Category: <span>History</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1926: Massillon 0, Elyria 2

SAFETY DEFEATS MASSILLON IN MUDDY ELYRIA GRID BATTLE
ONLY POINTS OF TILT SCORED IN THIRD PERIOD

A NARROW margin of two points spelled victory for Elyria high school and defeat for Washington high of Massillon last Saturday when the football teams of these two institutions tangled in Elyria in the first scholastic gridiron battle between the schools. Through the medium of a blocked punt in the third quarter, recovered by Massillon a yard back of its goal line, Elyria scored two points on the orange and black through a safety and held its slim margin throughout the remainder of the game, winning in a steady downpour of rain that fell throughout the entire struggle, drenching players and spectators alike.

Battling back and forth on a gridiron ankle deep in mud and water neither team was able to show any high class football. The slippery condition of the field made footing uncertain and speed an important item in the Massillon offense, was almost entirely out of the question. The ball, covered with mud, was a dangerous article to handle and fumbles were numerous.

Massillon has no alibi to offer for its defeat. The victory in such a game as that of Saturday generally goes to the team that gets the “break” and in this case Elyria secured the break after having been robbed of a touchdown by a plucky orange and black eleven that fought fiercely within the shadow of its own goal post and hurled back the charges of the Elyria backfield.

The two teams appeared to be evenly matched when they stepped out on the soggy gridiron. Elyria possibly had a slight edge in weight, especially in its backfield, but from the outset it looked as if neither team would score unless Dame Fortune smiled upon it and favored it with the break. On a dry field, with footing solid, a different outcome might have resulted.
MUD HAMPERS MASSILLON
Massillon with an offense built around its speedy backfield was at a distinct disadvantage in the mud. It showed flashes of power in the first half and twice was within scoring distance but couldn’t uncover the drive to shove over a touchdown. On a dry field Massillon, in all probability, would be good enough to win from Elyria.

But there were few dry fields in Ohio Saturday and so Massillon took its second trimming of the season, its’ second reverse in six games.

Even with all the mud and water Massillon might have won had it found some way to throttle France and Mastin, Elyria’s pair of brilliant ends. Over in Elyria the fans call these boys their “All American” ends and they were certainly worthy of some such title. Art McConnell, Massillon’s punter, probably will never want to see them again for they gave Art a most miserable afternoon so far as getting his punts away were concerned.

Charging in like demons and sifting through the Massillon defense these two ends continually hurried McConnell’s punting and on no less than five occasions blocked the kicks of the Massillon quarterback. It was Mastin who blocked the Massillon punt that gave Elyria its two points on a safety.
TWO GOOD PUNTERS
But despite this pair of Elyria wingmen McConnell gave a great exhibition of punting. Twice he drove the ball far down the field on kicks right in front of his own goal posts. Considering that his teammates were not able to throttle the Elyria ends, McConnell’s punting Saturday was brilliant.

Elyria also had a splendid punter in Archshambau but the Elyria kicker was not faced with the same difficulty that McConnell was. His line was able to hold out the Massillon forward wall and he generally had plenty of time to get his kicks away. Massillon blocked but one of his punts.

Starring with McConnell Saturday was Captain Bill Price, the Brewster Welshman. Bill was up against it on offense because of the mud and was unable to get his pair of educated dogs in motion for any gains but what a game he played on defense. Smashing through the line, diving over it or racing out to the ends Price made tackle after tackle and he seldom missed. He roamed the field like a wild bull on defense and more than one Elyria lad is nursing bruises today, resulting from his impact with the well knit form of the Brewster lad. Elyria uncovered no great ground gaining prowess.

Had the battle been decided on first downs Massillon would have won for it made five first downs to two for Elyria. All of Massillon’s ground gaining, however, was done in the first two quarters. Elyria made a first down in the first quarter and one in the third. During the balance of the afternoon it hammered vainly against a sturdy Massillon line and Captain Bill Price.

Because of the slippery condition of the ball forward passing was almost out of the question. Massillon tried a number of forwards but they all failed. Elyria tried the overhead game a few times but never completed a pass. It came near scoring a touchdown on a pass in the second quarter but the ball slipped out of the Elyria lad’s hands on the goal line and went for an incomplete pass.
MASSILLON STARTS EARLY
Massillon struck terror into the hearts of Elyria rooters in the first period when after Elyria had received and punted, McConnell took the leather and ripped off 15 yards through left tackle. Then he played a big part in registering two more first downs with dashes of five and 10 yards, taking the ball to the Elyria 30-yard line but here Elyria began to collect its scattered senses and the orange and black march was halted.

But a moment later Massillon was again back in Elyria’s territory when “Danger” Smith grabbed one of Archshambau’s punts and raced it back 30 yard before being dumped into the mud on Elyria’s 20-yard line. Three Massillon plunges failed to gain and McConnell dropped back to the 22-yard line for a shot at the Elyria goal posts with a drop kick. The kick, however, went wide.

Early in the second quarter Elyria got its first chance to enthuse. Massillon lost 20 yards when two bad passes caused the slippery ball to drop out of McConnell’s hands and Elyria finally secured possession of the oval on Massillon’s seven-yard line. But on the first play Cook fumbled and Bill Price recovered on his six-yard line.

Massillon couldn’t gain the required 10 yards and then McConnell showed his gameness by dropping back to his goal line and booting the ball 55 yards down the field and out of danger.

Elyria punted right back and the ball went out on Massillon’s 1-yard line. Bill Price made eight in two plunges and on third down McConnell dropped back to kick but the Elyria ends swooped in on him, blocked the kick and Moelk covered for Elyria on Massillon’s
13-yard line. Elyria couldn’t gain an inch on line plays and on fourth down attempted a forward. The ball went true to its mark but the Elyria receiver couldn’t hold the slippery thing. It bounced out of his hands, eluded the grasp of a Massillon player and finally landed in the mud.
A GREAT PUNT
Massillon gained the ball on its eight-yard line. Two plays made but five yards, and then McConnell again cut loose a great punt, hoofing the ball 70 yards down the field to Elyria’s
30-yard line. The orange and black was giving Elyria a real argument and the local team’s best chance to score came a short time later when Archshambau punted out of bounds on his 25-yard line.

The Massillon offense began a driving attack and McConnell churned up mud and water in a five yard dash around end. Smith crashed through the line for six and a first down, taking the ball to the 14-yard line. McConnell made two at right tackle but was stopped in his next two attempts. The quarter was nearly over and McConnell dropped back to the 24-yard line for another try at a field goal but Elyria blocked the kick as time was up.
THE BIG QUARTER
Now comes the period when the game was won for Elyria and lost for Massillon. Early in the quarter France blocked one of McConnell’s punts on Massillon’s 28-yard line. But on the next play Benson smashed through to cover an Elyria fumble.

After an exchange of punts Massillon had the ball on its 30-yard line. McConnell was thrown for a loss of six. He dropped back to punt but the ball slipped out of his hands and he lost 10 more. Then France charged in and blocked his punt and Moelk covered for Elyria on Massillon’s six-yard line.

Now the Elyria fans began to beg for a touchdown. Six yards to make in four downs. Mortimer, Elyria quarterback, elected Robinson, the big plunging halfback, to carry the ball. Four times Robinson smashed into the Massillon line. He gained two yards each on his first three plunges. Then came fourth down, the ball on Massillon’s two-yard line and goal to gain. Again Robinson was called upon but just as he smashed into the line the ball slipped out of his grasp. He recovered it but was down on Massillon’s 4-yard line and Massillon took possession of the ball. The day had been saved for the orange and black but not for long.

McConnell dropped back behind his goal line to punt. As he planted his foot against the ball the Elyria ends charged in on him and Mastin blocked the kick. The ball dropped behind the Massillon goal line as the entire Elyria team made a frantic dive after it but Fritz Gump, Massillon’s left end, slip under the charging mass and fell on the ball, a yard back of Massillon’s goal line. It was a safety and two points for Elyria.

From then on the game was a punting duel. Massillon tried desperately to gain but could hardly get out of its tracks. The Elyria gridders sensing victory with their two points, played hard.

One big chance remained for Massillon. That was to recover a fumble punt by Elyria. That chance came but Massillon couldn’t take advantage of it. About the middle of the quarter, McConnell punted to Mortimer who grabbed the ball back of his 30-yard line. But the oval slipped through his hands and went bounding away in the mud. A Massillon player dove on it but the ball slid from under him and Elyria finally covered. Had Massillon been able to cover that fumble it still might have won.
Rather Damp
Massillon – 0 Pos. Elyria – 2
Gump LE France
Fox LT Moelk
Spence LG Schuster
Benson C Raney
R. Price RG Archshambau
Fulton RT Clifford
McConnell QB Mastin
C. Smith LHB Robinson
Briggs RHB Hess
W. Price FB Cook

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 0 0 0
Elyria 0 0 2 0 2

Substitutions:
Massillon – Mathews for Gump, Gump for Mathews, Mathews for Gump, Ressler for Fulton, Foster for Briggs. Ott for Fox.

Elyria – Yuka for Mortimer, Mortimer for Yuka, Yuka for Mortimer, Benger for Yuka, Moelk for Clifford, Clifford for Raney.

Safety – Elyria.

Referee – Jones, Oberlin.
Umpire – Minnick, Oberlin.
Head Linesman – Morris, Oberlin.

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.

Bill Price
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1926: Massillon 26, Cleveland John Adams 0

RALLY IN SECOND HALF BRINGS WIN
JOHN ADAMS IS DEFEATED 26 – 0 IN GRID TUSSLE

NOT all lessons are taught in the classroom. The gridiron at Massillon field Saturday afternoon furnished the setting for a lesson to the orange and black football team of Washington High school that will not be forgotten. It should have a lasting effect. And it taught quite forcibly the folly of over confidence.

Playing an important role as instructors were members of the John Adams high school football team of Cleveland here for their first athletic engagement with a Massillon scholastic team. The visiting Clevelanders eventually were defeated 26 to 0, thus tacking on the record of the orange and black its fourth straight victory in five starts. But even though they were walloped John Adams’ husky gridders in 24 minutes imprinted deeply in the minds of Coach John H. Atkinson’s boys that to become too well satisfied with one’s ability with an almost total disregard for what the other fellow may be able to do generally means a swift and disgraceful tumble.

The local team Saturday was able to ride on to victory because it took to heart in the second half the lesson it had been taught during the first two periods when its exhibition of how the great autumnal pastime should be played was terrible to say the least. Having paid the price of its folly in the first half the orange and black came out for the start of the third quarter a different aggregation and soon inaugurated an attack that rolled up three touchdowns in the third period and produced the fourth and final set of counters in the fourth chapter.

Two things were responsible for Massillon’s poor showing in the first half when John Adams was able to hold the contest to a scoreless tie despite the fact that play was continually in the visitors’ territory. The first and biggest thing was that spirit of over-confidence which had woven its way into the orange and black camp.
VISITORS TACKLE HARD
The other was the fierce and deadly tackling of the John Adams gridders whose defense in the first 24 minutes of play was the stiffest the orange and black has been called upon to face this year.

