History Archives - Page 88 of 142

1958: Massillon 36, Akron Garfield 0

November 7, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Easily Beat Akron Garfield 36-0
Tight Bengal Defense Repels Presidents For A Minus One Yard

By CHARLIE POWELL

“Have football, will travel” seemed to be the theme song of the Massillon Tigers as they propelled the pigskin through, over and around Akron Garfield in a remarkably easy 36-0 romp at chilly Tiger stadium Friday night.

The Bengals gained 309 yards over land and 132 via the airways, made 22 first downs and the Presidents to a pair of stick-movers and – get this – a net of minus one yard.

More of the same – that’s what all good Tiger faithful are wishing now. The big one comes up next Saturday afternoon and this, of course, is the traditional tussle with Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs.
“BEAT McKINLEY!”
Ye, that’s the cry and we will hear that cry, constantly to say the least, and perhaps in our sleep, for the next seven days.
* * *
THE 1958 FOOTBALL season of the Tigers has brought forth fruits of victory and pangs of disappointment but the most pleasing result of all could only be a prized triumph over the team to the East.

This year’s Massillon-McKinley game will have no pot of gold or state championship riding on the final outcome, but it still is a banner attraction. The stands will be packed, as just about everybody hereabouts realizes that anything and everything can happen when the Tigers and the Bulldogs start clawing away.

With the Bulldogs experiencing a lean year, they know that by beating Massillon they can make amends for past failures.

The Bulldogs have a new coach in Jimmy Robinson, the former Lehman boss, a raft of speedy backs, a veteran quarterback and several hard-nose stalwarts on the line. It will be a case of everything to gain, nothing to lose for them.

All seats have been sold for the encounter. Because temporary bleachers have been placed in front of the stands, there will be no available standing room.
* * *
THE TIGER Booster club will get the ball rolling for “Beat McKinley Week” at its meeting in the high school auditorium Monday night.

The old home-town will dress up as per usual and all merchants are being asked to fly their Tiger flags all week long.

The Washington high warriors will enter the battle with a record of seven wins, one loss and a tie. McKinley was 4-4 going into this afternoon’s skirmish with Cleveland John Adams at Fawcett stadium.

The lop-sided win over Garfield was Massillon’s seventh in a row over a President array.

The Prexies lost to the orange and black 30-0 last year and 35-0 the year before but their representatives on the field last night actually had very little semblance in the 1956 and 1957 clubs.

They stayed in their pitching but the Tigers had too much of everything.
* * *
BEHIND FINE blocking, Jim Snively, Art Hastings, Dave Dean, Jerry Allen, Jim Wood and Martin Gugov ran with abandon. Joe Sparma and Bill Finney shared the passing role and their strikes to Bob Vogel, Bill Zorn, Jerry Mitchell and Allen were very instrumental.

The defensive dandies, protecting the top record among “big time” schools in the state, did not allow Garfield a first down in the first half. On the third play of the second half the invading team made their fist of the night and their second, and last, came after a
delay-of-game penalty against Massillon aided them late in the final period.

Garfield reached Tiger territory only twice all evening and never came close to pay dirt as the Bengals racked up their fifth shutout of the season.

Nearest the Presidents got was the Tiger 47-yard line after Halfback Bob Price, their star punter, intercepted a pass early in the game. However, four plays later the visitors had to punt from their own 46.

The score, which was Massillon’s highest output of the year, might have been more
one-sided had it not been for Price’s booming punts or the fact that the Tigers temporarily ran out of gas after going inside the 15 twice in the third quarter.
* * *
PRICE KICKED seven times for an average of exactly 40 yards per punt, his best effort being at 51-yarder. On the other hand, the orange punted only once with a fourth quarter “line drive” by Sparma carrying 54 yards.

Offensively, the Leo Strang coached forces treated the crowd, which included 8,579 paid, to much fireworks in the very first period.

The second time they had the pigskin they rolled 60 yards in seven plays with Snively whizzing the final 34. Four minutes later they made a second TD with Allen hitting across from the three after seven plays had covered 53 yards.
On the first thrust, Massillon started from its own 40-yard line. A 15-yard pass play with Mitchell taking a Sparma throw, and short chunks by Snively, Hastings and Dean planted the ball at the Garfield 34 before Snively got loose. He banged through a hole at left tackle, did a cutback at the 25 and was gone. At 5:38 he hit off the right side to make the score
8-0.
* * *
GARFIELD was forced to punt after the kickoff and Bob Oliver returned to the Tiger 44. After an incomplete pass, Snively got off another nifty run, this one for 22 yards, and then Allen, Dean and Hastings alternated in toting the oval to the enemy three from which point Allen tallied through a giant-sized hole on the right side. A bad exchange in the backfield ruined the try for two extra points.

A 40-yard run by Snively went for naught early in the second frame but the second time the Tigers had the ball in that session they didn’t stop until they changed the score to 20-0.

They advanced 86 yards in nine plays with a pair of aerials accounting for the last 35 yards.

Dean and Allen were the running stickouts as Massillon moved to the Garfield 35. Then Sparma threw out into the right flat. The pass was wobbly but carried right to Mitchell, sitting down on the 13. On the next play Sparma and Zorn made connections on a jump pass with big Bill catching the ball at the four and falling across. A run for the extra points was short.
* * *
NEAR THE END of the quarter McKey blocked a punt with Zorn catching the ball at the Garfield 37. Sparma twirled to Vogel who made a nice catch to help gain 23 yards but on the last play of the half, Price bobbed up to intercept a Sparma toss. Thus it was 20-0 at intermission.

Garfield came out for the second half a more determined ball club but after picking up one first down, a screen pass thrown by Ronnie Tate was deflected by McKey and Zorn gathered it in at the President 37.

On the very next play, Massillon scored again. This time Sparma got off another jump pass and it was caught by Vogel after being deflected by Price. Vogel juggled the ball for an instant at the 24 and then had a straight shot to the end zone. Sparma passed to Zorn for two more points with eight minutes left in the quarter.
* * *
McKEY RECOVERED a fumble at the Garfield 36 three plays later but after Finney passed to Zorn for 15 and sophomore Gugov got 12 yards in two tries, Massillon fumbled with Taylor recovering at the Garfield two.

But Garfield had to kick again and Massillon went from the visitors’ 44 to the 14 before the big fizzled out. During this drive, which was hurt by a holding penalty, Gugov ran twice for 11 yards, Allen once for 13 and Finney passed to Allen for seven yards.

Following a punt early in the final canto, the Tigertown team drove 43 yards in eight plays. Allen ran well in this scoring overture, going for 11 once and for 18 on another trip before he bulled the last four yards at 6:49. Gugov hit off tackle for the extra points.

STATISTICS
Mass. Gar.
First downs, rushing 17 2
First downs, passing 5 0
First downs, penalties 0 0
Total first downs 22 2
Number of rushing plays 64 37
Yards gained, running plays 334 48
Yards lost, running plays 25 49
Net yardage, running 309 -1
Passes attempted 17 7
Passes completed 7 0
Passes had intercepted 2 1
Yards returned, intercepted passes 0 21
Yards gained, passing 132 0
Total net yardage,
running and passing 441 -1
Number of kick-off returns 1 6
Yardage, kickoff returns 8 74
Average length of kickoff returns 8 12.3
Number of punt returns 6 0
Yardage, punt returns 43 0
Average length of punt return 7.1 0
Number of punts 1 7
Total yardage on punts 54 280
Average length of punts 54 40
Number of penalties 4 4
Yards lost on penalties 40 30
Number of fumbles 5 4
Own fumbles recovered 2 1
Ball lost on fumbles 3 3

1958: Massillon 32, Barberton 0

October 31, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tiger Gridders Beat Barberton 32-0
Bengals Hot And Cold In Chalking Up their Sixth Of The Season

By CHARLIE POWELL

It was just like somebody was continually twisting a couple of water faucets. First hot, then cold, hot then cold, hot then cold.

That’s the way the Massillon Tigers ran (and passed) as they took the steam out of the Barberton Magics before 10,158 paid fans at Tiger stadium Friday night.

The Bengals weren’t “up” for the tussle. They had all the earmarks of a world-beater at times, but at other times stumbled along and yet ran up their highest point total of the season, 32-0, for their fourth shutout of the campaign plus their 10th victory in a row over the Magics.

A combination of Tiger boo-hoos, their apparent lackadaisical mood, and some battling on the part of the invaders whose defense, featuring crashing linebackers, occasionally tipped the local lads off balance, probably kept the score from being more lop-sided.
* * *
THIS “PARLAY” helped Barberton hold onto the football with the Purple having possession for 33 running plays and eight passes.

Offensively, the Magics – in becoming the sixth Tiger victim of the season – averaged less than two yards a play in 38 rushes as they gained 64 yards overland and added 23 when they put the pigskin in orbit.

