers Friday night did about as they pleased with Coach Chuck Piotter’s invading Akronites.
But while the Massillonians romped to an easy conquest in their initial effort and might have made the score much larger had the regulars remained longer in the contest, the Tigers did not present a flawless exhibition. They made mistakes, which were to be expected. They displayed a mild case of the jitters early in the contest, which soon disappeared once they got the feel of battle. They looked definitely the part of champions most of the time but there still lies ahead of them plenty of hard work to iron out the rough spots and to develop the smooth running machine necessary if they are to sweep through all opposition as did the 1943 aggregation.
Akron West’s Cowboys have been removed from the Tigers path by an avalanche of touchdowns but the orange and black cannot rest on its opening game laurels. Those laurels will not turn back such tough customers still to be faced, formidable opponents such as Cleveland Cathedral Latin, Canton Lincoln, Warren, Steubenville, Mansfield, and lest we forget Canton McKinley where they say the Bulldogs really have something this fall. Only improved team play, which comes from hard and diligent work, will turn the trick. One swallow does not make a drink neither does one victory make a season.
One of the mistakes the Tigers made last night was to let Walter Campbell, rangy Akron West Negro halfback, pick up a kickoff late in the fourth quarter and race 87 yards down the sidelines for the Cowboys, only set of counters. It is doubtful if even a Tiger laid a hand on the galloping Campbell. They can’t do that too of often and stay up on top because points are not always going to come to the Tigers as easy as they did last night.
Either the Cowboys of 1944 are much weaker than the sturdy team of a year ago or the Tigers of 1944 are much better than the Tigers of 1943. A year ago West made the local lads fight for their lives. Last night the visiting Cowboys had practically all the life kicked out of them early, showing just one spark of fire on that long touchdown run late in the game.
Except for that one lapse, the Tigers displayed a fine and hard-to-dent defense. Akron West was never close to scoring at any other stage of the game, in fact its offense was smashed to bits on most every occasion it attempted to advance the ball into Tiger territory. Defensively the Tigers looked good both in stopping ground plays and aerial attempts and found their only trouble in halting Jack Hamm, veteran 185-pound West fullback who was always hard to stop and several times stepped off neat gains. Tiger Offense Shines Offensively the orange and black seemed to have everything in the book, with plenty of speed and drive and with sweeping end runs their best stock in trade. Standing out prominently in the Tigers’ offensive performance last night was the blocking. Orange and black teams for years have been noted for their effective blocking but last night’s exhibition was one of the best ever seen here. Tiger blockers mowed down would-be West tacklers like Yankee tanks mowed down Germans in a recent and historic sweep across France.
With the kind of interference Glenn Keller, Bill Gable, Don Sedjo and Junie Pedrotty put on tap last night it was easy for such gallopers as Bert Webb and Vic Turkall to roam afar and wide for handsome gains, particularly the dusky Webb who put on display a nimble pair of ankles, much to the consternation of the visiting Cowboys and to the delight of the rabid fans who thoroughly enjoyed the performance of the fleet-footed little Negro.
Outstanding in Massillon’s offensive performance was Webb’s spectacular running. Turkall’s sweeps around the end and off tackle, Don Sedjo’s hammering drives through the line and general all around ability of the Tiger co-captains, Keller and Gable, the only starting holdovers from the 1943 team.
Figures always tell the best story and the statistics of last night’s encounter prove the superiority the Tigers held over West. Coach Kammer’s lads tallied 15 first downs to West’s 4, gained a total of 330 yards from all types of play to 54 for the visitors and completed 4 passes out of 9 attempts for 43 yards while Akron failed to complete one in 11 tries and had 2 intercepted. Penalties totaling 60 yards were imposed on the Tigers while West lost 15 yards through rule infractions.
Receiving the initial kickoff the Tigers started off like veterans and swept through and around the Akronites right down the field from their 20 to well inside West’s 20 before a mild case of jitters overtook them. Keller took the opening kickoff on his 20 and ran it back to his 33. Turkall rammed off right tackle for 7 and then Webb set his twinkling tootsies into action and reeled off 37 yards in a brilliant sweep around left end. Fine blocking cleared a wide path for him and all he had to do was run – and he can do that quite well. Mild Case Of Jitters Turkall picked up another 7 on an off tackle plunge but here the jitters made their appearance and the Tiger march began to stall. Over anxious to nail that first touchdown quickly the Tigers began to run into offside penalties and poor ball handling with the result West stopped the Massillon march and gained the ball on its 14. But the Tigers recovered quickly and stopped the visitors and when Jack Hamm dropped back to punt Keller smashed through the line like a demon and when Hamm’s foot came in contact with the ball there was Keller.
The ball bounced off the Massillon co-captain’s chest and bounded back across the Akron goal line – and you guessed it – right there to pounce on it was this same Keller. He did it eagerly and with convincing emphasis and the Tigers’ had their first touchdown of the 1944 campaign. Turkall’s placekick was right between the uprights and the score was 7-0 Massillon.
Keller’s blocking of Hamm’s punt was the spark needed to touch off a blazing Tiger offensive and from then on Massillon points began to pile up rapidly.
A short time later Hamm succeeded in getting away a punt which Webb took and raced back from his 35 to Akron’s 44 but a Tiger was guilty of clipping and the officials slapped a 15-yard penalty on the local lads, putting the ball back to Massillon’s 36. Keller picked up 3 in a smash at the line but again the Tigers were guilty of doing something they shouldn’t and a 5-yard penalty for offside set them back to their 31. Turkall, taking the ball from Webb on a reverse, made 1 and then Webb, again wheeling around left end, clipped off a first down to the Massillon 46.
Turkall attempted a pass to Wilmer Luke, rangy Negro end, and as Luke sought to snag the ball an Akronite banged into him and the officials ruled interference on the Akron 36. It was a gain of 18 yards and sparked a touchdown drive because on the next play young Mr. Webb, taking the ball from Turkall on a reverse, swept wide around left end and behind fine blocking raced 36 yards for a touchdown. This time Turkall’s attempted place kick was wide and the count stood, Massillon 13, West. 0
Again West received and unable to go anywhere was forced to punt with Hamm booting the leather to Webb who tossed a lateral to Pedrotty as he was about to be tackled with Pedrotty being downed on Akron’s 47. Keller raced wide around Akron’s left end to the 15 but the ball was carried back and Massillon penalized 5 yards for backs in motion. Webb made 2 as the first quarter ended. Then behind a screen of good blocking Webb clipped off 21 yards to Akron’s 28 on the first play of the second quarter. Turkall clipped off 4 and Pedrotty smashed through the line to Akron’s 5 for 12 yards and a first down. Webb, racing wide around left end, dashed over for the third Tiger touchdown and Turkall boosted the Massillon total to 20 with a booming place kick.
What followed was a repetition of what had happened before. Gable kicked off. West failed to go anywhere and Hamm punted out on the Massillon 48. Right off the bat Turkall tossed a neat pass to Like, good for 26 yards, putting the ball on Akrons’ 26. It was Massillon’s first completed aerial. Webb then passed to Turkall but Vic had no molasses on his fingers and dropped the ball with a clear field ahead. One can imagine Vic said things to himself about that time. Webb then clipped off a 12-yard gain on another dash around end to Akron’s 14 and was given a well earned rest by Coach Kammer who sent young Alex Giloff, a sophomore, in to replace him. Sedjo Rams For Score Sedjo busted the Akron line wide open and rammed through for an 11-yard gain to the 3. Keller made 1 at the line then Sedjo smashed through for the fourth Tiger touchdown. Again Turkall added the extra point on a place kick.
Kammer took pity on the visitors and rushed in his second team, all the regulars leaving the game with the exception of Sedjo. The second stringers did not operate quite as smoothly as the varsity but they were good enough to chalk up another touchdown before the period ended. After holding the Cowboys and gaining possession of the ball on Massillon’s 43, Don McGuire heaved a pass to Jim Bishop for 15 yards but a Massillon offside nullified the gain and brought a 5 yard penalty. When McGuire again attempted to pass he waited too long to find a receiver, was hit hard by Dick Knowlton and fumbled, Knowlton recovering for West on Massillon’s 31.
The Tigers, however, again bottled up West’s offense and regained the ball on their 31. Again the Tiger march was stalled and Dan Byelene got off a neat punt, Massillon’s first, to Akron’s 31. Hamm then was on the tossing end of an Akron attempted aerial. He heaved it far out to his left with not an Akronite within a city block. Zeller Snags Pass, Scores But Jack Zeller, Tiger sophomore end, was there and neatly snagged the ball and leisurely romped 25 yards unmolested for a touchdown. In fact the Cowboys seemed to be off in the next county at the moment, that far away from Zeller did they appear. Byelene carried the ball over for the extra point and when the gun sounded for half time a short time later the Tigers were leading 34-0.
The regulars came back into the ball game at the start of the third period and it was not long before the orange and black scoring machine was again in motion.
West received and Campbell picked up 9 at right end and Hamm plunged for a first down, but on the next play the Akron plunger fumbled and Webb took charge of the leather on Massillon’s 40. Turkall steamed wide around his right end and was run out on Akron’s 45 after a 15-yard gallop. Then Webb again set his fleet dogs into motion and racing wide around left end galloped to Akron’s 27 only to fumble but Pedrotty was right there to fall on it and the gain was good for 18 yards. The Tigers were sweeping the ends like a forest fire sweeping through a pine forest.
Turkall picked up 6 on another wide sweep and Pedrotty sneaked through left tackle for a first down on Akron’s 15. Webb did some more end sweeping and was run out on the 10. Turkall did it around the other end and made it a first down on the 5.
Then to make the picture different Pedrotty hammered through the line to the 4, Turkall picked up half a yard and on a quarterback sneak went over for touchdown No. 6. Vic placekicked, successfully for the extra point, making it 41-0.
Maybe this tale of Massillon scoring is getting monotonous but there’s still more to come.
This time on the kickoff, however, it was a bit different. Gable hoofed the ball down the field and Roland Black fumbled when hit by a flock of Tiger tacklers. Fred bonk covered for Massillon on Akron’s 40. Turkall passed to Pedrotty for 3 but his next attempt to Bob Clark was wide. Webb took a lateral from Pedrotty and tore off a first down to Akron’s 29. Turkall picked up 6 at right end and then Webb on another one of those Tiger sizzling sweeps, raced wide around left end and 23 yards for Massillon’s 7th touchdown. Again Turkall converted via placekick and the scoreboard read Massillon 47, Akron West 0. Second Stringers Back In Once again Kammer relented and replaced his regulars with the second team, but still the Massillon scoring did not stop. Near the end of the third period Akron West’s offense backfired when a bad pass from center rolled into the open where Zeller pounced on the ball on Akron’s 28. McGuire and Paul Cary picked up 7 in 2 tries before the quarter ended and on the third play in the fourth period, McGuire tossed a pass to Sedjo who put down his shoulders and rammed through the visitors for 26 yards and touchdown No. 8. This time Cary placekicked successfully for the additional point and it was 54-0 Massillon.
Again a West fumble paved the way for Massillon’s 9th and final touchdown. The Tigers covered the ball on Akron’s 26. With Sedjo and Ted Makowski hammering away at the line the ball soon was deep in Akron territory and Sedjo recorded his third touchdown of the game on a smash from the 3 yard line.
He attempted to placekick but his effort was wide and the score stood 60-0.
Now we finally come to something different. Gene Krisher kicked off and Walt Campbell snagged the leather on his 13. He started off like a house afire down the west sideline and brother he remained ablaze all the way down the field romping by Tiger after Tiger until he had covered 87 yards and cored for his badly battered team. He was given some good interference to help him over a few rather bad spots. Hamm passed to Bob Tinsley for the additional point and West at least had 7 points to show Akron fans today for all their black and blue spots.