Few teams have ever come to Massillon and shown a better brand of tackling than the John Adams team exhibited Saturday. It seemed to be coached largely to play a defensive game for its offense was woefully weak and cumbersome. From the start however it looked as if the scoring of a touchdown would break the back bone of the Cleveland defense but it took Massillon over two quarters to hang up that first touchdown and from then on John Adams faded rapidly out of the picture.

The Massillon team Saturday looked little like the smooth working machine which ripped Akron South to pieces the week before, inflicting a 36 to 0 defeat. Had it been John Adams would have been routed early and the score much larger than it was. But the orange and black machine Saturday, for two periods at least, resembled a worn out old lizzie rattling along on one cylinder and about to expire with every cough of its sputtering engine. But the old machine was fairly well repaired between halves and made the grade with room to spare.

John Adams brought a big, husky squad of lads to Massillon who seemed determined to hold Massillon’s scoring activities as near zero as possible. But it was as poor on offense as it was good on defense and never had a chance to score. It made only one first down, that coming in the fourth quarter and never got beyond Massillon’s 45-yard line. But its defense nearly wrecked the show.
POOR PLAYING
In the first half Massillon lacked its customary punch on offense. Its plays were slow in getting started, its interference was bad and the line was continually out charged by the Clevelanders who busted through like a pack of wolves. Even such a fleet footed ground coverer as Captain Bill Price couldn’t get out of his tracks before being nailed by a flock of hard tackling yellow and maroon clad warriors.

And how those Cleveland boys could talk. They nearly talked the orange and black out of the game. At first the local lads were bewildered. Then they began to get mad and see red and the more red they saw the poorer became their play. But all this was changed when the second half began. The same Massillon men were back in the lineup but they were playing a different game.

The game, so far as Massillon was concerned, did not really begin until the start of the third quarter. The contest was slowed up and marred by frequent penalties inflicted on both teams but Massillon was the worst offender. The second half was not so bad but during the first half after nearly every down the eagle eyes officials plastered a penalty on one of the two teams.

A penalty cost Massillon one touchdown in the third quarter. Other penalties, while not actually snatching away points, at least halted more than one march that might have been successfully concluded with a touchdown.
RALLY IN THIRD QUARTER
The third quarter was the best of the four and produced some thrilling dashes, two resulting in touchdowns. Massillon received to start the second half and after being tossed for a 10-yard loss McConnell punted out of bounds on Cleveland’s 20-yard line. Adams punted right back and the exchange of kicks netted Massillon about 30 yards, the orange and black getting the ball on John Adams’ 40-yard stripe. Fulton tore off eight yards around right end on a double pass and McConnell hit the line for a first down.

Price smashed through for three but McConnell was dumped for a four-yard loss. John Adams was still shining on defense but on the next play McConnell flipped a pass to Price and the Massillon captain dashed 27 yards and across Cleveland’s goal line for the first touchdown of the game. McConnell drop kicked for the extra point.
FOSTERS GREAT PLAY
John Adams received and punted but “Danger” Smith, the Massillon safety man, fumbled and Cleveland covered on Massillon’s 49-yard line. The visitors completed a pass for six yards but were destined to receive a shock on their next aerial attempt when Earl Foster dashed across the field, snatched the ball out of the air with one hand and raced by the entire John Adams team for 55 yards and the second touchdown. The youngster made a brilliant catch and a brilliant run.

By this time John Adams was beginning to find the pace a bit too fast. Near the close of the quarter an exchange of punts gave Massillon the ball on Cleveland’s 43-yard line. McConnell made five at the line and then passed to Foster for a 25-yard gain, punting the ball on the 14-yard line. “Danger” Smith hit the line for four. Bill Price made it first down, toting the leather to the four-yard line. McConnell took it to within one foot of the goal line on the next plunge and then Smith crashed through center for the third touchdown.
PRICE ON RAMPAGE
The fourth touchdown came early in the fourth quarter and was the result of a beautifully executed triple pass with Bill Price doing the running. Mauger covered a Cleveland fumble on the visitors’ 47-yard line. Then the triple pass sign was hung out for the first time during the game. Price grabbed the ball, circled Cleveland’s right end while most of the visitors were watching for the play to come around the opposite end and galloped 47 yards for the touchdown.

After that Coach Atkinson kept a steady stream of substitutes pouring on the field. John Adams also used practically all of its squad. Its boys for the most part were big and powerful and out weighed the local team. Price’s two brilliant runs and Foster’s long dash were the features of the contest. Defensively Sam Benson stalwart lineman, was the shining light. He played a whale of a game from start to finish.

Massillon lost a touchdown in the third quarter because of clipping by “Danger” Smith. Massillon had the ball on Cleveland’s 33-yard line and McConnell passed to Bill Price who made his way across the goal line unmolested but he was called back for the officials ruled Smith guilty of clipping a Cleveland player on the 18-yard line and Massillon took a 25-yard penalty, one of the many it received during the afternoon.

Potts, Massillon center, and Kubic, John Adams center, were injured and had to leave the contest. Potts received a kick in the head in the first quarter. Kubic was put on the shelf in the fourth when he went down under a pile of orange and black tacklers after taking a kick off.

Massillon made 15 first downs to one for Cleveland. It completed seven passes for 89 yards and nine failed while two were intercepted. John Adams worked four for 15 yards had two incomplete and one intercepted. Massillon lost 115 yards on penalties; John Adams 50.

Massillon carried the ball 44 times from scrimmage and gained a total of 184 yards. Of this number 104 were made by Price and 53 by McConnell.
Four Straight
Massillon – 26 Pos. John Adams –0
Gump LE Mandula
Benson LT Hindulak
Spencer LG Soukup
Potts C Kubic
D. Smith RG Marusa
R. Price RT Miller
Fulton RE Goss
McConnell QB Benis
Bast LHB O’Bell
C. Smith RHB Jamieson
W. Prise FB Kolesar

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 20 6 26

Substitutions:
Massillon – Fox for Benson, Benson for Potts, Foster for Bast, Mauger for D. Smith, Hosso for Foster, Bickle for W. Price, Briggs for McConnell, Ott for Fox, Easterday for Spencer, Ressler for Fulton, Mathews for Gump, Ess for R. Price.

John Adams – White for Kubic, Dayton for Jamieson, Shafer for Benis, Kubic for Mandula, Schlaudeker for White, Hipple for Marusa, Allen for Schlaudeker, Dancheck for Soukup.

Touchdowns – W. Price 2, Foster, Smith.

Points after touchdown – McConnell 2 (drop kick).

Referee – Shafer, Akron U.
Umpire – Conner, Bates.
Head Linesman – Jenkinson, Akron U.

Time of quarters – 13 and 10 minutes.

Bill Price
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1926: Massillon 36, Akron South 0

BURIES AKRON SOUTH UNDER 36 – 0 SCORE
BILL PRICE STAR AS LOCAL ELEVEN TOPPLES OLD FOE

FIVE touchdowns plus three points after touchdowns with an added three points from as pretty a field goal as was ever hoofed over the cross bar in any high school football contest amounts to a sum total of 36. And that’s the number of points John H. Atkinson’s golden tornado at Washington high school rolled up last Saturday afternoon while smearing a 36 to 0 defeat upon Akron South at Wooster stadium, Akron, in the annual argument between these two scholastic rivals.

To some who are not yet aware of the fact that the South Mill street institution harbors a real honest-to-goodness football team that top heavy 36 to 0 victory might be a bit amazing; but it certainly ought to be convincing. Any team that can face Akron South in its own balliwick and inflict a 36 to 0 defeat upon a Weltner coached aggregation must be a pretty fair sort of a team. Well, Washington high’s outfit was a pretty fair team last Saturday – and then some.

Just a week before Canton McKinley defeated South 32 to 14 at Canton and it was described as one of those breath-taking affairs, full of thrills every minute. Massillon last Saturday did better than that and so far as thrills are concerned it was a one-sided affair. Massillon furnished them all much to the glee of the hundreds of local fans who witnessed the contest and to the sorrow of Akron South’s supporters.

To say that South never had a chance to win is putting it mildly. South could have put 22 players and its high school band on the field Saturday against Coach Atkinson’s man-eaters and still the orange and black would have triumphed. You can’t stop a team that won’t be stopped. South never threatened. It never worked the ball inside Massillon’s 30-yard line. Weltner’s boys never got a chance to see what the Massillon goal line looked like until after the game when a few of them were seen taking a sorrowful peek at it.
PRICE IS HIS NAME
There was one man in the Washington high lineup Saturday that certainly spelled gloom for Akron South. In fact he did so much to upset the Akronites that the mere mention of his name to an Akron South fan makes him turn white and ring for an ambulance. That lad is none other than William “Bill” Price, captain of that line busting golden tornado and the best known citizen in the railroad village of Brewster.

Bill can have anything he wants in Brewster or Massillon but if he ever wants anything in Akron he better never tell anybody in the rubber city that he is the same Price who wrecked so much damage on Akron South’s 1926 football team. If he does it’s all off.

Coach Weltner of Akron South is still wondering what he might have told his boys to do in order to stop this chunky Welshman, who streaked around and through his team so fast that all his gridders saw was a flash of orange or felt a thump that made them think they were hit by a ton of bricks.

Price was by far the outstanding star in the Massillon lineup Saturday. Not only did he shine on offense with his brilliant dashes but he was nearly a whole team by himself on defense. It certainly will be a gloomy day when Captain Bill hangs up his football togs at Washington high school for good.

The Massillon leader however was ably assisted on offense by Art McConnell and “Whitey” Laughlin, a pair of illustrious teammates who were almost as hard to stop as their brilliant general. Akron can’t figure how three such good boys were ever landed for one team. Akron, however, ought to know by this time that one of the best things they do in this neck of the woods is raise football players.
SOUTH OUTCLASSED
Offensively the orange and black was far superior to Akron South. Massillon scored in every quarter and started off with a punch that rolled up 16 points in the first period in such quick time that Akron fans began having dizzy spells. South was never within a city block of scoring. Its offense never got much chance to show for Massillon’s forwards piled through the Akron line like water through a sieve and plastered South’s plays before they even got started. Nothing South tried would work consistently, largely because Massillon was right on top of the ball at all times.

The first blast of the referee’s whistle had hardly died away before Coach Atkinson’s boys had their offense in motion and were on their way to score points. South received but couldn’t gain and Picken’s punt was blocked. Fulton falling on the ball on South’s 31-yard line.

Right off the bat McConnell dashed around Akron’s right end for 15 yards. Then Price got away under a full head of steam and flashed through left tackle for 10 more but a Massillon man was ruled guilty of holding and the local team received a 15-yard penalty. That robbed the orange and black of a touchdown within the first two minutes of play.
McCONNELL’S GREAT KICK
But the golden tornado was not to be denied. After three plays had failed to gain any great amount of ground McConnell dropped back to Akron’s 39-yard line for a shot at the Akron goal posts. And a moment later Massillon had three points for McConnell drop kicked a perfect goal, one of the greatest ever seen in a high school football game. The Massillon lad’s attempt would have gone over the cross bars from the 50-yard line as well as the 39 for when it cleared it was still many feet in the air and good for another 10 yards at least.

