Category: <span>History</span>

1908: Massillon 0 Canton Central 17

MASSILLON HIGH DIED GAME
Put Up a First Class Contest Against Canton
CANTON,  17;       MASSILLON, 0.

McGregor, Disabled,
Went Into the Game and Turned the Tide of Battle
Massillon Carried the Ball to Canton’s Ten-Yard Line
but Couldn’t Put it Over.

Although defeated in the end by the score of 17 to 0, the Massillon high school football team managed to give Canton’s aggregation the worst scare it has received in many a long day when the two teams met for the first time this season on the high school grounds, Saturday afternoon.  Expecting a one-sided score which could be reckoned by tens, it ran into a snag in the very first scrimmage, which promised to be its undoing.  The day was only saved by rushing the disabled McGregor, Canton’s massive and invincible fullback, into a suit, and trotting him out to hunt for the weak spots in Massillon’s stone wall defense.  With few exceptions he was the only man who could make a dent in Massillon’s light but scrappy line.  When he did not carry the ball he made the hole for the other fellow.  The advent of the heavy full back was not noticed at once but in the long run he proved the deciding weight in the scales of victory.

Massillon was more than an even match for the original team with which Canton started the game.  Receiving on the first kickoff it made its yards repeatedly against the dazed Canton team, which had not anticipated such things.  Massillon’s greatest playing was done in the first ten minutes of the second half.  The same can be said of Canton, for in this time the two teams held against each other like two walls of adamant, the ball changing hands several times without moving more than a yard or two either way.  Massillon received the ball on the kickoff in the second half and carried it without losing it, to Canton’s ten yard line.  One touchdown and a goal meant victory for Massillon.  With victory ten short yards off, Massillon played like a demon, but Canton, goaded by fear of defeat, held in desperation.  Every hole in the red and black line was plugged by Canton backs.  Massillon’s every trick was tried but Canton’s ends were wise and refused to be drawn in.  Erb dropped back for a try at goal but the kick was blocked.  Massillon recovered the ball and the battle royal began again.  Twice the ball was lost and gained by Massillon on fumbles, but with twelve downs in succession the ball was not advanced an inch.  Twice Massillon had but one man between the runner and the goal, but twice this man nailed the play.  Atwater and Snavely carried the ball in these cases and carried it back for thirty yards, being downed by the last man between himself and the goal.

Canton soon came to its own.  Receiving the ball on a punt it took a mighty brace and bore slowly through Massillon’s line, carrying the ball down the field on plunging line bucks.  After losing the ball several times it at last forced it over for the second touchdown.  The third touchdown was secured by the same tactics, although Massillon’s line never said die, and fought for all that was in it until the whistle blew.  In the latter part of the second half Massillon punted every time it received the ball.  It had not given up the hope of scoring but considered this the only manner in which it could again get within striking distance of the goal.  Massillon’s good work in downing the runner where the ball dropped made this possible.

Massillon’s playing exceeded the hopes of the most sanguine.  The line played low, the backs ran low, and the tackling was not only low but hard.  There was no dragging.  When a man was hit he knew it, and he faded without delay.  Behind the playing on both sides was a Carlisle desperation, which brooked no trifling.  Canton had thought Massillon would be easy and was desperate with the fear of defeat.  Massillon knew that if ever under the sun, now was a chance to defeat Canton, and it was determined to do it.  Every player was in the game to do or to die.  Canton turned the trick, and Massillon died game.  The score may after all be a fair estimate of the strength of the two teams for Canton easily outweighed Massillon ten or fifteen pounds to the man.  This counted for little until the final test in the second half, when it won the game.  A practical demonstration of Massillon’s ginger was Dave Reese, its 120 pound center who played the game against three different opponents of massive proportions and who stuck them all out.

An unprecedented crowd of over a thousand people boxed the field on all sides, and with the exception of a few Canton adherents, gave Massillon its undivided loyalty.  If anything under the sun aided Massillon in the accomplishment of such great things it was the heroic loyalty of two hundred high school students, principally girls who took their stand at the north side of the field and yelled and shouted and sang themselves hoarse for the yellow and black in defeat and victory.

Following is the line-up:
Canton – 17                    Pos.                  Massillon – 0
Blythe (c)                          le                            Richards
L. Wise                             lt                                    Erb
Howells                             lg                                  Carr
C. Wise                             c                                Reese
Karper                              rg                         Blackburn
Lathamer                           rt                                  Clay
Cover                               re                                Wells
Brooks                             qb                            Atwater
Harris                               rh                             Snavely
Steiner                              lh               Hammersmith (c)
Lawson, McGregor           fb                                Davis

Time of halves:  20 minutes.

