Category: <span>History</span>

Football is a “Go,” but with Restrictions

Ten days before the first scheduled game of the 2020 season, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine gave the state’s 700+ schools the go ahead to proceed with fall football games.  His theme is that it’s all about the student-athletes and the mental strain that not playing the games would have on them.  However, given the continuing presence of the Covid-19 virus, the release comes with several constraints.

In essence, the directive issued a few weeks ago by the Ohio Department of Health still stands.  But the requirement to (1) test participants for the virus within 72 hours of the game and (2) have the results in hand at game-time have been waived for high schools.  That plus the declining number of daily virus cases in Ohio open the door for this decision.  So here are several of the restrictions in place and the impacts of each:

  • The season will consist of six regular season games followed by seven weeks of playoffs.  All teams are eligible to participate in the playoffs – The ODH wants the season wrapped up prior to Thanksgiving, fearing a rebound of the virus during the winter months.  The revised season plan does this.  However, the Governor hopes that the it won’t need to be cut short, which would result in the remaining games either canceled or perhaps played in the spring.  DeWine also gave schools the option to defer to spring football.  However, no playoffs would exist for those that elect spring.
  • Teams are limited to 60 dressed players – Massillon currently has 88 varsity players.  Therefore 28, presumably assigned to the junior varsity, will not suit up and will lose the enjoyment that comes with being on the sidelines with their brothers on Friday night.  For them the mental impact is increased.
  • Players must socially distance between the 10 yard lines while on the sidelines – This will be difficult to enforce, given that the players want to be close to the action and it will be up to the very busy coaches to police this.  It’s also a strange rule given that it never occurs throughout the many practices leading up to the games.
  • Teams are permitted one scrimmage during the week prior to the first game – This is awfully late notice.  It is not known at this time if Massillon will take advantage.
  • Fan attendance is limited only to parents and others that have close influence on the players, cheerleaders and bandsmen – This one strikes communities at the heart, with nearly a million fans affected at a time when some positive aspect of life is surely needed.  No consideration was given to those communities that have been minimally exposed to the virus.  The only alternative then is video broadcasting.  In Massillon, the high school airs games live over the Internet via pay-per-view to those that live at least 30 miles away.  The distance requirement is expected to be waived, so everyone with a computer will be able to at least view the games.  But there is still the matter of season tickets for approximately 3,500 fans.  This is a serious issue involving thousands of dollars and will need to be worked out quickly by the ticket office.  Collectively across Ohio, schools could lose out on over $50 million dollars in ticket proceeds, which help to fund football in the first place.  Finally, there is the OHSAA, which relies heavily on ticket sales, particularly during the last two weeks of the playoffs, to fund nearly their entire program.  The impact of these lost revenues will be huge.
  • Marching bands are only permitted to perform at home games – For most schools, that’s a lot of work for two or three games.  Fortunately, Massillon was able to schedule all six games at home.  The Tigers also hope to make a deep run in the playoffs, which would give the band additional opportunities to perform in front of those few hundred in attendance.

On another note, Head Coach Nate Moore has finalized the 6-game schedule.  All games are at home and on Friday night, except for the one against Canton McKinley, which will start at its traditional time of 2:00 pm on Saturday.

  • Lakewood St. Edward
  • Columbus Bishop Sycamore
  • Warren Harding
  • Cleveland Benedictine
  • Cleveland St. Ignatius
  • Canton McKinley

“The Year of the Tiger” – 50 Years Later

In Chinese lore 1970 was dubbed “The Year of the Tiger.”  According to traditional myth, “Nian,” a beastly creature, tore through the countryside eating people on the night before the New Year.  So, red decorations and firecrackers were used to frighten away the beast as the holiday approached.  Such is the respect afforded the Tiger.

For Massillon, “The Year of the Tiger” is also special, because that was the year their beloved Tiger football team fashioned one of the most perfect seasons the town had ever witnessed:  a 10-0 record, a state championship and a return to the glory years of the past.

In 1964 and 1965, under coach Earl Bruce, Massillon won all 20 games and was awarded back-to-back state titles. But Coach Bruce left for Ohio State and the Tigers fell upon hard times during the next three seasons. So the search was on for a coach that would return Massillon to the top.  In the spring of 1969, Bob Commings was hired to assume the coaching duties, having won his last 22 games at Struthers. Coach Commings would stay for five seasons before accepting the position of head coach at his alma mater, the University of Iowa. But what a glorious five seasons it was.

The first real chance for Massillon fans to meet the new coach came during the spring kickoff at the Massillon American Legion. It was there that Coach Commings would display the fire and enthusiasm that was so prevalent in his personality. His love for the game would just envelop anyone who got near.  There were handshakes aplenty as fans would hope that some of the vigor would rub off. Each person at the event left with the feeling that this man was someone special and was situated in exactly the right place and the right time atop the Tiger program.

Coach Commings inherited a team that was lean on senior talent, but he began to assemble the pieces and fill the voids with promising underclassmen. Suffering through the usual growing pains of a first-year coach, the 1969 Tigers finished the season 7-2-1. But they were competitive in every game, including in a 14-7 last minute loss to Canton McKinley (9-1). That set the stage for a run to the top.

In 1970, with several outstanding players returning and Commings’ football philosophy firmly in place, Massillon rolled to ten consecutive victories, completely dominating every opponent. This 1970 team was duly acclaimed first in the state and second in the nation. As a personal reward, Commings was selected to lead the North All-Star team in the following year’s summer classic. With several Massillon players suited up, the North won the game 14-0.

But back to the 1970 season, which became a showdown between Massillon and Upper Arlington.  In 1966, the Golden Bears played the Tigers for the first time and won on the road, 21-6.  That victory firmly cemented UA as a state power.  Arlington went on to post a 9-1 record, dropping their finale to Columbus Watterson (10-0), which was awarded the title.  But the Bears ran the table for the next three years and were awarded the Associated Press state title each time.  Included in that a 7-6 triumph over a 9-1 Tiger team in 1967.  However, preseason prognosticators believed that the 1970 Massillon team had the talent to wrestle the state title away from Upper Arlington.

The Tigers were led by a stellar cast, including:

  • Mike Mauger: 6’-0”, 195 lb. senior tailback; Ohio Class AAA player of the year; rushed for 1200 yards at 7.5 yards per carry; scored 152 points; University of Wisconsin and Kent State University; tried out with the Dallas Cowboys.
  •  Dennis Franklin: 6’-0”, 180 lb. senior quarterback; second team all-Ohio; University of Michigan, 3-year starter at quarterback; Detroit Lions.
  • Larry Harper: 5’-8”, 156 lb. senior wingback; Miami of Ohio; Churchman’s Magazine All-American; executive with Poloraid and Nike.
  • Steve Luke: 6’-2”, 186 lb. senior linebacker/tight end; third team all-Ohio; The Ohio State University; Green Bay Packers; co-founder USAthletes. Brother Bill also played in 1970.
  • Tim Ridgley: 5’-10”, 210 lb. senior defensive tackle; first team all-Ohio; Wyoming (football/baseball); Massillon head baseball coach.
  • Steve Studer: 5’-11”, 200 lb. junior center; all-Ohio (1971); Bowling Green; tried out with Chicago Bears; Massillon strength and conditioning coach.
  • Willie Spencer: 6’-2”, 189 lb. junior linebacker; all-Ohio (1971) Memphis Southmen; Washington Redskins; Minnesota Vikings.

Massillon opened the season with a 71-0 shellacking of Trotwood Madison, behind an offense that rolled up 533 yards.  Tailback Mike Mauger set the tone for the season by romping 80 yards for a touchdown on the very first play of the game.  Then, after disposing of Cleveland Benedictine 32-7 and Alliance 36-12, it was time to get down to business.

The opponent was Niles McKinley, an All-American Conference game that would be played on the road in front of a sellout crowd of 15,000.  It turned out to be a defensive affair, with the ground-oriented Tigers hampered by a gimpy Mauger at tailback, who was injured the previous week.  In fact, the only scoring of the first half was on a late field goal by Niles.  But Massillon came roaring back in the second half to score three unanswered touchdowns and win 22-3.  They also held the Red Dragons to just 132 yards. Niles would finish the season with a 7-2-1 record.

With the tough one behind them the Tigers went on a tear, outscoring their next six opponents 251-7.  First up was Toledo Whitmer (7-3), a 41-0 victory in which Massillon surrendered just 69 yards.  Next came a 40-0 blanking of Steubenville (6-4), behind a 416-yard offensive effort.  It took just 40 plays to take care of Barberton, winning 52-0.

In a conference game at Warren, 15,000 rain-soaked fans watched the Tigers take the Black Panthers apart 22-0.  Defense was the tone of the day and Massillon held Warren (5-5) to just three first downs and 29 yards of offense, none in the air.  As expected, there was a bit of complacency when hapless Akron St. Vincent came to town.  Massillon scored easily the first time it touched the ball to assume a 6-0 lead, only to see the Irish come right back on an 80-yard drive to take an early second quarter lead, 7-6.  But the Tigers came back to life and showed why they were destined for greatness, scoring 36 points during the remainder of the quarter enroute to a 68-7 blowout.  St. Vincent would manage just three yards for the rest of the night.