The visiting array never did pose a serious threat. Their longest gain amounted to 13 yards and that pass connection, coming on the last play of the third panel, was nullified by a penalty.

Along the same lines, the Bengals showed only flashes of a sustained effort.

They marched 60 yards right off the bat for a lead touchdown and before the first period was over, hiked the count to 16-0 with a second six-pointer climaxing a 54-yard drive prodded along by a roughing-the-kicker call against Barberton.
* * *
CORNELIUS CLARK, pepper-pot defensive back and punt return specialist, hauled back a Magic kick 24 yards and the Tigers drove 40 yards for a third TD in the third round. A 45-yard pass play, Joe Sparma to Bill Zorn, helped the hosts cover 65 yards in the last period.

On only one other occasion did the boys coached by Leo Strang move deep into enemy territory. This scoring overture occurred in the scoreless second period when the ball was lost on a fumble at the Barberton six.

The running of reliables Dave Dean, Art Hastings and Jim Snively and the passing of Sparma and Bill Finney who made his first start and played most of the game and the pass catching of Dean, Zorn, Bob Vogel and Bob Oliver sparked the attack which accounted for 310 net yards.

In 54 plays the Tigers made 238 yards on the ground and 117 in the ozone. They had 16 first downs to seven for the losers.

Finney completed five of eight passes with one being intercepted while two Sparma tosses were on target for 54 yards in two plays before the final touchdown of the night. Finney once ran for 18 yards on a keeper but Tiger fans were moaning as he was thrown for losses totaling 23 yards on four pass plays.
* * *
HASTINGS, the touch-and-go running sophomore, put his hands on the ball 20 times and gained 110 yards for an average of 5.5 yards per try while Snively averaged over six yards in eight carries netting 52 yards. Dean, getting some rest, carried only four times and gained 33 yards.

Vogel latched onto three passes for 37 yards and one touchdown, Zorn caught two for 58 yards, Dean one for 13 and Oliver one for nine.

Massillon won the toss, chose to receive and Hastings planted the ball on the Bengal 40 to get the ball rolling. In four of the 12 plays which followed, the Tigers lost 13 yards, but a 10-yard sweep by Snively, an 18-yard bootlegger by Finney, a 12-yarder by Dean, a Finney to Dean pass for 13 and a Finney toss to Vogel good for nine, placed the pigskin at the Barberton six. Then Dean exploded off right tackle and nobody touched him until he hit the final stripe at 6:57.

Snively veered through the right side for the two extra points.

After the ensuing kickoff, the Junie Ferrall – coached forces were forced to punt and this time the orange and black started winging from its own 46-yard line. In six plays and with a minute left in the quarter, the score was 16-0. On a crossbuck Dean plugged for 11 and a seven-yard gain by Hastings set the stage for the 18-yard scoring pass, Finney to big Vogel.

Bob got behind a Barberton defender in the end zone and grabbed the ball on the dead run. Snively again ran to the right for the extra points.
* * *
AFTER A MAGIC punt and John Vargo’s intercpetion of a Finney pass, the Tigers provided the only excitement of the second canto. Clark pounced on a fumble at the Massillon 45 and Hastings zipped three times for 19 yards. Snively inserted 11 yards in two cracks and a 13-yard pass, Finney to Zorn (who played on offense for the first time in four weeks), put the ball on the Barberton 13.

At this point Martin Gugov, heretofore a member of the sophomore team, entered the game and promptly banged off tackle for what looked like a nice gain – or even a touchdown, but the ball was fumbled, Barberton’s Bill Mobley recovered, and that squashed the threat. Two plays later the half was over.

The third period was a little on the dull side until Clark returned a punt 24 yards to the Magic 40. Snively and Hastings took the ball to the three before Snively, finding a big hole at right tackle, went across standing up. Gugov dived through the same spot and it was
24-0 with 3:45 remaining in the quarter.

Midway in the final session the Tigers started from their 16 and gained 47 yards before a holding penalty slowed them. Two running plays netted nothing, a pass was off the
Finger-tips of Zorn and on fourth down a fake punt failed to pan out. Consequently Barberton too over at the Tiger 45.
* * *
HOWEVER on the very next play Bob Mobley, the Barberton tow-head who played both quarterback and left half, fumbled and Gary “Sluggo” Bednar was Johnny-on-the-Spot for the hometowners. After his recovery at the 45, Sparma entered the game and immediately twirled to Zorn, who caught the oval over his shoulder at the 24 and barreled to the enemy 10. Sparma threw again, this time Oliver taking a flat pass for nine yards and on the next play, Hastings scored off tackle. Jerry Allen came in to run across and change the score to 32-0 with 1:49 left in the fray.

Barberton picked up two first downs before Clark intercepted a pass at the Barberton 35 on the last play of the game.

The loss was the fifth in eight starts for the Purple. It was the third straight year the Tigers have scored over 30 points against the Magics, they losing 33-0 last year and by 35-6 the year before. The series now reads Massillon 18 victories, Barberton three victories, one tie.

STATISTICS
Mass. Barb.
First downs – rushing 13 7
First downs – passing 3 0
First downs – penalties 0 0
Total first downs 16 7
Number of rushing plays 54 45
Yards Gained – running Plays 238 96
Yards lost – running plays 45 32
Net yardage – running 193 64
Passes attempted 13 8
Passes completed 7 3
Passes had intercepted 1 2
Yards returned –
intercepted passes 0 1
Yards gained – passing 117 23
Total net yardage – running
and passing 310 87
Number of kickoff returns 1 5
Yardage – kickoff returns 13 75
Average length of kickoff
Returns 13 15
Number of punt returns 2 0
Yardage, punt returns 48 0
Average length of punt return 24 0
Number of punts 1 4
Total yardage on punts 36 132
Average length of punts 36 33
Number of penalties 4 2
Yards Lost on Penalties 30 17
Number of Fumbles 5 5
Own Fumbles Recovered 3 4
Ball Lost on Fumbles 2 1

1958: Massillon 0, Warren Harding 6

October 24, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Warren Overcomes Tigers In 6-0 Battle
First Defeat Of Year Is Also First Failure To Score In 101 Games

By CHARLIE POWELL

The one, only and true difference between a winner and a loser in any sport is the final score.

Despite any second-guessing, anything that is said or done, it was Warren 6, Massillon 0.

It was 6-0 last night, it’s 6-0 today and it will be 6-0 as long as football is played.

The Tigers, try as they did – and that little, three-letter word cannot be overworked – just weren’t meant to bring home the spoils of victory. As a result they tumbled from the ranks of the undefeated, lost the big chance to virtually put the lock and key on the state championship and became the first Washington high school grid team to be held scoreless in over nine years.
* * *
THEY DID MAKE one score – on the sensational first play of the battle as speedy, spunky Jim Snively went all the way, 90 yards, but it didn’t count and thereafter the Bengals had their backs to the well-known wall.

Four times the ever trying orange and black had the Black Panthers on the ropes. In every quarter the Bengals displayed an effective attack and a tough-skinned defense. They won the struggle of statistics, including 15 first downs to Warren’s 10 and a net 285 yards to Warren’s 189.

But – and there is another “big little word” – the kayo punch never came.

The Panthers, avenging the 1957 setback and obliterating just about all thoughts of the upset at the hands of Central Catholic marched 83 yards for the only touchdown, made on a spectacular 26-yard pass completion at 8:36 of the second period, and when the final second ticked off they had truly earned the coveted victory.

The sweet smell of success touched off one of the biggest athletic celebrations ever seen in the home of the Panthers.

Bedlam reigned, with hundreds of wild Warren followers swarming onto the field to shake hands, pound backs and in general, explode with pent-up emotion. It was a mighty big moment. And justly so as the Panthers rocked state football circles and re-kindled their own flame of hope for a proud procession to the throne room.
Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,500 fans jammed every nook and cranny of the Warren field to see the battle of the titans. There were 8,200 tickets sold but a number of people reportedly “crashed” the gate through counterfeit tickets and there were several hundred fence – climbers. Most everyone came expecting to see a thriller and they were not let down.
* * *
WARREN DESERVES all that is to be accorded a giant killer.

However, Massillon did everything but score and she too must be given due recognition. Let it not be said the Tigers were any Little Sisters of the Poor.

Leo Strang’s eleven fought just as hard as Warren. They hit just as hard and if you don’t believe there was some rockin’ and reelin’ socking during those hectic 48 minutes of action you should ask some of those boys who saw stars once in a while. No less than 10 time-outs were taken because a player had the wind knocked out of him. Warren alone had seven injury time-outs.

The hard-to-swallow loss came after the Bengals had cast aside five opponents and tied Alliance. Warren, ranked fourth in the state following the loss to Central, now owns a 5-1-1 mark, with Sharon, Pa., Lorain and Youngstown South remaining on its schedule.

Massillon has Barberton, Akron Garfield and Canton McKinley left and if the Tigers are successful the rest of the way, the results could make it a close fit at the wire.