Touchdowns:  Canton – McGregor  2; Blythe.

Goals from touchdown:  Canton – Brooks  2.

Referee – Bast.
Timekeeper – Hall.
Linesman – Bloomberg.

1908: Massillon 0 Dover 26

DOVER WHITEWASHED THE HIGH SCHOOL
DOVER  26                 MASSILLON   0

Nothing was added to the percentage of the Massillon High School football team nor to its unenviable reputation on the gridiron by the game played at Canal Dover, Saturday.  Massillon was defeated by a team weighing much less, and showing much less practice in the playing of the game; and not only this, but by a score much higher than it had any cause whatever to be.  The score was 26 to 0.  The Massillon team was confident perhaps over confident, as to the outcome of the game, but it had reason to be.  Massillon was equal to the task of beating Dover but when weighed in the balance something was lacking.  The local team did not play so badly as it did listlessly and therein lies the cause of defeat.

Massillon weight helped some, and there was some individual playing but not enough.  The snap and vim with which Dover played was almost wholly lacking in the other team.  Dover’s readiness to take advantage of Massillon’s drowsiness and failure to see through trick plays was the most important factor in Massillon’s defeat.  Massillon did not seem to ginger into the game until the second half when its real form was shown to excellent advantage but it was then too late.

Dover made five touchdowns, three in the first and two in the second half.  A little trick which started Massillon up in the air was a short side kick on the kick-off which was recovered by a Dover man.  The first touchdown was made after, twelve minutes of play.  Not more than two of Dover’s touchdowns were forced over on straight football.  Most of the gains were made by tricks and running in the open field, all of which should have been stopped by Massillon players.  At the most a half-hearted attempt was made when a little extra effort would have stopped the play.  Massillon tacklers were staved off with the greatest ease.

In the second half after being stepped on to pretty good advantage, the Massillon players began to get hot under the collar.  In certain spots during this part of the game they showed form which should have won the game for them had it been apparent during the entire game.  At times the ball was carried along for substantial gains, but Dover’s nervy playing usually took the starch out of any attempts at a touchdown.  Once, however, the ball was run straight up the field to within one yard of the goal.  Erb was called back from his tackle to put the ball over the line which he would have done with the greatest case had not Bowers, who was playing quarter, fumbled.  Dover secured the ball and punted out.  The Massillon team lost its last chance to save itself for a whitewash.

1908: Massillon 0 Akron 40

AKRON HIGH TOO
MUCH FOR THEM
Massillon Stacks Up Against
a Snag and Loses Out.

SCORE – AKRON  40    MASSILLON   0
The Akron Team Took Twenty-nine Points in the First Half,
but Massillon Tightened Up and Held it to Eleven in the Second.

Akron high’s beef, speed and superior team work was too much for the Massillon high school eleven, which met the Akron school at Akron Saturday.  After forty-five minutes of play Massillon retired from the contest forty-four points in the hole and without a score to its credit.  Unlike the score, however, the playing was not all one sided.  Massillon played in general a hard game but it could not prevail against hits heavier opponents.  There was some good individual playing on the part of the Massillon players, but the general team work was loose and afforded Akron, which played well together, a chance to open up the weak spots.  A good sized score was piled up by Akron in spite of the fact that most of the penalties of the game were called against its players.  Off side playing was the offense losing most of the ground.

The only play which Akron was unable to play was its forward pass.  The play called a man far too one side who was to receive the ball and throw it over the line.  Massillon, however, guarded the man well and the ball was never thrown.  Instead the player cut into the line and was downed without gain.  Other forward passes were broken up by Massillon, causing Akron to lose much on penalties.  Akron’s largest gains were made by straight line bucking.  Weak spots were found all along.  Holes were opened and the runner trotted through, for substantial gains each time.  A triple pass from a tandem on tackle also worked well for Akron.

Massillon was usually held for downs and forced to punt.  Snavely did the kicking.  Massillon’s line did not hold well and consequently the backfield was unable to form proper interference.  Considering the odds Massillon put up a tolerable game.  Akron averaged over 150 pounds while Massillon averages nearer 135.  Akron was also much faster and showed excellent team work.  The first touchdown was made on a fumble sidewise pass, but all the rest were put over the line on straight football.  Only one goal was kicked.  A goal from field counted Akron 4.  Massillon did not take an official along but received an eminently square deal in all parts of the game.