Here’s the Tigers vs. McKinley

Entering Game Ten against Canton McKinley, the Tigers were in first place in the Associated Press Poll, Upper Arlington at 9-0 was a close second and McKinley at 8-0-1 was third (the tie was vs. Niles).  Based on these standings, all that was left for the Tigers to finish in first place was to defeat the Pups.  Fans woke up that Saturday to a cold downpour, conditions that would persist for the entire day.  It wasn’t pleasant for the 22,500 fans in attendance, but the players didn’t seem to mind.  The victory dance started early when Massillon’s Larry Harper returned the opening kickoff 94-yards for a touchdown to give the locals an early 8-0 lead.  Keeping the ball on the ground for the entire game, the Tigers ground out three more scores, two by Mike Mauger and one by quarterback Dennis Franklin on a 37-yard naked boot.  The celebration was on as Massillon rolled to a 28-0 victory behind a 258-yard rushing attack.  Mauger led the way with 27 carries for 137 yards.  Franklin would throw just two passes.  Meanwhile, McKinley was held to a mere 115 yards, threatening to score just once.

Massillon game scores:

  • Trotwood Madison (71-0)
  • Cleveland Benedictine (32-7) – finished 9-1
  • Alliance (36-12)
  • Niles (22-3) – finished 7-2-1
  • Toledo Whitmer (41-0)
  • Steubenville (40-0)
  • Barberton (52-0)
  • Warren Harding (22-0)
  • Akron St. Vincent (68-7)
  • Canton McKinley (28-0) – No. 3; finished 8-1-1
  • 10-0 Record: 412-29

Upper Arlington ended their season 10-0, which at least kept them in contention for the crown.  Below are their season results:

  • Mentor (27-6)
  • Worthington (35-6)
  • Cincinnati Princeton (24-7) – finished 8-2
  • Portsmouth (27-0)
  • Akron Garfield (41-7)
  • Lancaster (21-20) – No. 6; finished 8-1-1
  • Zanesville (34-10)
  • Chillicothe (49-0)
  • Newark (51-0)
  • Marietta (27-8)
  • 10-0 Record: 336-64

Massillon was ranked No.1 throughout most of entire season, continuously from Week 5 on, and solidified that ranking in the final voting with the big victory over previously undefeated and state-ranked Canton McKinley.  Arlington was certainly hurt by a 1-point victory over Lancaster.  Here’s how the final A.P. voting went:

  1. Massillon (10-0) – 223
  2. Upper Arlington (10-0) – 210
  3. Canton McKinley (8-1-1) – 119
  4. Sidney (10-0) – 116
  5. Cincinnati Moeller (9-1) – 115
  6. Lancaster (8-1-1) – 104
  7. Sandusky (9-1) – 92
  8. Warren Western Reserve (9-1) – 84
  9. Columbus East (8-1) – 50
  10. Troy (10-0) – 25

Of course, 3-time defending champion Upper Arlington was none too pleased with the final results and there were informal talks about a post-season game to decide it in a playoff format.  The proceeds would be used to benefit the Marshall University football program, which suffered the loss of their entire team that year from a plane crash.  But the OHSAA would not approve the game.  So the final results would stand with Massillon as the state champs.  Nevertheless, the two teams met in Columbus two years later and the Tigers emerged a 14-0 victor.

1970 would be that last time Massillon was accorded Ohio Championship status.  Two years later the OHSAA would institute the state playoffs and, in spite of numerous state semifinal and final game appearances, the Tigers would never take the crown due to the dominance of the parochial schools, something that wasn’t present prior to the playoffs.  But the accomplishments of that 1970 team are still remembered by many Massillon faithful.  It was a team that outscored its opponents 412-29.  It averaged 6.5 yards per play while holding its opponents to a mere 2.2.  It wasn’t a huge team size-wise, but it possessed outstanding speed on both sides of the ball.  It also had some very talented players, several of whom played major college and professional ball.  But most of all it was a group of players that just wanted to win and win big, never letting down their guard.

The offense was a unit that could be relied upon to score the first time it touched the ball.  Its consistency to move up and down the field was uncanny.  The “bread and butter” play was a simple toss sweep to Mauger.  But the speed of the offensive line enabled the blockers to fly to the outside and pave the way for the 210 lb. tailback who, while not being the swiftest of running backs, was extremely adept at following his blockers.  When QB Dennis Franklin was not handing off to Mauger in the wing-T scheme, he would flip the ball to Larry Harper on the jet sweep.  That play was just devastating against opponents.  Franklin himself was an average passer, but he possessed great leadership ability, a trait that aided him throughout a 3-year stint as QB at the University of Michigan.

The defense was simply smothering.  Commings believed in an attacking system, one that placed eight men near the line of scrimmage to cut down opposing players before they had a chance to establish their blocks.  In fact, opponents averaged just four first down rushing per game.  Few Massillon teams controlled the line of scrimmage as well as this eleven did.  That coupled with an outstanding offense was a formula for success.

At the end of the season Coach Bob Commings was selected as the Class AAA Coach of the Year. After two years as coach of the Tigers his record stood at 17-2-1 having outscored the opposition by an average of 36-7. For his achievement he was selected as the North head coach in the 1971 Ohio All-Star Game. Commings would coach for three more years before taking over the head reigns at the University of Iowa, after compiling a record of 43-6-2, including a pair of undefeated regular seasons.

Mike Mauger was named Class AAA Back of the Year.  Tim Ridgley was awarded first team all-state offensive lineman and Steve Luke was named as second team linebacker.  Unfortunately, a couple of outstanding seniors were overlooked on this team. They included quarterback Dennis Franklin and flanker Larry Harper.

Coaching staff:

  • Head Coach Bob Commings
  • Larry Coyer
  • Edward Kinney
  • Jim Letcavits
  • Gus Pachis
  • Ducky Schroeder
  • Nick Vrotsos
  • Dale Walterhouse

The following photos are courtesy of Rob Engelhardt (1970 WHS Hi-Times)

Quarterback Dennis Franklin under center
Mike Mauger (22) heads for another touchdown; Mike McGuire (84)
Willie Spencer (82) presesures the quarerback; John Nussbaumer (68)
Kirk Strobel (76) leads the way for Tom Cardinal (33)

OHSAA Releases Updated Playoff Assignments for 2020

The Ohio High School Athletic Association has released its revised divisional and regional team assignments for the 2020 post-season playoffs.  With last year’s competitive balance formula essentially in place once again this year, there are very few changes to Division 2.

One Division 1 team, Toledo Bowsher, moved down to Division 2, while interestingly no team moved up to replace them.  Cincinnati Elder, the 2019 Division 1 state runner-up, had the potential to also drop down on account of reduced enrollment, but the competitive advantage was sufficient to keep them in the top group.  Five Division 2 teams are now in Division 3, including Columbus DeSales, Chillicothe, Alliance, Sylvania Southview and Parma Padua.  Replacing them are University School, Dayton Belmont and Independence, which moved up from Division 3.

Massillon remains in Region 5 along with Akron Hoban.  The only change to the region is the departure of Alliance.

It appears that once again Division 2 will be a formidable challenge for any team.  So one has to ask: who among the 106 teams in that Division are expected to dominate?  A few names readily jump to the top, such as Akron Hoban, Cincinnati LaSalle, Massillon and Cincinnati Winton Woods.  And several others can also be thought of as in the mix; teams such as Mayfield, Toledo Central, Hudson and Avon.

So to figure out who are the contenders, the two best factors to consider are regular season record and playoff success.  A time span of the last seven years is considered, since this is the period of time since the OHSAA created a new Division 2 by dropping several former Division 1 teams into its ranks.  Also, only teams that have won at least 40 regular season games over those past seven years are considered.  The chart below matches these two factors against each other.

The “red” data points indicate teams that have won state titles.  The “green” data points represent teams that have won regional titles, but not state titles.  The remaining teams under consideration are as indicated in “black.”  The “blue” line is a curve fit of all data points shown.  Those teams located above the line appear to excel more than their regular season record would predict otherwise.  Conversely, those below the line appear to struggle in the playoffs.

One can see that most of the teams are located in the vicinity of the “blue” line, although some, like Kings and Columbus Walnut Ridge win a lot of regular season games, but then fail in the playoffs against the better teams.  The most likely reason for this is apparent weaker schedules.

Well at the opposite end of the spectrum are the highly successful parochial schools, including Cincinnati LaSalle, Akron Hoban and Toledo Central (aside from Cleveland Benedictine, which has just a “black” data point).  These three schools have combined for six Division 2 state titles and four Division 3 state titles.  This in spite of the wide discrepancy in regular season marks, which of course vary on account of their difficulty of schedule.

Among the public schools Avon, Massillon and Hudson lead the pack.  All have shown great success both during the regular season and in the playoffs.  Although none has won that coveted season-ending prize, they have combined for nine regional titles and two state finals appearances.  Next up are Massillon Perry and Cincinnati Winton Woods.  They have garnered four regional titles and three state finals appearances.