After that Akron touchdown Kammer relented some more and cleaned the bench sending in the third team, the sophomore aggregation, which had played a practice game against Lorin Andrews Thursday afternoon. The sophs didn’t score but they didn’t look too bad. Neither did Akron West score any more and the game wound up a short time later with the final count 60-7.
Well not so bad for a starter but looking ahead a bit – its Cleveland Cathedral Latin here next Friday night and the Latins are scholastic champions of Cleveland. No resting on your laurels Tigers! Going Places? Tigers – 60 Pos. Akron West –7 Clark LE Dales Ielsch LT Knowlton Heltzel LG J. Conn Bonk C Manos Gable RG Bevington Gibson RT Azar Luke RE Taylor Keller QH Tinsley Webb LH R. Black Turkall RH Campbell Sedjo FB Hamm
Score by quarters: MASSILLON 13 21 13 13 60 Akron West 0 0 0 7 7
Referee – Gross. Umpire – Rupp. Head Linesman – Grof. Field Judge – Jenkins.
Statistics Mass. West Total first downs 15 4 Yards gained by rushing 287 54 Yards lost by rushing 0 13 Net yards gained by rushing 287 41 Forward passes attempted 9 11 Forward passes completed 4 0 Yards gained by passing 43 0 Total net yardage Rushing and passing 330 41 Passes had intercepted 0 2 Number of punts 2 5 Average distance of punts 34 25 Punts blocked 0 1 Number of kickoffs 8 1 Average distance of kickoffs 37 48 Number of fumbles 5 5 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 5 Number of penalties against 8 3 Yards lost by penalties 60 15
Bulldogs Put Up Good Fight But Are Outclassed By Massillon’s Great Defensive Performance And Brilliant Offensive Plays
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sports Editor
Fame IS fleeting, is it not?
Well, yes, if you do not possess the necessary qualifications to keep your name in the headlines. No one hangs around at the top of any endeavor very long unless they are the best and can convince the rest of the universe that they are. And in this day and age it takes a lot of convincing, brother.
Now take “Football City” or should we simply say Canton, for instance. Canton and its McKinley high school accomplished a feat a year ago that carried the name of Canton around the world. And just less than a week ago our neighbor to the east found a place in the sun though an article published in a magazine of national circulation. But “Football City” held its place in the sun just four days. Today what is left of the ruins has been quietly interred in Fawcett stadium, Canton, turned in the space of two short hours last Saturday afternoon, from a gridiron to a graveyard.
Tigers Regain State Honors
The snows will fall and the winds will howl this winter over the final resting place of “Football City.” The interment might have been quiet but the thing that led up to it was anything but.
And so today Massillon and the rest of the universe proudly hail the mighty Tigers of Washington high, undisputed schoolboy football champions of Ohio for the eighth time in nine years and without an equal anywhere in the country. A happy city pays tribute to a group of boys, champions every one of them, who had what it takes to make good, who came though with flying colors when the chips were down.
Great Football Team
An overflow crowd of more than 22,000 spectators in Fawcett stadium Saturday afternoon saw a truly great Tiger football team administer a 21 to 0 lacing to the Bulldogs of Canton McKinley in a remarkable demonstration of football power.
It was Massillon’s 10th straight victory of the 1943 campaign and its first undefeated or untied season in three years.
There might have been some in that great crowd who doubted the Tigers’ ability to whip the sturdy Bulldogs before the game began, but there was not one in that gathering who was not convinced when it was over that they had just sat through a performance by a football team that through its brilliant display of power, courage and ability had very amply proved its right to lay claim to a mythical Ohio scholastic championship, or even a national title.
Once would have to hunt far and wide to find a team that could come close, let alone equal, the Washington high school Tigers of 1943. There was something else in that Tiger team this season beside power, courage and ability. It was spirit – Massillon football spirit – and that can’t be matched anywhere.
Last year Canton McKinley came to Massillon and defeated an injury riddled Tiger team 35 to 0 for its first victory over the orange and black in eight years. Saturday the Tigers of 1943 gained revenged for that reverse of a year ago. They proved once again that Massillon football is just a little different than any other football and they did it in a very convincing manner.
It was a great battle Saturday that clash between two undefeated schoolboy aggregations in an atmosphere of rivalry that has existed and grown steadily over a period of nearly 50 years. The Tigers entered that all important fracas with a string of nine straight victories. The Bulldogs came up to their final 1943 struggle with eight triumphs and one tie.
Statistics McK Mass. First downs, rushing 4 8 First downs, passing 5 3 First downs total 9 11 Yards gained, rushing 99 150 Yards gained, passing 99 101 Yards gained, total 198 251 Yards lost 15 21 Yards gained, net total 183 230 Passes attempted 14 14 Passes completed 7 5 Passes incompleted 6 7 Passes intercepted by 2 1 Punts 7 6 Punts, average yardage 25 37 Penalties, yardage 0 30 Fumbles 1 1 Own fumbles recovered 1 1
Stirring Contest
It was truly a battle of gridiron Goliaths. It was a stirring contest from start to finish, jammed with almost as many thrills as there were persons jammed into Fawcett stadium. It kept the spectators on the edge of their seats throughout and many a heart worked harder Saturday than it ever has before. Nerves were strained to the breaking point and it was not until the game was almost over that Massillon supporters became certain of a victory and Canton adherents gave up their hopes for a second straight triumph over the Tigers.
Credit must be given to the Bulldogs for the great battle they made of it. Coach Herman (Bup) Rearick’s boys played and fought their hearts out but they just couldn’t match the fighting spirit and playing ability of Coach Elwood Kammer’s orange and black clad kids. The Bulldogs need not feel too badly about that because no one could have matched that old Tiger spirit last Saturday. You either have it or you don’t. Massillon had it, large gobs of it, and Canton simply couldn’t match it.
While Massillon rolled up 21 points on the red and black through three touchdowns, one in the third quarter and two in the fourth, the score hardly indicates the intense battle waged out there on the Fawcett stadium gridiron. The statistics show that the game was a much closer affair than the point total would lead one to believe.
It was a whale of a ball game with Canton always a distinct threat until after the Tigers had scored their second touchdown early in the fourth quarter. From there on Canton’s spirits began to droop and the Bulldogs became a thoroughly beaten outfit.
Both teams possess great offensive ability. Canton with a fine backfield composed of Joe Pujazon, Hank Smith, Tony Rotunno and Dick Kempthorn, was always a threat, loaded with offensive dynamite that might have exploded at any time. The only reason it didn’t was because the Tigers pulled the fuses and rendered the Canton dynamite harmless long before it had a chance to reach the explosive stage.
The Tiger backfield and ends put on an offensive display that was beautiful to watch and so daring at times that it simply stunned the pop-eyed spectators.
Tigers Shoot the Works
The Tigers knew before they went into the ballgame that Coach Kammer’s strategy called for them to gamble for points. They were instructed to shoot the works, to forget about playing a conservative game, to go all out for a convincing victory and haul out of their bag of tricks everything that was in it.
This they did. Massillon’s great backfield, and every one should be convinced by now that is a truly great backfield, of Captain Bob Wallace, Romeo Pellegrini, Henry Mastriann and Glenn Keller, gave a brilliant demonstration of offensive power. Wallace and Pellegrini slashed off tackle or around the ends in spectacular fashion. Keller blocked, ran interference and caught passes like a demon. And Mastriann – what a full back he is. There was nothing Canton possessed that could stop that boy Saturday. You can let your money ride on him anytime.
Out on the flanks Tom Jasinski and Don Willmot helped the Massillon offensive picture by some spectacular catching of passes thrown by Pellegrini who never gave a better demonstration of passing accuracy than he did Saturday. Canton went quite nutty over the passing ability of Pujazon and he is quite an adept thrower but good as he was Saturday, Pujazon was overshadowed by the remarkable performance given by Massillon’s swarthy, little backfield star.
And now we get right down to the meat of things, right down to where that ballgame was won by Massillon and where it was lost by Canton. Right down there, boys and girls, on the line, on that forward wall where we had a hunch, and so expressed it last week, the decision would be rendered.
Say what you want but you can’t get away from this one thing – that ball game was won by Massillon because its defensive performance so completely smothered the Bulldogs that they really never had a chance to get rolling. Their vaunted speed availed them but little because most of the time they were smacked and smacked hard by some energetic Tiger before they could really get under way.
Defensive Efforts Won Game
Massillon’s great defensive efforts won that football game, won it because the first two Tiger touchdowns resulted from Massillon’s great defensive playing and both touchdowns were scored by linemen. The first set of Tiger counters came on a blocked punt, the second on a pass interception behind the Canton line of scrimmage on a pass interception right in Canton’s own backfield.
There’s no disputing the fact that Massillon’s great line blasted the Bulldogs apart. The line, backed up by a secondary defense that never missed an opportunity to nail a Bulldog if he got that far, bottled up so completely every Canton offensive thrust that the Bulldogs didn’t have a ghost of a chance. The red and black never got inside Massillon’s 20 yard line.
All of the defensive qualities of Massillon’s team stood out prominently. Only two touchdowns were scored against the Tigers all fall. It did not take an expert to see that Massillon’s chances to climb back to the football throne rested largely upon its ability to stop opposing teams through its great defensive qualities and then hammer those same opponents into the dust through the assistance of a fine and dependable line.
All season we have watched two great linemen perform efficiently and spectacularly for the Tigers. They were Bob Williams and R.D. (Dick) Arrington. They are a great pair of football players and they proved it quite convincingly Saturday.
Arrington Is Star
It was Arrington who smashed his powerful and rugged body though the Canton line to block Joe Pujazon’s punt in the third quarter and gave Massillon it’s first touchdown. It was Arrington who smashed through into the Canton backfield to grab the ball when it was knocked from Pujazon’s hands as he was about to pass and then race 61 yards far in advance of every Bulldog pursuer for Massillon’s second touchdown. If that doesn’t make him one of Massillon’s greatest all time tackles then nothing will.
And who was it who smeared Canton ball toters all over the lot all afternoon, in as brilliant a display of defensive playing it has ever been any one’s privilege to see? No one else but Bob Williams, big tall husky Bob, another great football player, if there ever was one.
From the vicious manner in which he tackled and the speed with which he raced through Canton’s line one would never have known that on the very first play of the game he sustained a painful knee injury and that it bothered him continually, one time forcing him to take time out. You can put his name right up there with the rest of the Tiger immortals.
And then there was tow-headed quiet Bill Gable. He was in that ball game up to his neck all afternoon. It was Gable who was through the line when Arrington blocked Pujazon’s punt and grabbed up the ball and lugged it across the goal line. Put him on your list of heroes.
Then there was Julius Tonges. He was very much in that ball game too, and it was Tonges who hit Pujazon so hard when he attempted to pass, the ball popped right out of his fingers into the waiting mitts of “never-miss-an-opportunity” Arrington who a second later was scampering away for a touchdown.
And don’t forget Larry Berger and Dick Belch, who replaced him for a short time. They were in there all the way, ripping Canton’s line to shreds and tackling with real Tiger viciousness.
Secondary Plays Well
Wallace, Keller, Pellegrini, Mastriann, Willmot and Jasinski also covered themselves with glory, for their defensive performances. Those boys in the secondary had a big job on their hands. They knew Canton had speed and they knew Canton had a first class passing attack. It was their job to nail Canton’s speedsters if they got by the line and they did a few times. It also was their task to stop Canton’s aerial attack. They handled both assignments and handled them well.
Cantons’ backs, particularly Hank Smith and Joe Pujazon, were fast and shifty but never fast enough to get through the Tiger secondary. Pujazon and Gordon Cook, Bulldog right end, made a fine passing combination but Cook, who made some spectacular catches, seldom moved very far from where he caught the ball before being nailed by a Tiger and that Tiger most of the time was Pellegrini. Had Romeo missed, Cook several times might have been off on touchdown gallops but Romeo never missed. When he hit Mr. Cook the Bulldog pass receiver hit the gridiron with a thud.