Following is the line-up:

Akron        Pos.        Massillon
Hollinger        le          Atwater, Richards
Zimmerman     lt                 Erb
Scheck, Boath                      lg       Blackburn
Franks            c             Reese
Anderson      rg         Burkhart, Leahy and Moody
Criss              rt               Clay
Williams, Ault re              Wells
Quinn           qb          Bowers, Atwater
Baer, Smith, Sigel              lh  Hammersmith
Jackson         rh           Snavely
Zook, Smith  fb              Davis

Time of halves – 20 and 25 minutes.

Touchdowns:
Akron – Jackson  3; Zook; Zimmerman  2; Hollinger.

Place kick:
Akron – Jackson.

Referee – Cally.
Umpire – Stevens.
Time Keeper – Hall and Moore.
Linesmen – Cass, Blackwood and Leahy.

1908: Massillon 0 Salem 37

HIGH SCHOOL AT SALEM
Massillon – 0        Salem – 37

In a sea of mud and in a downpour of rain, Massillon’s high school football team went down to defeat Saturday at Salem by the score of 37 to 0.  The condition of the field was such that little or nothing of the open and spectacular game could be attempted.  Heavy and plodding playing was the only kind which could make the ground and in this particular the Salem eleven excelled.  The forward pass could not be worked to any advantage at all.  Massillon lost the ball several times on this.  In summing up the game, however, it may be said that it was won by team work.  Salem in general playing together, especially in running interference.  Massillon played hard but could avail little.

Some good playing, however, was done by Massillon.  Almost every tackle made by Massillon was a good one and few which were not so low as possible were as effective.  After the first touchdown in the first half the general trend of the game was seen and Hammersmith went in to stop up the breach.  He played a hard and fast game, making most of Massillon’s few gains.  The only play by which Massillon was able to make substantial gains was a fake end run on a trick tackle play.  This worked several times for good distances.  Snavely and Hammersmith carried the ball on these.  Salem’s line of baby elephants held too hard for gains in this direction.  Dave Reese, Massillon’s 120 pound center, played to good advantage against his 190 pound opponent.  Salem’s biggest Shelton, a 210 pound guard.  These played no defensive game but blocked the holes effectively.

Massillon’s one objection was to the refereeing of Salem’s official, who in certain cases seemed to have it in for Massillon.  In one case the ball was carried back on an unsuccessful forward pass and put into play at the place from which the scrimmage started instead of being carried back fifteen yards.  Other cases were patent.  This would not of course have won the game but it may have changed the score considerably.  Objection was futile as Massillon had no official on the field.  In other ways Massillon was fairly well treated but the players accepted the situation with good grace and have no kick to register.

Following is the way the teams lined up:

Salem        Pos.        Massillon
Hise              re          Atwater
Grice              rt               Clay
Shelton          rg       Blackburn
Tolerton          c             Leahy
Lynn              lg               Carr
McConnor      lt                 Erb
Rogers           le Richards, Wells
Muff             qb           Bowers
Willaman       rh           Snavely
Cray              lh              Wells, Hammersmith
Theiff             fb              Davis

1908: Massillon 12 Alliance 23

HIGH SCHOOL
vs.
ALLIANCE
Massillon – 12      Alliance – 23

It was Massillon’s more or less listless playing in the first half of the game which allowed the Alliance high school team to run up 17 decisive points on the local school at Mt. Union Saturday and thereby win the game.  In the second half Massillon was desperate and determined to win.  Two touchdowns and two goals were made and Massillon seemed on the high road to victory when time was called.  Too much dependence was put into the shortest half.  The final score was 23 to 12.

In the first half before Massillon had properly gingered into the game, Alliance had its own way.  Massillon held stubbornly, but loosely and without vim.  Alliance could usually make its yards, but seldom more.  Only once in the first half did it look as if the tide of battle would turn decisively Massillon found Alliance’s weak spot, and hammered it unmercifully for more than half the length of the field.  Davis gained continually through Alliances right guard, Blackburn opening the hole.  Cross bucks also were good gainers.  But the ball was lost on downs on Alliance’s five yard line, and Massillon was again carried back.

In the second half the worm did turn, and Massillon showed what she really was worth.  Two touchdowns were force over, one on straight football by Snavely, and the other secured by Richards on a fumble.  Both goals were kicked faultlessly by Blackburn.  The Massillon team gingered up with vim, and held Alliance for downs.