Those three points immediately put South on the short end and it stayed there the rest of the afternoon while Coach Atkinson’s boys romped over the gridiron with a devastating attack. A few minutes later Dave Smith pounced on a South fumble on Akron’s 45-yard line and once again Engineer McConnell pulled the throttle wide open. Laughlin and Price had made seven yards on three line plays when McConnell decided he had better try his hand at cracking the Akron line.

McConnell didn’t crack it. He simply busted it into pieces. The lanky quarterback smashed right through the center of South’s line and ambled on down the field for 37 yards and Massillon’s first touchdown, eluding any and all South tacklers. He drop kicked for the extra point, boosting the Massillon total to 10.
MR. PRICE STARTS
But South had not yet been punished enough. About this time Captain Price’s feet were beginning to itch for action. South received but was stopped in its tracks. Pickens tried to punt but his kick was partially blocked and Mr. Price, of the Brewster Prices, picked up the ball on Akron’s 30-yard line and stepped so fast that he had carried it back to South’s two foot line before finally being held down long enough so that the referee could blow his whistle. Then on the next play Price crashed through for Massillon’s second touchdown. This time McConnell’s educated toe failed to function and he missed his try for the extra point, the kick being blocked.

The first quarter ended a short time later. Early in the second period the local team lost the ball on downs. It was then that South succeeded in making its first first down of the game, a five-yard pass being of great benefit. But that was all for South. Gump then blocked a punt and Massillon got the ball on South’s 45.

Then followed an exchange of punts. When Massillon got possession of the ball again Price was called on the first play and the orange and black flash stepped around right end for 20 yards before being forced out of bounds. No one was harder to hold than Price was Saturday.

With the ball on South’s 25 yard line, McConnell rammed the line for 16. Laughlin and McConnell lugged the pigskin up to the one-yard line in three plays. Laughlin hit again and put the ball about three-sixteenths of an inch from the line and on the next play Price went over. McConnell drop kicked for the extra point, raising Massillon’s total to 23.

About the middle of the third quarter South punted to midfield. Once again Price was called upon and once again Bill delivered, smashing through right tackle and then dashing down the field for a 39-yard gain before being forced out on South’s 11-yard stripe. Laughlin hit for six but the umpire said Fritz Gump had committed some kind of an offense and Massillon was penalized 15.
FRITZ GETS EVEN
But on the very next play Gump had the laugh on the umpire and the whole South team. McConnell called for a pass and Fritz sneaked out in the open about five yards from Akron’s goal with not a South player within 10 yards of him.

“Here I am Mac,” yelled Fritz.

“Here she comes,” shouted McConnell, and the ball sailed gracefully through the air into Gump’s outstretched hands and he pranced away for Massillon’s fourth touchdown. McConnell missed the try for the extra point.

It was getting toward the end of the fourth quarter when Fulton speared a South pass on the 50-yard line. McConnell heaved a pass to “Danger” Smith for 18 yards. Two cracks at the line were not successful and then McConnell called for a play that had not yet been used.
WILLIAM RUNS AGAIN
It was a triple pass and when the boys got through passing the ball around it was tucked under Bill Price’s arm. Bill, being a generous youngster, ran back about 15 yards before he really set sail for South territory. While doing this he shook off, ducked, out ran or otherwise eluded a flock of South tacklers and when he finally was brought to earth he had covered 28 yards and placed the ball on South’s one-yard line. Of all Price’s brilliant dashes Saturday this was his best. Laughlin then went over for the fifth touchdown. McConnell drop kicked for the extra point and the score was 36 to 0.

Here Coach Atkinson figured that some of his regulars had earned a bit of rest and he sent in seven fresh athletes. Up to that time he had made but one substitution. South got a bit gay with the substitutes and ripped off two first downs in succession but couldn’t go any farther. When the final whistle blew the golden tornado was once more steaming toward South’s goal, a 15-yard run by Bast and a 16-yard gain on a pass from Briggs to Bast taking the ball right back into South’s territory.

Statistics show South was greatly outplayed. Massillon made 15 first downs to eight for Akron. South showed its best offense in the second and fourth quarters, when all of its first downs were recorded. Massillon completed five out of 10 passes for 81 yards. South tried 13, completed three for 20 yards, had eight batted down and two intercepted.
Stepping Fast
Massillon – 36 Pos. Akron South – 0
Gump LE Hirschner
Ott LT Gardner
D. Smith LG Portz
Potts C Nidert
Spencer RG Antes
R. Price RT Sweet
Fulton RE Klipstein
McConnell QB Pickens
C. Smith LHB Schill
W. Price RHB Shephard
Laughlin FB Sirilla

Score by quarters:
Massillon 16 7 6 7 36

Substitutions:
Massillon – Fox for Ott, Ressler for Fulton, Briggs for C. Smith, Bast for McConnell, Mauger for Spencer, Spencer for D. Smith, Ott for Fox, Hosso for R. Price.

Akron South – Roberts for Hirschner, Jeter for Sweet, Souers for Schill, Brown for Pickens, Winkleman for Klipstein, Bowers for Nidert, Pickens for Brown, Klipstein for Winkleman, Stewart for Gardner.

Touchdowns – W. Price 2, McConnell, Gump, Laughlin.

Points after touchdown – McConnell 3 (drop kick).

Field goal – McConnell (drop kick).

Referee – Shafer.
Umpire – McRay.
Head Linesman – Caldwell.

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.

Bill Price
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1926: Massillon 46, Akron Garfield 0

BILL PRICE STARS AS WASHINGTON HIGH SWAMPS GARFIELD
ATKINSON’S CREW SMOTHERS RUBBER CITY RIVAL 46 – 0

A SILVER lining shines through the cloud of gloom that for several weeks has hung over Washington high school with the defeat of Akron Garfield Saturday in Akron 46 to 0. It was only three weeks ago that Akron East sent a veteran team to Massillon to face eleven green youths who trotted out on the gridiron to tangle with their experienced and heavier opponents. It was a gloomy and dreary day for the few hundred high school students and a thousand or more loyal city supporters when they filed quietly through the gates from the field upon which their favorite team had gone down in defeat in its opening tussle.

Truly, predictions had come true. The orange and black had been defeated and a disastrous season was looked forward to. With everything to gain and nothing to lose, the youthful Tigers went into their second tussle, Erie Academy being their opponent. Many unfavorable remarks had been flung at the young gridders, before that game. Then the unexpected happened. The high school lads, with all the viciousness of their mascot, a Bengal Tiger, mauled and completely whipped Erie, scoring a 26 to 0 victory. A silver lining began to edge the cloud of gloom, but still remarks that Erie wasn’t powerful were heard.

Saturday afternoon, the Tiger stalked on Seiberling field, Akron, and at the end of 44 minutes of play, the cloud itself was gone; and no silver lining was necessary to bring a ray of hope to the several hundred Massillon fans who followed the team. After the 46 to 0 victory, they knew that Washington high school had one of the best teams in its history which, without an unexpected upset, should go through the remainder of the season undefeated.

Mother Nature herself seemed to take the condition of the Massillon team to heart much the same as local fans. Her sky and smiling sun were clouded over on the opening day and the rain fell as tears on the field. But the sun made things a little merrier for the second game, as the clouds would clear away for short intervals, giving Old Sol an opportunity to shine forth its encouragement. But Saturday afternoon there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. All were as certain of Massillon winning as they were of clear weather and the sun shone brightly on the gridirons as Akron Garfield was being tucked away for its afternoon nap.
BILL PRICE STARS
The game Saturday, because of the lopsided score, wasn’t as interesting as it might have been. Were it not for a few sensational runs by Capt. “Bill” Price, and a couple of fancy plays, called more for the interest of the fans than for the good they would do in the game, there would have been little of interest to the football fan with the big exception of seeing the local team triumph.

The Massillon football world has been wondering just what kind of a backfield man this Price person would make; always before he has played a position on the line, having performed credibly at end and center. However, having recovered from a broken collarbone, he was sent to a halfback berth at the start of the game. As Captain William was making his first touchdown on a sensational dash of 30 yards around right end, one could have knocked the eyes of the fans off with ball bats as they stood in amazement. That Price will be one of the big mainstays in the orange and black’s offense for the remainder of the season can easily be seen for “Bill” played little more than a full quarter during the entire game and crossed the goal line three times. He gained practically every time he carried the ball and ripped yard after yard through the Akron team.

All of Coach Atkinson’s men played good football and nearly every member of the squad was given an opportunity to display his talent during the game. Following the first quarter, a continual steam of substitutes was poured into the Massillon ranks and the unknowing fan wondered where they all came from. Naturally Garfield can be thankful to Atkinson for this, for it kept the score from being doubled, but while the young members were not piling up points, they were gathering much knowledge and football experience for next season when a part of them will hold down regular berths on the team. And a few glances at this wealth of good looking reserve material puts the Massillon fan in an optimistic mood. What a whale of a team Atkinson should have next season.

While the regulars were in, it was only a question of how many points the Massillon steam roller would pile up. Laughlin, Smith, Foster and McConnell were continually thrusting at the line and running the ends for long gains, while the line was a veritable stone wall to the Akron gridders. Akron couldn’t gain any way at all and only twice during the entire fracas was play in the orange and black’s territory, a fumble being responsible for Garfield’s only chance to score, when it attempted to place kick during the fourth quarter which was blocked by a Massillon lineman.
PLAY STRAIGHT FOOTBALL
As for the local gridders straight football was resorted to. The deadly passing attack which swept Erie completely off its feet was not tried. Only once did the orange and black throw a pass and it was completed, being good for four yards.

Passes were not necessary for the local team’s offense. A running attack gained the necessary ground and although the aerial game might have added interest to the contest, it would only have given Akron South scouts, who were undoubtedly watching the contest, a chance to gather information on the plays and plan a defense to combat it. Akron South is the next opponent of the orange and black.

It took only a few minutes for the Massillon machine to get into motion and begin scoring points.
SCORE EARLY
The local team received, Ott getting the ball and carrying it back to the Massillon 40-yard line. Then the drive started. Laughlin on the first play stopped away for 12 yards and a first down. McConnell plunged for nine more and Laughlin then lashed through center for another three. Price added three on a sweeping end run and Smith made four around left end. With the ball on the 22-yard line, Laughlin scampered through the Akron team and placed the pigskin over the goal line. McConnell drop kicked for the extra point.

Akron showed its best offensive strength a moment later, making two consecutive first downs, one coming as a result of a penalty inflicted on the youthful Tigers. The belated rally, however, was cut short when Laughlin intercepted a pass on the Akron 35-yard line and carried the ball back to the 12-yard zone before being tackled. Price hit for five yards and Laughlin made a first down by inches. McConnell then carried the pigskin across. His attempted drop kick was blocked.

Toward the close of the first period, Price grabbed a punt in midfield and raced back to the 30-yard line where he was tackled. On the very next play he dashed around right end for his first set of markers. This time McConnell’s toe functioned and he kicked goal. The quarter ended with the score 20 to 0 in favor of the South Mill street gridders.