The Tigers were that kind of a team Saturday. Heroes every one of them. And before we forget, wasn’t that some punting exhibition big, affable Tom Jasinski put on? He really laid the leather to the old pigskin Saturday and his punting was beautiful to behold, long, high, boots, several of which sailed over the head of the Bulldog safety-man. And don’t forget the artistic kicking performance of Mastriann who three times added points to the Tiger total by brilliant place kicks following touchdowns.
The statistics show that the Tigers excelled the Bulldogs in all departments of the game. The Tigers made 11 first downs to nine for Canton, not a wide margin but enough to show their superiority. Eight Tiger first downs came on rushing, three on passes. Canton made four on rushing and five on passes, holding a 6-5 edge on the Bengals at half time.
Each team tried 14 passes, Massillon completing five for 101 yards and Canton seven for 99 yards. The Bulldogs intercepted two Massillon passes, the Tigers intercepted one Canton pass. Seven of Pellegrini’s heaves failed while Pujazon missed on six of his.
Tigers Hold Edge
The Tigers made 150 yards on rushing to 99 for Canton. The Tigers lost 21 yards on rushing to 15 for Canton and Massillon had a net gain for all types of plays of 230 yards while Canton had 183. Each team fumbled once and recovered its own fumble. Jasinski’s six punts averaged 37 yards, giving him a wide margin over Pujazon who punted seven times for an average of only 25 yards a kick.
Massillon was penalized 30 yards, most of the penalties coming because of backs in motion. The game was very well handled by Dr. David B. Reese of Dayton as referee. Earl Gross of New Philadelphia, as umpire, and A.B. Long of Newark as headlinesman, and T.B. Lobach of Akron as field judge.
Neither team was able to hit pay dirt in the first half, Canton because it did not have the offensive power to get within striking distance, Massillon because luck was riding against it rather than with the Tigers. If breaks had gone the right way on three first half passes the local lads attempted and they most certainly all would have been good for touchdowns. Despite this the Tigers late in the second quarter stormed right inside Canton’s 10-yard line but failed to score because of a pass interception.
The breaks of the game decided the battle in Massillon’s favor but the breaks were well earned and were made by an inspired Tiger team that was always on its toes and never missed a chance to smear the Bulldogs. The breaks came through Massillon’s great defensive performance and were responsible for two touchdowns.
Then just to prove that they also had it in an offensive way the Tigers took the ball on their 18 and in 11 plays marched 82 yards without a stop for their third touchdown. That should convince Canton fans that the Tigers were just too good for their Bulldogs defensively or offensively.
Canton received and worked the ball from its 35 to Massillon’s 39 before the Tigers checked them. A 20 yard pass from Pujazon to Cook was responsible for most of the yardage.
The Tigers got the ball on their 20 following Pujazon’s punt but were held and then Jasinski booted the ball way down to Canton’s 22 on a beautiful kick. Canton made two first downs in a row on runs and plunges by Pujazon and Smith before the Tigers again checked them.
Touchdown Lost
Pellegrini took Pujazon’s punt and was downed on Massillon’s 12. Wallace, Mastriann and Pellegrini made Massillon’s first down of the game in three plays, going to the 26. Wallace on a reverse reeled off another first down to the 37. And then Massillon lost its first chance for a touchdown. Pellegrini dropped back to pass, was hit by a Canton tackler but got away from him and then cut loose for a long heave. Down the field, in the clear, was Don Willmot, but Don had slowed up just a trifle when he saw Pellegrini hit and the ball sailed over his head. Had he been just a few feet farther on he would have snagged the leather and it would have been a certain touchdown because no Bulldog was near.
Jasinski then punted and the Bulldogs came storming back on an 18-yard gain on a pass from Pujazon to Cook. Their spurt, however, was shortlived and Pujazon punted to Willmot who returned from his 22 to the 31 as the quarter ended.
The Bulldogs once again checked the Tigers and Jasinski punted to Canton and once again a Pujazon-Cook pass was good for 16 yards. Smith and Pujazon made another first down in three plays to Massillon’s 29 but this time the Bulldogs couldn’t do it, and they had to surrender the ball to the Tigers on Massillon’s 26.
Then another Tiger scoring opportunity was lost. Pellegrini on second down dropped back and heaved a long one down the center of the field. Ahead of the Canton safety man raced Jasinski and the ball nestled into his outstretched hands but Tom, generally a sure fire pass receiver, muffed this one. The ball dropped out of his hands and another touchdown chance went glimmering.
But this didn’t discourage the Tigers, particularly Pellegrini. On the next play he faded back and pitched a strike to Keller out in the flat. This one worked and it was good for 15 yards, taking the ball to Massillon’s 39. Once again Pellegrini faded back and once again he shot the ball to Keller out in the flat and this time it was good for 11 yards.
Pellegrini’s next one, a long heave to Jasinski, was incomplete. But Mr. Pellegrini is a hardy little soul who never gives up. Not in the least daunted he faded back on the next play, running far to his right. Racing down the left side of the field was Don Willmot. Pellegrini turned and heaved a long one, 27 yards it was to Willmot, who snatched the ball and raced 31 yards more before being brought to earth on Canton’s nine yard line by Pujazon. It was an overall gain of 58 yards.
Tigers Checked Again
This time it looked as if the Tigers couldn’t miss on a touchdown – but they did. Mastriann cracked right tackle for three to the six. Then the Tigers decided to gamble on another pass. Pellegrini threw a perfect pass, intended for Willmot out in the flat, but the ball never reached Don. Bob Swan, Canton guard, came from nowhere to spear the leather and race it back 16 yards to Canton’s 18 before being downed.
Pujazon punted after three plays had failed and Massillon took the ball on its 37 after an out-of-bounds kick. On the first play Willmot came around from his end to heave a long pass that was knocked down by Pujazon. Then Pellegrini went into action again and this time connected with Bob Wallace for a gain of 22 yards, taking the ball to the Canton 15. Pellegrini passed again, this time to Keller for four but his next attempt was intercepted by Pujazon on the Canton five. Canton attempted one line thrust before the quarter ended.
It didn’t take the Tigers long to convince everyone at the start of the third quarter that they were really going to town. Wallace took Pujazon’s opening kickoff on his 11 and raced it back 31 yards to the Tigers 42. He almost broke into the clear. A Massillon first down took the ball to Canton’s 31 but here the Tiger attack went into reverse for a bit, Wallace losing 11 at left end and Pellegrini being tossed for a five yard loss at right end. Then after a pass from Pellegrini intended to Wallace had been knocked down by Pujazon, Jasinski punted to Pujazon who dropped the ball but recovered it and was tackled on Canton’s 15. Williams and Keller halted Pujazon after a three-yard gain and Berger smacked down Smith for a loss of two.
Then it happened. With the ball on Canton’s 14 Pujazon dropped back to punt. As the ball was passed a flock of snarling Tigers tore through the Canton line. At least three of them bore down on the startled Pujazon who quickly tried to punt but the ball never got over the Canton line. Dick Arrington’s broad chest got in front of the ball and it hit him with a thud. Bounding off to Arrington’s right and toward the Canton goal. Like a hawk Bill Gable swooped down on it, picked it up and taking about three steps was over the goal line for the game’s first touchdown. Bedlam broke loose in the stands but Mastriann calmly kicked the ball between the uprights to add the extra point.
An amusing episode occurred a few minutes later. The officials asked Canton if it would grant a time out while Bob Wallace changed his pants. They just wouldn’t stay up any longer and the Massillon captain decided he had better have another pair. So while his teammates gathered around him on the sideline. Bob switched pants with another teammate.
Neither team threatened during the remainder of the third quarter and the fourth period opened with Massillon in possession of the ball on its 27 with second down coming up. Jasinski two plays later punted to Pujazon who returned eight from his 30 to his 38. Pellegrini knocked down a pass from Pujazon intended for Cook and then Arrington tossed Pujazon for a loss of five but this was nullified when Massillon was penalized five for being offside. Pujazon passed to Cook who caught the ball, then fumbled it. Keller fell on the leather but it slide out from under his body and Canton recovered on Massillon’s 40. Pujazon made five yards in two plays and then lightning again struck.
Mr. Arrington Again
Pujazon dropped back for another pass. As he lifted his arm he was hit hard by Julius Tonges. The ball flew out of his grasp and up into the air. When it came down there stood Mr. Arrington all ready to take it and set sail and he did just that. The Tiger colored star grabbed the ball and never hesitating set out at full speed for Canton’s goal line, 61 yards away. And he made it, leaving his pursuers far behind.
Once again Mastriann came through with a perfect place kick. Well, if Canton didn’t know they were beaten before that second touchdown they certainly did after it was recorded on the board.
After the kickoff the Bulldogs launched a desperate attack that took them from their 42 to Massillon’s 23 before they were checked and forced to surrender the ball to the Tigers.
Then it was that the local boys decided to show the east enders they could score through their own offensive powers and opened up with a march that did not end until the ball was planted back of the Canton goal. It took 11 plays and the march was good for 82 yards.
Highlighting the advance was a brilliant 43-yard dash off left tackle. Mastriann roared through again for a first down on Canton’s 23. Wallace skirted left end for two and Pellegrini passed to Jasinski for five. Wallace then raced around left end to the Canton 13 for another first down. Mastriann hit through right tackle for three and on the next play bucked and squirmed his way for 40 yards and a touchdown. He kicked his third goal from placement to give him a perfect day in this department.
Coach Kammer, his face wreathed in smiles, then waved his regulars off the field where they had done a swell job. The only substitution up to that time had been Dick Belch for Berger.
The second team went in and kicked off and the game ended before the Bulldogs could run off a play.
After it was over a group of Massillon fans and players hosted Kammer on their shoulders and carried him to the Tiger dressing room entrance. It was a fine tribute to a coach who has come a long way since he saw his first Tiger team smeared by the Bulldogs 35 to 0 a year ago.
Champions Again
Tigers – 21 Pos. Bulldogs – 0 Willmot LE Herdlicka Arrington LT Tucci Tonges LG Swan Williams C Infantiedes Gable RG Kurzinsky Berger RT Belding Jasinski RE Cook Keller QB Kempthorn Pellegrini LHB Smith Wallace RHB Rotunno Mastriann FB Pujazon
Referee: Reese (Dayton). Umpire: Gross (New Philadelphia) Headlinesman: Long (Newark) Field judge: Lobach (Akron).
Tiger Boosters To Honor Coach
Massillon football fans celebrated that 21-0 Tiger conquest of Canton McKinley far into the night Saturday but all the celebrating is not yet over.
There’ll be more tonight when the Tiger Booster club holds its final Monday night meeting of the season in the Washington high school auditorium at 8 o’clock. It will be an open meeting and all fans are invited.
Tonight it will be coach Elwood Kammer’s night and the Boosters will pay tribute to the Tiger mentor who has just closed his second year at the helm of the orange and black with a record of 19 wins in 20 games, 10 of them in a row this fall to again make the Tigers state scholastic champions.
“Kam” has done a great job and will be deserving of all the tribute paid him tonight.
George Bird also will have his Tiger swing band at the meeting.
Tigers Wallop Rayen 39 To 0 For Ninth Straight Win
LAST DUEL BEFORE McKINLEY CONTEST
Regulars Score Three Touchdowns And They Are Pulled Out With Second And Third Stringers Carrying Burden In Cold Battle
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sports Editor
And now, ladies and gentlemen, girls and boys, sit back, take an aspirin tablet or two, take a good long drink of H2O (that’s about all there is for us these days) and try to keep your nerves under control if you can. The main event that you’ve been awaiting for nine long weeks is only five days away.
The preliminaries are over, the big show is moving on to the set and next Saturday afternoon it will have its premier and its finale all within the space of a few hours.
It’s the Same Old Picture
It will be a battle between 22 youthful warriors out on a chalk line gridiron, fighting out their hearts to bring victory to their colors. On the sidelines will be 22,000 of more frenzied spectators, nerves strained to the breaking point, shouting encouragement to the band of gladiators they want to emerge victorious.