Alliance’s plunging full back was its greatest gainer, and all round player.  He was the heaviest man on the team and made practically all of Alliance’s gains.  Massillon’s line was strong but it did not show until the second half.  Blqackburn and Erb opened up the big hole through which Massillon gained the most.  Clay on the other side of the line played the big defensive game.  If anyone lay down in front of him he walked right over him, and if anyone stood in front of him he walked anyway.  More than once he downed the runner behind the line, and was down the field on the kick-off with the best of them.  Snavely and Davis made Massillon’s big gains.  Massillon used the forward pass successfully several times, Snavely receiving the ball.  Alliance however, could not make it work to very good advantage.  Alliance skirted the ends for substantial gains twice on the fake punt, Massillon’s ends being drawn in.

Alliance – 23                   Pos. Massillon – 12
Mummert       le           Moody
Shern              lt             Leahy
Iden               lg               Clay
Tanner            c         Burkhart
Kallenbaugh   lg       Blackburn
Goddard         lt                 Erb
Jones             le         Richards
Davis            qb           Bowers
Wingert         rh              Wells
Alloot            lh           Snavely
Newshutz (c) fb              Davis

Time – 25 and 20 minute halves

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Snavely; Richards.
Alliance – Newshutz, 2; Wingert; Mummert.

Goal from touchdown:
Massillon – Blackburn.

Referee – Jones.
Timekeeper – Hall.
Linesman – Hammersmith.

1908: Massillon 0 Massillon Actual Business College 11

BEEF TRUST
TOO MUCH FOR THEM.
High School Succumbs to the Business College.
MASSILLON  — 0      BUSINESS COLLEGE – 11
STUDENTS DIE IN THE LAST DITCH

The Hard but Rather Loose Game
Resulted in the Score of 11 to 0 in Favor of M.A.B.C.
A Massive Line Buck by the College Made the Yards.

It was Yocum’s Consolidated Beef Trust that sat down on the high school football team Wednesday afternoon on the high school grounds and tried to smother the life out of it to the tune of 11 to 0.  But the high school refused to smother.  In spite of the flying wedges, and through guard bucks of the business college, the smaller high school players stuck to their posts through it all and were holding the line plunges better in the last five minutes of play than at any time before.  The business college could usually make its yards through the line, and usually did it, but the high school players were undismayed at any stage of the game.  Time and again they threw themselves into the breaches in the line and checked progress by the dead weight of their bodies.  A few times the plucky playing held the college for downs.

In the open playing where speed and skill is necessary, the high school easily excelled.  At one time near the end of the first half the high school gaining continually on end runs and threatened to put the ball over the line.  In running back punts the high school was more accurate, the business college fumbling often and losing rather than gaining.  In the first half the ball was fumbled and driven back of the line by the player who should have received it.  He was tackled behind the line.  It was called a touch back, but no appeal was made from the decision.  Shoemaker and Mouse, the two massive guards for the business college, were the ones who tore the holes in the high school’s line.  Ellis at right end, played a fast game, and did some good work in carrying the ball.  The biggest gainer for the college was a play in which one of the big guards was called back and sent through the line in a mass tandem on tackle.  The college’s three backs played hard and fast game.

Most of the high school’s playing was defensive.  The team played hard and blocked the holes to the best of its ability.  Only once in a while did the college make anything around end, but when she once broke away it was for a substantial gain.  On offensive the high school made her best gains on a line shift end run, Snavely carrying the ball.  The business college bucked the ball over the line on straight football, once in the first and once in the second half.  Goal was kicked the first time by Bury.

The line up follows:

M.H.S. – 0                 Pos. Bus. College – 11
Richards        le          Allander
Erb                 lt              Stark
Black             lg            Mouse
Burkhart         c            Young
Shoemaker    rg               Carr
Burry             rt             Leahy
Ellis               re           Moody
Bowers        qb    F. Swanson
C. Swanson   lh              Wells
Downy          rh           Snavely
Schnierle       fb              Davis

Time:  15 minutes halves

Referee – Miller.
Umpire – Bloomberg.
Timekeeper – Hall.

1908: Massillon 7 Dover 5

CHARLEY-HORSE
DIDN’T STOP HIM.
Hammersmith Participated in Defeat of Dover.

MADE SAFETY AND TOUCHDOWN.
MASSILLON  7        DOVER   5

Massillon Outweighed Visitors Ten Pounds to the Man
and Had Greater Endurance
Local Eleven Exhibited Ginger and Strength but Little Science.