Next year the OHSAA will increase the number of playoff qualifiers in each region from eight to twelve, giving many more teams the opportunity to record playoff wins.  Incidentally, had this system been place for the past seven years and had the teams in the region been the same as this year, Massillon would have been the only team in Region 5 to qualify for the playoffs in each and every year, while Hudson, Perry and Bedford would have qualified six times.  The Tigers would have had a bye in the first-round in five of those years; Hudson, Perry and Akron Hoban, three times each.

Below are details of all the teams that are considered the best in Division 2.

Cincinnati LaSalle

  • Regular Season Record: 48-22
  • Playoff Appearances: 5
  • Playoff Record: 22-1
  • Playoff Highlights: 4 state titles

 Akron Hoban

  • Regular Season Record: 57-13
  • Playoff Appearances: 5
  • Playoff Record: 22-1
  • Playoff Highlights: D2: 2 state titles; D3: 2 state titles

Toledo Central Catholic

  • Regular Season Record: 64-6
  • Playoff Appearances: 7
  • Playoff Record: 22-4
  • Playoff Highlights: D2: 1 regional title; D3: 1 state title; 3 regional titles; 1 state finals appearance

Avon

  • Regular Season Record: 67-3
  • Playoff Appearances: 7
  • Playoff Record: 14-6
  • Playoff Highlights: 3 regional titles

Massillon

  • Regular Season Record: 54-16
  • Playoff Appearances: 6
  • Playoff Record: 12-6
  • Playoff Highlights: 3 regional titles; 2 state finals appearances

Hudson

  • Regular Season Record: 52-18
  • Playoff Appearances: 6
  • Playoff Record: 10-6
  • Playoff Highlights: 3 regional titles

Massillon Perry

  • Regular Season Record: 47-23
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 9-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 2 regional  titles; 2 state finals appearances

Cincinnati Winton Woods

  • Regular Season Record: 47-23
  • Playoff Appearances: 3
  • Playoff Record: 8-3
  • Playoff Highlights: 2 regional titles; 1 state finals appearance

Olentangy Lewis Center

  • Regular Season Record: 51-19
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 8-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Mayfield

  • Regular Season Record: 48-22
  • Playoff Appearances: 5
  • Playoff Record: 6-5
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Anthony Wayne

  • Regular Season Record: 47-23
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 5-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Nordonia

  • Regular Season Record: 44-26
  • Playoff Appearances: 3
  • Playoff Record: 5-3
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title; 1 state finals appearance

Perrysburg

  • Regular Season Record: 50-20
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 5-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

Medina Highland

  • Regular Season Record: 50-20
  • Playoff Appearances: 4
  • Playoff Record: 4-4
  • Playoff Highlights: 1 regional title

 

Challenging Openers Nothing New for Nate Moore’s Tigers

Throughout many previous decades, as far back as perhaps Paul Brown, Massillon coaches have traditionally scheduled soft-to-moderate opening game opponents in order to give each squad the best chance of starting the season on a winning note.  But that appears not to be the case for current head coach Nate Moore.  He prefers, instead, the challenge brought on by facing a top-level foe.  And in each of his first five openers while at Massillon he has had fans on the edges of their seats hoping that the Tigers would come out victorious, knowing that the opponent was daunting.

Coach Nate Moore

This year is no exception.  On August 29, barring modifications to the season on account of the virus, Massillon will open up at Canton’s Tom Benson Stadium as part of a 6-game Nike classic against Bishop Gorman, a national power from Las Vegas, Nevada.  This should be a good matchup, but expect Massillon to be ready for the task ahead.  Coach Moore, having gained much insight over the past five years in approaching difficult openers, should know how to prepare for this one.

Moore has compiled a 50-15 overall record during his 5-year tenure at Massillon (28-2 over the last two seasons), including an 11-4 playoff mark in four appearances.  Currently, the Tigers have a 21-game regular season winning streak and have in each of the past two years advanced all the way to the Division 2 state finals game, although losing to Akron Hoban in 2018 and Cincinnati LaSalle in 2019.  In both of those years, Massillon was nationally ranked in the Top 50.  The Tigers are also ranked 5th in the nation with 899 historical victories, dating back to 1891.

When Mike Currence became the head coach in 1976, he inherited an opening game against Middletown, a team from southwest Ohio that was a state power at the time.  Regrettably, he was In the midst of replacing the previous Wing-T offense with a run-and-shoot offense, a scheme that was very alien to previous Massillon players.  It proved to be a difficult progression and Currence’s team failed to score in a one-touchdown loss to the Middles.  Although they held Middletown to just 121 yards of offense, they gained just a mere 74 themselves.  The following year, with the run-and-shoot firmly entrenched, it was off to the Akron Rubber Bowl to face Barberton.  The Tigers had high hopes that year, especially after rolling over a formidable Warren Western Reserve team in a game-condition scrimmage the previous week.  But in front of nearly 16,000 fans, Barberton’s running back Larry Ricks (Michigan) had other ideas and he led his team to a 9-7 upset victory.  It should be noted that in both of those years, when only one team qualified in each region, Massillon failed to make the playoffs, in spite of each team finishing 8-2.  To make it even more bitter, the Tigers finished that second season with a 21-0 victory over playoff state-finalist Canton McKinley.

So for the next 37 years coaches scaled it back and, for the most part, steered clear of top-level competition for Game 1.  Thirteen times Massillon faced a team from the Akron City Series.  Eight times they played Massillon Perry, including six in a row from 1978 to 1983.  They also had games against Alliance, Dover and Westerville South.  As a result, it wasn’t surprising that the Tigers compiled a record of 34-3 in those openers.  Two of the losses were to Buchtel and a third was to Clovis West, California (a rare tough opener).

But it’s obvious that Nate Moore has another mindset.  With eight teams per region making the playoffs these days, the odds are much better if the opening game is not won.  And although Nate enjoys the challenge, it’s also a good opportunity for his team’s weaknesses to be exposed before they get too far into the season.  Plus, the incentive to gear the pre-season around a challenging opponent, the experience of playing in big game early and an opportunity to play four quarters of football with the first unit on the field can all pay dividends down the road.  In 2015, in his very first game as a Massillon coach, the opener was Perry, a team stocked with two great running backs in Keishaun Sims and Tevian Cleveland.  The Tigers started out strong and then, after falling behind, scored late in the game to secure a 41-37 victory, in spite of Sims and Cleveland combining for 435 yards of offense and four touchdowns.  Perry went on to finish with a record of 12-3, losing to Cincinnati LaSalle in the Division 2 State Finals.

The next year it was Division 1 power Mentor, which sported a record of 56-11 over the previous five years (10-4 in the Division 1 playoffs).  Massillon opened with them in 2016 and 2017, but dropped both by one-sided scores.  However, it did show the program just how far it needed to go if the Tigers hoped to return to past glory.

For the past two years, Moore started off with Akron St. Vincent, a recurring opponent Massillon had faced during each of the previous six years.  But those six had not gone well, with the Tigers winning just two.  During that span, the Irish compiled a record of 67-16, including a 19-4 playoff mark and a pair of Division 3 state titles.  They also had a great running back returning in Terrance Keyes, who rushed 198 yards against the Tigers in 2016.  But the experience gained against Mentor finally had paid off and the Tigers walked away in the first one with a 35-7 victory, holding Keyes to just ten yards in eleven carries.  Later that year they defeated nationally-ranked East St. Louis in an offensive shootout.  The next year’s result was no different and with Massillon prevailed 44-14.  That season-opening experience was parlayed into a 17-14 playoff victory over 2018 Division 2 state champion Akron Hoban.  To top it off, Massillon has won the last four meetings against arch-rival Canton McKinley.

Now it’s Bishop Gorman, which promises to be yet another challenging opener.  Over the past 13 years Gorman has built an impressive resume: 175-15 overall record (122-13 in the regular season, 53-2 in the state playoffs); 10 state championships; 3 national championships (2014-2016); 8 times in the National Top 50.  Last year, the Gaels were 11-2, losing in the 3rd round of the Nevada state playoffs, in a rare year that they did not make the state finals.  They were also ranked No. 78 nationally.

Gorman will be a formidable foe for Nate Moore’s Tigers in this year’s lid-lifter.  But that’s nothing new for the highly successful coach, who obviouisly relishes the challenge.

Obie Head Logo (Large)

Tigers’ Win Streak On the Line in 2020

In 2019 Massillon wrapped up the regular season with a 24-14 victory over arch-rival Canton McKinley.  In so doing, they extended their regular season winning streak to 21 games, defeating an impressive list of opponents along the way.  They also went unbeaten for consecutive seasons, the first time the Tigers had accomplished that feat since Earl Bruce’s 1964 and ‘65 state championship teams.  Then, to top it off, they advanced to the Playoff State Finals in each of those years.