Yes, it’s the same old picture the same old setting and the same old rivalry that has come down through the years. It’s the annual football clash between the Tigers of Washington high school and the Bulldogs of Canton McKinley. Ohio’s schoolboy classic of the gridiron.
Play At Fawcett Stadium
This year it will be staged at Fawcett stadium, Canton and this year, as in years past, the warriors of the two schools come to the end of the trail with hopes high and with a determination that the school they represent shall hold the crown of champion when dusk settles over the torn sod of the battleground next Saturday night.
For one team a cherished ambition will be realized. For the other it will be a heart breaking, dismal windup, the bursting of a bubble they had hoped would stay intact to the finish. Seldom does a Massillon-Canton game end in a tie.
Once again these two old scholastic foes of the gridiron come to the end of a long, hard journey rated as the outstanding teams in Ohio. This year both enter their 10th and final tussle of the season with undefeated records. Of the two the Tigers own the best, they have won nine in a row. The Bulldogs have won eight and have a 13-13 tie with Warren to mar an otherwise perfect slate.
Both teams hurdled their final obstacles last week. The Bulldogs completed their final task before the Tiger encounter last Thursday night barely nosing out a determined Mansfield team 12 to 7. Two Canton touchdowns in the closing minutes of the fourth period saved the Bulldogs from their first lacing of the season.
The Tigers completed their final assignment before testing the bite of the Bulldogs last Saturday on a snow covered gridiron at Tiger stadium by defeating Youngstown Rayen 39 to 0 for their ninth victory in a row while 5,000 shivering, teeth chattering fans braved a cold, wintry blizzard to watch their favorites run rough shod over a beefy but rather awkward opponent from Mahoning County.
Saves Regulars
As was expected the game proved a rather easy task for Coach Elwood Kammer’s youthful pigskin chasers. Scoring in every quarter they rolled up six touchdowns and three points after touchdowns, hitting pay dirt twice in each the first and second periods and scoring lone markers in both the third and fourth.
As far as keeping his regulars in good physical condition, the game worked out fine for Kammer. His starting lineup contained only eight of the Tiger first stringers, the other three remaining on the sidelines throughout the encounter.
After the Tigers had scored their third touchdown early in the second period, Kammer pulled all his regulars out of the encounter and sent them into the clubhouse, the second team doing the battling the rest of the day, giving way to the third stringers a minute or two before the final gun. Every Tiger in uniform got a chance to have his nose pushed into the snow that covered the field.
Rayen furnished but little opposition to the orange and black. The Youngstown lads were quite hefty but they failed to show a thing until late in the fourth quarter when Jack Pickering, a pretty fair sort of halfback and Rayen’s offensive star, brought his comrades to life by taking a Massillon punt on his 23 yard line and racing it back 60 yards to Massillon’s 17 before being pulled down from behind by Bob Richards, Tiger guard. It was the longest single individual gain of the day and the only reason young Mr. Pickering did not make it a touchdown was because he appeared to be so fagged out he could hardly put one foot ahead of the other in the final stretch.
After Pickering enlivened his mates with his spectacular dash, the Youngstown outfit made a determined bid for a touchdown and almost succeeded. They finally worked the ball to Massillon’s three-yard line with a first down coming up but they lacked the punch to put it over, the Tigers ganging up on them and repelling Rayen’s four attempts to score.
Luke Scores Early
It did not take the Tigers long to tally their first set of counters. The Tigers received and an exchange of punts gave Massillon the ball on Rayen’s 39. On the first play the orange and black did a clever bit of ball handling and when it was all over Wilmer Luke had scooted down the sideline for 39 yards and a touchdown. Bob Wallace took the ball from center, tossed it to Romeo Pellegrini for what looked like a reverse, and then Pellegrini uncorked a lateral to Luke who had come around from his end post and the lanky colored boy tucked the leather under his arm and neatly picked his way through the visitors for a nifty bit of running that did not end until he was back of Rayen’s goal line. Mastriann’s placekick was good for the extra point.
A few minutes later another Tiger touchdown was in the making. Tom Jasinski punted to Pickering who was hit hard by Pellegrini just as he was picking up the ball. Pickering fumbled and Luke covered on Rayen’s 24-yard line. Then on another one of those triple passes Wallace, Mastriann to Pellegrini, Romeo skirted right end for six. On the next play Wallace, “Crazy Legs” they call him now, dashed around his left end and never stopped until he had planted the ball back of Rayen’s goal line. It was an 18-yard dash. Mastriann again made good on the conversion.
The third Massillon touchdown was on the way when the first quarter ended. Jasinski took Moses Garcia’s punt on Massillon’s 30 and ran it back nine yards to the 39. Pellegrini on a reverse hit right tackle for five and then Wallace went on another rampage, this time around left end for 27 yards to Rayen’s 29-yard line. Pellegrini from punt formation cracked through the line for eight and Mastriann made it a first down to Rayen’s 18 as the quarter ended.
Pellegrini stumbled and fell on the first play of the second quarter, losing six yards. He then pitched a strike to Luke who was chased out of bounds on Rayen’s five yard line. Pellegrini made two at the line, Mastriann went to the one through left tackle and Pellegrini scored on the next play.
After the kickoff Kammer pulled his seven regulars and sent in the remainder of the second team to help Luke, Richards and Wilbert Pedrotty who had done a good job with the varsity. Luke replaced Don Willmot, Richards was in for Bill Gable and Pedrotty filled Glenn Keller’s shoes.
With the regulars in the club house, enjoying a hot shower, the second team went to work on the visitors and chalked up Massillon’s fourth touchdown before the second quarter ended.
Blocked Punt Brings Score
Vic Turkall punted to Adrian Castella who was downed by Bob Clark on Massillon’s 37. Pedrotty tossed Armando Rossi without gain and Richards crashed through to floor Casetlla for a 16-yard loss. Castella then dropped back to punt but Don Sedjo rammed through to block the kick. As the ball sailed across Rayen’s goal Bob Heltzel grabbed it for the touchdown. Turkall’s place kick was good and boosted the score to 27-0.
A Rayen fumble led to Massillon’s fifth set of counters soon after the third period opened. Dick Walschlag dropped the ball and Pedrotty covered on Rayen’s 30. Wilbert Webb attempted a pass to Pedrotty which failed. Sedjo hit for three and Turkall passed to Clark for 9 to Rayen’s 18. A pass from Turkall intended for Luke missed fire and then Webb missed the ball on a lateral losing 10. Turkall, however, wiped out this loss by pitching a pass into Luke’s arms and the Massillon end went over for a touchdown. The gain covered 28 yards.
Soon after the fourth quarter opened, Pickering staged his thrilling 60-yard run and the Tigers had their chance to show how rugged they were by successfully repelling Rayen’s only real bid for a touchdown.
By this time Rayen was gambling desperately on passes in an effort to score. Pickering was doing most of the tossing and seldom hitting a receiver. He did, however, hit one receiver and it meant another touchdown for Massillon. The receiver happened to be Sedjo and he raced 50 yards for the score.
It happened near the end of the game. After getting the ball on Massillon’s 48 through a punt, Pickering dropped back and cut loose with a pass.
The ball landed squarely in the waiting arms of Sedjo who was standing on the 50 and with a clear field ahead the Massillon fullback romped 50 yards unmolested for the sixth and final Tiger touchdown.
Massillon’s third team took over after the kickoff. Pickering completed three passes, all to Stan Grosshandler, before the game ended but Rayen was still far away from a touchdown when the gun sounded.
The statistics show Massillon made 12 first downs to five for Rayen. The Tigers attempted 22 passes, completed six for 102 yards. Rayen tried 23, completed five for 51 yards and had five intercepted.
The Tigers had a gross yardage from all plays of 263 and a loss of 46 for a net yardage of 217. Rayen had a gross of 85 with a loss of 28 for a net of 57 yards.
Bulldogs Next
Massillon – 30 Pos. Rayen – 0
Luke LE Hunyadi Arrington LT Burnett Tonges LG Cappuzzello Williams C Schan Richards RG J.Degennaro Berger RT Conroy Jasinski RE Galose Pedrotty QB D.Degennaro Pellegrini LH Pickering Wallace RH Tabachino Mastriann FB C. Bruno
Score by quarters: Massillon 14 13 6 6 – 39
Touchdowns: Luke 2, Wallace, Pellegrini, Heltzel, Sedjo
Referee: Lobach. Umpire: Shafer. Headlineman: Murphy. Field judge: Brown.
Statistics Tigers Rayen Total first downs 12 5 Yards gained by rushing 161 34 Yards lost by rushing 46 28 Net yards gained by rushing 115 6 Forward passes attempted 22 23 Forward passes completed 6 5 Yards gained by passing 102 51 Total net yardage rushing and passing 217 57 Passes had intercepted 0 5 Number of punts 10 5 Average distance of punts 27 19 Number of kickoffs 6 2 Average distance of kicks 40 34 Number of fumbles 1 3 Times ball lost on fumbles 0 2 Number of penalties against 5 4 Yards lost by penalties 35 30
Big Program for Tiger Boosters
The final meeting of the Tiger Booster club before the Massillon-Canton game next Saturday will be held in the Washington high school auditorium this evening at 8 o’clock.
It will be one of the most important of the year and should prove to be one of the most interesting.
It will be an open meeting and all Tiger fans are invited.
Coach Elwood Kammer will not attend tonight’s meeting. The Tiger coach never attends the meeting before the Canton game.
Officers for the coming year will be elected. The Tiger swing band of Washington high school will be on hand to furnish music and the recently organized Massillon chapter of the Society of the Preservation and
Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America will make its first public appearance.
Tigers Score 7 Touchdowns To Trounce Timken 46 – 0
EIGHTH WIN FOR LOCAL GRIDDERS
Flashy Aerial Attack In First Half And Brilliant Running Attack In Second Gives Orange And Black Wide Margin Over Cantonians
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sports Editor
Rolling up seven touchdowns three of them within the space of a little more than four minutes at the start of the third quarter, the Washington high school Tigers Friday night buried Canton Timken under a 46 to 0 score at Tiger stadium as a crowd of nearly 10,000 watched Coach Elwood Kammer’s youngsters chalk up their eighth straight victory of the season in their final night encounter of the 1943 campaign. The conquest of Timken equaled exactly the 46-0 drubbing the orange and black handed Akron St. Vincent’s in the third game of the season and which, until last night, had been the highest total made by Massillon against any opponent.
While the Tigers were making merry at the expense of Canton Timken another game of interest to Massillon fans was taking place in eastern Stark County where the Canton McKinley Bulldogs were humbling the Alliance Aviators 31 to 0. It was McKinley’s seventh triumph in eight starts; the only blot on the Bulldogs’ record being a 13-13 tie with Warren defeated 20 to 0 a week ago by Massillon.
Capacity Crowd Is Certain
The Tiger and Bulldog meet in two weeks in their annual rumpus at Fawcett stadium, Canton, and already a capacity crowd of more than 22,000 is assured. Practically every ticket already has been sold.
In defeating Timken 46 to 0 Coach Kammer’s lads failed to equal the score made by McKinley against the same team, the Bulldogs trimming the Timkenites 54 to 12 early in the season and in conquering Alliance 31 to 0, the Bulldogs outstripped the Tigers who three weeks ago were able to edge the Aviators by only a 12-0 margin.
Offense Ragged In Spots
While they rolled points against Timken almost at will, once they got started, the Tigers last night were rather ragged in spots, particularly early in the contest and their performance indicated they still will have to improve if they hope to take the Bulldogs into camp in two weeks. In smearing Timken the orange and black registered its second victory of the season over a Canton opponent, having defeated Canton Lincoln 15 to 0 in the season’s opener but the triumph over a Canton foe they desire and Massillon fans want them to score is still to be registered and the Bulldogs will be as always, the toughest foe the Tigers face. The orange and black will have to have a much sharper and better functioning offense than it showed against Timken if it hopes to avenge the 35-0 shellacking McKinley plastered on Massillon a year ago.