It was Johnnie Hammersmith, Massillon’s thunder and lightning halfback who played the winning game Saturday against Dover high school football team, on the high school grounds.  Hammer was in the game from start to finish and played the whole second half with a cramp known as a Charley Horse among the initiated, in his left leg.  The injury was not received in the game but was due to overexertion of single muscles in practice.  In the first half Hammer was first down the field on the second kick off and downed the Dover man behind the line, scoring Massillon’s first two points on a safety.  In the second half it was Hammer who carried the ball over the line on an end run from the ten yard line, scoring five more points and winning the game.  After fifteen minutes of play in the first half Dover made its only five points.  After netting thirty-five yards on a forward pass and bucking the line for five yards, Klar carried the ball over for Dover in a mass play on left tackle.

In general the two teams were evenly matched.  Massillon outweighed Dover perhaps ten pounds to the man, but Dover has been practicing for a month to Massillon’s week and a half and it showed it.  In the matter of endurance Massillon again had the advantage.  Dover started off like a whirlwind but before the end of the first half Massillon had it so completely fogged that time was taken out four times by the Dover team, which was penalized two yards for the last time, each team being allowed to call time out but three times in a half.  The deciding factor in the game, however, was Massillon’s invincible determination to win the first game.  Much depended upon the outcome.  There is a project on foot among the citizens of Massillon to back the team financially and to purchase a complete outfit for the team in place it makes good.  Between the halves Superintendent Cronebaugh told the team there was $200 in sight if it won the game.  Coach Hall exhorted each player to his mightiest deeds and Massillon went out and won.  It was do or die, and they did.

Considering the recent organization of the Massillon team and the number of new men in the lineup, their playing was excellent.  But five, Erb, Carr, Hammersmith, Snavely and Wells, are veterans.  The remainder are this year’s recruits.  Bowers as quarter, generaled the team like a veteran.  The right play was forth coming at the right time and the weak spots were “Hammered” unmercifully.  Burkhart at center, Leahy at tackle, and Richards t end, buckled into the opposing line like old timers.  The game brought out many weak points, however, which will be remedied as soon as possible.  Klar and Benson played the game for Dover.
THE GAME
Snavely kicked off to Benson, who advanced fifteen yards.  Casbeer was thrown for a loss, Benson failed to gain around left end, Klar punted to Hammersmith.  Hammersmith made six yards around right end.  Snavely was thrown without gain.  Dover caught on side kick.  Benson made six yards through right guard.  Dover penalized five yards for holding.  Benson failed to gain. Klar punted to Hammersmith, Snavely failed to gain.  Kickout failed.  Score, Dover 5; Massillon 0.

Snavely kicked off to Peters who fumbled ball and was down by Hammersmith across the line.  Massillon awared a safety.  Score, Dover 5; Massillon 2.

Dover kicked out from twenty-five yard line.  Massillon’s ball.  Hammersmith failed to gain, Snavely fumbled, Hammersmith recovering ball, Snavely punted to Klar who returned fifteen yards, Benson made two yards around left end.  A forward pass failed.  Time called.  Score Dover 5; Massillon 2.
SECOND HALF
Klar kicked to Hammersmith who returned fifteen yards.  Hammersmith failed to gain, Snavely failed to gain, Casbeer blocked Snavely’s punt, Hammersmith recovering ball, Snavely failed to gain through guard, Hammersmith made seven yards around right end, Hammersmith punted to Klar who returned twenty yards; downed by Carr.  Benson fumbled, Richards recovering the ball, Hammersmith failed to gain.  A forward pass netted twenty yards, Snavely gained three yards through left guard.  Dover was penalized five yards for holding.  Hammersmith gained two yards.  Dover penalized two-yards for holding.  Davis failed to gain around right end.  Hammersmith made a touchdown on right end run for ten yards.  The kickout failed.  Score, Massillon 7; Dover 5.