But now new challenges await during the upcoming 2020 season, particularly in the opening game, which is slated to be against a to-be-named national opponent.  Should the Tigers get by that one, they will face more tough foes down the road.  But winning another ten games it is certainly an achievable goal.  Nevertheless, as sweet as that sounds, it’s certain that the players would gladly trade all of that for a championship trophy at the end.  Nevertheless, the streak is real, it can’t be ignored and is it ranked right up there with the accomplishments of other great Massillon teams.

Winning streaks do not happen by accident and in each one at least a couple of influential factors can be found.  Some schools have an exceptional class come through that can produce consecutive 10-win seasons, like Barberton in 2017 and ’18.  Combined with 2016 and 2019, the Magics ran off 26 straight regular season wins.  Another example is Avon, which had a streak of 28 straight regular season victories between 2015 and 2018.   Upper Arlington in the late 1960s took advantage of “back-to-back” exceptional classes to win over 40 games in a row.  Others have solid football programs with equally impressive coaches, like Steubenville, which recently fashioned a 42-game winning streak (including playoff games) and just last year had a 63-game regular season win streak come to an end.

Then there are those that benefit from a continuous pipeline of top-level athletes, like the large parochial schools which, because of their inherent scholastic and athletic opportunities, attract many exceptional players each year.  In the 1970s Cincinnati Moeller put together a 40-game+ winning streak.  Then, after a loss to Cincinnati Princeton, they went on to win another 45 straight games.  Strength of schedule also plays into winning streaks; that is, a schedule devoid of competitive opponents.  Combine many of the above traits into a smaller school and a long winning streak is often the result.  A good example of that is private school Kettering Alter, the likes of which is one of the reasons behind implementation of competitive advantage for the post-season playoffs.

Prior to the playoffs, it was important for the large top schools to play very competitive schedules in order to receive the support of the various sportswriters who voted for the state champion.  Therefore, it was difficult at that time for those schools to produce long winning streaks.  They also didn’t have the benefit of additional playoff games to add wins in a particularly good year.  Massillon’s longest streak throughout its 120 plus years of history is 38 games, which was fashioned from 1937 to 1941.  During that span the Tigers captured the state championship each year and also added a pair of national championships.  In the 7th game of the 1937 season, Paul Brown’s Tigers were defeated by New Castle, Pennsylvania 7-0.  It was their only loss that year.  The following week they defeated Youngstown Chaney 28-6 and they didn’t stumble again until Game 5 of the 1941 season when, under coach Bud Houghton, the Tigers were tied by Mansfield 6-6.  During the streak, the average game score was an impressive 39-3.

But along the way, the Tigers also defeated some great teams.  In 1937 they dropped Canton McKinley from the ranks of the unbeatens by the score of 19-6, repeating that feat the following year with a 12-0 victory.  In 1939 Massillon defeated Alliance 47-0, which was their only loss that year.  Similar fates awaited several teams in 1940, including Cleveland Cathedral Latin (9-1) 64-0, Weirton, WV (9-1) 48-0, Erie East, PA (7-2-1) 74-0, Alliance (8-2-1) 40-0, Toledo Waite (9-1) 28-0, Youngstown East (8-2) 26-0, and Canton McKinley (8-1-1) 34-6.  It was indeed an impressive lot, enough to place a legitimate stamp on the record.

With the tie to Mansfield, however, the winning streak had come to an end.  But not the unbeaten streak, which was extended to nearly the end of 1942 season.  In that final game they were beaten by Canton McKinley, but they did establish an all-time Massillon record for that mark at 52 games.

Incidentally, the national all-time winning streak stands at 151 games, which was set by Concord De La Salle, California, in 1992-2003.  The Ohio all-time winning mark is 58 games, set by Delphos St. Johns at 57 in 1996 through 2001.  The corresponding unbeaten streak is owned by Ironton.  Their best is 58 games, which was established in 1983.  Massillon’s 52-game unbeaten mark ranks fourth in Ohio.

In 1963-67, coaches Leo Strang, Earl Bruce and Bob Seaman combined to fashion a 30-game winning streak.  It began with a 38-0 victory over Mansfield, following a 13-6 loss to Akron Garfield the previous week, and it ended three years later with a 0-0 tie to Mansfield.  In 1963 the Tigers finished 9-1 with a second place state ranking.  But under Earl Bruce Massillon in each of the following two years  they went 10-0 and was awarded the state title.  Ironically, it was the Tigers in 1964 that defeated Niles McKinley 14-8, ending their 48-game winning streak (currently ranked 4th in Ohio).  Massillon then wrapped up the season with a 20-14 comeback victory over the previously-undefeated Bulldogs.

Number 3 in the Massillon record book is a 25-game winning streak set in 1951-54 by Chuck Mather and Tom Harp.  Mather won the first 23 games and then Coach Tom Harp added two more before losing to Alliance 19-7.  With an overall record of 38-2 during those four seasons, the Tigers were able to capture the state championship each year and national championships in ’52 and ’53.  They also bested their opponents by an average score of 41-15.

That brings us to the current streak of 21, which also matches Paul Brown’s second longest.  Coach Nate Moore has been at the helm throughout, finishing 7-3 in 2017 and 10-0 in both 2018 and 2019, not counting his 8-2 playoff mark during those two years.  The average score of the games throughout the streak was 45-18.  It began following a 13-10 loss in Game 9 to Division 3 state semifinalist Akron St. Vincent.  The first win was over Canton McKinley (8-3) 16-15.  In 2018 Massillon went 10-0 and defeated Warren Harding (8-3) 51-21, Austintown Fitch (8-3) 42-14, East St. Louis, Illinois (9-3) 46-40 and Canton McKinley (9-3) 24-17.  Then last year they again finished 10-0, downing Akron St. Vincent (8-3) 44-14, Harrison City Penn-Trafford, PA (11-2) 42-21, Monroeville Gateway, PA (12-3) 48-12 and Canton McKinley (9-3) 24-14.  The Tigers have a chance to improve their ranking this year and, if they are fortunate enough to run the table, they will move into second place.

Brown’s 21-game streak occurred in 1935-37 and began after a season-ending loss in 1934 to State No. 1 Canton McKinley.  During the streak, the Tigers were completely dominant, outscoring the opposition by an average of 51-3 and compiling three state and two national championships.  In 1936 they gave the Bulldogs their only loss of the season by the score of 21-0.  The streak came to an end in Game 2 of the 1937 season with a 6-6 tie vs. Mansfield (once again).  But a new streak, the aforementioned one of 38 games, was started just a few weeks later.

Twice Massillon compiled 20-game winning streaks.  The first was in 1949-51 by Chuck Mather, which included three state championships and one national championship.  The second was in 1958-60 by Leo Strang.  During that one, the Tigers captured two state crowns and one national title.

The Top 3 “unbeaten” streaks are 52 games in 1937-41, 32 games in 1963-66 and 31 “regular season” games in 1977-80.  Combined, those years include eight unbeaten seasons.

A complete list of Massillon streaks can be found here.

OHIO WINNING STREAKS

  • 57 – Delphos St. John’s (1996-2001)
  • 54 – Versailles (1993-97)
  • 49 – Dayton Jefferson Twp. (1970-75)
  • 48 – Niles McKinley (1959-64)
  • 45 – Cincinnati Moeller (1978-81)
  • 44 – Marion Pleasant (1969-73)
  • 42 – Steubenville (2005-07)
  • 42 – Miami Trace (1976-80)
  • 42 – Upper Arlington (1967-71)

OHIO UNBEATEN STREAKS

  • 58 – Ironton (1977-83)
  • 57 – Delphos St. John’s (1966-2001)
  • 54 – Versailles (1993-97)
  • 52 – Massillon (1937-42)
  • 49 – Dayton Jefferson Twp. (1970-75)

NATIONAL WINNING STREAKS

  • 151 – Concord De La Salle, CA (1992-2003)
  • 109 – Charlotte Independence, NC (2000-07)
  • 104 – Pahranagat Valley, NV (2008-16)
  • 92 – Shattuck, OK (2003-09)
  • 90 – Morrison, OK (1989-95)

 

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Joe Sparma – Wall of Champions

Throughout the course of life we all make decisions that affect our future.  While these choices are usually of a minor nature, oftentimes a big decision at an early age can have a profound effect on one’s ultimate destiny.  Such was the case with former Tiger Joe Sparma.  After achieving enormous success as a multi-sport athlete in high school, Joe chose to continue on the path of football at Ohio State University.  Only that decision snowballed into a resolve to leave college early and pursue a career in major league baseball.

Woody Hayes, the Ohio State head coach in the late 1950s, recruited Sparma after a successful couple of seasons quarterbacking the Massillon Tigers.  Joe’s greatest asset was passing the ball, during a time when most high school teams preferred to keep it on the ground.  But now it was college ball, where passing was more common.  It all sounded so good.  But Woody’s offense was unlike other schools, preferring the run to the pass, believing that three things can happen when you pass the ball and two of them are bad.  In fact, OSU fans commonly referred to his offense as “three yards and a cloud of dust.”  There just wasn’t a place at Ohio State for a passing quarterback.