It will take an upset or two, probably, to keep the 1958 state champion from being an undefeated team. With last night’s Warren win the stock of Cleveland Cathedral Latin, Alliance and Marion Harding should take a jump but the Panthers of Gene Slaughter will be right in there.
* * *
BEATING A Massillon team for the first time since 1951, the Panthers also became the first team to shut out the Tigers since 1948. That year Len Dawson and his cohorts from Alliance turned the tide, 14-0. Until last night, the Tigers had scored in 100 straight games. The 1945 Tiger-Panther argument ended in a scoreless tie, while the last Warren goose-egg job over Massillon was 12-0 in 1932.

The series now stands at 25 wins for Massillon, and eight for Warren and the one tie.

For those of you interested in figures, the orange limited the hosts to seven first downs and an average of 3.8 yards per play on the ground. Warren’s touchdown pass was the only serious maneuver against the Tigers in the air.

The Panthers, on several occasions, stopped the Tiger attack on crucial plays. On other occasions the Tigers had very little luck riding with them – because a clipping penalty erased a touchdown on the opening kickoff, two passes flicked off the fingertips of intended receivers at the goal line and another was tripped by a defender he had “beat.” Add the fact that Jerry Mitchell got behind his defender in the end zone and then saw his fine, diving effort go for naught as the ball just escaped his outstretched hands by inches.

The Tigers had the outstanding runners too, since Snively, swivel-hipped Art Hastings and the redoubtable Dave Dean each made more yardage than any single Warren runner.

Hastings gained 80 yards in 15 tries, Dean 70 yards in 14 trips and Snively 64 yards in 10 attempts. Joe Sparma made 31 in eight tries.

But the Warren backs, showing speed and elusiveness, kept the invading orange on its toes.

Nimble-footed Paul Warfield with 50 yards in 14 carries, led the Panther infantry. Fullback Bob Sims carried eight times for 44 yards and Halfback Willie Jones made 20 yards in nine trips with the pigskin. Quarterback Joe Malone, pushing the buttons in adept fashion, gained 11 yards in five carries while sub Paul Provitt, replacing Jones who was injured after being tackled on the second half kickoff, ran three times for seven yards.

Now for some of the particulars.
* * *
THE PARTICULAR PLAY, naturally that had all Tiger fans buzzing, was the one that brought the crowd to its collective feet on the first whistle of the cool, crisp evening. Massillon won the toss and received with Snively grabbing the ball at his own 10. Immediately he set sail up the east sideline, got a couple of nifty blocks around midfield and sprung free at the Warren 30. He outran several opponents to the end zone and completed his 90-yard jaunt amid the cheers of Tiger fans.

But a “hankie” was dropped at the 30 and Massillon was set back to its 15 due to a clipping penalty.

Hastings went for eight and Dean seven before the ball was lost on a fumble and the Tigers were in trouble. Warfield swept the right side for 18 yards and Warren’s second biggest gain on the ground all night, but in the next four plays the hosts made only seven yards and it was Massillon’s turn to wax tenacious.

With Hastings twisting and fighting his way for a 28-yarder, Massillon stayed on the ground to move to the enemy 13. A faulty handoff cost it six yards and two running plays made three before Mitchell and a Warren boy got tangled up and Sparma’s pass was a shade too far deep in the end zone.

And it was Warren’s turn to go on the prowl. The last four plays of the quarter netted 20 yards and the Panthers were aided by an offside call against the orange. Warfield and Jones combined for 17 on the first four plays of the second panel and after Warfield dashed for 12 and Sims for three, Warren was at the Tiger 26.

One pass was short and Jones got zero on the left side but on fourth down and with seven to go, Slaughter’s outfit got the pay-off strike.

Malone passed straight down the middle. Jones snagged the oval on the dead run at the 12 and zipped into the end zone. Malone, passing from placement formation, then failed to hit the mark and it was 6-0.

After the kickoff the Bengals got two first downs but a penalty forced them to punt. Six plays later Warren gambling with fourth and a yard and a half to go at its own 45, failed and the Tigers threatened once again. After Sparma lost six on an attempted pass, he threw out to big Bob Vogel, parallel to the line of scrimmage and Vogel, in turn, fired a long crossfield pass toward Mitchell. The 55-yard pitch led Jerry by a step. With Warren looking for another pass, Sparma kept and got into the open on the right side but he was brought down after a 28-yard pick-up and time elapsed before another play could get under way.
* * *
THE FIRST TIME the orange and black got possession in the third frame it fumbled and Warren recovered at the Tiger 14, but the defense stiffened, Massillon took over at the 22, and again got a sustained drive going.

Snively rumbled for 28 yards and he, Hastings, Sparma, Dean and Jerry Allen made four first downs to the Panther 13. On the last two plays of the quarter Massillon netted five. On the first play of the final round Sparma was tossed for a four-yard deficit and on fourth down, Pledgure tried a reverse pass. It lacked a foot from making connections to Mitchell who was diving in the corner of the end zone.

An intercepted pass and two booming punts by Sims, aided by the wind at his back and the hard turf which helped the ball bounce along, then held the Tigers at bay. After the second kick at 3:54, Sparma went to the air. He hit wingback Jim Wood for eight and then Snively for 20. The latter ran for six before Sparma fired to him again, this time the gain being 18 yards and 2:45 remained. But here it was not to be.

A Sparma pass was dropped before he was smothered on another potential pass play. On fourth down Sparma’s peg intended for Allen was broken up at the 10 and the handwriting was on the wall. After Sims banged for 23 yards, the Panthers stalled out the clock. Their fans went whoopee and after they finished their congratulating on the field, continued their celebration in the downtown business district.

Tough To Lose

MASSILLON
Ends – Vogel, Mitchell, Zorn, Oliver.
Tackles – Donat, Bordner, Snodgrass, Appleby.
Guards – Karrenbauer, Slicker, Perry, Medure.
Centers – Shilling, Snyder.
Quarterback – Sparma.
Halfbacks – Snively, Wood, Clark, Radtke, Morrow, Allen, Pledgure.
Fullbacks – Dean, Hastings, McKey.

WARREN
Ends – Tutich, Laraway, Imburgia.
Tackles – Perfetti, Minotti, Colllins,
Guards – Reiser, Thompson.
Centers – Rodosovich, Romig.
Quarterback – Malone.
Halfbacks – Warfield, Jones, Wesley, Provitt, DeCavitch, Brogdon, Howard.
Fullbacks – Sims, Getsay, Zalac.

Scoring by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 0 0 0
Warren 0 6 0 0 6

Touchdown: Warren – Jones (28-pass).

OFFICIALS
Referee – George Ellis.
Umpire – Fritz Graf.
Head Linesman – Irwin Shopbell.
Field Judge – Sam Hodnick.

STATISTICS
M W
First Downs – Rushing 13 7
First Downs – Passing 2 2
First Downs – Penalties 0 1
Total First Downs 15 10
Number of rushing Plays 58 48
Yards Gained – Running Plays 262 149
Yards Lost – Running Plays 23 14
Net Yardage – Running 239 135
Passes Attempted 10 8
Passes Completed 3 4
Passes Had Intercepted 1 0
Yards Returned – Intercepted
Passes 0 7
Yards Gained – Passing 46 54
Total Yardage – Running
and Passing 285 189
Number of Kickoff Returns 2 1
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 13 17
Average length of Kickoff
Returns 6.5 17.0
Number of Punt Returns 1 0
Yardage – Punt Returns 1 0
Average Length of Punt Return 1 0
Number of Punts 1 3
Total yardage on Punts 42 128
Average Length of Punts 42 42.6
Number of Penalties 3 3
Yards Lost on Penalties 25 15
Number of Fumbles 4 3
Own Fumbles Recovered 2 3
Ball Lost on Fumbles 2 0

1958: Masillon 20, Mansfield 8

October 17, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Rely On Power In Winning Fifth
One Pass, Two Long Drives Net 20-8 Win Over Mansfield Team

By CHARLIE POWELL

Mansfield didn’t have Clyde Beatty to transform the Massillon Tiger into an obedient, tame little pussy cat.

Neither did it have enough strong-armed warriors to corral the Tiger Friday night when the Tiger went on the prowl three times and crushed the enemy under foot, 20-8, to retain its position among the gridiron elite.

Over 12,000 fans at Mansfield’s Arlin field saw the host Tygers fall into a well-laid trap. The orange and black set up the Mansfielders with fancy overtures from the spread formation and when they figured the Tigers were serious about their efforts, they girded their defense to stop the same, and promptly pulled their noose tighter.

Massillon’s stouties switched to ram’em football and just plain, straight, ordinary football paid off in a fifth triumph – a triumph coupled with an upset of Warren Harding that certainly will usher the Tigers into the top seat in the Ohio scholastic title chase.
* * *
THE TIGERS trailed Warren by a slight point margin in the state poll last week. By the early part of next week, voters can be expected to make Massillon No. 1.