Snavely kicked off to Benson who returned fifteen yards.  Klar fumbled, giving Massillon the ball.  Davis made three yards through tackle.  Hammersmith failed to gain, on-side kick and failed.  Dover’s ball.  Klar fumbled.  Hammersmith falling on ball.  Davis made two yards, Hammersmith fumbled.  Dover’s ball.  A forward pass netted fifteen yards, Klar made five yards through tackle, Benson made three yards, Casbeer made two yards, Casbeer made seven yards around end, Peters made three yards through left tackle, Klar made three yards through right guard, Casbeer made five yards, Casbeer made three yards, Klar failed to gain, forward pass failed.  Richards falling on ball, Hammersmith punted to Klar who was downed by Richards.  Time up.  Score,

Klar made five yards through right guard, Benson failed to make gain.  Massillon’s ball.  Hammersmith made ten yards around right end.  Davis made two yards around left end, Snavely failed to gain, Hammersmith punted to Klar, thrown by Snavely, Benson thrown for a loss.  A forward pass netted thirty-five yards.  Benson made five yards through right tackle, Klar carried the ball over the line.  Score:  Massillon  7;  Dover 5.

The line-up:

Massillon – 7                 Pos.       Dover – 5
Richards        le            Brister
Erb                 lt             Athey
Moody          lg     A. Godfrey
Burkhart         c              Davis
Carr              rg        Wendling
Leahy             rt             Peters
Wells             re      J. Godfrey
Bowers        qb         Radswell
Hammersmith lh          Casbeer
Davis             rh           Benson
Snavely         fb                Klar

Summary:
Halves:  20 and 15 minutes.

Umpire – Merwin.
Referee – Dow.
Time keeper – Hall.
Head Linesman – Bloomberg

1907: Massillon 15 Navarre 0

HOW CRUEL OF THEM TO DO IT.
Just Like Embezzling Confectionary from Infants.

NAVARRE HIGH DIED FIGHTING.
MASSILLON   15     NAVARRE   0

Massillon High School Won
Against Children and Cripples
Muddy Field Kept Down the Score

It almost seemed like a shame to take the money.  Had it not been for the present financial stringency they probably wouldn’t have taken it.  When the Massillon high school football team took one good look at the Navarre bunch, that claimed to be a football team, it went over behind the goal posts and had a good laugh, collectively and individually.  It was such a horrible cinch.  To say that Navarre was outweighed would be expressing it mildly.  It was over whelmed.  Strangest of all, the center, Hodgson, had a wooden leg which did not seem to affect his playing qualities in the least, except that he could not be counted on for any long end runs.  When he planted his wooden stump in the mud of the gridiron it was no easy matter for the Massillon line to smash through his position.

Not-with-standing the fact that Navarre was greatly outweighed the team played a fast, plucky game against many odds.  Of course the score was rather low 15 to 0, but then the condition of the field must be held accountable for this, as the Massillon players were unable to work off any of their fast trick plays and on account of the slippery condition of the gridiron numerous fumbles were made on each side.

Considering the threatening aspect of the heavens, a remarkably large crowd witnessed the game.  Navarre was there in force and it was reported that business was practically suspended in the hamlet to the south in order to witness this history changing contest.  As soon as they beheld the giants of the Massillon high school team, a look of despair crept into the face of the fair Navarre rooteresses but they kept on cheering until the whistle blew.  This being the last high school game in the city, crowds of high school students turned out and a large number of Massillon’s business men were in evidence.  Excellent police protection was afforded and the crowd was kept behind the side lines at all times.

A ludicrous sight occurred during the second half.  Navarre had attempted to punt but had fumbled the ball and Wells dashing through, fell on the ball.  While he was sprawled out at full length, the ball was knocked from his hands and another man crawling from his back, attempted to capture the elusive pigskin.  This made two men, one after the other stretched at full length.  And still the pigskin rolled until there were four men sprawled at full length one after the other, forming a human path down the field.  The ball was finally captured by Massillon.

Grinnell, seeming rather ashamed to do it, kicked off to Navarre at 3:35 o’clock and the runner was downed in his tracks.  An attempt at a forward pass by Navarre was caught by Wagner who carried the ball nearly to the goal line.  Massillon plugged the line steadily until Captain Grinnell was forced over for the first touchdown.  He also kicked an easy goal.  Score, 6 to 0.

Again Grinnell sent the ball far down the field into Navarre territory and again was the runner downed without gaining a yard.  Things seemed to go Navarre’s way for a time and they advanced the ball about 20 yards.  Then Massillon took charge of the ball and sent Wagner around the left end for 30 yards while Navarre stared in amaze and the score was 11 to 0.  Grinnell tried for goal but the ball bounced back from the cross bars.  The half was now ended.