A few minutes after the second period opened. Popeko punted to the Massillon 30-yard line, Massillon fumbling but recovering. Price made three yards and Smith a yard. McConnell made seven on two attempts bringing a first down. Drives by Price and Briggs, who had substituted for Laughlin, brought six yards, and Price then stepped away in a well covered trick formation for 45 yards and a touchdown. It was a neat play the orange and black pulled and so well did it work that all but one of Garfield’s secondary defense was drawn away by the other Massillon backs who faked carrying the ball. McConnell missed his drop kick.

McConnell kicked over the goal line and Akron was given the ball on its 20-yard line. Four plays netted but nine yards and the orange and black received the ball on downs on the
29-yard line. Briggs hit for four yards and Foster, who replaced Price knifed through left tackle for seven more and a first down. McConnell then carried the ball to the five-yard line for a first down. Foster cut the distance to three yards, but Smith lost a yard on the next play. McConnell then carried the ball to within a foot of the goal line and on the next play plunged it over. McConnell drop kicked for the extra point bringing the local team’s total to 33 points.

A brilliant run of 35 yards by Briggs, who intercepted a pass from Popeko, Akron back, paved the way for the final points of the first half with McConnell drop kicking for the extra point.
SECOND HALF TAME
The only points scored in the second half were rolled up early in the last period after a march of 60 yards up the field. Bast received a punt on the Massillon 38-yard line and returned to the local’s 40. Schnerlie gained two yards on two plunges and the quarter ended with the ball on the locals’ 42-yard line. Here Atkinson shot in part of his regulars and Garfield was mowed down. Wagner ripped off two yards and Laughlin made 10 on the next play. Price made five yards around right end and McConnell added six more. Wagner failed to gain. Laughlin added two yards and Price carried the ball 19 yards to the 17-yard line. Laughlin struck for four and Wagner made three yards. McConnell hit center for two yards and Laughlin then went through right tackle for five more placing the ball on the three-yard line with four chances to put it over. On the next play, Price hit through right guard and rolled over the goal. McConnell failed in his attempt to dropkick for the extra point. During the remainder of the game, play was mostly in the center of the field, neither team getting into a position to score.

Garfield’s only opportunity to score came near the middle of the fourth quarter, when a member of the team covered a fumble on the orange and black’s 15-yard line. Three times the Akron gridders drove into the line, but on each occasion were repulsed without a gain. On the fourth down, an attempted place kick was blocked, Massillon recovering and starting a march that ended in midfield.

Akron , as expected was about as weak a team as the orange and black will face this year. It succeeded in making seven first downs as compared with 22 rolled up by the local gridders.

The Akronites attempted eight passes and completed two, one counting for four yards and the other for six yards; four were incomplete and two intercepted. Only a single pass was tried by the local team and that was good for four yards.

One of the outstanding features of the entire melee was the clean playing of both teams. Only two penalties were inflicted on the two teams. Massillon was penalized 15 yards at one time for holding, while Akron was penalized on one occasion for over use of the forward pass.
Boy, Page South
Massillon – 46 Pos. Akron – 0
Gump LE Denison
Ott LT Ripley
Spencer LG Nichols
Benson C Bland
D. Smith RG Franklin
French RT Fedor
Ressler RE Kroah
McConnell QB Moyer
Laughlin LHB Orthel
Price RHB Oakley
C. Smith FB Popeko

Score by quarters:
Massillon 20 20 0 6 46

Substitutions:
Massillon – Briggs for Laughlin, Foster for Price, Buttermore for Benson, Henderson for Ott, Easterday for Spencer, Mauger for D. Smith, Strough for French, Mathews for Ressler, Bast for McConnell. Grant for Briggs, Bickel for Foster, Schnerlie for C. Smith, Price for Schnerlie, Laughlin for C. Smith,McConnell for Bast, Wagner for Bickel, Briggs for Price, Foster for Laughlin, Hax for McConnell, Smith for Wagner, Fox for Gump, Fisher for Mauger.

Akron – Burk for Franklin, Croix for Nichols, M. Oriehl for Denison, Sloakes for Oakley, Franklin for Burk, Ripley for Franklin.

Touchdowns – Laughlin, McConnell 2, Price 3, Briggs.

Point after touchdown – McConnell 4, (dropkick).

Referee – Koester.
Umpire – Lovell.
Head Linesman – Smith.

Time of quarters – 12 and 10 minutes.

Bill Price
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1926: Massillon 26, Erie, Pa Academy 0

MASSILLON SPRINGS UNEXPECTED, DEFEATS ERIE ACADEMY
A STRONG ATTACK GIVES LOCAL “11” 26 TO 0 VICTORY

The orange and black flies high today, At the top of the mast it waves and flaps defiantly in the air. And why shouldn’t it?

Under these colors, the golden tornado of Washington high school swept Erie Academy into oblivion Saturday afternoon on Massillon field. Even the most optimistic of the loyal supporters who turned out, scratched their heads in surprise as the vicious orange wave moved up and down the field, smashing the Erie defense and sweeping every barrier aside to mass a total of 26 points while the battered Erie team could show no score.

It was a game comeback the local team made. Picked by many of the “wise guys” to win by three or four touchdowns, Erie Academy was swept completely off its feet and after the first touchdown; there was a little doubt as to which was the better team on the field.

So decisive was the attack of the Massillon gridders that they registered 16 first downs, a large number for any team to make. Only Erie’s plucky fight kept the score from being larger, for several times the locals were in striking distance of the Erie goal Truly, Massillon had the breaks, if an intercepted pass can be called a break, but it was the determined drive of the youthful Tigers that brought the coveted reward and set the football world a talking. And it is talking. The many “critics” who stayed away from the game because they “knew” the boys couldn’t play football and would be beaten by an overwhelming score, are beginning to question their criticism and withdraw all unfavorable remarks. Saturday evening, wherever there was a crowd of fellows, football was the subject and it’s beginning to look as through the old Massillon spirit will return and the bleachers will be packed when the orange and black makes its next appearance, October 23.
CROWD SMALL
Any team that plays football like those youthful Tigers played Saturday is deserving of a large crowd and loyal support and not the kind of a crowd that turned out Saturday afternoon to witness the first intersectional contest ever played in Massillon.

The crowd of more than 2,000 that did pass through the gates Saturday was a loyal crowd and all left satisfied that they had witnessed one of the best brands of football ever shown here.

It was the lightning like offense of the orange and black that turned back the favored Erie team. Laughlin and McConnell both showed wonderful ability at carrying the ball, while McConnell’s deadly accurate passes counted for many of the local’s long gains. It was a surprised little band of Erie rooters that watched its team being swept back toward its goal in the first quarter by a powerful Massillon offense, and it was an equally surprised and astonished Massillon crowd that saw the local team cross the Erie goal line, scoring the first points of the game.

To Price, husky guard, must go a lot of credit for the defense of the Massillon team. The center of the line was impregnable and at the bottom of most every pileup after an Erie gridder had driven into the line, could be found Price. He played the same hard game from start to finish, being taken out in the first half for a needed rest. “Fritz” Gump came back into his own and starred both offensively and defensively. Gump gave great interference on end runs and in the same manner broke up the interference on Erie dashes around his wing.

Though Massillon showed many stars, Erie had a player who was fast and classy and who several times during the fracas, pulled off exciting dashes that caused the Massillon fans to cease breathing until he was safely stretched out on the ground. This was Fuller, one of the few veterans from the Academy team of a year ago. The entire Erie attack was built around him, and he bore up well under his task.
SCORE EARLY
The orange and black scored in the first eight minutes of play. Erie was driving towards the Massillon goal line when McConnell intercepted a pass on the Erie 35-yard line. He carried the pigskin 10 yards before being tackled, placing the ball on the 25-yard line. Smith then hit off tackle for seven yards and Laughlin cut off two more, but Massillon was declared offside and was penalized five yards. McConnell failed to gain on a line plunge but on the next play he passed the oval 10 yards to Gump who raced the remaining 15 yards for a touchdown. Gump came near being tackled after catching the pass, falling to his knees, but he quickly pulled himself loose and continued over the goal line. McConnell’s toe failed to respond and the extra point was lost.

Shortly afterwards, Erie punted to the Massillon 47-yard line. On the first play, McConnell stepped back and hurled a pass to Laughlin who carried the ball to Erie’s 18-yard line before being downed. Foster then made a yard and McConnell narrowed the distance to the goal by six yards on a sweeping end run. He then struck through the line for three yards, making a first down on the eight-yard line. On the next play, Laughlin tore through for four yards, placing the pigskin on the four-yard line as the whistle blew announcing the end of the first quarter. On the first play in the second period, McConnell ripped around left end and over the goal line. His toe obeyed and added another point. The half ended with the score 13 to 0 in favor of Massillon.
PASS BRINGS SCORE
It was late in the third quarter before the local team could put across its third set of points. Again it was the forward pass that brought results. McConnell placed the local team in a position to score by intercepting an Erie pass in midfield and scampering back to the 28-yard line before being downed. On the next play he ripped off five yards, but Massillon was penalized five yards for being offside. A pass was batted down and on the next play McConnell hurled a short pas to Laughlin who ran 25 yards for a touchdown. McConnell kicked goal.

The last points were gathered late in the game and were accumulated as a result of the brilliant running of Bast, a substitute, who was playing his first game.

Bast returned an Erie punt 35 yards to the eight-yard line by a brilliant piece of open field running. Hax hit the line for a yard and on the next play Bast waded over the goal line. Hax failed to make the extra point.

Coach Atkinson’s men used the forward pass effectively Saturday. The aerial game was the big noise in the offense for it gained a total of 169 yards, 10 passes being completed, five incomplete and one intercepted by Erie. Erie was not so fortunate in its attempt to harness the air. The Erie gridders hurled 11 passes, completed three for a total of 35 yards, had four intercepted while four were batted down by Massillon players.

In the number of first downs the orange and black excelled, making the required yardage 16 times to 10 times for Erie.

McConnell made a beautiful catch when he intercepted Fuller’s pass in the third period to put the Massillonians in a position to score. “Mac” caught the ball over his shoulder while racing towards the Massillon goal. He pivoted quickly however and was about face shaking off tacklers as he headed toward the Erie goal, finally being thrown out of bounds on the 28-yard line.

The local team showed a wonderful defense against the forward pass, intercepting four Erie passes at critical moments, and batting down a like number.

Penalties were numerous during the game, both sides being setback often for breaking rules. However, both teams fought hard and clean and none of the penalties were inflicted for intentional rough playing.
PLAYERS LOOK GOOD
Atkinson’s reserve material showed up well Saturday. It was the Massillon mentor’s first chance to see his reserves under fire and all played capable. Bast grabbed much of the lime light with his brilliant open field running, while Hosso showed up well.

The Massillon backfield which started the game, Laughlin, Smith, Foster and McConnell worked exceptionally well together. Excellent interference was given the ball toter, one thing that was sorely lacking in the Akron game, and the runner was given good protection until he could get beyond the line of scrimmage.
Just the Start
Massillon – 28 Pos. Erie –0
Gump LE Erhart
Ott LT Malthaner
Spencer LG Wagner
Potts C Parsons
R. Price RG Ferrare
Benson RT Temple
Fulton RE Lewis
McConnell QB Speicher
Smith LHB W. Kinsinger
Foster RHB Fuller
Laughlin FB Weed

Score by quarters:
Massillon 6 7 7 6 26

Substitutions:
Massillon – Hosso for Laughlin, Carrol for Potts, Mauger for Price, Laughln for Hosso, Price for Mauger, Hax for Foster, Ressler for Fulton, Hosso for Laughlin, Easterday for Spencer, Mathews for Gump, Strong for Ott, Grant for Smith, Mauger for Price, Bast for McConnell, Schnerlie for Hax, Fox for Ressler.