In losing, 8-0 to Central Catholic’s courageous Crusaders on the home sod last night, the Warren Panthers went down to their first loss of the season. That setback took some glitter off next week’s Massillon-Warren conflict – but not much.

Warren still must be considered a threat and a victory next Friday at Warren will be a “must” for Leo Strang’s steadily-improved array. A single loss probably would snuff out all titular hopes what with the way Cleveland Cathedral Latin, Alliance, and some of the other are going.

Following last night’s tussle, Mansfield coaches indicated they would favor Massillon over Warren but the Panthers will be in a mighty revengeful mood next week. They should be in a lot better shape physically and when it comes to mental attitude, Gene Slaughter and his assistants should have not trouble at all keying their charges to the right pitch – because Warren has been pointing for the Tigers ever since last year’s clock controversy.

Massillon’s latest victim gave it a good try but the Strang gang was not to be denied once the off-tackle slants and power plays up the middle started to click.

Trying to pin down Coach Strang for comments after action ceased was like trying to stop a very angry bull in a china shop. He was very happy, indeed, but between bursts of joy he emphasized that this hard-fighting Mansfield club was vanquished only because of a
grade-A team effort.
* * *
“ALL OF THEM played a whale of a game. Our blocking was real sharp on those power plays, the ball carriers never stopped plugging and the defense never let down a bit.”

“And you know,” he said, “Our fancy stuff might have gone had we been more settled down at the start.”

In a more serious mood, he recalled the Warren upset and added, “Warren will come back fighting mad next week. They’ll be twice as tough for us.”

Mansfield proved to be a pesky team. The Tom Pierson-coached team gave ground begrudgingly but the Massillon defense contained their offense very well except for the last three and a half minutes of the game.

The red and white averaged only three yards per rushing play and a heads-up Tiger pass defense crimped the aerial warfare.

Pierson, whose team opened the door to its only score against a sub-studded Bengal eleven, said Mansfield was beaten by a “very fine football team…maybe the very best.”

At times the Tiger offensive machine didn’t look like one of the best but on three occasions it was more than adequate.
* * *
END BILL ZORN, one of the many defensive stickouts, partially blocked a Mansfield punt in the second period and Corky Pledgure returned the short kick 17 yards to the enemy 19.

In five plays Massillon broke the ice. Dave Dean, Art Hastings and Jim Snively moved the pigskin to the 14 from which point a pass brought on the first touchdown. On fourth down, Quarterback Joe Sparma whipped the ball to big Bob Vogel who made a great catch a yard away from the final stripe. He turned and took one step over the goal line before being pushed back into the playing area but the Tigers had six points at 5:57 – and still six after a pass on the extra point try failed by an inch.

That was the only big noise of the first half but the first time the orange got possession in the second half, it banged through the Tyger line for another touchdown.

After a punt, Massillon drilled 70 yards in 14 plays with Dean tallying on a smash at right guard from the one at 1:32. Enroute the quick-moving Hastings rambled on runs of 13 and 19 yards and Dean got off a 12-yard gainer. Halfback Jerry Allen, who missed the Steubenville and Benedictine games because of an injury, came in to hit off tackle to make the score 14-0.

After the kickoff the red and white was stymied and on the first play of the final period, Tom Schadek kicked to his own 40. Hastings promptly dashed for 17 and the Tigers were on their way once again.

This drive covered 15 plays with Dean, Allen, Hastings and Snively carrying. From the two Sparma kept, blasted over left guard and into pay dirt and it was still 20 to zero after Hase KcKey’s placement was blocked.

Mansfield took the kickoff and rolled 64 yards with Taylor, Monk, Ragsdale and Howard lugging the leather. With 14 seconds remaining, Ragsdale tallied off tackle and then ran across the two extra points. After the kickoff it was all history.
* * *
THE VICTORY was the 16th for Massillon in the series. Mansfield has won twice while four battles ended in a tie. The current Tyger combine now has won four and lost two.

Sparma’s touchdown pass was his only completion in four second period attempts. There was only one pass tried in the second half. Had the Tigers been forced to the air more often, Sparma might have riddled the home town forces because the receivers were getting behind the defenders.

After the first period most of the Massillon plays were directed between the ends. A sweep was called a few times in order to keep the defense guessing.

Hastings and Dean were the leading gainers for the orange with Hastings making 85 yards in 12 tries for an average of seven yards per try and Dean picking up 78 yards in 17 carries for 4.5 average. Snively carted nine times for 39 yards.

Keep It Up

MASSILLON
Ends – Vogel, Mitchell, Zorn, Oliver, Zumbrunn.
Tackles – Bordner, Donat, Appleby, Snodgrass, Herndon, Haines.
Guards – Karrenbauer, Slicker, Bednar, Perry, Kasunick, Placevk.
Centers – Shilling, Snyder.
Quarterbacks – Sparma, Finney.
Halfbacks – Snively, Wood, Pledgure, Clark, Allen, Radtke, Morrow, Hershberger.
Fullbacks – Dean, McKey, Hastings.

MANSFIELD
Ends – Hayden, Proto, Schadek, McGinty.
Tackles – Lehr, Cole.
Guards – Roth, Schmahl, Conrad, Mrray.
Centers – Scott, Goettle.
Quarterback – Monk.
Halfbacks – Ragsdale, Howard, Marsh, Sams.
Fullbacks – Taylor, Weaver.

Scoring by quarters:
Massillon 0 6 8 6 20
Mansfield 0 0 0 8 8

Massillon scoring:
Touchdowns – Vogel (14-pass); Dean (1-run); Sparma (2-run).
Extra points – Allen (run).

Mansfield scoring:
Touchdown – Ragsdale (1-run)
Extra points – Ragsdale (run)

OFFICIALS
Referee – George Ellis.
Umpire – Don McPhee.
Head Linesman – Bob McPhee.
Field Judge – Jim Langhurst

STATISTICS
Mass. Man.
First Downs – Rushing 11 9
First Downs – Passing 1 0
First Downs – Penalties 0 0
Total First Downs 12 9
Number of Rushing Plays 45 49
Yards Gained – Running Plays 205 164
Yards Lost – Running Plays 1 24
Net Yardage – Running 204 140
Passes Attempted 5 8
Passes Completed 1 2
Passes Had Intercepted 0 0
Yards Gained –Passing 14 10
Net Yardage – Running
and Passing 218 150
Number of Kickoff Returns 1 4
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 8 50
Average Length of Kickoff
Returns 8 12.5
Number of Punt Returns 1 1
Yardage – Punt Returns 5 7
Number of Punts 4 5
Total Yard on Punts 96 128
Average Length of Punts 24.5 25.6
Number of Penalties 5 3
Yards Lost on Penalties 25 25
Number of Fumbles 1 2
Own Fumbles Recovered 1 2
Ball Lost on Fumbles 0 0

1958: Massillon 19, Cleveland Benedictine 0

October 10, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tiger Passes Beat Benedictine 19-0
Massillon Gridders Halt State Champions’ 18-Game Victory Streak

By CHARLIE POWELL

The seed that may grow into a healthy return of the days when this man’s town was known far and wide as No. 1 in the football parade last night was planted by the 1958 Massillon Tigers.

They became a real, honest-to-goodness football team as they snapped the 18-game win streak of big, bold Cleveland Benedictine, by a 19-0 count before 13,965 paid admissions.

They outplayed and outfought a determined Benedictine array which relied strictly on power. They out ran them, they out passed them and they out foxed them, parlaying a “multiplied multiple” offense and a rock ribbed defense into the most coveted triumph of the season.

Surely their prestige soared both locally and statewide and any praise that came their way last night or that which will be coming the next couple of days, is entirely justified.
* * *
COACH LEO STRANG of the Tigers and the losing coach, Augie Bossu, were quick to point up the toughness of the orange and black after the game.

“We improved and we beat a real, tough football team. Our blocking on internal plays was a lot better and that made our outside plays and our passing attack go,” said Strang.

“You had too much balance and too much depth for us. You were just too strong,” said Bossu whose attitude was very pleasant because he was beamingly pleased with the way his charges played ball.

Now that the revenge victory has gone into the archives, Strang is trusting that that performance will prove a harbinger of what he and Tiger fans can expect in the future.
* * *
“OUR OFFENSE looked real good. We beat a real tough defensive team and our defense played another good game (it was the third time in four wins that the local lads shout-out the opposition).

“We can improve more. We have a lot of work to do because we’re not out of the woods yet,” he added.

Certainly he was thinking about next week’s game at Mansfield and the following week’s battle at Warren – and the fact that the rest of the schedule has no soft touches.

The Bengals, Massillon variety, knew they had vanquished a very fine opponent. They were a weary bunch at the finish but luckily, there was no cause for deep concern about more injuries. Three heavy duty performers, Ken Bordner, Corky Pledgure and Jerry Allen, plus Co-Captain Al Pierce, (the latter in uniform for the first time this year) did not play at all.