The Tigers last night scored touchdowns in every quarter, one in the first, two in the second, three in the third and one in the fourth. Penalties robbed them of at least two others and an offense that bogged down when it was most needed prevented them from scoring several others.
Every member of the Tiger squad saw action last night, the second stringers taking over after the score had mounted to 39 to 0 early in the third quarter and the third team relieving them in the fourth period and finishing the game.
It had been expected all week that Timken would attempt to turn back the Tigers with a forward passing attack but instead it was the Massillonians who went in for aerials in a big way. The Tigers, particularly during the first half, kept the air filled with footballs and cut loose with more passes than they have attempted at any other time this season.
All told the Bengals attempted 25 passes, completing eight for 224 yards, an average of 28 yards for each successful heave. Timken intercepted one Massillon aerial. The visitors tried only seven aerials and completed none with the Tigers intercepting three.
Stonewall Defense
As usual Coach Kammer’s aggregation displayed a stonewall defense, effectively smothering all of Timken’s attempts to score. It was not until late in the fourth quarter with the third team in the game that the visitors were able to work their way inside Massillon’s 20 yard line, getting as far as the 17 before they were stopped. It was the only time Timken made any serious threat to score.
Standing our prominently on defense last night was big Bob Williams, Massillon center, who plays a tackle position on defense, steadily improving in every game Big Bob last night turned in his best job of the season as he smeared Timken ball toters with his deadly tackling. The balance of the Tiger forward wall also played good ball, but had its troubles with Angelo Sanchez, Timken’s ace backfielder and probably the most versatile ball lugger the Tigers have seen all season.
Sanchez was easily Timken’s outstanding star. On offense he piled up a lot of yardage on the Tigers by his clever running and his defensive play, particularly against Massillon’s ball carriers kept the Tigers from running the score close to the century mark.
Just to show you how well Massillon’s defense functioned, Dick Arrington, husky Negro tackle, at one time in the third quarter became the fifth man in the Timken backfield. Charles Neago, Timken fullback, received the ball from center on what apparently was to have been a reverse play. Arrington crashed through the Timken line and was in Canton’s backfield in a jiffy, so fast that Neago thought he was the Timken back who was to take the ball and turning shoved the ball into Dick’s hands. Arrington was so surprised by the sudden turn of events that before trying to get under way he was brought down by Timken tacklers.
The Tigers customary good blocking was not up to its usual efficiency last night and several times what might have been long Massillon gains were wiped out because Timken tackles were pushed rather than knocked out of the way.
Tigers Hold Big Edge
The statistics give the Tigers a big edge over the Timkenites with Massillon making 16 first downs to eight for Canton. The orange and black gained 224 yards on seven passes and 361 yards on rushing with a loss of 21 yards on rushing for a net gain on both passing and rushing of 564 yards. Timken made 160 yards rushing and had a loss of 32 for a net gain of 128 yards. The blue and gold failed to make a yard on passes.
The Tigers waded into scoring territory early in the contest but rather ragged playing kept them away from pay dirt until about the middle of the period.
Timken received and Sanchez, on a reverse, hoofed it 15 yards through the Tigers for Timken’s first first down, carrying to the Massillon 47 but here they were stopped and big Calvin Moore punted to Pellegrini on his 20. A Wallace to Pellegrini to Jasinski lateral with Tom skirting his left end made nine but another lateral from Wallace to Willmot with Willmot heaving a long pass intended for Jasinski failed. Wallace then plunged for a first down and Pellegrini heaved a long pass to Jasinski for a 41 yard gain to Canton’s 28. Tom’s good catch of the ball featured the play. Mastriann and Wallace picked up another first down to Timken’s 18 and Wallace skirted left end for seven more but here the attack bogged down and Timken held, finally taking the ball on its 15.
Pellegrini paved the way for the Tigers first touchdown when he intercepted a pass thrown by Timken’s George Stan on Massilon’s 35 and ran it back to the 50 before being forced out of bounds. Five plays later the Tigers had their first touchdown.
Mastriann made four at the line and Wallace in two dashes made it first down to Canton’s 40. Pellegrini’s pass intended for Willmot was incomplete but Romeo then pitched a long one to Jasinski that connected for 40 yards and the first Massillon counters. Tom took the ball on a good catch just over the Timken goal line. Mastriann missed on an attempted placekick.
Just before the first quarter ended Moore punted out of bounds to Massillon’s 40-yard line. Once gain Pellegrini attempted to hit Willmot with a pass and once again connections failed.
Eighty Yard Touchdown Play
Then on the first play in the second quarter, Pellegrini from punt formation sought to find a Massillon receiver out in the open but before he could find one he was nailed for a 20 yard loss being downed on his 20. But his loss was wiped out on the next play when Romeo, trying another pass, pitched a strike into Captain Bob Wallace’s hands on a 15 yard heave and the Tiger leader raced down field for 65 yards and Massillon’s touchdown. The overall gain was 80 yards and the touchdown came after three plays. Wallace took the pass out in the open and had clear sailing until near the goal line when he neatly sidestepped a lone Timken tackler and pranced unmolested into the end zone. Turkall, sent in to placekick, missed fire and the score was 12 to 0.
The Tigers missed another touchdown a bit later after gaining the ball on Timken’s 35 when Wallace partially blocked one of Moore’s punts; Mastriann getting the ball on the 40 and being downed on Timken’s 35. Pellegrini tried three passes and none worked when Massillon receivers were unable to hold the leather. Then on a fake punt formation, Glenn Keller took the ball from Jasinski and raced around right end for a first down. Another first down with Wallace making nine on one dash took the ball to the 10 but here the Tiger attack once again bogged down and Pellegrini was stopped in his tracks when he attempted to lug the ball over the one yard line on fourth down.
Timken was checked and Moore got away a good kick to Pellegrini who took the ball on his 48 and ran it back to Canton’s 46. Once again the Tiger offense functioned and in three plays the Tigers had chalked up their third touchdown.
Pellegrini passed for another seven and then pitched another strike to Wallace who raced 17 yards to Canton’s 23 before being overhauled. Again Pellegrini pitched a strike, this time to Jasinski and big Tom took the ball in the southeast corner and raced over for the score. Mastriann’s placekick was good boosting the count to 19.
The start of the third quarter, however, saw Massillon’s offense at its best and the Tigers rammed over three touchdowns in a hurry, two of them in the first two minutes of the period with the third coming after four minutes and 15 seconds of play.
Forsaking passes and resorting to the running game, the Tigers almost ran the Timkenites out of the park as they chalked up the three quick touchdowns.
Touchdowns Came Quickly
Massillon received and in two plays the Tigers moved 60 yards for a touchdown. The Tiger first stringers were still in the game with the exception of Keller who had been replaced by Wilbert Pedrotty and Bill Gable who gave way to Dick Richards.
Alonzo kicked out of bounds on Massillon’s 40. On the first play Pellegrini raced round right end and down to Canton’s 43. Then Wallace dashed around right end and into the clear, scampering all the way down the field on a pretty run for Massillon’s fourth set of counters. Mastriann’s successful placekick added the extra point.
In jig time the Tigers were back for another touchdown. Canton received and on the first play Arrington found himself a member of the Timken backfield as Neago handed him the ball. Dick was downed on Canton’s 35. Mastriann made six at the line and Wallace raced around left end and down to the Canton five before being forced out of bounds by Sanchez. The dash was good for 24 yards. On the next play Mastriann tore his way through the Timken forward wall for the touchdown. His attempted placekick, however, failed.
Once again Timken received and this time Wallace did the kick off. Bob’s boot, however, went only nine yards before going out of bounds, Canton getting the ball on Massillon’s 49. Williams, Richards and Arrington chased Sanchez toward his goal, finally nailing him for a 17 yard loss and Moore then punted, the kick being partially blocked by Larry Berger. Pedrotty got the ball on the 50.
Pellegrini made one at right end and then picked up 28 yards on his next effort, being chaed out of bounds on Canton’s 21. Once again Wallace turned loose his speed and dashing around left end went the remaining 28 yards for the sixth Massillon touchdown and the third in less than five minutes of play in the third quarter. Mastriann converted for the extra point and then Kammer sent in his entire second team.
The second stringers scored one touchdown but lost two others on penalties.
Early in the fourth period Vic Turkall intercepted a pass tossed by Neago on Massillon’s 29 and the second team moved toward pay dirt. Turkall, Don McGuire and Bertrus Webb raced the ball to Canton’s 10 with Webb clipping off a 40 yard run through left tackle, getting to the 10 before being forced out of bounds.
Penalties Halt Scoring
On the next play McGuire dropped the ball but Turkall picked it up and dashed across the line only to lose the points when the ball was called back and Massillon penalized 15 for offensive holding. But the Tigers roared right back with Turkall clipping off 17 to put the ball on the three from where Webb rammed through the line for what looked like another touchdown but once again the ball was called back and Massillon drew a five-yard penalty for offside.
Then Tomsho intercepted Pedrotty’s pass. Timken failed to get anywhere and Lucas punted to Turkall who was downed on Timken’s 20. Turkall heaved a pass to Wilmer Luke good for 11 yards and another to Pedrotty for five. Then Webb, on a neat bit of running, raced 16 yards around left end to Canton’s seven from where Turkall crashed through right tackle and over and this time the touchdown counted. Turkall made good on his placekick for the extra point, boosting Massillon’s total to 46 where it remained.
The entire third team took over at his stage and Timken carried the ball from its 40 to Massillon’s 17 before the game ended, the Tiger third stringers holding at his point and gaining possession of the ball as the final gun sounded.
Statistics Tigers Timken Total first downs 16 8 Yards gained by rushing 361 160 Yards lost by rushing 21 32 Net yards gained by rushing 340 128 Forward passes attempted 26 7 Forward passes completed 8 0 Yards gained by passing 224 0 Total net yardage rushing And passing 564 128 Passes had intercepted 1 3 Number of punts 3 7 Average distance of punts 26 30 Number of kickoffs 8 1 Average distance of kicks 23 15 Number of fumbles 1 4 Times ball lost on fumbles 0 4 Number of penalties against 6 5 Yards lost by penalties 40 25
Massillon Gladiators Record Seventh Straight Win And Inflict Worst Defeat Of Season On Trumbull County Outfit
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sports Editor
A snarling Tiger, thirsting for blood, clawed three man-sized chunks out of a bunch of Presidents at Warren Friday night, missed out on two others by scant margins and today had once again established itself as the king pin of Ohio scholastic football.
Traveling through the air on the brilliant execution of aerials and ripping through on the ground for steady and substantial gains, the Washington high school Tigers last night, before a capacity crowd of 10,000 howling fans in Harding stadium. Massillon, defeated a never-say-die Warren G. Harding football team 20 to 0 for its seventh straight victory of the 1943 season and its most important triumph of the campaign.
PASSES BRING THREE TOUCHDOWNS
Three times did Coach Elwood Kammer’s stalwarts drive though and over the Presidents for touchdowns, two of them coming directly on passes, the third being the result of a long and brilliantly executed overhead attack. On two other occasions the Tigers struck deep into enemy territory but missed touchdowns, being robbed of additional points largely through their own actions rather than Warren’s defense, although the defensive play of the Presidents was determined throughout the ball game, even though the eastern Ohio lads were not able to successfully turn back the deadly thrusts of a vengeful and victory bound Tiger.
In conquering Warren for the seventh straight time since 1937, the orange and black last night became the second team this fall to take the measure of the Presidents and the first team to run up a total of 20 points on Jesse O. Beck’s aggregation. Warren’s only previous defeat before its engagement with Massillon came in its third game of the season, a 13-0 loss to Youngstown East.
OUTSHINE BULLDOGS
And in subduing the hard fighting and inspired Warren outfit, the Tigers did something which Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs failed to do. The Cantonians three weeks ago met those same Presidents on the same field the Tigers played them on and were lucky to come away with a 13-13 tie. The Presidents that night showed the Bulldogs they were not the big guys they thought they were.