Erie – Jennings for Erhart, Flint for Temple, C. Kinsinger for Weed, Tranis for Jennings, Schwartz for Lewis, Weed for C. Kingsinger.

Touchdowns – Gump, McConnell, Laughlin, Bast.

Point after touchdown – McConnell 2.

Referee – Archibald (Michigan).
Umpire – Tompkinson (Akron).
Head Linesman – Shafer (Akron).

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1926: Massillon 0, Akron East 6

FUMBLE PAVES WAY FOR AKRON EAST WIN OVER HIGH GRIDDERS
VISTORS SCORE ONLY TOUCHDOWN IN 2nd QUARTER

Showing a decided lack of actual combat experience Washington high school’s orange and black football team Saturday went down to defeat before Akron East 6 to 0 in the opening contest of the 1926 scholastic campaign on Massillon Field. Cold winds and intermittent showers cut down the opening day attendance but the stands were fairly well packed when the rival aggregation took the gridiron for the initial whistle.

Scoring a touchdown late in the second quarter on a series of desperate line plunges after a Massillon fumble had put them within the local team’s 20-yard line Akron East’s gridders annexed the only points scored during the contest and romped off the field with a victory over Coach John H. Atkinson’s warriors. Outside of the time when Akron East scored neither team threatened the others goal line to any serious extent and the game for the most part was devoid of any thrills, both aggregations adhering largely to straight football.

The field was a bit soggy but the footing firm. The rain however, made the ball slippery and hard to handle and a strong wind, driving across the field from the north, made punting difficult for the team which was defending the south goal. Fumbles, blocked punts and penalties worked a hardship upon the inexperienced Massillon eleven, a fumble giving Akron East a chance to score while several 15-yard penalties halted Massillon’s offense on several occasions when it seemed the orange and black was on its way to points.

A defeat is always a bitter pill to swallow but when time is taken out to analyze the Massillon eleven which took the field Saturday against Akron East it can be seen that even in defeat the orange and black gave a good account of itself and displayed enough ability to indicate that it has good possibilities of being drafted into a formidable machine as the season progresses.
TEAM IS GREEN
The Massillon eleven which made its 1926 debut last Saturday was almost as green in actual playing experience as the grass under its feet. The team took the field with only two veterans from the 1925 aggregation in the lineup. And one of these did not become a regular until the last two games when an eligibility ruling knocked out several backfield stars and gave him a chance.

That player was Art McConnell who directed the team’s offense from the quarterback position. The other veterans, Fritz Gump at left end, acting captain in the absence of Bill Price who is laid up with a broken collar bone; “Whitey” Laughlin, plunging fullback, got into the game for a few minutes but was forced out with a bad knee which he had injured in practice last week.

With the exception of McConnell and Gump the team was made up of reserves from last year or players indulging in their first contest as varsity performers. And their experience weighed heavily against them. They fought gamely enough but fighting ability is not always enough. It was not Saturday.
BILL PRICE MISSED
Had Captain Bill Price been able to be in the game the line undoubtedly would have not wilted under Akron East’s pounding in the second quarter when the touchdown was scored. Price’s fighting spirit and his ability to plug up a hole in a crisis probably would have kept Akron from scoring but Bill, with his arm in a sling, had to watch the game from the bench. And if Laughlin had been at his best and able to stay in the game throughout a different offense also would have resulted.

It was only during those few fatal seconds in the second quarter that the Massillon line wilted. During the rest of the game it out played the Akron forward wall and continually stopped the visiting backfield in its tracks. However, it needs to be more aggressive. What the local team’s offense would have accomplished had its attack not been cut down by penalties is a matter of conjecture.

It showed flashes of power both at line plunging and end running and several times opened up with well executed forward passes. It missed a chance to gain heavily in the fourth quarter when two well hurled passes by McConnell were fumbled by the lads on the receiving end. McConnell also lacked experience in directing the team but Art, having passed through the heat of one battle as field general, should develop rapidly.

A number of McConnell’s punts were blocked Saturday largely because he did not drop far enough behind his line when kicking. The inexperienced Massillon line was not able to hold out the rushing Akron warriors long enough for Art to get his kicks away from a short distance back of the center.
PENALTIES HURT
Massillon received to open the contest and from the way it started off it looked like curtains for Akron. One first down was made on an end run and an off tackle buck and the orange and black was driving up the field when a 15-yard penalty took the steam out of its punch. Then McConnell’s punt was blocked and Akron got the ball on Massillon’s 22-yard line. But East couldn’t gain and a field goal failed.

Once again Massillon’s offense started well. McConnell made six and then heaved a pass to Briggs for six more. Two more line plays netted five and then McConnell hurled a pass to Matthews for 26 yards but East stopped the drive by intercepting the next Massillon pass.

The orange and black however held and Akron punted. Again the local team started to travel up the field but a 15-yard penalty again halted the march.

Fumbles began to make their appearance in the second quarter and McConnell fumbled on an end run, Akron covering the ball on Massillon’s 28-yard line. But once again the green Massillon line could not be dented and another attempt by Akron to score through a field goal failed.

Massillon got the ball on its 20-yard line and on the first play fumbled. Crisp, of Akron, plunged on the ball on Massillon’s 17-yard line. Then came Akron’s best offensive of the game.

With Keeney, flashy Akron quarterback and the individual star of the game, smashing through the Massillon line or off tackle Akron carried the ball to the seven-yard line on four plunges. Akron kept hammering the inexperienced Massillon line which was slowly but surely giving ground and three more plays took the ball over, Keeney going through the center of the line for a touchdown. He failed to add the extra point.

Neither team was able to do much in the third quarter but when the final period opened the orange and black, six points behind, started off with a desperate drive that cracked the Akron team wide open. Getting the ball on Massillon’s 32 yard line McConnell and Briggs smashed through tackle and around the ends for three first downs in a row. It looked like the Massillon march could not be halted but a penalty had to bob up and a 15-yard loss stopped the rush.

However, the orange and black got a break in luck but it could not take advantage of it. When McConnell punted an Akron man held Gump while the ball was in mid air and the oval was given to Massillon on Akron’s 28-yard line where the penalty occurred. But by this time Akron had regained its breath and held the Massillon backs, getting the ball after Massillon failed to make the required yardage in four plays.

A short time later McConnell opened up with passes but Smith and Briggs fumbled two well heaved passes. Either one of them would have enabled Massillon to get deep into Akron territory. As the game ended Akron was once more hammering away at the Massillon line and had worked the ball within the Massillon 30-yard line.

Although defeated, Massillon out played its Akron rival. The local team made eight first downs to six for Akron and completed three passes while Akron completed but one. Three of Massillon’s passes were grounded while Akron intercepted on. Akron only tried three forwards.
Erie Is Next
Massillon – 0 Pos. Akron East – 6
Gump LE Porosky
Ott LT Bell
Spencer LG Crisp
Potts C Wilson
Price RG Bergey
Benson RT Growden
Fulton RE Morgan
McConnell QB Keeney
Matthews LHB Coudriet
Briggs RHB Thomas
Foster FB Johnson

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 0 0 0
Akron East 0 6 0 0 6

Substitutions:
Massillon – Laughlin for Foster, Smith for Matthews, Foster for Laughlin, Carroll for Benson, Bickel for Briggs.

Akron East – Averitte for Porosky, Leibowitz for Johnson, Porosky for Averitte.

Touchdown – Keeney.

Referee – Maurer.
Umpire – Jenkins.
Head Linesman – Tompkinson

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.

Bill Price
Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1925: Massillon 3, Canton McKinley 6

TOUCHDOWN IN FOURTH QUARTER GIVES CANTON 6 – 3 TRIUMPH
FIRST VICTORY IN FIVE SEASONS FOR M’KINLEY ELEVEN

Driven backward by a bewildering aerial assault and a relentless, hard-driving attack off tackle a weary but grimly fighting Washington high school football team last Saturday afternoon went down to defeat before its perennial rival, Canton McKinley, 6 to 3 in a thrilling and spectacular battle at Lakeside Stadium, Canton, before the largest crowd that probably has ever witnessed a scholastic athletic event in Stark county. A touchdown in the fourth quarter that came through the medium of a well carried out offensive brought victory to the red and black of Canton, giving it a three point margin over Massillon which in the third period had amassed three points through a field goal from placement by Elwood Kammer from the 25-yard line.

Needless to say Canton went wild with joy when the game came to a close and its team was out in front. It was the first time in five years that a McKinley high team has been able to win from Massillon and the first time in three years that Canton has been able to score points on an orange and black scholastic outfit. Prior to Saturday Massillon had reigned supreme over its old enemy since 1920 when the red and black turned in a 14 to 0 triumph.

There was nothing fluky about Canton’s victory. It was merited and well earned, although for three periods the east enders were decisively out played by a fast stepping and hard hitting Massillon team that should have scored at least two touchdowns in the first half but didn’t because the fickle goodess of luck decreed otherwise. Massillon made 14 first downs to seven for Canton, out playing its ancient foe two to one, yet it was forced to bow its head in defeat.

Two things stand out prominently in setting forth the reasons for Massillon’s defeat. One was a break of the game that came in the third quarter and proved the turning point of the battle. From then on Canton held the upper hand and it made the most of its opportunity and the result was a hard earned victory for its colors.
NO RESERVE STRENGTH
The other was the advantage Canton had on Massillon was in reserve strength; that more than anything else caused the downfall of Coach Stewart’s team.

With six men cut off the team by a ruling making them ineligible a week before the Canton game, three of them regulars in the backfield, Coach Stewart was forced to send his strongest lineup into the fray at the start and keep it there until the last hope of victory vanished in the final minutes of play. The Massillon backfield, especially Kammer and Laughlin who bore the burden of the local team’s offense, had spent themselves during the first three quarters in their fierce dashes through the Canton team and when the time came for a last desperate effort to overcome the east enders’ lead Massillon no longer had the punch. Its team was willing and its spirit undimmed but its physical prowess had been spent in that earlier determined but futile attempt to wrest the victory from its old foe.

Not so with Canton. It sent into the struggle at the start of the third period Taubensee and Kinney, a pair of fresh halfbacks who were ready to cut loose with all their power when Canton’s opportunity came and their driving attack along with Holmes’ cleverly executed aerial bombardment, turned what looked like a certain defeat for Canton into a brilliant victory by an eleventh hour attack. Taubensee was the hero of Canton’s triumph, being the lad to smash through the Massillon line in the fourth period for the touchdown.