The additional rest apparently will do them good and barring the unforeseen, all should be in tip-top shape for the Mansfield fracas.
* * *
BENEDICTINE, which now has lost three of four starts to the Tigers, may have been looking for Massillon to go with its “smorgasbord” attack but the Benies had a rugged time finding the right remedy.

The orange and black, with the line doing a good job ahead of ball carriers Joe Sparma, Dave Dean, Jim Snively and Art Hastings, moved that big Benie line for a total of 180 yards.

An additional 113 yards came on some pin-point passing by Sparma with a late assist from Bill Finney, who threw for the third touchdown, and some catching, just short of terrific, by Bob Vogel, Bill Zorn and Jerry Mitchell.

Massillon’s defense, braced by Vogel, Zorn, Hase McKey, Gail Karrenbauer and “Sluggo” Bednar, to name a few, gave up only six first downs and a net total of 83 yards.

Benedictine had a tricky quarterback in veteran Larry Hradisky but the blue and white’s twirler had his troubles hitting the target.
* * *
SNIVELY, hitting off tackle and sweeping the flanks, was the Tiger workhorse as he carried 23 times for 104 yards. Dean, bothered at times by an ouchy leg, made 39 yards in 15 trips and Hastings gained 30 in seven tries. Dean scored the second TD of the night from one foot out.

Vogel caught three passes for 59 yards and scored one touchdown. Zorn tallied the third six-pointer on a three-yard pass play and Mitchell had on reception for 14 yards.

Two passes, both caught by Vogel, were responsible as the host team moved out front with 6:54 left in the opening quarter. After an exchange of punts, Massillon had possession on the Benie 45 and on the first play, Sparma threw down the middle to Vogel who snagged the pigskin at the 26 and was felled at the 20. Snively was held at the line but it was 6-0 as Vogel, out in the left flat, took Sparma’s soft, perfect-leading peg over his shoulder at the one and stepped into pay dirt.

On the conversion try, Sparma ran to his right but was stopped short of the final stripe.

It was a cause of “almost, not quite,” for Strang’s gang soon afterward. They got the ball as Mitchell leaped high to intercept a pass at his own 18. At the end of the quarter the Tigers were at the Benie 25 – following a 13-yard effort by Snively and Sparma’s pass to Mitchell who made a circus catch – one-handed as he was heading earthward – at the 25.
* * *
ART HASTINGS entered the lineup at the start of the second panel and in three carries, he placed the ball at the 12. But two running plays netted six and a pass went incomplete as Hradisky broke up a throw intended for Jim Wood in the end zone. On fourth down Sparma uncorked another aerial but it was Hradisky again, breaking up the toss just as it got to Snively, also in the end zone.
* * *
BENEDICTINE did nothing and was forced to kick. Cornelius Clark pranced and danced his way for 37 yards on the return as Zorn threw a nifty block, but Massillon got no farther than the enemy 16.

The score was 6-0 at the half and still the same at the end of a third period which found the orange braking the visitors at every turn.

A 63-yard march got its take-off power near the end of the period. A 14-yard pass, Sparma to Vogel and the running of Dean and Snively featured as the Tigers moved to the 12 as the final session got under way.

In five plays Dean, on a second try from within the one-yard line, rammed across. Bob Oliver tried the end-around but his attempt fell short and it was 12-0 at 10:03.

With the aid of a penalty, the Benies got three first downs in three plays. They got nine in two more rushes but with McKey swarming through, the ball carrier failed to make even a foot on the next two plays.
* * *
THEN MASSILLON had to kick. Benedictine turned the ball over on a fumble after four plays but two plays later the Tigers played “give-away.” Then two plays later Hradisky, back to pass, had the boom lowered on him by Zorn and the Benie quarterback fumbled with Vogel recovering at the Benedictine 44. This led to another Tiger score.

Sparma threw long and about as perfect as you can get, Vogel catching again, to place the ball at the Benie eight. On the next play the visitors were penalized for being off-side. Then, with only 17 seconds remaining, Finney tossed into the end zone, right into the hands of Zorn near the boundary line.

Getting Tougher

MASSILLON
Ends – Vogel, Mitchell, Zorn, Barkman, Oliver.
Tackles – Donat, Slicker, Haines, Appleby, Bukuts, Herndon.
Guards – Perry, Karrenbauer, Bednar, J. Kasunick, Willey.
Centers – Shilling ,Snyder.
Quarterbacks – Sparma, Finney.
Halfbacks – Snivley, Wood, Radtke, Clark, Hershberger.
Fullbacks – Dean, Hastings, Morrow, McKey.

BENEDICTINE
Ends – Marek, Grigalianas, Jaskinski.
Tackles – DeFiore, Gibbons, Zahorski, Krisinski.
Guards – Marcin, Siath, Baumbick, Liederbach.
Centers – Coufalik, Janiak, D. Kestner.
Quarterback – Hradisky.
Halfbacks – Davis, Rini, Haggerty, Jambor, Malinak.
Fullbacks – Schepis, J. Kestner, Catanza.

Scoring by quarters:
Massillon 6 0 0 12 19
Benedictine 0 0 0 0 0

Touchdowns – Vogel (20-pass); Zorn (3-pass); Dean (1-run).
Extra point – Hershberger (placement)

OFFICIALS
Referee – William Holzwarth.
Umpire – Don Belknap.
Head Linesman – Marv English.
Field Judge – Horace Rainsberger.

STATISTICS
M B
First Downs – Rushing 9 6
First Downs – Passing 4 0
First Downs – Penalties 1 1
Total First Downs 14 7
Number of Rushing Plays 62 40
Yards Gained – Running Plays 190 94
Yards Lost – Running Plays 10 19
Net Yardage – Running 180 75
Passes Attempted 12 7
Passes Completed 7 1
Passes Had Intercepted 0 2
Yards Returned –
Intercepted Passes 2 0
Yards Gained –Passing 113 8
Net Yardage – Running
and Passing 293 83
Number of Kickoff Returns 1 4
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 15 57
Average Length of Kickoff
Returns 15 14.2
Number of Punt Returns 3 2
Yardage – Punt Returns 55 12
Average length of Punt
Return 18.3 6
Number of Punts 3 4
Total Yardage on Punts 97 162
Average Length of Punts 32.3 40.5
Number of Penalties 5 5
Yards Lost on Penalties 45 41
Number of Fumbles 3 4
Own Fumbles Recovered 1 1
Ball Lost on Fumbles 2 3

1958: Massillon 19, Steubenville 7

October 3, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Defeat Steubenville 19-7
Snively Sparks Drive As Bengals Score Twice In Last Seven Minutes

By CHARLIE POWELL

Dr. L. J. Snively, Massillon dentist, was far away from the tools of his profession. He was in the stands rootin’ while his eldest son Jim, down on the gridiron, did the yankin’.

He yanked victory right out of Steubenville’s grasp by virtue of a scintillating 74-yard kickoff return that brought the Tigers out of the hole and paved the way for a thrilling 19-7 triumph over the invading Big Red at Tiger stadium last night.

Around 13,000 fans (12,835 paid) either had a re-birth of spirit or died a thousand deaths as the Steubers, decisively out-played for three quarters, barged back to take a 7-6 lead at 7:18 in the final period.
* * *
THERE WERE all kinds of pyrotechnics in that last cliff-hanging session but the biggest blast of all, the turning point of battle, was the run by young Jim Snively, 146-pound senior who, in starting his first game of the year, celebrated a birthday a few hours prematurely.

Today is his 17th birthday – and Steubenville probably is thinking he was born several years too soon.

After falling behind as Steubenville capitalized on an 89-yard drive, an eight-yard pass for the score and Tom Cunningham’s perfect placement, the Bengals got the lift they needed from the dentist’s son.

The kick by Halfback Wally Neel went down to the Tiger 15 where it was taken by Snively. Within a few seconds the ball was resting down at the Big Red 11. Jim flew up an alley in the middle, sidestepped two would-be tacklers, then shook another with a quick change of direction and was free wheeling after a change of pace at the Steuber 40, another veer left another tackler picking up grass. The time he took in order to steer away from his opponents was enough for a couple of Steubenville players to finally make the tackle after a heart-pounding dash.
* * *
OF COURSE, Snively had to have some help and he got it…with Co-Captain Dave Dean and then the fiery Gail Karrenbauer throwing scythe-like key blocks.

A little over a minute later the same Snively, getting fine blocks by End Bob Vogel and Tackle John Donat, sailed into the end zone from seven yards out and the Tigers were in business.

The Big Red hit for a 14-yard pass play but subsequent aerials failed and with 3:30 remaining, Leo Strang’s comeback kids started driving for some extra room enroute to their third victory.

Sparma, whose running helped keep the Big Red defense honest all night, got all a
28-yarder and Massillon moved 50 yards before Dean, piling through left guard, tallied with only 17 seconds of action remaining.