And now what, if any, bearing does the results of Warren’s two battles with Stark county’s most bitter and ancient rivals have on the coming Massillon-Canton tussle November 20? Well, that will be decided three weeks from now. The most important thing right now is that the Tigers accomplished what the Bulldogs failed to do.
The Tigers, whether any one appreciates it or not, have become a pretty well knit and coordinated ball club. They are today a sturdy outfit that plays as a well-oiled machine, with a determination to go places and with the ability to make that determination succeed.
They may not be an outstanding team, taken as a whole, but they are a darned good ball club and one that is going to be mighty hard to stop from here on out. The team that does stop them, if they are stopped before the curtain is rung down late next month, will have to play better football all the way than the Tigers do – and that’s something not one of the seven opponents conquered thus far has been able to do.
The Tigers defeated Warren last night because they were the better ball club. The statistics show it, without question, and the orange and black showed it out there on the field in such a convincing fashion that not even the most rabid Warren fan could deny it, even though the majority of them refused to give up hope until the fourth quarter when the Massillonians punched over their third touchdown.
There is one striking difference between Massillon football and the brand played by most any other schools. The Tigers have been taught to play the kind of football that pays dividends on the scoreboard. They have been taught to go out for points and to get them as quickly and as easily as possible. And they have been throughout the season and are today in splendid physical condition to withstand the rigors of grueling combat and believe me it is that superb condition which has been a deciding factor in bringing Tiger points and keeping opposing clubs away from pay dirt.
TIGERS HAVE COURAGE
Few are the teams in the country today with sufficient intestinal fortitude and brains to fling a forward pass the first time they get hold of the ball. But that’s just what the Tigers did last night, catching their opponents napping, and that brilliant and to Warren, unexpected attack, set up Massillon’s first touchdown early in the opening quarter and gave the Tigers the edge and put Warren in the hole so badly the Presidents were never able to get out of it.
That’s the kind of football the Tigers play and that’s the kind of football that pays off in victories.
The Tigers chalked up touchdowns in the first, third, and fourth quarters. They failed to score one in the second quarter, even though they marched the ball from their own 10 to Warren’s 10, without a break, only to lose out when in sight of Warren’s goal line. Again early in the fourth quarter they advanced the ball to the President’ five yard line, only to lose it because their offense failed to click just right.
Massillon played plenty of good football last night and defensively checked Warren’s offensive thrusts quite completely, the Presidents only once getting inside Massillon’s 20 yard line, that coming late in the fourth period. As usual the entire Tiger team performed excellently on defense with hard tackling stopping the Warren backs most of the time. The defensive play last night of Dick Arrington and big Bob Williams was beautiful to watch. Arrington, an outstanding defensive player all season, smeared Warren backs all over the lot throughout the entire game Williams likewise performed in a brilliant manner.
Offensively Captain Bob Wallace, Romeo Pellegrini and Henry Mastriann carried the offensive burden with Tom Jasinski and Don Willmot cutting in for a large slice of the glory by their brilliant catching of forward passes. It was Jasinski who was on the receiving end of the long aerial heaved by Pellegrini the first time the Tigers got hold of the ball and Tom’s nifty catch and long run set up the first Massillon touchdown. It was Willmot who was on the receiving end of two other passes that produced Massillon’s second and third touchdown. Both of them were cleverly executed aerials with Willmot looking like a DiMaggio in the outfield as he speared Pellegrini’s well-placed strikes.
BRUISING GAME
Out on the field the game was a bruising and hard fought battle. The Warren Presidents never gave up and the Tigers were never far enough ahead until late in the battle to relax even for a moment. The Presidents, even though they didn’t score, had sufficient offensive strength in such backs as Landres Williams, Don Spencer, and Ed Kvesich and a potential pass receiver in Leonard Corbin to make them a threat every time they had the ball.
The statistics, however, provide a convincing proof of Massillon’s superiority. The Tigers made 19 first downs to four for Warren. From scrimmage the orange and black had a net gain of 258 to 100 for the Presidents. The Tigers tried 12 forward passes, completing six for 106 yards, two of them directly for touchdowns, a third setting up a set of counters. Warren failed to complete on pass in six. Massillon intercepted three Warren aerials, the Presidents snagged two Tiger heaves.
Penalties several times checked the Tigers in their forward progress but for the most party they were able to overcome these setbacks and continue their victory march.
After bagging their first set of counters early in the game, the Tigers took command of the situation and while they picked up a lot of ground they really didn’t get going until the middle of the third quarter and then it was a bit of unnecessary roughness on the part of the Presidents that touched off a Massillon bonfire that was to envelope the eastern Ohioans and inflict on them the worst defeat they have suffered this season.
Henry Mastriann lugged the ball through the Warren line on a spinner and dashing toward the sideline had picked up 16 yards before being forced out of bounds. The Warrenites seemed determined to run Henry out of the ball park and probably would have had not a wire fence enclosure stopped them. But they ran the Tiger fullback right smack into the fence, even though it was far back from the sidelines. It appeared to all and mostly to the officials that such energetic action on Warren’s part was uncalled for and constituted unnecessary roughness, the play bringing a 15-yard penalty for the Presidents. The Tigers also did not like to have their fullback treated that way and from then on they literally tore the Presidents to shreds. Those Tigers are bad medicine, once they get riled up.
Warren received the opening kickoff, defending the south goal. Jasinski kicked out of bounds on Warren’s 47. Arrington had a lot to do with smearing three Warren thrusts at the Tiger line and when Williams fumbled on the third try, Dick was right there to pounce on the ball, the Tigers gaining possession on their 42-yard line.
BRILLIANT PASS
Then as the Tigers came out of their huddle, Pellegrini took the ball on a pass from Williams, faded back and cut loose with a long aerial. Down the field sailed the ball and hoofing it down the field to catch that same ball was big Tom Jasinski. The veteran Tiger end out-raced the entire Warren team, got into the clear ahead of Spencer, Warren safety man, turned, and there was the ball coming to nestle in his arms. Tom made a neat catch and hotfooted it toward Warren’s goal, being brought to earth on the five-yard line. It was a breath-taking play. The spectators gasped as the Tigers completed the aerial and so did the Presidents and they never quite recovered from the shock during the rest of the game.
With the ball on Warren’s five it required but two more plays to move it across the goal line. Wallace hit left tackle for two and Pellegrini raced around his right end for the remaining distance. Romeo added the extra point by again racing through the Warren team into the end zone.
After an exchange of punts Jasinski intercepted a Spencer pass on Massillon’s 10-yard line. Here the Tigers set in motion one of their most impressive offensive marches, carrying the ball 80 yards without a break but failing to score. Mastriann, Wallace, and Pellegrini on plunges and runs moved the ball through and around the Warren team in a steady march downthe field to Warren’s 10 before the attack bogged down. Then with fourth down coming up and six to go Pellegrini tried a pass but fullback Ed Kvesich intercepted the ball on his seven. The Tiger march had netted five first downs in a row. The half ended with Warren in possession of the ball on its 38.
Early in the third quarter Massillon gained possession of the ball on its 15 after a Spencer punt and this time moved 85 yards through the enemy without a halt for the second Massillon touchdown. Fourteen plays were required.
Pellegrini picked up six at right tackle and Wallace made it a first down to his 26-yard line. Pellegrini was tossed for a five yard loss but Mastriann on a spinner wheeled through right tackle and dashing toward the sidelines went to Massillon’s 38 before being rushed out of bounds and into the wire fence. The Warren tactics drew a 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness, putting the ball on Warren’s 47. Wallace picked up six yards at the left end and Mastriann smeared through right tackle for a first down on Warren’s 36. Wallace dashed around left end for 11 to the 25.
Mastriann hit the time for three and then Pellegrini lugged the leather wide around right end and raced 17 yards to Warren’s five on a pretty dash. Mastriann made three in two tries and then Wallace dashed around left end and over the goal line but Massillon lost the touchdown when the officials ruled a Tiger back was in motion. The five-yard penalty put the ball back to the seven but the Tigers were not to be stopped this time. Pellegrini pitched a perfect strike to Don Willmot who took the ball in the end zone for Massillon’s second touchdown. Mastriann added the extra point from placement.
JASINSKI ON JOB
Once again late in the third quarter Jasinski was the right man in the right place, intercepting another Spencer pass on his 15 and running it back to Warren’s 49 before being chased out of bounds. Wallace clipped off 14 yards at left end and then Pellegrini heaved a pass to Mastirann that netted a 20-yard gain and put the ball on the Warren 14. Pellegini scooted around right end and down to the Warren three for another first down. Mastriann went to the two-yard line as the third quarter ended.
Henry smashed the line again on the first play in the fourth quarter but once again a Massilon back was in motion and this time the five-yard penalty stopped a Massillon touchdown. With the ball on the seven, Pellegrini’s pass to Jasinski miss fired, Wallace made but two at the line and when Romeo sought to try another pass he found no receiver open and the Warren forwards charged through and drove him way back to his 20 where they floored him and took the ball.
A short time later Spencer was forced to punt and the Tigers got the ball on their 42 and this time they were not to be denied. In 11 plays they advanced the ball 58 yards and chalked up their third touchdown.
Pellegrini’s attempted pass to Wallace was knocked down by Spencer who missed an interception by the scantiest of margins. Mastriann, Keller, and Pellegini smashed ahead to a first down on Warren’s 28. Mastriann made two more at the line and then Wallace skirted wide around his left end and raced down to the nine-yard line before being run out of bounds. His dash picked up 16 yards. Pellegrini raced around his right end and over the line but once again the ball was called back and Massillon was set back 15 yards for clipping, putting the ball on Warren’s 22.
Wallace and Pellegrini picked up five and then Pellegrini heaved a pass to Jasinski who was downed on the 10 after a nine-yard gain. With fourth down coming up and 10 to go, Pellegrini calmly pitched another point getting strike to Don Willmot, the lanky Massillon end again making a perfect catch in the end zone for the third touchdown. Mastriann’s attempted place kick was wide but Henry sure put plenty of stuff into his kick, sending the ball clear out of the lot. It was a white ball and apparently the only one Warren had because the game was finished with a natural tan ball.
Warren made its best and only bid for a score in the closing minutes of the game. Landres Williams took Jasinski’s kick off and raced it back 31 yards to Massillon’s 39. Kvesich ripped off 16 yards on a pretty run to take the ball to Massillon’s 24. Three plays moved the ball to the Tiger 18, the first time Warren had been able to penetrate inside Massillon’s 20, but on the next play, Sedjo, who had replaced Mastriann, smeared Kvesich who took a short pass from Sepncer and Warren failed to make the necessary yards, losing possession on Massilon’s 15. The game ended a few plays later with Keller fumbling and Warren covering on Massillon’s 32 as the gun sounded.
SEVEN STRAIGHT
Mass. – 20 Pos. Warren – 0 Willmot LE Corbin Arrington LT Bevan Tonges LG Martin Williams C Polena Gable RG Sicuro Berger RT Storz Jasinski RE Marco Keller QB Marcecillo Pellegrini LH Spencer Wallace RH Williams Mastriann FB Kvesich
Score by quarters: Massillon 7 0 7 6 – 20
Touchdowns: Pellegrini, Willmot 2.
Points after touchdowns: Pellegrini (run), Mastriann (placekick)
Tigers Romp Over Mansfield 33-0, For Sixth Triumph
SECOND STRINGERS PLAY GOOD GAME
Early Passing Attack Sends Orange And Black Out In Front Early In Game; Massillon’s Hard Tackling Stops Visitors
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sports Editor
As Tiger battled Tyger at Tiger stadium Friday night almost 14,000 fans left the battleground late in the evening convinced that the Tiger to string along with is the Tiger with an “i” in his name. That’s the Washington high school Tiger of Massillon gridiron fame and the toughest Tiger in or out of captivity to tame.