So many local fans tried to discourage Sparma from choosing the Buckeyes, saying that all he would do is hand the ball off to the tailback.  But Woody apparently wanted Joe badly and surely didn’t relish him lining up across his Buckeyes wearing another Big Ten uniform.  So he went hard after Sparma and secured his commitment.

“Joe Sparma was a pure passer.  Just an outstanding pure pro passer.  That’s the reason I wanted him to go to school where he could pocket pass.  But Woody Hayes was a hell of a salesman.  Woody didn’t want him to go to school in the Big 10 and passing against him.  I don’t think there’s any doubt about it that Sparma could have been a great pro football player.” – Coach Leo Strang from Scott Shook’s “Massillon Memories”

Joe did end up starting 11 of the 18 games in which he played and he did manage to pass the ball some.  However, he had developed differences of opinion with Hayes during his sophomore year and subsequently elected to leave school.  Ironically, the relentless Woody talked him into staying for his junior year.  Nevertheless, Joe’s relationship with Woody did not change by the following year and it was finally time for him to leave.  Fortunately, professional baseball was waiting.  How his life might have been different had he chosen a college that utilized a more balanced attack.  Joe always wondered what it would have been like to play quarterback in the NFL.

MASSILLON

Joe Sparma was born in Massillon, Ohio, on February 4, 1942.  It was at an early age that he found his calling, playing sports.  “I remember exactly the day I first wanted to do well in sports,” he earlier mentioned to Steve Doerschuk from the Massillon Independent.  “I was a fifth grader at Franklin School watching the older kids play a basketball game.  I watched the team score.  I heard the cheers from the handful of people at the game.  Something went through me.”

That ‘something’ caught big and Sparma went on to become a 3-sport athlete at Massillon, lettering multiple times in football, basketball and baseball.

“He was one of the finest athletes we ever had in Massillon.  He was captain of the baseball, basketball and football teams.  He was a good student.  He may have had a record of being a little hard to get along with, but never with me.  I can’t say enough about him.  He’s been a real good friend through all the years.” – Ducky Schroeder, former Massillon assistant.

His high school career spanned three seasons, the first in 1957 as a backup quarterback under Lee Tressel and the next two as a starter under Leo Strang.  As a sophomore his numbers were modest, finishing the year with one rushing touchdown and three passing.  His team finished No. 2 in the state with an 8-1 record, losing to No. 1 Cleveland Benedictine 13-7 on a 4th quarter TD.  The Bennies were led by running back and future NFL assistant coach George Sefcik.  It didn’t help that several Tiger starters were hit with the flu bug during the week of the game.

But they did manage to defeat No. 4 Warren Harding 20-14 in the infamous clock game.  In front of 21,384 fans, Sparma entered the contest with little time left on the clock and proceeded to toss a 46-yard pass to Clyde Childers (Georgia), who made a miracle catch inside the ten, first tipping the ball and then catching it and racing the final yards into the end zone for the win.

In 1958 Joe became a regular and led his team to an 8-1-1 record, outscoring the opposition 220-45.  It was good enough for a 4th place finish in the state poll.  The lone loss was to 7-2-1 Warren Harding by the score of 6-0.  But the Tigers did tie No. 1 Alliance 8-8.  Sparma finished the year with nine passing touchdowns and two TDs rushing.

His senior year was spectacular as the Tigers finished 10-0 and were named both Ohio State Champs and National Champs.  They outscored their opponents 431-46.  For the year, Joe completed 28 of 85 passes for 660 yards and 14 touchdowns.  He also rushed for a pair of TDs.  His best statistical performance came during a 65-0 victory over Canton Lincoln when he threw for 127 yards and four touchdowns, three to James Wood (his No. 1 receiver) and one to Bob Barkman.

Massillon also defeated Canton McKinley that year, 20-0.  “Right before the McKinley game, Jim Muzzi (WHBC) asked Joe Sparma who was the best team he played against all year.  Sparma’s remark was ‘Our second team.’  Muzzi about dropped his teeth.” – Leo Strang –from Scott Shook’s “Massillon Memories”.

The statement was not meant to demean McKinley since beating them was always at the top of his list.  It’s just that Massillon’s overall program at that time was just that good.  “Dad always remembered where he was from.  Beating McKinley meant as much to him as winning the World Series.” – Joe’s son, Blasé Sparma.

Following the season Sparma was named First Team All-Ohio.  He was also invited to play in the Ohio North-South All-Star Classic, where he led the North to victory.  Incidentally, the South quarterback was Roger Staubach (Dallas Cowboys and Pro Football HOF).

Sparma’s baseball career at Massillon was equally impressive.  According to former Massillon assistant coach Ducky Schroeder, he was the best pitcher in the state.   “When he was in a groove, there wasn’t anybody in high school who could hit him.  He pitched a no-hitter against McKinley when he was a just sophomore and recorded five no-hitters when he was a senior.”

Then it was off to Ohio State, where he played both football and baseball.

OHIO STATE

In 1961 Sparma joined the varsity football team as a sophomore (freshmen were not permitted to play at that time) initially as a backup quarterback, entering games on occasion to pass.  Eventually, he worked his way into the No. 1 role and was named the starter in four games.  He ended up completing 16 of 38 passes for 288 yards and six touchdowns, including a 200-yard passing effort against Michigan.  During that final game he connected with Bob Klein on an 80-yard touchdown pass, currently ranked 6th all-time in the OSU record book for the longest completion.  The Buckeyes as a team finished 8-0-1 and 6-0 in the Big Ten.  “We weren’t picked to do much that year,” said Sparma.  “But after we beat Michigan (50-20), we were ranked first in the nation in one of the polls (Football Writers Association of America).”

By winning the Big Ten, the Buckeyes were eligible to participate in the Rose Bowl.  But the OSU faculty voted not to go, concerned that athletics was beginning to have too much influence on campus.  Also, the Big Ten contract with the Rose Bowl had expired in 1959 and it needed to be modified to prevent the west coast teams from receiving the bulk of the sponsorship money.

“As I look back, it would be nice to reflect on having played on a state championship football team, pitching for a World Series champion and playing quarterback in the Rose Bowl,” said Sparma.  “But Ohio State officials voted not to let us go.  I don’t know whether it was because they were on some academic kick, or what.  But it was very weird.  The students almost rioted.”

The students actually did riot.  Nevertheless, No. 2 Minnesota went instead and ended up losing to Washington, 17-7.

Joe Sparma crosses the plate after hitting his only home run at Ohio State, in 1962 as a sophomore

The following spring Joe was on the mound, playing for Manager Marty Karol, whose career with the Buckeyes spanned 25 years.  A fastball pitcher, Sparma helped his team to a 19-14-1 record, including a 9-5 mark in the Big Ten, good enough for a 3rd place finish.  Joe was 5-5 with a 3.05 ERA, both tops on the team.  He also struck out 102 batters in 79.2 innings of work.

After the season, he received a contract offer from professional baseball for $40,000.  But it was then that Woody Hayes talked him into another year on the gridiron.

During the 1962 football season Ohio State finished with 6-3 record.  Joe, playing at 6’-1”, 194 lbs., started seven of the nine games and completed 30 of 71 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.  Then in the spring of 1964 he again excelled in baseball, going 6-3 with 93 strikeouts in 88.1 innings.  His team went 23-13-1 and finished 3rd in the Big Ten with a 9-6 mark.

But that was it and he left Ohio State for the next level.   “I really loved football,” he said.  “But I loved baseball, too.”

DETROIT TIGERS

In 1963, Sparma accepted a contract with the Detroit Tigers, which included a $32,000 signing bonus.  After playing minor league ball with Knoxville and Duluth-Superior in 1963 and then again with Knoxville during part of the next year, he was called up to the majors.

In 1965 he became a starting pitcher for the Tigers, recording a 13-8 record and striking out 127 batters.  Sparma had a fastball that clocked in a 98 mph and he could consistently throw in the low 90s.  The first time he faced Mickey Mantle, he struck him out twice.  Mantle said he had never seen anyone throw faster.  Joe ended up beating the Yankees five times that year.

In the first meeting, he was assigned to be the starting pitcher on “Mickey Mantle Day” in New York.  When Mantle came to bat for the first time in the game, Sparma walked off the mound, approached Mantle, and said: “You know, I’ve never had a chance to meet you in person, and I’ve always admired you.”  Sparma and Mantle shook hands, and Sparma went back to the mound and struck Mantle out. Mantle turned to Detroit’s catcher Bill Freehan and said: “They have a day for me and your manager’s got to put some hard-throwing kid out there. Couldn’t he have put in some soft-tossing left-hander for me to hit off of, so I could look like a hero in front of all those people?” (Bill Freehan, “Behind the Mask” (1970), pp. 7–8)

Prior to the 1966 season he had a car door slammed on his pitching hand, causing him to miss spring training.  He subsequently went 2-7.  But he returned to form the following year posting a 16-9 record, including eleven complete games, five shutouts, 153 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.76.

In 1968 he pitched a 1-run, complete game vs. the New York Yankees to clinch Detroit’s first pennant since 1945.  The Tigers would go on to win the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals.  But Sparma was used sparingly during the series, relieving starter Denny McClain in Game 4.