The clock got into the act here. Before the previous play, in which Snively gained a yard at right tackle, the scoreboard time piece showed 33, seconds left and after the play was completed, it still read “0:33.”

The referee apparently had not given the timer a signal to start the clock and before the touchdown play, the “ref” had him run off a few seconds.
* * *
THE CLOCK did not figure in the outcome, only the final score. If the Tigers hadn’t scored (the TD came on a third down smash), the Steubers would have faced a virtually insurmountable task.

The Tiger task was spearheaded by Snively and Art Hastings, ultra-promising sophomore, who entered the game midway in the first quarter – and proceeded to earn himself a carload of plaudits.

Hastings, working from fullback and left half, carried 22 times and gained 170 yards to more than out-gain the entire visiting team. He did not hit pay dirt but a 55-yard jaunt set up the only touchdown until the final round and he also was very prominent in other drives. He averaged 7.7 yards a trip.

Besides his great kickoff return, Sniverly toted 17 times from scrimmage. He gained 75 yards for an average of 4.4 yards per try.
* * *
THE REST of the orange and black attack was comprised chiefly of more running by Dean and Sparma. Dean averaged 4.1 yards a try with a pickup of 50 in 12 attempts and Sparma, despite a leg injury, which handicapped him in the second half, went 36 yards in four carries.

They had better blocking than at any other time. Defensively the Bengals, their tackling vicious at times, allowed the river front team only 109 yards on the ground – an average of three yards per try.

The Steubers, despite the absence of speedsters Cunningham, whose one effort gave his club the 7-6 lead, and Ed Weinman, hard-hitting fullback, were dangerous from the word go. They gained 66 yards through the air. On the ground Neel, Rufus Simmons and Bob Crossley kept the Tigers worried. But quick reaction and quick thinking by the Bengal defenders prevented the visitors from getting off any long-distance specials.

The longest Big Red gain by rushing totaled 11 yards.

Steubenville’s defense plus a few missed assignments on the part of the orange, kept the score close for three quarters.
* * *
MASSILLON, running 17 plays in the first period and two at the outset of the second frame, had a drive terminated by a pass interception. This march featured short yardage efforts by Dean, Hastings and Snively. On third down at the 12, Sparma threw to Vogel in the end zone and the big end tried his best to break the ice. He dived and got his hands on the ball as he was coming down but just as he hit the grass, the pigskin escaped him. On the fourth down Sparma was rushed and his toss to the right was intercepted by Steuber linebacker Jim Staib at the nine and he ran out to the 15.

Steubenville had to kick from its 37 and the Tigers, starting from their 11, went for the works. At the 31 Hastings hit off left tackle, showed a nice change of pace and broke into the clear at mid-field. He was tackled after a 55-yard run at the enemy 14. Then Snively, with Tiger fans roaring, went wide to the right and darted into the end zone,just managing to stay inbounds before hitting the final stripe. Corky Pledgure, running to his left, tried to make two points. As he was tackled at the seven, he lateralled to Sparma who was stopped short but it was 6-0 at 4:08.

On the first play after the kick-off the alert Vogel pounced on a fumble at the Steubenville 28. Snively rambled for nine and Hastings for 12 before a clipping penalty put the locals back to the 17. Hastings, fighting for every inch, gained 12, but Steubenville took over after holding Snively for two and the same boy without gain.

At halftime the Tigers had clicked off 197 yards with Hastings responsible for 107 and Snively for 68.

In the third stanza another Massillon bid was thwarted. After a Big Red punt, the Strang gang went from their own 25 to the opponent’s 14 before losing the ball on a fumble. This march included a 17-yard gain by Hastings. Twice the Tigers kept moving on a
fourth-and-one situation.

The red-uniformed team, with Neel doing the running and Roach passing to End George Milosevich for 38 yards, finally got up a head of steam.

The drive was climaxed when Crossley, clear at the goal line, took a pass from Roach on an eight-yard scoring play. It came on fourth down at 7:14 and Cunningham came off the bench to make the count 7-6.
* * *
STEUBENVILLE fans were still whopping things up when Snively whizzed back on the kick-off. From the Big Red 11, Hastings made four in two plays before Snively tallied on a pitchout. His run for the extra points was shy but Massillon had regained the lead role and as it turned out, for keeps.

With 3:30 remaining the visitors had to relinquish possession as three passes following a run by Crossley went for naught. Two of them were off the fingertips of the intended receivers.

Sparma, wriggling out of the grasp of two Big Red boys, picked up 28 yards before Snively, Hastings and Dean took the leather to the two. Then Dean scored and it was all over for all rhyme or reason.

STATISTICS
M S
First Downs – Rushing 16 4
First Downs – Passing 0 2
First Downs – Penalties 0 3
Total First Downs 16 9
Number of Rushing Plays 58 42
Yards Gained – Rushing Plays 334 109
Yards Lost – Running Plays 1 13
Net Yardage – Running 333 96
Passes Attempted 3 11
Passes Completed 0 3
Passes Had Intercepted 1 1
Yards Returned –
Intercepted Passes 0 6
Yards Gained – Passing 0 60
Total Net Yardage –
Running and Passing 333 156
Number of Kickoff Returns 2 4
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 74 52
Average Length of Kickoff
Returns 37 13
Number of Punt Returns 3 0
Yardage – Punt Returns 4 0
Average Length of Punt
Return 1.3 0
Number of Punts 1 3
Total Yardage on Punts 41 132
Average length of Punts 41 44
Number of Penalties 5 3
Yards Lost on Penalties 35 25
Number of Fumbles 2 3
Own Fumbles Recovered 1 2
Ball Lost on Fumbles 1 1

1958: Massillon 8, Alliance 8

September 26, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers And Alliance Battle To 8-8 Tie
Massillon Gridders Knot Score On Second Play Of Fourth Period

By CHARLIE POWELL

The 35th Massillon-Alliance football battle will be entered in the history books as the first tie game in modern day rivalry.

It also will be known as one of the most “iffy” issues of all time. The controversy attributed to that 8-8 deadlock at Mt. Union College stadium Friday night will last for a long, long time.

The game will be replayed many times over by the 10,000 – plus fans, including 9,510 paid, who were there when “if” this or “if” that had happened – or hadn’t happened – their favorites would have grabbed the spoils. But all the “ifs” and “buts” will not change the story – the story of an underdog Alliance team emerging with a moral victory over a Tiger team hounded by some sort of a jinx.
* * *
THE JINX affected Coach Leo Strang just as it affected two of the last three Tiger mentors, Chuck Mather and Tom Harp. However, Strang was a little more fortunate, the first blemish on his slate being a tie while the first time Massillon lost under Mather and Harp it was to the Aviators at the Alliance field.

The Tigers, in most previous trips to Alliance, had their troubles and last night was no exception as penalties, injuries and mistakes that can happen to anyone went against them.

But the one crucial play that will be remembered for many a moon will be the pass interception which would have given the Tigers possession shortly after their tying touchdown and conversion had it not been for a penalty.

As the final period got under way the Bengals climaxed a 68-yard march by sending Fullback Dave Dean in for a TD and then sub Back Jim Snively across for the tying points.

The timepiece showed 7:51 remaining on the play that broke Massillon’s back.
* * *
ON A SECOND and nine situation, Walt Zingg, the fine Alliance quarterback, tossed a pass into the right flat and after it was deflected twice, the ball landed in the arms of Ted Radtke, defensive corner back for the Tigers, and from his own 30 Ted got back to the 48.

For a few seconds bedlam reigned among Tiger fans but it was Alliance’s turn to roar after the referee stepped off a 15-yard roughing – the – passer penalty against the Bengals.

The Aviators finally reached the Tiger 18 before giving up the pigskin but Massillon was in its own backyard, not to get out.

They had to kick, then the defense stopped the host club shy of a first down at the 38 before getting possession again. On the next play End Larry Shinn pounced on a fumble and two plays later it was all over.
* * *
COACH STRANG, while having his doubts about some of the calls made by the officials, did not question the pass interference ruling at length. He showed mild dissatisfaction, figuring the best thing to do was to wait until he could study the game movies.

Somewhat stunned after seeing a team of his finish in a tie for the first time in his coaching experience. Strang elaborated on Alliance’s first play from scrimmage of the night.

Gene Venables, the flashy running fullback who made 89 yards in 18 carries for the red and blue, headed around the left side from his own 31 – and was apparently trapped for a 12-yard loss. But he managed to slip away from his would-be tacklers and wasn’t downed until after he had picked up 21 yards.

That kept the Aviators going. In 11-more plays, including a 12-yard jaunt by pocket-sized Lee Woolf, they hit pay dirt with Halfback Bob Brown tallying from the four. Venables scored the extra points on a sweep at 3:20 and it was 8-0 despite Massillon cries that the Alliance boy did not cross the final stripe.
* * *
THE TIGER mentor also thought a dropped pass coming just before halftime also hurt his team’s chances. Had the ball been caught the Bengals would have had a first down at about the Aviator 30 with a minute remaining in the second period.