The weatherman was kind – no rain until the game was almost over and the Massillon Tiger was in fine fettle, so much so that he made mincemeat of the visiting Mansfield high school Tygers in a great display of offensive and defensive ability while chalking up Massillon’s sixth straight triumph of the 1943 campaign by a 33-0 score.
TIGERS SCORE IN EVERY QUARTER
Rolling up five touchdowns and scoring in every quarter, Coach Elwood Kammer’s aggregation Friday night gave another demonstration of power and resourcefulness which should at this date at least, establish them as the outstanding schoolboy aggregation in Ohio.
Although his regulars played as a team less than a quarter of list nights fry there was no question at any time of Massillon’s superiority over the Mansfield gridders who have as they only claim to fame the fact that twice within the last seven years they have been able to hold the Massillon Tiger to two tie scores, those games being played in 1941 and 1937.
Massillon’s second team played nearly the entire second half and this is the first time this season Kammer was able to give his regulars any considerable rest. Third stringers were manhandling the invaders when the game ended.
GREAT DEFENSIVE PLAYING
It was a game marked by some great defensive playing on the part of the orange and black, their tackling probably being the most vicious they have displayed all season, with Dick Arrington, Bob Williams, Bob Wallace, Glenn Keller and Don Sedjo rocking the Mansfield backs time after time with their teeth-rattling tackles.
As a whole the Tigers last night gave a thrilling exhibition of power and ability, probably their best of the season, and for once the record of first downs does not give a true picture of Massillon’s superiority over the Richland county lads. Massillon made 12 first downs while Mansfield had 10. This would indicate a rather close engagement, but it was anything but that with Mansfield only twice getting inside the local team’s 40-yard line and never being able to set up a scoring threat.
The figures, which really show Massillon’s decisive edge over Mansfield, are those covering the yardage gained. In this department the Tigers covered Mansfield more completely than a tent covers a circus. Kammer’s aggregation had a total gross yardage of 418 from all plays with a net loss of 35 yards, giving the Massillonians a net yardage of 318. Mansfield picked up 102 yards from all plays with a net loss of 25, leaving the visitors only 72 yards as their net gain.
With a dry field underneath and no rain coming from above, the Tigers took to the aerial game Friday in a big way, uncovering their biggest overhead attack of the season. They attempted 15 passes, completing seven, for a total gain of 175 yards, which is a pretty good forward passing mark. Mansfield attempted nine passes, completing only three for but 18 yards with Massillon intercepting two.
Offensively Captain Bob Wallace, Romeo Pellegrini and Henry Mastriann played their usual good games with Wallace continuing to show improvement as a ball toter. The boy is really beginning to turn on the speed and he has plenty of drive. Mastriann left the game early in the second quarter, having his bad side bumped again. Glenn Keller, in addition to carrying out his blocking assignments, also showed himself an adept ball lugger, scoring one of Massillon’s touchdowns.
SEDJO, TURKALL SHINE
Outstanding offensively for the second team was Don Sedjo, who replaced Mastriann at fullback, and Vic Turkall, whose running, passing and punting provided some of the highlights of the encounter. Sedjo may not be a very big lad but he has intestinal fortitude aplenty and lots of what it takes to smash his way though an opposing line.
Wearing tan uniforms against which it was hard to detect the ball, Mansfield displayed at times a deceptive ground attack but had only one man in the backfield who made any impression on the Tigers. He was Mike Zivkoff, a mighty fine ball carrier, who made the most of Mansfield’s gains. Mike would look good on any team. Bill Lewis, big, rangy end, distinguished himself by his excellent punting.
The Tigers having read quite a lot about Mansfield’s famous goal line stands this season, particularly against Springfield a week ago, decided that if the Tygers were tough that way there were other ways to soften them up and this they did in a hurry, uncorking a deadly forward passing attack that paved the way for two quick touchdowns in the first period and had Mansfield reeling against the ropes almost as soon as the battle began.
Those deadly Massillon aerials propelled by the accurate tossing arm of Romeo Pellegrini and some clever catching by Bob Wallace and Tom Jasinski punched big holes in the Mansfield defense early in the game and set up the Tygers for the knockout wallops which were to follow in the next three periods.
The brilliance of Massillon’s offense last night is best shown by the distances they traveled for their touchdowns. The first Massillon touchdown came on nine plays after an unbroken march of 55 yards. The second was engineered in one play and covered 74 yards. The third came on eight plays in which the Tigers traveled 56 yards without a halt. The fourth was chalked up on three plays and covered a march of 45 yards. The fifth took three plays and completed a march of 52 yards.
These figures show that once the Tigers gained possession of the ball they were really intent on going places, which they did, much to the delight of their Massillon supporters and to the dismay of more than a 1,000 Mansfield rooters who really thought their team was good enough this year to provide the Massillonians with an argument.
Kammer’s boys were out for blood last night and so Mansfield will have to wait at least another year before getting a chance to humble the Tigers.
SCORE EARLY IN GAME
The Tigers received the opening kickoff, taking the ball on their 45 and marching it right down the field for a touchdown in nine plays. Don Willmot received Bill Lewis opening kick and lugged the ball back from his 15 to the Massillon 45 before being downed. Willmot, by the way, was one of the major casualties in last night’s duel, sustaining a wrenched back.
Bob Wallace smashed through his left tackle on the first offensive play for 12 yards to Mansfield’s 44 before Russ McBridge pulled him down. Pellegrini hit through right tackle for six before McBride stopped him. Mastriann plugged through the center of the line for five and first down on Mansfield’s 32. Pellegrini ran wide at right end without gain, being stopped by Zivkoff. Mastriann made eight at the line but the play was called back and Massillon penalized five for backs in motion, putting the ball on Mansfield’s 37.
Pellegrini passed to Jasinski but Massillon was guilty of clipping and a 15-yard penalty took the ball back to the Tigers’ 49 yard stripe.
Then Pellegrini faded back and tossed a long pass to Tom Jaskinski, the big Massillon end outdistancing the Mansfield safety man to make a beautiful catch and racing to Mansfield’s two yard line before being pulled down. It was good for a gain of 47 yards.
Mastriann was called upon to crack the Mansfield line and scored a touchdown. His attempted place kick was wide.
Jasinski kicked off to Mansfield and the visitors threw their biggest scare of the night into the Tiger camp. Schmidt took the kick and on a pretty fake reverse steamed down the field to the Massillon 30 before being tossed. It was a beautiful run but went for naught when officials ruled a Mansfield player had been offside on the kickoff and called for another kickoff. That was the nearest the Tygers got to Massillon’s goal line all night, except just as the game ended.
It was late in the first quarter when the Tigers wracked up their second touchdown and again a beautiful forward pass was the scoring medium.
Lewis punted to Pellegrini who took the ball on his 15 and raced it back to the Massillon 26-yard line. Only one play was required to gain the score. Once again Pellegrini faded back and tossed a pass, a long one, which went right into the waiting arms of Captain Wallace, who had outrun the Mansfield safety-man. Wallace too the ball on Mansfield’s 40 and with a clear field ahead, ambled over the chalk lines and across Mansfield’s goal without a hand being laid on him. Pellegrini’s pass to Wallace covered 34 yards. Once again Mastriann failed to convert from placement.
It was here that Kammer began sending in his second stringers. Belch taking over for Arrington who had played a great game but who has been nursing a bad leg for the past two weeks. Mastriann had his side bumped early in the second period and Sedjo replaced him.
56 YARD MARCH
Massillon’s third touchdown came after a march and 56 yards about midway in the second period. Pellegrini took a Lewis punt on his 35 and ran it back to his 44. In eight plays the Tigers had their third set of counters. Arrington came back in the game and Pellegrini, running around his right end without interference, went for a first down to Mansfield’s 46. Sedjo smacked the line for six and Wallace scampered to Mansfield’s 21 on a brilliant dash only to lose the gain when a Massillon back was ruled in motion. The ball was called back and a five yard penalty put the ball on the visitors’ 45. But Captain Wallace was not to be denied his chance to run. Taking the ball and cutting through left tackle, Bob reversed his field, cut sharply to his right and raced down the field to the Mansfield 15 for a gain of 30 yards. Sedjo hit the line for five and Wallace made six at left tackle. Pellegrini on a reverse missed first down by inches.
Then Wallace grabbed the leather and running wide around left end dashed through an almost clear field for the remaining distance and the third Massillon touchdown. Vic Turkall who replaced Pellegrini after the touchdown made good on the kick from placement to boost the Tiger count to 19.
Five second stringers, Turkall, Sedjo, Dick Ielsch, Wilmer Luke, and Bob Belch were in the lineup when play was resumed in their third quarter and the regulars who started this period were soon pulled by Kammer, putting a complete second team on the field and these boys took care of the fireworks in fine shape until late in the game when they were replaced by third stringers.
Tom Jasinski paved the way for the fourth Tiger touchdown by making a beautiful catch as he intercepted a pass by McBride on the Massillon 45. Sedjo and Turkall combined to make life miserable for Mansfield and Keller applied the finishing touches to give Massillon its fourth touchdown in three plays.
Sedjo rammed through a big hole in the middle of the line for 11 yards. Then Turkall, running behind excellent interference and blocking raced through right tackle and romped down the field to the four-yard line before being pulled down from behind. Keller went around right end for the score. Turkall’s attempted placekick was blocked but Wallace picked up the ball and ran through the Mansfield team for the extra point, boosting Massillon’s total to 26.
TURKALL ON RAMPAGE
Turkall was the big noise in the Tigers’ fourth touchdown, which came about midway in the fourth quarter. Lewis punted to Vic who made a nifty return of 25 yards before being run out of bounds on Mansfield’s 47. Then he took the leather and carefully picking his way he raced around right end and down to the 19 yard line before being stopped, a gain of 35 yards on a fine run. Webb at left end picked up six yards and then Turkall once again threaded his way through right tackle and across the goal on a 13-yard dash. Three plays were all that were needed to tally the points.
Turkall made good on his placekick and Massillon was heading the procession with 33 points. Massillon’s third stringers took over after the kickoff and finished the game. Zivkoff and Lewis had lugged the leather to Massillon’s 25 as the gun ended the battle.
Mansfield’s best offensive showing came in the third quarter soon after Kammer sent his entire second team into the game. The Massillon lads hadn’t a chance to get their bearings before Zivkoff, Roland Schmidt and Dominic Musille romped through them to the Massillon 30 but the Tigers stiffened here and took the ball away from the visitors as the period ended. After that the second stringers were as complete masters of the invading Tygers as had been the regulars.
A Torrid Tiger
Massillon – 33 Pos. Mansfield – 0 Willmot LE S. Musille Arrington LT Komjenovich Tonges LG Schafer Williams C Miller Gable RG Parry Berger RT Eizel Jasinski RE Lewis Keller QB McBride Pellegrini LHB Zivkoff Wallace RHB Schmidt Mastriann FB D. Musille
Score by quarters: Massillon 12 7 7 7 – 33
Touchdowns: Mastriann, Wallace 2, Keller, Turkall
Points after touchdown: Turkall 2, (place kick) Wallace (run)
Referee: Lobach. Umpire: Gross. Headlinesman: Boone. Field judge: Shafer.
Statistics Tigers M’field Total first downs 12 10 Yards gained by rushing 242 34 Yards lost by rushing 35 25 Net yards gained by rushing 208 59 Forward passes attempted 15 9 Forward passes completed 7 3 Yards gained by passes 175 18 Total net yards rushing and passing 383 77 Passes had intercepted 0 2 Number of punts 5 7 Average distance of punts 36 40 Number of kickoffs 6 1 Average distance of kicks 34 47 Number of fumbles 1 2 Times ball lost on fumbles 0 1 Number of penalties against 8 2 Yards lost by penalties 50 20
Alliance Handed 12-0 Lacing By Tigers In Muddy Battle
ROLL UP TALLIES IN THIRD QUARTER
Washington High Gridders Establish Themselves As Good Mudders By Winning Fifth Straight Game; Played in Torrent of Rain
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sport Editor
And now, ladies and gentlemen, you have every right to say that your 1943 Washington high school Tigers are a pretty fair country ball club.