On the kick off in the second half, Captain Grinnell carried the ball back to the 55-yard line, stepping cautiously among the Navarre children as though he was afraid of tramping one of them under foot.  Both teams failed to work the forward pass with any degree of success, mainly on account of the muddy condition of the grounds.  Many fumbles were made also.  Near the end of the second half, Captain Grinnell scored the last four points by kicking a difficult goal from the field from the 20-yard line.  Navarre narrowly prevented Massillon from scoring again near the end of the half.  Massillon was then playing rather listlessly and fumbled the ball when it was on Navarre’s three yard line.  Dropping behind the goal line, Navarre’s full back punted the ball out of danger to the center of the field.  The half soon ended.

The teams lined up as follows:

Massillon – 15                  Pos.    Navarre – 0
Hammersmith le          Allander
Herzog           lt             Fisher
Carr               lg        Cincinnat
Blantz             c         Hodgson
Erb                rg          Fedrisse
Baer               rt     Zintsmaster
Wells             re         Weidman (capt.)
K. Miller      qb        Roderick
Wagner          lh        M. Miller
Grinnell (capt.)                     rh             Define
W. Miller       fb         D. Miller

Touchdowns:  Massillon – Wagner; Grinnell.

Goal kicked:  Massillon – Grinnell.

Field goal:  Massillon – Grinnell.

Time of halves:   15 minutes.

Umpire and referee, alternating – Miller and Weiner.
Timer – Hall.
Head Linesman – Graze.
Linesmen – Sonnhalter and Holston.

Attendance:  200

1907: Massillon 6 Wooster 5

WAGNER AND GRINNELL DID IT
Won Game
Against Wooster High by One Point
Massillon   6                         Wooster   5

THEY WON AGAINST GREAT ODDS
Local School Was Greatly Out-weighed and Weakened
Wooster Gained Well on Forward Passes
Reception at Captain’s Home
Wooster Astonished

Massillon High School, 6; Wooster High, 5.  Thus in half a dozen short words is told the story of the victory of science over beef, of indomitable pluck over cock-sureness, and principally of nerve over avoirdupois.  By means of a touchdown by Wagner and a goal kicked by Captain Grinnell, the Massillon High School football team won by one point in one of the most closely contested games in the city this season.  It was played on the high school grounds Friday afternoon.

Wooster high was not so much chagrined as surprised.  The fact that a team which was not supposed to be as strong as the eleven which it defeated at home, several weeks ago, by  the score of 22 to 0, should snatch a victory out of the very jaws of defeat was a proposition so amazing that the Wooster enthusiasts were still endeavoring to figure it out, when they departed for home in a bewildered manner, Friday evening.

The Massillon team entered the game really as a matter of honor.  Several of the strongest players had been compelled to leave the team on account of a low scholastic standing and a cancellation of the game was seriously considered on this account.  Wooster high objected, however, and Massillon high felt honor bound to play the game and die fighting if necessary.  As is seen by the result it was the other fellow who needed the obituary.

When Wooster’s giants of bone and brawn weighing nearly in the neighborhood of 175 pounds, stepped majestically on the field the hearts of the carriers of the orange and black pennants became exceedingly heavy and they consoled themselves with the thought that possibly Massillon would score once anyhow.  When the game commenced and the guns began to shoot it was seen that Wooster’s men were not there with the expected speed and Massillon’s stock soon rose many points in the popular estimation.

Massillon high won the game near the end of the second half when all seemed lost.  Wooster high had scored a touchdown near the beginning of the game and with the score 5 to 0 in Wooster’s favor Massillon was hoping against hope for something to happen – and happen it did.  Darkness was making final preparations for falling on the face of the earth and the sun had just set beyond the brewery to the west – this is the way all good stories begin, dear reader.  Wooster’s dusty football heroes had just punted the ball to Massillon’s team and the latter had commenced a series of nerve racking line bucks.  One which was worked very frequently was a double pass from Captain Grinnell to Wagner.  It was on this play that the touchdown was made.  Wagner had just received the ball from Grinnell and had half started around the right end.  In the dusk, the figures of the players seemed like silhouettes.  Suddenly Wagner saw a large hole directly where left tackle should have been and dashed into it.  Down the field he went warding off tackler after tackler and scored the touchdown between the goal posts after a thirty yard run.