This play occurred shortly after Jerry Allen, playing his first game of the season, sped for 17 yards and Quarterback Joe Sparma, unable to find a receiver open, ran for 10.

The Massillon cause certainly was handicapped by injuries, most of them minor, but enough to slow the boys down for a few minutes. In the case of Dean who received a leg injury on the fifth play of the game, it was more serious because the line-blasting co-captain was never quite the same after that.

Between injuries, bad breaks and players left virtually wilted by the humidity, the Tigers simply had it.

“Inexperience proved costly too,” was a reminder from Strang.

“We had a tough time making the right adjustments and it was only because of the lack of varsity game experience,” he said.

“Alliance kept changing its defense but we lacked the ability to make the necessary adjustments on the field.”
* * *
TOUCHING on the Tiger offense, Strang said he was very pleased with the running of Allen, who clicked off 71 yards in 16 trips; Sparma, who ran more than ever before, seven times for 21 yards; and sophomore Art Hastings who supplied the spark in the Tigers’ only big drive of the night.

Hastings, hitting quickly off tackle and up the middle, gained 24 yards during the thrust as he and Snively went into the lineup following injuries to Dean and Allen.

Allen had contributed 26 yards to help move the ball 68 yards. With the oval at the one as the final quarter started, Dean returned to action and on his second dive over center, made the touchdown at 11:13. Snively ripped off left tackle for the extra points.

Then came the much-discussed pass interference call and the Alliance effort, which came to a stop at the Orange 18. After an in-motion penalty, Sparma legged for 10, Dean for six and Hastings for one before a sweep lost two and Sparma was swarmed under for an
11-yard deficit as he tried to pass. The Tigers had to punt and in the remaining two and a half minutes both teams tried their best to break the deadlock. It wasn’t in the book.

It was the first tie game for Massillon since 1955. That year Mansfield and the Tigers played a 12-12 stalemate. The Massillon-Alliance modern day series now stands at 29 wins for Massillon, five wins for Alliance and the one tie.

Massillon and Alliance also waged a 19-19 tie in 1918.

The tie interrupted Massillon’s modest six-game winning streak, which started after the locals lost to Benedictine last year.

STATISTICS
M A
First Downs – Rushing 12 7
First Downs – Passing 0 2
First Downs – Penalties 1 1
Total First Downs 13 10
Number of Rushing Plays 50 44
Yards Gained – Rushing Plays 170 53
Yards Lost – Running Plays 18 11
Net Yardage – Running 152 142
Passes Attempted 6 4
Passes Completed 1 2
Passes Had Intercepted 1 0
Yards Returned –
Intercepted Passes 0 7
Yards Gained – Passing 7 43
Total Net Yardage –
Running and Passing 159 185
Number of Kickoff Returns 2 2
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 18 21
Average Length of Kickoff
Returns 9 10.5
Number of Punt Returns 1 1
Yardage – Punt Returns 10 2
Average Length of Punt Return 10 2
Number of Punts 2 2
Total Yardage on Punts 64 67
Average length of Punts 31 33.5
Number of Penalties 4 3
Yards Lost on Penalties 40 45
Number of Fumbles 2 0
Own Fumbles Recovered 1 0
Ball Lost on Fumbles 1 0

1958: Massillon 20, Canton Lincoln 0

September 19, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Grind Out 20-0 Victory Over Lincoln
Bengals Shore Up Defense But Move Slowly On Ground

By CHARLIE POWELL

Absence of a breakaway runner that smacks of a Homer Floyd or an Ivory Benjamin was never more conclusive when Washington high’s Tigers met Canton Lincoln at Tiger stadium Friday night.

Only twice did a ball carrier make over 10 yards on a single effort but grind’em out thrusts, a couple of dandy passes and a defense that made the Lions yell “uncle” were more than enough as the Bengals uncorked a 20-0 triumph before 11,783 fans.

Indeed, Leo Strang’s charges enjoyed a big statistical bulge over the Lions, who have yet to beat a Massillon team in 14 tries. The Tigers controlled the football, running 58 plays to Lincoln’s 36, gained 251 yards to 89 and were stopped without a first down on just one series of plays.

And indeed this Lincoln team, literally playing its heart out, had the Bengals well scouted.
* * *
BUT ON ENDLESS occasions the line blocked, and the leather luggers got through an opening only to wind up with short yardage. The downfield blocking wasn’t the world’s worst, either, however the runners, seemingly were intent on trying to ram the tackler down or were cutting inside when they might have been heading away from the mass of young humanity.

For the second straight week Fullback Dave Dean was the wheel-horse, carting 25 times and gaining 93 yards and hitting in for one touchdown. The veteran Corky Pledgure, still not in the best of shape, had a good night as he ripped off 54 yards in 10 carries and hard-nosed Jim Hershberger ran seven times for 28 yards.

Pledgure winged for 20 yards once, Hershberger got off a 13-yarder and wingback Corny Clark raced for 11 yards once but that was the extend of any long gains.

Coach Strang, visibly upset by the inability of the runners to be loose as a goose in the open field, did not blame all on the boys, however.

“We have to keep remembering that only a few of these boys have had much varsity experience. They are still learning and believe me, they are looking better every week.”

“It takes time and a little patience. We looked a little better tonight. I thought the defense was fine, didn’t you?”

To this, everybody must nod their heads in agreement. The defense was very good.
* * *
THE LINCOLN TEAM, losing its second straight start, made only five first downs and its best gain went for eight yards. The Tigers did a good job containing such dangerous ball toters as swivel-hipped Art DeOrio and hard-running George Saimes.

“We will keep trying to improve the defense, too, but we’ve got to emphasize the running game right now,” Strang said.

Lithe Tom Spencer, who started at tailback; sophomore Art Hastings, who went in at fullback for a few plays in the final period and Clark, who showed nice speed on end sweeps apparently will rate a lot of attention next week.

Clark was helped by “surprise” plays that went to the left side. But the slim senior, who has had most of his duty confined to defense, displayed lots of courage as he barreled across for two extra points after Massillon’s first touchdown.

The first TD, coming with 5:06 remaining in the second quarter, was made by Pledgure. He tallied on a sweep from the one after the Bengals had marched 63 yards in 14 plays.
* * *
A THIRD PERIOD score climaxed a drive of 63 yards in 10 plays and came on the best play of the night. With the ball at the 22, Quarterback Joe Sparma after faking beautifully, whipped a jump pass to big Bob Vogel at the eight. Bob made a nice catch of the hard-thrown ball and there just wasn’t any stopping him.

Following the kickoff, Lincoln failed for a first down at the Tiger 33 and the hosts went all the way, the drive carrying over into the final round. After 14 plays and a total of 66 yards, Dean cracked across from the one.

The first quarter was almost void of consistent gains. On the last play of that session Spencer gained three yards to his own 39 and the second quarter started with the orange and black determined and destined to break the deadlock.

Pledgure and Dean did most of the work and Pledgure circled left end for the score from one yard out. On the conversion attempt, Clark took a pitch-out and sailed around left end, driving in to make it 8-0.
* * *
LINCOLN HAD the ball for only sic plays in the second panel and only nine plays in the third period. Shortly after the second half got under way, Clark returned a punt 20 yards to his own 37 and the Tigers stepped on the gas. Sparma pitched handsomely to Vogel for 14 yards and Clark zipped for 11 on a pitch-out (with Guard Gail Karrenbauer making the key block) to help put the oval at the Lion 22. Then with Bill Zorn flanked right, Sparma hit the glue-fingered Vogel and at 5:42 it was 14-0. Sparma intended to put his foot to the football on the try for the extra points but a bad pass from center nixed the deal.
A 20-yard kickoff return by Dave English helped Lincoln reach Massillon territory but the Lion bid flunked at the Bengal 33. Hershberger and Dean gained 25 yards on the last five plays of the quarter and the Tigers continued to advance the pigskin in the final canto.

It was Dean, Pledgure, Hastings and Sparma stepping to the one before Dean ploughed through the middle for the Tigers’ third and final six-pointer at 5:57. On the conversion attempt, the Lions put on a big rush and spoiled any chance for a placement by Sparma.

The maroon-shirted team made two first downs after the kickoff but was forced to relinquish possession at the orange 33 and two plays with one responsible for eight yards via a Sparma-to-Vogel connection, it was all over – and Alliance next for the Strang gang.