They proved it Friday night in the mud and water at Tiger stadium when they defeated the Aviators of Alliance high school 12 to 0 for their fifth straight victory of the campaign, conquering not only a first class football opponent but the elements as well. Playing under the most adverse weather and field conditions any Massillon team has been called upon to face in a number of years Coach Elwood Kammer’s youngsters accepted their assignment with gusto and came through with flying colors.
Program Cover
SECOND STARK FOE TURNED BACK In defeating the Aviators, the orange and black took the measure of a worthy foe that prior to last night had lost but one game in four engagements. The victory advances the Tigers, another milestone in their campaign to regain the Stark county scholastic championship they surrendered to Canton McKinley last November when defeated 35 to 0 the first Massillon reverse in 53 games.
Alliance was the second Stark foe to feel the sting of the Tigers’ attack, Canton Lincoln taking at 15 to 0 lacing in the opening game of the season. Canton Timken and Canton McKinley are the two Stark opponents still remaining on the Massillon schedule.
DOWNPOUR FLOODS FIELD
Very little, if any rain had fallen in Massillon for over a month prior to Friday but yesterday afternoon and night the heavens opened up and rain fell in torrents for at least eight hours, turning the Tiger stadium gridiron into a sea of mud and water. A drenching downpour fell steadily throughout the game. Because of the weather, what would have been the largest home crowd of the season turned out to be the smallest to see the Tigers in action in five games. Less than 6,000 hardy souls braved the deluge to sit through a soaking downpour and watch the Tigers slosh to their triumph over the Aviators. Had the weather been dry a crowd of at least 18,000 would have been on hand. As it was only the most ardent and enthusiastic Massillon and Alliance supporters braved a thorough soaking and flirted with pneumonia to watch the contest.
Naturally when the heavens opened up Coach Kammer and his assistants were a bit worried as to how their charges would perform on a wet field. Their four previous games had been played under ideal weather conditions and on a dry and solid gridiron. But the Tigers showed their tutors they could deliver the goods in fair weather or foul. They proved themselves a first class aggregation of mudders as they smashed their way to a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter to sew up the ball game.
Because of the slippery condition of the field and the steady downpour the Tiger machine did not function with the smoothness it was expected to show and probably would have displayed had the footing been firm. But battling against the handicap of adverse weather and a stout Alliance team that was tough defensively from start to finish the Tigers recorded a notable achievement and earned the praises, not only of their coaches, but of the fans who sat in on the rain saturated contest.
ALLIANCE NEVER DANGEROUS
Alliance, weakened by the loss of Bill Rodgers, its triple-threat backfield ace, laid up with an injured knee cartilage since the East Liverpool game two weeks ago, was never dangerous in an offensive way, never moving the ball beyond the Massillon 40 and never threatening to get within scoring range. Bill Rodgers entered the game at the start of the fourth quarter but was in only long enough to get off a nice punt for the Aviators. Then Coach Leonard (Dutch) Hoppes called him back to the sidelines.
The Tigers dominated play throughout the game. True their offense did not function as it did against Steubenville or Akron St. Vincent’s but considering the conditions under which they played they did right well in their ground gaining and the poor footing and an unfortunate penalty cost them at least two touchdowns in the first half. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened had the battle been staged on a dry field.
The Tigers clear cup superiority over their enemies from the eastern end of Stark county is shown in the statistics. The Massillonians made 10 first downs to one for Alliance, that Aviator first down coming late in the game when the Tigers were ruled guilty of interfering with an Aviator pass receiver. Alliance never came close to moving the chain through its offensive punch.
Despite the steady downpour and the slippery condition of the field the Tigers handled the ball well and few fumbles were made. The Tigers tried nine forward passes and completed two for 39 yards. Alliance, with Jack Robinson taking the injured Bill Rodgers’ place as the passer, tried 10 aerial heaves, most of them to Frank Rodgers, Bill’s brother, and completed but one for five yards that completed pass being the one on which interference was ruled. Massillon intercepted on pass.
In the ground gained department the Tigers greatly excelled the Aviators, having a total gained yardage from scrimmage and passes of 230 with a loss of 30 for a net gain of an even 200. Alliance had a total gain of 27 yards and a net loss of 29, winding up with a minus two.
CENTER OF LINE SHINES
Probably the most outstanding part of the Tigers performance was its work on defense. Alliance has some first rate ball luggers in Jack Robinson, Ray Allcorn and Dick Seidner, who replaced the injured Rodgers, but the orange and black forward wall smothered them quite effectively, doing a thorough job of smashing most of Alliance’s attempts to gain ground through the line or around the ends. The Aviators’ line also distinguished itself, the Tiger backs finding the alert Alliance forwards hard to skirt or knock out of a play. The Tigers, however, did find one weak spot in the Alliance defense and they rammed through it with telling effect in the second half.
The center of Massillon’s line with Bob Williams at center and Julius Tonges and Bill Gable on the guards, played its best game of the season last night. Williams submarined the Alliance backs time after time and his tackling was a bright spot in the battle. Tonges and Gable were in mud and water and the ball game up to their necks. The balance of the line with Belch and Arrington on the tackles and Willmot and Jasinski at the flanks soaked up a lot of water but did a thorough job of stopping the visiting firemen.
Henry Mastriann continued to impress as a steady and excellent line plunger ripping the center of the Aviators’ line apart consistently for good gains. Captain Bob Wallace found the going rather tough but completed a number of nice gains and Romeo Pellegrini got away often enough to keep the Aviators constantly in hot as well as cold water, and his fine running was directly responsible for Massillon’s second touchdown. The muddy field made Glenn Keller’s blocking assignments rather difficult but he was in the ball game all the time and his recovery of an Alliance fumble set up the first Massillon points. ?? Even the second team, which took over late in the fourth quarter, acquitted itself well in its initial test in mud and water.
ROUGHNESS QUICKLY HALTED
Somewhere along the way the Alliance boys must have gotten the impression that some tactics frowned upon by the rule-book would be necessary to get along with the Tigers. Anyway on the first two plays of the game the Aviators were handed two 15-yard penalties for unnecessary roughness. Frank Rodgers kicked off to Don Willmot to start the watery contest and Don lugged the leather back to his 33 before being stopped. The officials promptly stepped in and marched off 15 more yards because of roughness by Alliance.
Then Wallace skirted left end for 11 yards and some more Alliance high jinks were uncorked with the result that Captain Bob came up with a neat shiner under his left eye and Alliance soaked up another 15 yard penalty for roughness, taking the ball to the Alliance 24. Then Referee Earl (Monk) Gross stepped into the picture and from the stands it looked as if he delivered a short but very pointed lecture to the Alliance boys. From then on and through the remainder of the game they were nice lads, playing football as the rule-book says it should be played.
The Tigers seemed to be on the way to an early touchdown but a break of the game, and the breaks in such a contest as last night are frequent and both good and bad, halted their march toward the Alliance goal. The break came when Pellegrini got away around his right end and out into the open only to slip and fall on the alliance 25 where the Tigers had to surrender the leather, having failed to make the necessary yardage.
Another Massillon march a few minutes later was sidetracked when the Tigers were set back 15 yards for holding. Late in the first quarter Allcorn got off a quick kick from midfield that turned into a good break for the Tigers. The ball struck one of Allcorn’s teammates and Willmot got it just beyond the line of scrimmage and lugged it back to Alliance’s 36. Mastriann sloshed through the center of the Aviators’ line three times and toted the ball to Alliance’s 23 as the quarter ended.
PENALTY COSTS TOUCHDOWN
Then came a break that really hurt the Tigers. On the first play of the second period Pellegrini tucked the leather under his arm and set sail around his right end, racing 23 yards down the sideline and across the goal only to lose the points when the officials ruled the Tigers guilty of holding, calling the ball back and inflicting a 15-yard penalty on the local boys, putting the ball on the Alliance 38-yard line. A Pellegrini to Jasinski pass made up this penalty and more, taking the ball to Alliance’s 13 but here the Tigers bogged down and Alliance took the ball on its own 10.
Allcorn punted but the ball went straight up in the air and out of bounds on Alliance’s 17. But once again the Tigers could not take advantage of the scoring opportunity and the Aviators stopped them on the 15. From here on until the end of the period play was confined within Alliance’s 40-yard line but the Tigers could not strike hard enough to get within sight of the visitors goal.
The Tigers got their one big break of the ball game at the start of the third quarter and it was the break that paved the way for their first points and victory.
Dick Arrington kicked off to Alliance and he kicked the ball straight down the field. Robinson got his hands on the ball but it slithered out of his fingers and Glenn Keller pounced on it on Alliance’s 15-yard stripe. And six plays later the Tigers hit pay dirt for their first touchdown.
Mastriann ramming through that weak spot in the Alliance line made a first down to the three in two plunges and then came back to make one more on his third attempt. Vic Turkall who had replaced Pellegrini at the start of the third period, picked up another yard to the two and Mastriann sloshed one more to the one. Pellegrini returned to the game and on the next play Captain Wallace lugged the leather over for the first Massillon touchdown. Mastriann didn’t get a chance to try for the point from placement. The ball slipped out of Pellegrini’s hands and Romeo picked it up and tried a forward pass that failed.
A short time later the Tigers were again knocking at the touchdown door and their knocks brought results.
65 YARD MARCH FOR SCORE
Gaining possession of the ball on their 35-yard line after Seidner had punted, the Tigers started a march of 65 yards for their second touchdown, two neat runs by Pellegrini featuring the unbroken advance. Seven plays were required in this 65-yard march. Mastriann still plugging away at the weak spot in the center of Alliance’s line made 18 yards in two plays. Massillon received a five yard penalty for too much time out in the huddle but Mastriann picked up three of these in another line smash. Then Pellegrini let out all his sails and churned his way through mud and water wide around right end and down the field for 36 yards before Alliance dropped the anchor on him on the Aviators’ 16 yard line. It was one of the prettiest runs of the water-logged battle. Wallace hit off left tackle for six and Mastriann sloshed through the line for two. Then once again Pellegrinni launched another sailing expedition and this time he did all right and largely without any help from his teammates.
Fading far back Romeo nimbly picked his way through the mud, ducking would be Alliance tacklers here and there and finally cutting loose with a burst of speed that carried him by the entire Alliance team and across the goal line for Massillon’s second touchdown. This time Mastriann got a boot at the ball from placement but the attempt was wide.
From here on in Massillon had no more scoring opportunities and in the fourth quarter Kamer began pulling out his soaked regulars and substituting his second team and late in the game the entire second string aggregation was getting a chance to get its uniforms wet. Alliance, thwarted on the ground went to the air in a desperate attempt to score but got exactly nowhere on its aerial attack. It did however, register its only first down of the game late in the third quarter when the officials ruled Massillon interference on a pass play.
Massillon’s second stringers in the game when it ended were Turkall, Wilbert, Pedrotty, Bertrus Webb and Donald Sedjo in the backfield and Wilmer Luke, Dick Ielsch, Bob Richards, John Profant, Francis Cicchinelli, Larry Berger, and Bob Clark on the line.
Statistics Tigers Alliance Total first downs 10 1 Yards gained by rushing 101 22 Yards lost by rushing 20 20 Net yards gained by rushing 161 7 Forward passes attempted 9 10 Forward passes completed 2 1 Yards gained by passing 39 5 Total net yardage rushing and passing 200 -2 Passes had intercepted 0 1 Number of punts 6 10 Average distance of punts 31 31 Number of kickoffs 2 1 Average distance of kicks 47 48 Number of fumbles 4 3 Times ball lost on fumbles 1 2 Number of penalties against 4 4 Yards lost by penalties 40 40
History 