Joe Sparma is in Row 4, 4th from the left

In 1970, with his pitching numbers diminishing, Sparma was traded to the Montreal Expos.  But he was released after pitching just 27 innings with a record of 0-4.

During his major league career, Sparma compiled a 52-52 record.  He also had an ERA of 3.94 along with 586 strikeouts over 183 games.  Offensively, at a time before implementation of the designated hitter, he batted a respectable .119.

POST-BASEBALL

Joe Sparma with wife Connie

Joe had only pitched eight years and was still in his late 20s, but his services were no longer required.  Following his release, he was offered a position as a minor league coach, but he turned that down and opted instead to join Worthington Steel.  There, he worked his way up to vice president of sales and marketing for Buckeye Steel, a subsidiary.

Unfortunately, he died on May 14, 1986, at the age of 44 after a heart attack and subsequent heart bypass surgery.  He was survived by wife Connie, two daughters and a son, Blase, who lettered three years on the Ohio State baseball team (1994-96).

HONORS

 In 1994 Joe Sparma was honored with a place on the Massillon Tiger Wall of Champions, joining the second class of inductees.  Then in 2011 he entered the Stark County Hall of Fame.

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Horace Gillom – Wall of Champions

Horace Gillom – Wall of Champions

Paul Brown coached at Massillon for nine years and compiled a record of 80-8-1, winning six state and four national championships.  To accomplish that feat, he had at his disposal many outstanding high school football players.  Players such as Tommy James and Fred Blunt and Bob Glass and Edgar Herring.  But there was one player that Brown called “the best all-around athlete I coached at Massillon.”  That was Horace Gillom who, according to Brown, was “successful at everything he did.”

Horace “Big Horse” Gillom was born in Roanoke, Alabama, on March 3, 1921, but grew up in Massillon along with his two brothers, Jake and Odell, who also played for the Tigers.  His football career began in junior high where he played end and punter at Longfellow under Coach Bud Houghton.  Houghton immediately noticed Gillom’s proficiency at punting the football.  However, although he demonstrated tremendous distance and hang time for a young player, he needed more steps than normal to get his punts off.  So he simply moved Horace back an additional three yards and that gave him the room he needed.

Gillom’s varsity career spanned three years at Massillon, from 1938-40, during which time he was a starter at end, linebacker and punter.  He also had the fortunate experience of playing on three undefeated championship teams.  During his sophomore season, wearing No. 66, he scored 26 points from his end position via four receiving touchdowns and one 2-point conversion.  A sophomore starter also on defense, he was paired at middle linebacker with Vince “Rocky Snyder” in a 6-2-2-1 alignment.

As a junior, Horace really began to stand out and not just by changing his jersey number to 22.  Now, in addition to his normal duties, he was tasked with returning punts and kickoffs.  And on defense, he became the sole middle linebacker in a defensive alignment that was changed to a 7-1-2-1.  Coaches said that he was equally effective against both the run and the pass.  On a team that outscored its opponents 460-25, Gillom tallied 42 points, those coming from four receiving touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, one punt return TD and one pass interception returned for a TD.  At the end of the season he was awarded First Team All-County and First Team All-Ohio.

Coin toss prior to the 1940 Massillon-McKinley game.  Left to right – Massillon’s Ray Getz, Massillon Coach Paul Brown, Massillon’s Horace Gillom, McKinley’s Matthew Brown and McKinley Coach Johnny Reed.

Jersey No. 55 must have suited Horace more than 66 and 22, for it was during his senior year that he really dominated the football scene in Massillon.  His team finished 10-0, outscoring the opposition 477-6 and repeating as both state and national champs.  Four opponents that year finished the season with just a single loss, that coming to the Tigers.

As co-captain, playing at 6’-1”, 210 lbs., Gillom was extremely fast and became a significant deep pass threat.  He also had very large hands, well suited for a receiver.  For the year, he recorded a team-high 108 points, with ten touchdowns rushing and another eight receiving.  As a high school punter, Horace was simply unmatched, with many kicks traveling over 50 yards.

Offensively, Gillom scored at least one TD in nine of the ten games played, including four against Steubenville.  He also had an incredible touchdown reception against Canton McKinley at the end of the first half, erasing a rare 6-0 deficit.  The pass covered 45 yards, which was secured at the 20 under tremendous defensive pressure by tipping the ball into the air and then catching it with one hand.  After shedding the defender, Horace raced to the end zone, spurring Massillon on to a 34-6 victory in Paul Brown’s final game as coach of the Tigers.  He wrapped up his football career in Tigertown by repeating as First Team All-County and First Team All-Ohio.  In addition, the Associated Press named him Ohio’s Most Outstanding High School Player.

Between football seasons, Gillom spent time on the basketball court where, during his senior year, he was named All-County.  In the post-season tournament, Massillon advanced to the state semifinals, where he was named All-State Tournament 2nd Team.  The basketball squad was also coached by Paul Brown and he called Horace the greatest high school athlete he had coached during his time at Massillon.

In 1941 Paul Brown left to take over the head coaching responsibilities at Ohio State University.  Of course, Horace Gillom went with him.  Horace played freshmen ball that year, but left due to academic difficulties.

The next three years were spent in the military defending the United States in the WWII European Theater.  During his time there, he survived the Battle of the Bulge and was subsequently awarded three Bronze Stars.

After discharge, Gillom tried college football once again, this time at the University of Nevada, which was led by former Canton McKinley coach Jimmy Aiken.  He led the nation in punting that year, but he again left school due to poor academics.

That didn’t stop Paul Brown from snatching up the 6’-1”, 225 lb. punter in 1947 for a position with the Cleveland Browns, a team he stayed with through the 1956 season.  Throughout his tenure he was the full time punter, although he did play a couple of years at end, catching 74 passes for 1,083 yards.

As a punter, he was one of the best.  Paul Brown said in his autobiography that he had never seen a better one.  Here is a list of his and his team’s accomplishments:

  • 1947 – Defensive end; won AAFC championship; 2nd in league in punting with a 44.6 average.
  • 1948 – Offensive end; undefeated season; won AAFC championship.
  • 1949 – Offensive end; won AAFC championship; league absorbed into NFL.
  • 1950 – Tied for first in American Conference; won semifinal playoffs; Gillom’s punts kept the New York Giants in poor field position throughout the game; won the finals vs. Los Angeles; 2nd in the league in punting with a 43.2 average.
  • 1951 – Lost in the Championship Game; led the league in punting with a 45.5 average.
  • 1952 – Lost in the Championship Game; led the league in punting with a 45.7 average.
  • 1953 – Lost in the Championship Game; 2nd in the league in punting.
  • 1954 – NFL champs; 2nd in the league in punting.
  • 1955 –
  • 1956 – Released during the season due to a sore back.

Nevada, Cleveland Browns, Horace GillomFor his career, he is ranked as the 2nd best punter in NFL history with a 43.8 average.  His punts had very little chance of return on account of his tremendous distance and hang time.  In fact, he punted over 400 times before one was returned for a touchdown.  “Gillom had such a powerful leg and kicked the ball so far; before that punters used to line up 10, 12 yards behind the center,” running back Sherman Howard later said.  “He started the 15-yard drop.  And with Horace, he would kick it so high that by the time guys got down, the ball was coming down, so most guys had to fair catch.”  Lebovitz, Hal (May 28, 1978). “What does the ledger show?”. Cleveland Plain Dealer. p. 2

He holds the Browns’ record for the longest ever punt at 80 yards against the New York Giants in 1954.  He also had a 75-yarder against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1950.   “Horace was the greatest punter I’ve ever seen play pro football,” said Lin Houston, former Cleveland Browns player.  “They can talk about Ray Guy all they want.  He couldn’t hold a candle to Horace.”

Gillom was also one of the first black athletes to play professional football, but never saw himself as a pioneer in that regard.

Horace and his wife Mamie raised a son and daughter and he split work between the Los Angeles Recreation Department as an Assistant Athletic Director and a local hospital where he was a security guard.  Unfortunately, Gillom left us too early, dying of a heart attack at the age of 64 on October 28, 1985.

In 1985 Gillom was inducted into the Canton Negro Oldtimers Athletic Association Hall of Fame.  In 1994 Massillon honored him with a place on the Wall of Champions.  In 2007 he became a Cleveland Browns Legend, which denotes the best players in their history.  And in 2009 he was inducted into the Stark County Hall of Fame.

 

 

Tom Hannon – Wall of Champions

Tom Hannon – Wall of Champions

He was lightning fast and shifty on the gridiron.  Could break it for a long run on any play, daring any opponent to chase him down.   By season’s end he had rushed for over 1,300 yards, scored nearly 100 points and helped his Massillon Tigers to an undefeated regular season and berth in the first-ever Ohio high school football playoffs.  And after a stellar career in both college and professional football, Tom Hannon was honored in 1994 with a place on the Wall of Champions.