If Massillon had had Captain Define, Smith and Halpin ready to jump into the fray to relieve Kammer and Laughlin and Brown when they showed signs of fatigue the outcome might have been different. But they were on the sidelines, ineligible and so Massillon’s chances of victory went glimmering.
KAMMER IS STAR
But a hero in defeat was Kammer, the fast charging and line smashing Massillon backfield ace. To his great ground gaining prowess and ability to outrun his Canton rivals was due Massillon’s greatest chance for victory. Kammer ripped, slashed and dashed his way through the Canton team for three quarters in one of the greatest exhibitions of playing ever seen in a Massillon-Canton tussle but Kammer’s great efforts were not to be rewarded. He also was a bear on defense but he could not go on forever and the fourth quarter found him leg weary and his energy almost gone. Sharing offensive honors with the brilliant Kammer was Whitey Laughlin, the stocky plunger, who also tore the Canton line to shreds on numerous occasions and once in the fourth quarter saved Massillon’s goal line by throwing Taubensee for a loss of three yards when Canton had but three yards to go for a touchdown on fourth down. But he also, along with Brown and McConnell, began to feel the strain in the fourth quarter.
THE BIG BREAK
The big break of the game came in the third quarter when McConnell, standing back to punt, missed a high pass from Bill Price. It was fourth down. The ball was on Massillon’s 40-yard line. Price shot the ball back to McConnell but it was over the Massillon punter’s head. McConnell reached for it but the ball went through his hands. He covered it on his 30-yard line but the oval went to Canton.

It was then that McKinley began the drive that was to carry it to victory. Quarterback Holmes also began to show his field generalship. He called Taubensee and Kinney into service on short off tackle bucks and they soon had driven through for a first down carrying the ball to Massillon’s 29-yard line. Then the orange and black defense stiffened. Up to that point Canton had not attempted a forward pass. Holmes then dropped back as if to try for a field goal. Instead he shot a bullet pass to Bolender who pulled it out of the air for a 16-yard gain, being tackled on Massillon’s 11-yard line as the quarter ended.

With a touchdown in sight Kinney rammed the line three times and toted the ball to Massillon’s three-yard line with fourth down and two yards to gain for a first down and three to make a touchdown. Taubensee started for Massillon’s left tackle but he never reached the line of scrimmage. Like a battering ram Laughlin smashed through and nailed Taubensee for a loss of three yards and Massillon had staved off the touchdown, getting the ball on its six-yard line.
THE TOUCHDOWN
Massillon could not gain and McConnell punted to Holmes who was tackled on Massillon’s 40. Canton, scenting victory, was not to be denied and was soon off on another march toward the orange and black goal. Holmes opened up with his deadly aerial attack and shot a pass to Bolender for 18 yards. Three line plays then gained only a few yards. Again came fourth down with the ball on Massillon’s 18 and again Holmes dropped back to kick formation but once more he depended upon the aerial game and this time hurled a pass to Clarke, who grabbed the ball and carried it to the six-yard line before being pulled to earth by Kammer. Then Taubensee earned his chance to become Canton’s hero. On the first play he smashed through right tackle for three and on the next he went through the same spot and over Massillon’s goal line for the first touchdown a Canton team has scored on Massillon in four years. Bolender failed to kick from placement for the extra point.

The fourth quarter was still young but Massillon’s offense was gone. Brown opened up with forward passes but to no avail. Canton was watching Massillon’s aerial attack very closely, following Storrie and McConnell, the receivers of Brown’s heaves, like hawks. The game ended with Canton in possession of the ball inside Massillon’s 20-yard line.
CHANCE TO SCORE
Canton did not once get inside Massillon territory in the first half until near the end of the second quarter when Brown fumbled a punt and Canton covered on the Massillon 26-yard line. But Massillon almost continually was playing on Canton ground. In the first quarter the orange and black advanced deeply into Canton territory on an exchange of punts.

McConnell, by a pretty kick, had driven the ball out of bounds on Canton’s six-yard line. Holmes then punted from behind his goal line but he kicked against a strong wind and Massillon got the ball on Canton’s 26-yard line. Massillon marched down to Canton’s six-yard line and a touchdown seemed likely when Kammer was sent on a long end run and was tossed for a five-yard loss. A line plunge might have accomplished more. In addition to this Massillon incurred a 15-yard penalty for holding and was pushed back to the 29-yard line. The ball was brought up to Canton’s 16-yard line when Clark interfered with Storrie as he was about to catch a pass. Laughlin made five at the line but a triple pass fizzled and lost nine. This was made up however when Brown passed to McConnell for 11. But fourth down was coming and Brown tried another forward and this was intercepted by Clark who carried it back 30 yards before being stopped.

With Kammer skirting the ends and smashing the line for steady gains Massillon marched right up the field in the second quarter only to lose another splendid chance to score by a 15-yard penalty for holding. Canton found Kammer almost unstoppable and was being swept back everytime the Massillon star took the ball. Getting the pigskin on Massillon’s 30-yard line Kammer almost single handed, carried the ball for steady gains on end runs and line drives until it was resting on Canton’s 15-yard line. He was given good interference and assisted by Laughlin and McConnell. But then, with Canton weakening fast, a Massillon man was guilty of holding and a 15-yard penalty blasted the chance to score. Canton then took the ball on downs but Plaskett fumbled and W. Harris covered on the 31-yard line. Massillon made another first down but time was nearly up and McConnell tried for a goal from placement from the 32-yard line but it was low.
SCORE ON PLACE KICK
The third quarter still found Kammer plowing through the Canton team for substantial gains. Laughlin also was dong some splendid ball toting and an unbroken march of 45 yards soon had the ball on Canton’s 20-yard line. But Canton’s line held and then Kammer dropped back to the 25 for a place kick. A Canton lineman was offside just as the ball was passed. Kammer put his toe against the leather and the ball sailed over the cross bar for the first points of the game.

Massillon then had its choice of taking the five-yard penalty for Canton’s offside play, which would have given it a first down, or the three points resulting from the place kick. The orange and black took the points; whether that was a wise move will always remain a debatable question. To have taken the penalty would have brought a first down inside Canton’s 15-yard line and a touchdown might have resulted, for Canton was hard beset to stop Kammer’s fast charges and Laughlin’s line plunges. But right then those three points looked like good enough to win and the local team can’t be blamed for taking a sure lead in preference to a doubtful touchdown. Had it taken the gain resulting from the penalty it might have scored and the game ended in a tie or a Massillon victory had the point after touchdown been registered. But why discuss a matter that’s now history. A few moments later came the break that started Canton on its way to victory.
Tough Luck
Massillon – 3 Pos. Canton – 6
Gump LE Bolender
W. Harris LT Woodring
Kelly LG Spence
Price C Ballard
Crone RG Duff
Dommer RT Dunn
Thomas RE Dye
Brown QB Holmes
Kammer LHB Clark
McConnell RHB Plaskett
Laughlin FB Hodnick

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 3 0 3
Canton 0 0 0 6 6

Substitutions:
Massillon – Storrie for Gump, Gump for Storrie, Storrie for Gump, N. Harris for Price, Agler for Thommas, Tipton for Crone, Hax for Brown.

Canton – Sheets for Dye, Taubensee for Clark, Kinney for Plaskett, Rittersbaugh for Spence, Dye for Sheets, Clark for Kinney, Plaskett for Clark, Kauffman for Plaskett.

Touchdown – Taubensee.

Field goal (from placement) – Kammer.

Referee – Dr. Lambert, Ohio State.
Umpire – Swain, Dickinson.
Head Linesman – Barrett, W. & J.

Time of quarters – 12‚ minutes.

Paul Brown

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1925: Massillon 14, Warren Harding 0

INTERCEPTED PASSES BRING 14 – 0 VICTORY OVER WARREN HIGH
LONG DASHES IN 4th QUARTER WIN FLASHY DUEL

Fighting with the ferocity of a Tiger at bay and hurdling obstacles that would have broken the spirit of a less courageous aggregation a determined Washington high school football team last Saturday afternoon at Warren swept over Warren high school’s eleven in relentless fury and came through with a spectacular 14 to 0 victory over its Trumbull county rival in the annual tussle between these two foes.

Two intercepted forward passes in the fourth quarter followed by brilliant dashes down the field of 90 and 95 yards stayed off defeat, routed a dangerous and hard playing opponent and added another victory to the orange and black banner.

With their captain and five other teammates on the sidelines, the victims of a ruling affecting their eligibility, the local team took the field Saturday in a shattered condition but with a fighting spirit that could not be broken and won from a team, that according to all the statistics piled up during the battle, should have won. But that determination to do or die, that comes when adverse odds are greatest, and the ability to play heads up football from start to finish, turned the tide of victory to Massillon.

To the keen foresight and quick judgment of “Whitey” Laughlin and Elwood Kammer must go the credit for Massillon’s sensational triumph. It was these two lads who in the fourth quarter, pulled Warren forward passes out of the air in the shadow of Massillon’s goal posts and converted them into touchdowns for their team by scintillating dashes down the field. Coach Stewart’s athletes were outplayed, no one can deny that but they were not out gamed and because they fought the hardest when their goal line was in danger is the reason they are the victors and Warren the vanquished today.
WEATHER IDEAL
With ideal weather conditions prevailing, the first in many weeks, the game attracted a record crowd that packed every inch in the Moose Park at Warren. And the local team was not without support, about 1,500 Massillonians making the trip to Warren. It was a perfect day for football with the field in good condition with the exception of one spot in the center.

Weakened by the loss of six players through the recent eligibility ruling of Commissioner Townsend, among them Captain Define and Paul Smith, star halfbacks and punter, and Paul Storrie, brilliant end, who has a bad knee, Coach Stewart’s team went into Saturday’s game with all the odds against it. It was stacking up against a formidable opponent that had been pointed for its annual duel with Massillon and with its regulars in the best of condition. But yet it won, another indication that the fighting spirit and courage of a local scholastic team is still without equal in the state.

The orange and black was out played quite decisively by the sturdy Warren team so far as the matter of gaining ground is concerned, making but four first downs to 13 for the eastern Ohio lads but it’s points that win football games and not first downs and Massillon had the margin on points when the battle was over. Warren’s punch, that twice carried its team within Massillon’s 15-yard line, spent itself in a futile attempt to break the orange and black and went to pieces as Massillon swept on to victory.

There are some who might say Massillon was lucky to win Saturday. Sure, the breaks came Massillon’s way and the element of luck might have entered into the deciding issues in the contest but after all if Laughlin and Kammer had not been playing an on-toe type of football they would not have been in position to snare those Warren passes when then came their way. They were doing what they were supposed to do; what any intelligent football player would be doing in a situation of that kind and when the opportunity presented itself for them to place themselves between the Warren forward passer and the receiver they made the most of their opportunities and the result was a Massillon victory. Call it luck if you want to but if that’s luck then the playing of most every so called smart football team must be about 100 percent luck.

With two regular half backs and punters out of the game Coach Stewart sent Brown, Kammer, Laughlin and McConnell into the fray as the Massillon backfield quartet with McConnell to do the punting. Considering that it was the first time this season he has had a chance to do any punting, McConnell performed like a veteran, out-punting his Warren rival throughout the game.