After the Massillon fans had sufficiently recovered from their astonishment they realized that the game was practically won.  Pandemonium broke loose.  The air was filled with orange and black pennants, hats, canes, handkerchiefs and various other sundry articles of wearing apparel.  Half back Wagner was raised on the shoulders of half crazed students and carried around the grounds.  When the police had succeeded in once more clearing the field, Wagner held the oval while Captain Grinnell sent it sailing six inches above the bar, clinching the victory.  And then they all howled again.
THE GAME IN DETAIL
The game, the best of the season in many respects, was opened at 3:40 o’clock, when Captain Grinnell kicked off to Captain McSweeney.  Hammersmith downed him before he had gained many yards.  Firestone attempted to punt but Hammersmith again came into the lime light by breaking through and blocking the punt.  A second trial at a punt was successful and was received by K. Miller.  Grinnell and Wagner commenced a series of line bucks which carried the ball back into Wooster’s territory.  Wooster received the ball and Firestone, Wooster’s 185-pound fullback, promised to make a touchdown, but was downed by the diminutive Keeley Miller.  Firestone and Captain McSweeney gained many yards on line bucks but soon Wooster was penalized for hurdling.  The ball was again carried down into Massillon’s territory and, after a long, skirting end run, Wyant carried the ball across the line for a touchdown.  The ball being far to the side, Firestone missed goal.  Prospects were looking exceedingly poor for Massillon.  Wooster fans talked confidently of a score worse than the 22 to 0 defeat administered at Wooster.  Score 5 to 0.

Fireston kicked off to Hollinger, who gained twenty yards.  Grinnell made a series of his famous gains through tackle.  Grinnell punted to Firestone, who never moved before Wells was on him like a flash.  Firestone dropped the ball but Wyant picked it up and gained forty yards through some loose tackling by the Massillon players.  Frailey failed badly on an attempt at a field goal and Captain Grinnell kicked out from the 25-yard line.  Massillon now gained steadily.  Hammersmith sent Massillon fans into the first spasm of ecstasy when he carried the ball across the goal line on a forward pass from Grinnell.  It turned out though that the ball had touched the ground and Massillon was penalized the usual fifteen yards.

Wooster was again penalized for hurdling but made large and consistent gains by the use of the forward pass. Wells’ work in getting down the field on punts and forward passes at this stage of the game was remarkable.  Several times he seemed to drop out of space and crush the man with the ball to earth before he had advanced a step.  Frailey attempted another field goal, which went far wide.  When Grinnell punted back, McSweeney carried the ball a good distance on a double pass and the half ended with the ball on Massillon’s 25-yard line.

In the second half Firestone kicked to K. Miller.  Each side had its second wind and held hard.  The ball was kept in the middle of the field for some time, Massillon gaining on punts, but being surpassed in forward passes.  Grinnell and Wagner made smashing gains through tackle and guard, while Hollinger hit the line well.  After the touchdown that won the game, it was so dark that the different teams could be distinguished with difficulty.  The game soon ended with the ball in Wooster’s territory.

The teams lined up as follows:

Massillon   Pos.         Wooster
Hammersmith le         R. Smith
W. Miller        lt  Frederick and Markley
Carr               lg      Greenwald
Herzog           c           Walters
Erb                rg         C. Smith
Baer               rt          Reddick
Wells             re         Barnhart
K. Miller      qb            Frailey
Wagner        lhb            Wyant
Grinnell (capt.)                   rhb   McSweeney
Hollinger        fb        Firestone

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Wagner.
Wooster – Wyant.

Goals kicked:  Massillon – Grinnell.

Time of halves:  25 and 20 minutes.

Referee and umpire, alternating –      Merwin of Massillon
Cameron of Wooster
Timer – Hall of Massillon.
Head Linesman – Richeimer of Massillon

Attendance – 300.

FROM THE SIDELINES
Firestone, Wooster’s giant fullback, affectionately termed “Sloppy” by his teammates held a parade all by himself up and down the field before the game.  Luckily he did not hear all the remarks that were made.

Frailey, Wooster’s quarterback, played a clean, snappy game.  He was knocked out for several minutes in the second half.

Captain Grinnell improves in line bucking with every game played.  His skill in this line is commencing to rank with his punting.

Coach Hall was as pleased as everybody else when Wagner made the touchdown.  His hat went into the air in regular college style.

It was not Hammersmith’s fault that the score was not 12 to 5.  He carried the ball across the line but the score was ruled out on a technicality.

The high school girls conducted a little game of piracy with their tickets.  They said the team “needed the money.”
RECEPTION AT CAPTAIN’S HOME
Of course the exuberance of the team after the game was too good to keep.  When the curtain had dropped on the last act, a break was made for the high school bell and the glad news that Massillon high had conquered over its opponents was rung out over the city.  In the evening the members of the team planned a surprise which was held at the home of Captain Grinnell in Front Street.