No. 45 was called “The Man with the Flying White Shoes,” by sportswriter Chuck Hess.  “We had a neighborhood with a bunch of kids who wanted to play for the Tigers,” said Hannon.  “And everybody who wanted to play for the Tigers ended up playing for the Tigers.  Before the games on Friday night we would always play in somebody’s yard.  I was always Bill Blunt because he was my idol.  He was number 45.  After that Tommy James was 45.  After that it was Larry Harper.  And after that it was me.” – from Scott Shook’s “A Century of Heroes.”

Tom Hannon was born in Massillon on March 5, 1955 and became a 3-sport athlete at WHS, participating in football, basketball and track.  Following an undefeated sophomore football season, Tom began his varsity career as a junior in 1971.  Not wasting any time in showcasing his talents, he made an immediate impact on special teams, returning 21 punts for 192 yards and averaged 23.4 yards per kickoff return on eleven attempts.  In addition, he played running back behind the great Willie Spencer, Sr., rushing 30 times for 190 yards (6.3 yards/attempt) and scored eight points.   He also played in the defensive secondary, recording five pass interceptions.

But his senior season was a breakout year in which he became the featured tailback, at 6’-0”, 186 lbs., while also serving time in the defensive secondary.  For the season Hannon rushed 253 times (3rd all-time) for 1,392 (7th all-time) and scored 14 touchdowns.  Eight times in eleven games he eclipsed the 100-yard mark.  Tom also caught two passes for 22 yards and even completed one of two halfback pass attempts for 15 yards and a TD.  He continued his exploits on special teams, where he returned 24 punts for 217 yards and twelve kickoffs for an average of 22.8 yards per return, including one for an 87-yard touchdown.  He also scored 94 of the team’s 193 total points.  Defensively, he intercepted three passes and recovered a pair of fumbles.  It seemed as if he never left the field.

Tom Hannon bursts through the Upper Arlington Line. Also shown is Larry Mayles (66) and Terry Edwards (42). (Massillon Yearbook photo)

Massillon won all ten regular season games that year, outscoring the opposition 179-29, but two contests really jumped off the page: Upper Arlington and Canton McKinley.  Upper Arlington had defeated the Tigers in 1966 and 67 and captured the state poll title in 1967, 68 and 69, whereas the locals won the same title in 1970, in spite of the Golden Bears finishing unbeaten for the fourth consecutive year.  So it’s no surprise that, according to Hannon, Coach Bob Commings absolutely hated Upper Arlington and approached the game like it was Massillon vs. McKinley.  It’s all he talked about in the weeks leading up to the contest, Hannon remarked.   Now, with the game finally back on the slate, it was time to settle matters on the field and determine who would lay claim to Ohio dominance.

The two teams met in the third week of the season, at Upper Arlington, in front of sellout crowd of 11,000.  So excited were the fans of Massillon that as soon as the gates were opened they rushed the stadium to get choice seats, as only general admission seats were sold for this one.  Gate attendants never had a chance to collect the ticket stubs.

The first half was scoreless as neither team was able to generate much offense.  But after Coach Commings delivered an inspiring halftime talk mixed with colorful expletives (according to Hannon), the Tigers came out in the second half and simply overwhelmed the Bears, coming away with a 14-0 victory.  Tommy led the way by rushing 16 times for 169 yards, including runs of 17, 12 and 31 in the third quarter and 16, 12 and 52 in the fourth.  He finished with 24 carries for 224 yards (9.3 yards per carry).  Upper Arlington was held to just 130 total yards of offense (60 rushing and 70 passing).  They eventually finished the year 6-2-2, losing to Zanesville 21-20 and tying Cincinnati St. Xavier and Cincinnati Princeton, 0-0.

Against McKinley, in front of a sellout crowd of 22,371 fans, Hannon rushed 28 times for 108 yards.  He also returned five punts/kickoffs and intercepted a pass as his team went on to defeat the Bulldogs 12-3, with all the points scored in the first half.  McKinley ended the year with an 8-2 record, the other loss coming to Akron Garfield, 12-6.

“It was just like Super Bowl week on a smaller scale,” said Hannon.  “It was so crazy.  That’s one crazy week.  It wasn’t like you could prepare for the game.  There were so many distractions.  I was like, ‘Let’s just play football.’  But I really enjoyed it.” – from Scott Shook’s “Massillon Memories”

The win wrapped up an undefeated regular season and first place in the All-American Conference.  The Tigers were also awarded State Champions by the Associated Press.  But the award was only symbolic, since it was the first year of the state playoffs.  Nevertheless, with only one team qualifying in each region that year, it was only fitting that the owner of 24 previous state crowns participate in the very first playoffs.

The game was held as part of a Class AAA double header at OSU Stadium with Massillon facing Cincinnati Princeton in a morning start and Warren Western Reserve going up against Toledo Scott in the afternoon.  The event drew a huge crowd of around 30,000, with a sizeable majority coming from Tigertown, as they filled both upper and lower decks on their side of the horseshoe.  On the second play of the game, Hannon energized the stadium throng by racing 64 yards for a touchdown.  He then added a 2-point conversion to give the Tigers an early 8-0 lead.  The Tigers scored again on a 40-yard pass from Kevin Westover to Terry Edwards, that one coming near the end of the second quarter.  In between those two scores, Massillon was stopped on downs three consecutive times inside Princeton territory, the third time at the 6 yard line.  It was a complete domination by the Tigers until the final play of the half, when Princeton’s Rick White kicked an unprecedented 47-yard field goal, extremely rare for that era.  Nevertheless, Massillon held the lead 14-3 and it might have been 21-3.  Hannon was superb, rushing 15 times for 139 yards.

But the second half was a different story, as the bigger Vikings wore down the Tiger lines on both sides of the ball and eventually won the game 17-14, in spite of Massillon leading in total yards.  Hannon was held in check and Princeton reeled off 34 plays to the Tigers’ 18.  Near the end, Massillon advanced to the Princeton 26, but a pass to the 11 yard line was intercepted ending Massillon’s final chance to win.  Hannon finished the game with 159 yards rushing on 22 carries.

At the conclusion of the season, Tommy was recognized for his achievements by being named All-County Most Valuable Player and First Team All-Ohio.  He also received the Reese’s Raiders “E” Award.

Throughout his senior year, Hannon gained the attention of several major colleges.  He shared one interesting story about his contact with Ohio State.  Upon leaving the locker room following the Upper Arlington game he was approached by OSU Head Coach Woody Hayes.  Along with him was former Massillon and OSU player Steve Luke and OSU quarterback Cornelius Green.  The discussion of course centered around Tom playing running back for Buckeyes and he was offered an opportunity to split time with Archie Griffin.  Well Archie just happened to win the Heisman Trophy in 1974 and 75.  So I believe everyone, including Hannon, knows today how that would have turned out.

Subsequently, he had a good talk with highly respected Tiger defensive backfield coach Larry Coyer, who advised him to switch to defense for college ball, since that would provide him a better opportunity to play professionally.  Hannon admitted that he never really thought about play pro ball until after that conversation.  Eventually a solid match was made with Michigan State, a place where he was very comfortable with the coaches, calling them “really nice guys.”  So off to MSU he went, lining up at defensive back for all four years and again wearing No. 45.  His career went like this:

  • 1973 – Coach Dennis Stoltz; record: 5-6-0
  • 1974 – Coach Dennis Stoltz; record 7-3-1; 24 punt returns for 199 yards; 2 pass interceptions for 25 yards; 5 tackle points (39, 16)
  • 1975 – Coach  Dennis Stoltz; record 7-4-0; 15 punt returns for 116 yards; 2 pass interceptions for 1 yard; 93 tackle points (59, 34) 3rd on team; 4 tackles for loss; 4 pass breakups; 2 fumble returns
  • 1976 – Coach Darryl Rogers; record 4-6-1; 2 punt returns for 17 yards; 108 tackles points (68, 40) 2nd on team; 3.0 tackles for loss; 8 pass breakups

In both his junior and senior years, Hannon was named All-Big Ten and was also named to a couple All-American teams.

In 1977, although he always wanted to play for the Browns, Hannon was drafted in the 3rd round (No. 83 overall) by the Minnesota Vikings.  There he played safety for eight years, as a starter in all but one, and of course wore No. 45.  During that span he participated in 117 games and started 103, recording 13 fumble recoveries and 15 pass interceptions, which he returned for 202 yards.  One pick went for 41 yards and a score in a 34-14 victory over Chicago.  His team made the playoffs in 1977, 78, 80 and 82.

It was after his first year at Minnesota that he returned to Michigan State to complete his degree and by chance developed a good relationship with the university’s president.  That led to an opportunity after his pro career had ended to join the sales staff at Oscar Meyer, where he Tommy worked professionally for 23 years.  Now retired, he currently resides in Southfield, Michigan.

In 2011 Hannon was inducted into the Stark County HS Football Hall of Fame and in 2018 was honored as a Massillon Distinguished Citizen.

When looking back at his days at Massillon High School, Tom said he enjoyed every minute of it and never missed a day of school.  Tommy, we’re fortunate to have had you as a Tiger.