Kammer, of course, carried the bulk of the Massillon offense. He was closely watched and his interference did not work as smoothly as it would have worked with Define and Smith in the game but the sturdy Massillon ace ran and smashed his way through the Warren team for substantial gains.
LAUGHLIN STARS
Laughlin, handicapped all season by a bad leg and playing his first full game of the year, was one of the big stars. This stocky youngster played a great game on defense, tackling hard and being in most every play. Sharing honors with Laughlin on defense was Bill Price, the fighting center, who also had a lot to do in stopping the Warren attack.

Massillon’s line was given a rather stiff battering by the husky Warren backs and had it not been for the splendid playing of the secondary defense the eastern Ohio team might have scored. Kammer, who played safety man, until Warren got within scoring distance, also performed well, twice stopping Warren touchdowns by tackling Warren men after they had gotten away from the balance of the local team.

McKee, whose long dashes around the Massillon ends seldom failed to gain ground, was Warren’s shining light. He was a hard man to stop and a clever ground gainer.

Warren showed its best offense in the third quarter when it took the ball on its 20-yard line and marched it down the field for five first downs in a row before being halted on Massillon’s 16-yard stripe as the fourth quarter opened and then lost its chance to score when Laughlin intercepted a pass and ran 90 yards for the first touchdown.

Both teams were in position to score in the first half but neither possessed the punch to put the ball over the line, either for a touchdown or field goal. In the first quarter Laughlin, ever on the alert, pulled a Warren forward pass out of the air on his 32-yard line and ran it back 47 yards to Warren’s 21-yard line before being halted. Kammer tried for a field goal from the 19-yard line but the kick failed.

Then early in the second quarter Fritz Gump made a brilliant catch of a long forward pass from Brown that would have put Massillon on Warren’s 20-yard line but he was tackled hard by two Warren players and fumbled, Warren covering.

Near the end of the quarter Warren threatened to score when Horner tossed a pass to Polena who gained 30 yards, being downed on Massillon’s 12-yard line. Kammer was the only man in front of Polena and the goal line but he saved the day by bringing the Warren quarterback to earth. Then the Massillon line stiffened and held and McKee dropped back to the 23-yard line for a shot at the goal posts but he dropped the pass from center and Crone fell on the ball.

A few momens later Horner’s fighting spirit got the better of him and he robbed his team of another chance to score. He broke through the Massillon line and made a brilliant dash of 22 yards before being tackled by Kammer. He had carried the ball within Massillon’s 20-yard line but lost the gain when he attempted to stick his fingers into Kammer’s eyes when the Massillonian tackled him.

Early in the third quarter Kammer shot around Warren’s right end for 36 yards, taking the ball to the 15-yard line before being downed. But three shots at the line failed to gain and when Kammer tried another field goal the kick was blocked and Warren got the ball on its 17-yard line.

Then after an exchange of punts the easteners opened their most dangerous march of the day. With McKee and Horner hammering the line and skirting the ends Warren marched the ball down the field for five first downs in a row having the oval on Massillon’s 19-yard line and a touchdown in sight when the quarter ended. They were working smoothly and Massillon seemed unable to stop them.

But with their backs to the wall the Massillon team took a new lease on life and held Warren on the 16-yard line. With fourth down coming and several yards to gain Polena attempted a forward pass in a last desperate effort to score. It was then that Laughlin jumped into the spotlight to snare the pass on his 10-yard line and turn it into a touchdown by racing 90 yards with the Warren team in close pursuit but unable to reach him. Kammer added the extra point by kicking a goal from placement.

Warren, however, was far from being licked and shortly after was again marching up the field. They blocked one of McConnell’s punts and covered the ball on the 40-yard line. With McKee thundering around ends and Horner charging through the line Warren soon had the ball back inside Massillon’s 20-yard line.

They got it as far as the seven-yard line with fourth down and seven to gain. Once again Massillon was fighting fiercely.

Polena again called for a forward pass in an attempt to make the yardage or score a touchdown and again his effort was frustrated for this time Kammer shot across the field, grabbed the ball a yard or two in front of the Warren man who was waiting for the pass and ran 95 yards for the second touchdown. Kammer, fast as lightning, had left the entire Warren team far behind by the time he had reached midfield and had clear sailing. Kammer failed to kick goal but Massillon was awarded a point because Captain Baker of Warren used his hands too freely when the attempt to add the extra point was made.

These two touchdowns took a lot of steam out of Warren and a short time later W. Harris covered a fumble on Warren’s 23-yard line. Massillon however could not gain and McConnell tried a drop kick, which never got beyond the line of scrimmage. As the game ended Warren had carried the ball back to midfield on a long end run by McKee.

Massillon attempted nine forward passes Saturday, working three for only 10 yards while five failed. Warren tried seven, completing three for a total gain of 48 yards. Massillon intercepted three, two of which were turned into touchdowns.
Bring On Canton
Massillon – 18 Pos. Warren – 0
Gump LE Blakely
W. Harris LT Klippert
Crone LG Bawn
Price C Baker
N. Harris RG Marhszll
Kelly RT Braunberms
Thomas RE unreadable print
Brown QB Polena
McConnell LHB Young
Kammer RHB McKee
Laughlin FB Conway

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 0 14 14

Substitutions:
Massillon – Spencer for N. Harris, Singer for Spencer, Agler for Gump, Gump for Agler, Dommer for Kelly, Hax for Brown.

Warren – Horner for Young, Young for Horner, Horner for Conway, Zahn for Klippert, Consider for Bawn.

Touchdowns – Laughlin, Kammer.

Point after touchdown – Kammer, Awarded point for Warren roughness.

Referee – Scullion , Salem.
Umpire – O’Brien, Mt. Union.
Head Linesman – Howells, Sebring.

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.

Paul Brown

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1925: Massillon 6, New Philadelphia 0

BRILLIANT ATTACK IN FOURTH QUARTER WINS FOR MASSILLON
NEW PHILADELPHIA WALLOPED 6 – 0 IN WET GRID FRACAS

Unleashing the fourth quarter of an attack that had in it all the fury of the elements that raged over a water-covered gridiron, football warriors of Washington high school last Saturday afternoon carried to victory on Massillon field the orange and black standard of the local school by defeating New Philadelphia high school 6 to 0 in a game that was played under the worst conditions imaginable. The touchdown that brought victory to Coach David B. Stewart’s warriors was made by “Cannonball” Kammer, the Massillon mud horse, after the local team had carried the ball 80 yards through mud and water in an unbroken march.

About 2,000 fans, nearly half of them from New Philadelphia, stood out in a drenching rain for nearly two hours to see that battle and its climax, which came early in the fourth quarter when the orange and black, seemingly possessed with new fighting spirit, began to rip the tough Tuscarawas county eleven to shreds and plow to victory through water that became deeper and deeper as the rain continued steadily to fall and fall. Marred as it was by Nature’s unrelenting attack of rain and wind the game was an intensely interesting affair that might have developed into a highly spectacular battle had it been staged on a dry field with favorable weather conditions.

Football games may have been played in some parts of the country Saturday under worse conditions than the contest here but surely no worse gridiron battle in Massillon’s history was fought out in any worse weather than that contest here Saturday. A drenching downpour that started hours before the battle continued to fall steadily through the entire afternoon, soaking to the skin spectators and players alike. It might truthfully have been called the pneumonia battle for everyone who braved the elements to witness the contest took his or her life in hand and trusted to luck that Sunday morning they would not be frantically calling for a physician.

But even though the rain fell in torrents and was blown across the field in bold, penetrating waves by a stiff gale from the south about 2,000 fans were huddled around the field attired in slickers, gum boots and other apparel calculated to keep out the rain, but for all their preparations none escaped being drenched.
EVERYBODY SOAKED
Spectators and players, mud bespattered and water soaked, crawled off the field after the game thankful that at last it was over and made all haste homeward where a hot bath and for those fortunate enough, a nip of something stronger than ginger ale, was called into service to restore circulation in chilled and water soaked bodies.

The weatherman has been most unkind to football teams and fans this fall and any one familiar with the condition of Massillon Field in previous games played there his year need not be told that Saturday it was far from being a parade ground. Soaked by the heavy rain it was soon churned into a quagmire once the game started. Water stood on it in most places several inches deep and to this was added that which fell during the game, the rain at times sweeping over the field in torrents, the drops stinging one’s face as they were driven onward before a sweeping wind.

For three quarters the water soaked gridiron enemies battled and tussled through the muddy lake in a vain but valiant effort to score. With the weather against them they seemed to be waging a losing fight and when the fourth period opened the best that any one looked for was a scoreless draw. In fact it seemed almost without the range of human endeavor for either team to gather any points except through the luckiest of breaks.
THE BIG MARCH
But, the fourth quarter had hardly got under way when the rain soaked fans were brought to life as the orange and black, gaining possession of the ball on its own 20-yard line began charging through the mud, ever driving before them a fighting but fast tiring New Philadelphia opponent, until a few minutes later they crashed over the visitors’ goal line for the only touchdown of the game, winning from an enemy that was game to the last ditch but was not able to stand up under the battering and adverse weather conditions as well as its Massillon rivals.

If water soaked reportorial notes and an over taxed memory can be taken as accurate the fourth quarter opened with New Philadelphia in possession of the ball inside Massillon’s 25-yard line. The visitors, held in check, decided to try for a field goal in a desperate effort to score. But the water soaked ball refused to go more than 10 feet off the ground and rolled over the goal line. Captain Vince Define, Massillon safety man, wisely let it roll, thus bringing it out to the 20-yard mark.

Then on the very next play Kammer tucked the oval under his arm and steamed around New Philadelphia’s right end and down the field, finally being stopped with a splash after a 25-yard cruise, the longest gain of the game. That marked the opening of Massillon’s victory march. Thirteen plays later Kammer smashed through the line and tugged the ball over New Philadelphia’s goal line by inches for the score, completing the 80 yard unbroken march during which the orange and black made six straight first downs, more than both teams combined had made in the first three quarters.

After Kammer’s 25-yard dash Define plowed through right tackle for 12 yards. Kammer next tested the stout New Philadelphia line and shoved it back three yards. Brown called for a pass but McConnell missed his toss but the orange and black came back and executed as pretty a triple pass as has been seen all season for a gain of 15 yards. Brown took the ball, passed to Kammer who in turn passed to Storrie and the Massillon end sailed around the visitors’ left wing for 15 yards, putting the ball on the 35-yard mark before being sunk.

Kammer once more cut loose and drove off left tackle for 10 yards, this gain being followed by a double pass, Brown to Define, with Define skirting left end for 12 more. By this time the ball was on New Philadelphia’s 13 yard line. Kammer smashed through right tackle for three and then dented left tackle for four. Define made one at the line. Then Kammer made it a first down, taking the ball to the four-yard line. Here New Philadelphia braced but Kammer shot over the goal line on the next play only to be called back when both teams were offside. On the next attempt Kammer toted the ball to the one foot line and then mashed his way over for the score. The attempt to kick goal failed.
MASSILLON HAS EDGE
By that final desperate drive Massillon came off the field holding a decided edge over the visitors in ground gained although outplayed up to the start of the final period. Massillon made nine first downs to two for New Philadelphia. Coach Stewart’s boys tried seven forward passes, working one and having one intercepted. New Philadelphia attempted nine, none of which were completed and one being intercepted by Massillon.
SOME PUNTING
To the punting ability of Glenn Smith, more than anything else, must go the credit for keeping New Philadelphia in the game. Massillon thinks it has a great little kicker in Paul Smith and it does, but few ever saw a better exhibition of punting under such conditions as existed Saturday, than that given by the New Philadelphia Smith. He clearly out kicked Smith and Define, who did Massillon’s booting, gaining from 20 to 30 yards on every exchange of punts, many of which he got away after taking bad passes from the center, and it was this remarkable exhibition of kicking that made New Philadelphia a dangerous contender during the first three quarters and kept the ball most of the time in Massillon territory.