 

Obie Logo (Large)

Chuck Vliet and a Tiger Record for the Ages

The Massillontigers.com website maintains over 2,500 player and team game records.  The data comprises 270 categories, such as rushing, passing and receiving, and lists the Top 10 record holders in each category.  For the last several months I have been reviewing past history to verify the accuracy of these entries.  Some of the more obvious ones are Jamir Thomas and Aidan Longwell as the all-time career rushers and passers.  Then there are remote ones, like Chauncey Watson having the longest touchdown run of 99 yards against Akron Garfield 1991 and Art McConnel with the longest punt of 81 yards vs. Warren in 1925.

But there is one record that always bothered me: Chuck Vliet’s 42 tackles in the 1950 game against Warren Harding.  How could this be?  Is that even possible?  The No. 2 player on the list, Cooper Ivan, has just 14 tackle points.  Fortunately, the aging Chuck is still with us to tell the story.  And it’s a good one.  I had a chance recently to sit down with Chuck and talk about that record, but first a little background.

Chuck played football in 1949-51 under the legendary coach Chuck Mather.  During his 6-year tenure, Mather racked up an inconceivable 57 wins in 60 games.  In all six years his teams were honored as the best in the Ohio and three times named national champs.

“I thought he was a great coach,” Vliet said about Mather.  “One thing I liked about Chuck Mather and his whole staff, they never yelled or cussed at us.  They would walk up to us with a calm voice and look at us straight in the eye.  They might put their hand on your shoulder and say, ‘What is your assignment on this play?  What are you supposed to do?’  He always told us, ‘You play the game the way you practice.’  If someone made a nice block and they had their head and shoulders on the wrong side, they were told about it.  We were all graded.  Our position coaches were the ones that graded in that position.”

It was during the 1950 season (Mather’s 4th) that Vliet, a 5’-8”, 160 lb. junior running back / linebacker set the record.  It was one of those years when Massillon was undefeated and both state and national champions.  And they outscored the opposition 407-37.   Along the way they defeated No. 8 Canton McKinley 33-0 and No. 9 Steubenville 35-12.

Game 7, held on October 17, 1950, was against Warren Harding, who entered the fray with a 5-1 record, having lost earlier to the Bulldogs 19-7.  Massillon led 7-0 at the half and pulled away after the band show to win 23-6.  Harding’s only score came on a 72-yard pass, but overall was held to just 87 total rushing yards in 46 attempts.

This is where Chuck Vliet, who proudly wore No. 49, enters the story by setting a record for the most tackles in a single game.  The amazing part is that out of 58 plays Warren ran that night, 12 were passes and Chuck did not tackle any of the three players who caught a pass.  In addition, Harding lost a fumble, which means that, if you do the math, Vliet made 42 tackles out of 45 opportunities, which was simply amazing.

Here’s how Chuck told the story:

“At the beginning of this game against Warren in 1950 on our field we practiced a solid week for their passing offense.  Back in our time we didn’t run into many teams that threw a lot and we had to gear up for that particular game.  So the whole week our defense was all pass.  It was pass here, pass there.  We had to learn what they were doing, read the quarterback, and so on.

“So we came out that night onto the field.  Did our exercises.  Came off the field.  We’re in the locker room.  I’m standing there.  Mather came over.  He says, ‘Vliet.  We’re going to change the defense tonight.’  I said, ‘What, coach?’  He said, ‘We’re changing the defense.’  I said, ‘What for?’  He said that we found out that their quarterback on Wednesday twisted his ankle quite bad and cannot play in this game.  So they brought a second quarterback in which cannot throw, so that Warren will be running all night.  He says, ‘So what we’re going to do on defense, we’re going to make a 7–man front and we’re going to have you as a roving linebacker.’  I thought that time I got a big old goose bump all over me because I didn’t know what he was talking about.  And I was going to be the only linebacker.  He said, ‘You will be my roving linebacker.’  I said, ‘Roving linebacker?’  He said, ‘Yes.  You have to cover from sideline to sideline.’  Again, that hit me real hard.  I said, ‘Coach.  What about Joe Gleason and Ray Lane?  They’re both seniors.’  He said,’ I want you!’  Well, I was scared.  I really was.

The 1950 defense: (Row 1, L-R) linemen Thomas Zeller, James Geiser, James Shumacher, Jack Strobel and Allen Murray; (Row 2) linebackers Joe Gleason, Chuck Vliet and Ray Lane; (Row 3) defensive backs Robert Khoenle, William Stoner and Ernie Russell

“So he got us together, and this was about ten minutes before we were ready to go back onto the field, and on our defensive front, at right guard, he said, ‘We’re going to put those two on double duty.’  And (Jerry) Krisher let out a little bit of noise.  He didn’t like that.  And, anyhow, he took Ray Lane and put him over defensive guard on the right side he took Joe Gleason, the outside linebacker, and put him on the left side.  They put Krisher in (Jack) Strobel’s place and (Jim) Richenbach over the nose man.  And he said, ‘This is what we call our 7-1-2-1.”  What we now know as a diamond defense.  We never practiced that beforehand.  We never practiced that the whole time I was there.  And we never used that defense again.

“He told each one of the defensive people up front, ‘keep the lineman off of Vliet.  Hit them and hold them up at the line and let him (Vliet) do his job.’  And I called them My Magnificent Seven because I didn’t have anyone coming out hitting me and I had free range from one side of the field to the other side.  And I did not know at the end of the game or that week or thereafter how many tackles I made in that game until I read that piece in the paper (the following year in an article presenting Vliet and Frank Gibson as the captains of the 1951 team).

“It was a defense that nobody played against us.  He threw this at them because they knew our regular defense.  And they were always set up to block a regular defense.  And this threw them off balance.  And then telling our defensive line people, ‘Keep the offensive players off of Vliet.’  And that worked.  And they did a job.  I’m not kidding you.  I used to think sometimes that he was psychic.  He just seemed to know how to do everything and sprung that on us.  But we had the type of people, whatever they were told to do, they could do it.  That’s the type of people we had.”

It’s a record that’s sure to never be broken.  Lee Nussbaum, a member of that 1950 team, said later, “If I could tackle as well as Chuck Vliet, I’d have been first string at Ohio State in 1954.”  The mark is documented on the Ohio High School Athletic Association website under “Individual Miscellaneous Feats.”

So, if you see an SUV going down the road with a license plate that reads “CV 49”, give a wave to former Tiger great Chuck Vliet, a Massillon Tiger forever.

Chuck Vliet (49) positions himself to make the tackle after Ernie Russell (29) slows the runner down. Also shown is Allen Murray
Chuck Vliet (on the ground) brings down the Warren ball carrier. Assisting is Erie Russell

2019: Massillon 35, Avon 10

Backs, line answer the bell for Massillon
Nov 29, 2019 10:18 PM

GAME STATS

PARMA Massillon coach Nate Moore believes in a workmanlike approach to a game.

To the fifth-year Tiger mentor, it’s all about punching the clock on game night and putting in a full 48-minute effort. That’s regardless of who the player is or what may be their perceived role.

On Friday night in a Division II state semifinal against Avon at Parma’s Byers Field, those business-like approaches helped the Tigers run their way to a 35-10 win and a second consecutive berth in the state championship game.

Massillon, 14-0, will face Cincinnati La Salle on Thursday night in Canton for the state title.

The approach started with senior running back Zion Phifer, who stepped into the starting role due to an injury to Terrance Keyes Jr. Phifer clocked and helped to knock out the Eagles thanks to a 146-yard, four-touchdown performance on 20 carries.

“He went out there and did his job,” Moore said. “I’m proud of him for it.”

Phifer’s four touchdown runs came in a variety of styles. There were runs where he was virtually untouched and others where he ran over defenders.

Then, there was his final run, a 25-yarder in the third quarter, in which he spun out of the pile and ran into the end zone. That provided Massillon with a 28-10 lead.

The final score came thanks to Raekwon Venson, a one-yard run with just over seven minutes remaining. Venson ran for 54 yards on nine carries.

“They’re physical, obviously,” Avon coach Mike Elder said of Massillon’s running game. “If you’re going to win these games, you do it in the offseason, you do it in the weight room. You do it with genetics, that’s part of the deal. They’re a physical football team.”

That physicality started up front with a Massillon offensive line which was forced to shuffle a bit when guard John Kouth went down with an early injury. Dylan Garretson, however, came in to fill the void.

It wasn’t the first time Garretson has been called upon to help fill in a vacancy. Like Phifer and Venson, though, the performance was exactly what Moore expected to see when he went in the game.

“He did his job when called upon,” Moore said. “That’s not something, that’s the expectation. That’s the expectation. I’m not going to make it into something it’s not.”

That line helped Massillon rush for 185 net yards on 32 carries. Both Phifer and Venson averaged at least 6.1 yards a rush.

“I’m proud of them,” Moore said. “I’m super proud of them. But I’m proud of everybody.”

Reach Chris at 330-775-1128 or chris.easterling@indeonline.com.

On Twitter: @ceasterlingINDE