During the entire first half, play was almost entirely in Massillon territory. New Philadelphia made one first down in the second quarter. Massillon did not make a first down until the start of the third quarter when it ripped off two in quick succession but its spurt was soon checked. Because of the rain and mud it was extremely hard to handle the ball and fumbles occurred frequently but none of them gave either team a chance to get in a position to score.

On such a day as Saturday when one would expect the breaks to be the deciding issue in settling the combat it was rather remarkable that the only points scored should come through the medium of hard driving football, the kind that Massillon put on tap in the fourth quarter.

But Massillon’s victory was almost snatched out of its grasp in the closing minutes by a rather poor play. An attempted forward pass with the ball being thrown to the backfield that had been sent far out on the end nearly spilled the beans. It gave Jenkins, a
red-headed New Philadelphia end, sent into the game in the last period, a chance to distinguish himself and nearly break away for a touchdown. He flashed through the mud to intercept Brown’s pass and carried the ball from his own 25-yard line back to midfield before being tackled by Kelly. Massillon fans breathed easier when they finally saw Jenkins flopped in the mud still many yards from Massillon’s goal line.
What A Game!
Massillon – 6 Pos. New Philadelphia – 0
Gump LE G. Smith
N. Harris LT Melsey
Tipton LG Haney
Fricker C Gardner
Washlick RG Douglas
Dommer RT Gilgen
Agler RE Cale
P. Smith QB Enold
Kammer LHB Ladrich
Define RHB Winspear
Laughlin FB Maloney

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 0 6 6

Substitutions:
Massillon – Price for Fricker, McConnell for Laughlin, Kelly for N. Harris, Brown for McConnell, Storrie for Gump, Thomas for Agler, W. Harris for Tipton, Singer for Dommer, Crone for Washlick, McConnell for Smith, Spencer for Singer, Laughlin for Kammer, Gump for Storrie, Spuhler for McConnell, Williams for Define, N. Harris for Spencer, Fricker for Price.

New Philadelphia – Lafferty for Malone, Jenkins for G. Smith, Mathias for Cale.

Touchdown – Kammer.

Referee – Maurer, Wooster.
Umpire – Bletzer, Mt. Union.
Head Linesman – Shafer, Akron.

Time of quarters – 13 1/3 minutes.

Paul Brown

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1925: Massillon 18, Toledo Woodward Tech. 0

FORWARD PASSING ATTACK SWAMPS WOODWARD TECH, 18 – 0
BROWN- STORRIE PASSES DECIDE TILT FOR LOCALS

“Paul & Paul, Inc., forward passing a specialty.” That, ladies and gentlemen, is the latest combination doing business, in a football way, for Washington high school. The two Paul’s – Brown and Storrie – made their bow to the public as gridiron merchants last Saturday afternoon on Massillon Field when they were the big noise in Washington highs’ 18 to 0 football triumph over the Woodward Tech team, of Toledo, one of the beefiest scholastic outfits Ever to sink a cleat in the local mud-covered battle-ground.

It was the first gridiron encounter between the two schools and the overgrown Toledo boys were sent back home last Saturday evening rather done up and buried under three touchdowns, these three sets of counters being the result of the football business skill of Paul & Paul, the forward passing specialists. All of Massillon’s touchdowns were recorded through the use of the aerial attack and Brown and Storrie negotiated all three of them.

Brown’s duty in this new gridiron combination is to take the ball on a pass from center, dodge around a bit behind the line of scrimmage until his partner, Storrie, can get out into the open and then flip the pigskin into space over the heads of the struggling warriors. The rest of it is up to Storrie. His first task is to pluck his partner’s pass out of the air. Having done this he tucks the ball under his arm and sets sail for his opponent’s goal line, not feeling content that he has carried out his share of the bargain until he plants the ball back of the enemy goal line for a touchdown. Doesn’t sound hard to do and it isn’t when two such master experts as Brown and Storrie are working in such perfect harmony as they were Saturday.
FIELD MUDDY
As was anticipated the battle was waged on another muddy field. The local gridiron was covered with a sticky mixture of water and mud that soon had the players well plastered but the muddy field was not so much of an obstacle to Massillon as it was to Toledo. The visiting gridders, carrying plenty of advoirdupois, soon had additional poundage of mud and water to carry and were hard pressed throughout the sixty minutes of play trying to keep up with the lighter but much faster orange and black outfit.

Massillon opened with a running attack that gained ground consistently. Define and Kammer proved quite adept at splashing through the mud around the Toledo ends, frequently turning in long gains in their cruises around the Woodward Tech wings. Toledo, with its beefy line and heavy backfield, showed to best advantage on smashes through the line but did not have enough stamina to keep pounding the Massillon forward wall long enough to wear it down. Toledo never threatened to score. It showed several spurts in midfield but could not penetrate the Massillon defense when gains might have placed it in position to score.

Toledo came here with a squad of 16 players. And it used them all. It found in Coach Stewart’s aggregation a tough and well-conditioned foe, so tough in fact that several of the Woodward Tech lads wilted before the onslaught of the orange and black and no less than five of them were forced out of the contest with injuries; three of them being rather badly done up.
PULLS ROCKNE STUNT
Massillon Saturday used more players probably than it has ever used before in a single game. Coach Stewart had 35 boys on his first string and every one of them got into the game. The Massillon mentor pulled a regular Knute Rockne stunt in the second quarter when he shoved eight freshmen into the combat at one time, sending in an entire new line and a backfield man. But it was the deciding move in the struggle for on the very next play, Massillon put over its first touchdown, the Brown-Storrie combination opening up with a brilliant forward pass that netted the first points in the battle and proved the undoing of the visiting Lucas county delegation. From then on until the end Coach Stewart kept a steady stream of substitutes dashing into the game until in the final minutes of play he had practically a third string team battling the Tech gridders.

Brown and Storrie, because of their sensational forward passing attack, were the stars of the encounter but Define and Kammer also come in for praise because of their great work in running the ends, both of them being consistent ground gainers. Defensively the entire team showed up well against the heavy Toledo aggregation with Fritz Gump, on left end, and Paul Smith in the secondary defense exhibiting some rare tackling ability.

Captain Zahner was Woodward Tech’s best ground gaining bet. He showed up well in plowing through the line, “Kipke” Staunton, Tech’s Negro backfield star, started off like a flash but his ground gaining activities ceased soon after the game got under way. Ralgalski, Toledo’s heavyweight fullback, was called upon often to carry the ball but he was smeared plenty by the energetic Massillon forwards.
TECH OUTPLAYED
The orange and black clearly outplayed the visitors, making 18 first downs to eight for Toledo. Massillon completed seven out of 15 forward passes for a total gain of 133 yards, three of which brought touchdowns. Seven of the Massillon passes were incomplete while one was intercepted. Brown was on the starting end of most of the overhead heaves. During the closing stages of the game he and McConnell were successful in working a number of passes.

Toledo completed six passes for 51 yards. Eight of its overhead attempts failed while one was intercepted.

The first Brown-Storrie pass, which brought the first touchdown of the game was good for 19 yards. The next was good for 35 yards, Storrie taking a 10-yard heave from Brown and running the remaining 25 yards for the score. The third was worked from Toledo’s
nine-yard line.

Although it scored but three touchdowns Massillon missed three others by inches. In the first quarter Kammer dashed 33 yards around Toledo’s right end and across the goal line only to be called back when the officials ruled Dommer had been guilty of holding. In the fourth quarter the orange and black worked the ball to within a yard of the Toledo goal only to lose it on downs. Then in the closing seconds of the fray Massillon carried the ball to the visitors’ two-yard line with a touchdown in sight as time expired.
SOME PASSING
Kammer and Define kept skirting the Toledo ends for substantial gains during the first quarter but Massillon could not get within striking distance of the visitors’ goal. But in the second period the local team got the ball in midfield and a series of off tackle thrusts and end runs by Kammer, Define and Halpin took the oval to Toledo’s 19-yard line with several yards to make on fourth down. It was at this point that Coach Stewart sent in eight new players and on the very first play after the substitutions Brown flipped the ball to Storrie and the sturdy Massillon end plucked it out of the air and raced across the Toledo goal line for a touchdown.

A few minutes later found Massillon back on Toledo’s 35-yard line and again Brown called the forward pass into play heaving a 10-yard pass into Storrie’s arms and once again Storrie dashed through the mud and across the Toledo goal line.

Storrie and Brown got back into the game again in the fourth quarter and shortly after proceeded to hang up Massillon’s third touchdown. Tech had stopped a Massillon march on its one-yard line and then punted out to its 25-yard line. Kammer and McConnell made a first down on two plays and then made six more before Brown barked out the signals for another forward pass. And once again the Brown-Storrie combination worked in perfect unison, Storrie taking Brown’s pass from the nine-yard line and going over for the third set of counters. All three of Massillon’s attempts to score additional points after the touchdowns failed, because of the soggy condition of the ball which made accurate punting or goal kicking almost impossible.

Paul & Paul
Massillon – 18 Pos. Toledo – 0
Gump LE Moses
N. Harris LT Mowery
Dommer LG Neptune
Fricker C W. Jacobs
Washlick RG Cartin
Tipton RT Harre
Agler RE Rosenberg
Smith QB F. Jacobs
Define LHB Staunton
Kammer RHB Wijauck
Halpin FB Ralgalski

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 12 0 6 18

Substitutions:
Massillon – Price for Fricker, Thomas for Gump, Kelly for N. Harris, Crone for Washlick, Storrie for Agler, Brown for Halpin, W. Harris for Tipton, Singer for Dommer, Hax for Kammer, Fulton for Storrie, Spencer for Crone, Hummel for Define, Snyder for W. Harris, Herbst for Thomas, Spuhler for Laughlin, Agler for Fulton, Define for Hummel, Kammer for Hax, Gump for Herbst, Fricker for Price, N. Harris for Kelly, Dommer for Singer, Tipton for W. Harris, Laughlin for Halpin, Price for Fricker, Brown for Define, Thomas for Gump Storrie for Agler, W. Harris for Tipton, Kelly for N. Harris, Crone for Washlick, Williams for Kammer, Briggs for Spuhler, Benson for Thomas, Herbst for Storrie, Girt for Briggs, Houghton for Williams.

Toledo – Nadonly for W. Jacobs, Zahner for Nadonly, Jenson for Nepture, Schwelbert for Zahner.

Touchdowns – Storrie 3.

Referee – Shafer, Akron.
Umpire – Tompkinson, Akron.
Head Linesman – Michaels, Ohio State.

Time of quarters – 15 minutes.

Paul Brown