EIGHT TO GO

MASSILLON
Ends – Zorn, Vogel, Oliver, Barkman, Mitchell.
Tackles – Bordner, Donat, Herndon, Haines, Clicker.
Guards – Karrenbauer, Perry, Bednar, J. Kasunick.
Centers – Shilling, Snyder, Cooley.
Quarterbacks – Sparma, Finney, Snivley.
Halfbacks – Wood, Clark, Spencer, Radtke, Herhsberger, Pledgure.
Fullbacks – Dean, McKey, Morrow, Hastings.
CANTON LINCOLN
Ends – Dan English, Okey, Tabellion.
Tackles – Pikna, Caughey.
Guards – Thompson, Paratore, Frazier, Parrish.
Center – Brandstetter.
Quarterbacks – W. Billings, Crewse.
Halfbacks – Dave English, DeOrio, Wilson.
Fullback – Saimes.

Scoring by quarters:
Massillon 0 8 6 6 20
Lincoln 0 0 0 0 0

Massillon scoring:
Touchdowns – Pledgure run-1; Dean run-1; Vogel pass-22.
Extra points – Clark 2, run.

OFFICIALS
Referee – Mack Schaffer.
Umpire – Steve Hering.
Head Linesman – Octavia Sirgo.
Field Judge – Dick Klar.

STATISTICS
M L
First Downs – Rushing 14 5
First Downs – Passing 2 0
First Downs – Penalties 0 0
Total First Downs 16 5
Number of Rushing Plays 58 36
Yards Gained – Running
Plays 228 102
Yards Lost – Running
Plays 21 13
Net Yardage – Running 207 89
Passes Attempted 5 3
Passes Completed 3 0
Passes Had Intercepted 0 0
Yards Returned –
Intercepted Passes 0 0
Yards Gained – Passing 44 0
Net Yardage – Running and
Passing 251 89
Number of Kickoff Returns 1 4
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 26 66
Average Length of Kickoff
Returns 26 16.6
Number of Punt Returns 3 1
Yardage – Punt Returns 33 14
Average Length of Punt
Returns 11 14
Number of Punts 2 4
Average Length of Punts 31 27.7
Number of Fumbles 1 2
Own Fumbles Recovered 1 2
Ball Lost on Fumbles 0 0
Number of Penalties 0 1
Yards lost on Penalties 0 5

1958: Massillon 28, Akron South 0

September 12, 1958July 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tiger Gridders Defeat Akron South 28-0
Bengals Find Going Tough But Played Game Close To Vest

By CHARLIE POWELL

That Massillon Tiger football fans and all others among the crowd of 12,256 at Tiger stadium went home Friday night with mixed emotions just could be an under-statement.

After the 1958 band of Bengals clipped the wings of a spunky Akron South club 28-0, some folks seemed contented with a hot-and-cold running performance that marked the debut of Coach Leo Strang.

Others, like the good citizens of Missouri, want to be shown.

There were quite a few people, apparently, who were not satisfied with the margin of victory. They came expecting a real show of razzle-dazzle football and there were many, too, who pictured the Tiger clan running the Cavaliers right out of the stadium. Before too much second-guessing, fans perhaps should keep three things in mind:

(1) That the Tigers played it close to the vest; (2) that they need a little more time to
synchronize the attack; and (3) that South has a better team than lots of people figured.
* * *
STRANG’S GANG struck for three touchdowns in the first half and from there on out they played under wraps. True, the Tigers used several plays from the spread formation and kept things interesting with a sharp passing attack but as a whole, they didn’t reach into their bags of tricks. They didn’t have to.

South helped matters along, favoring the nattily-attired host crew with a fumble, a poor punt, a penalty and a deflected pass that paved the way for three Massillon TDs.

Aside from the gifts, the orange and black made many fans happy with a 63-yard march for their third touchdown. A 72-yard run by co-captains and Fullback Dave Dean had them buzzing too but after Dean rambled to the South 18, the Tigers could go no further than the 16 in four plays.

This run went to waste midway in the third period but before the fourth quarter arrived, a bad South punt made a fourth Tiger six-pointer possible.

Quarterback Joe Sparma, who hit on seven of 10 passes for the night, tallied the last touchdown. The others were made by Dean from the seven after Massillon recovered a fumble at the Cavalier 24; big Bill Zorn who was standing in the end zone when South’s Jim Turner deflected the ball into his hands (on a Sparma pass) in the first stanza; and the other giant end, Bob Vogel, whose catch of a Sparma aerial on a play covering 14 yards climaxed the 63-yard drive late in the second quarter.
* * *
VOGEL MADE the first two and only extra points and thus became the first Massillon player in history to rack up a two-point conversion. Under the new rule he scored four points, twice converting Dean’s touchdown by going across on an end-around play and then after Zorn’s score by hauling in a jump pass from Sparma.

Other “first” of the new campaign had Dean scoring the first touchdown and carrying the ball for the first time. Halfback Cornelius Clark making the first tackle on the game-opening kick-off, Zorn receiving the first pass on the second touchdown, Sparma throwing the first pass on the same play, and Clark recovering the first fumble on the second play from scrimmage.

Ultra-important, naturally, was the first digit in the win column. Victory No. 2 will be sought next Friday night when Canton Lincoln comes here. Lincoln will open its season against Cuyahoga Falls at Fawcett stadium this evening.

If everything goes right, the forward pass will be a big threat against the Lions and all other future foes.

Coach Strang, miffed at some of the mistakes the boys made but realizing the need for more work, found no blame with the air arm.

Sparma’s seven completions (two others were almost caught by Vogel who made an extra big effort both times) were good for 68 yards. The two touchdown plays and two other snags by Zorn gained over 12 yards each, while three shorter connections were made.
* * *
ZORN GOT his hooks on two pegs, one for 13 yards and the other for 14 during the
63-yard drive while another end, Jerry Mitchell, made a nifty catch for eight yards during a final quarter march that ate up 62 yards before it fizzled out due to a fumble.

The 68 yards through the air and 220 by rushing gave the Bengals a net of 288 yards. South collected 141 on the ground and 20 yards in its only completed pass. Most other statistics favored the local team with first downs being 12-9.

South ran the ball 38 times and for some strange reason, remained on the ground after it was three and four touchdowns in arrears.

The Cavaliers provided the Massillon offense with somewhat of a problem at times. Their defense was sparked by guard Mose Burrell who was all over the field much like South’s 1957 star, Owensby Pearson.

The Bill Hawkins-coached outfit suffered a cruel blow when Jim Brooks, a tough defensive end, sustained an injury in the third period. He had ligaments in his knee torn and apparently is through for the season.

Massillon came out of the fracas with two injuries.
* * *
THE DEFENSE of the Tigers wasn’t the same after middle guard Hase McKey retired in the second quarter because of a leg injury. He did not play at all in the second half. Guard and linebacker Gail Karrenbauer received a cut on the cheek, which required two stitches. Both boys should be in shape for the Lincoln contest.

The game was only about a minute old when the diminutive Clark pounced on a fumble at the South 24-yard line. In five plays and at 8:52 Strang’s combine clicked for its first touchdown of the season.

Dean ran three times for 17 yards and after Tailback Jim Hershberger was held for no gain. Dean cracked the middle for six points. On the conversion, the Tigers completely fooled the invaders with the end-around. Vogel made it good although he fumbled in the end zone.

On the kickoff that followed, South was penalized 15-yards for clipping but it got one first down before being forced to punt. A host of Tigers blocked the try by Halfback Danny Spencer and it was Massillon’s ball at the Cavalier 26.
* * *
THE TIGERS also took advantage of this break. Dean, Hershberger and Wingback Jim Wood made a first down and after an in-motion penalty, Dean and Wood carried to the 13 from which point the Sparma-Zorn combination worked for six – with a stroke of luck. The pass, coming on fourth and one, was knocked up in the air by Turner but Zorn, behind Turner and Leon Harris, was there to catch it as it came down. Vogel took Sparma’s jump pass and it was 16-0 with 1:54 left in the quarter.

The next time Massillon had possession Hershberger quick-kicked 33 yards. South moved from its own 28 to the Massillon 36 before a fumble, with Zorn recovering, ended the drive.

Mixing up pass plays and power slants, the Bengals went all the way in 10 plays. In addition to a catch by Zorn, for a total of 28 yards, Hershberger had a seven-run blast and Dean rammed for nine. At the 14 it was fourth and one when Sparma found Vogel all by his lonesome in the end zone. Dean was stopped shy of the goal line on the conversion attempt with only 38 seconds remaining in the half.

After an exchange in the third panel, it was Massillon’s ball at its own seven. Corky Pledgure, in at tailback, picked up three before Dean got loose.

Dave hit off the left side and saw daylight at the 25. He cut toward the sidelines and appeared to be going all the way but Harris caught him from behind at the Cavalier 18.
* * *
THE 72-YARD jaunt went for naught because of what happened in the next four plays. Hershberger made two. Sparma’s pass was just out of the reach of Vogel near the final stripe. Wood lost a foot on a reverse. On last down Sparma whipped a jump pass to Wood but the latter, boxed in as he made the reception, was stopped after a three-yard gain.

South made little progress due to a penalty and a fumble and the Akronites had to kick. Spencer’s poor punt was caught by sub Fullback Bob Morrow at the 25, where he was promptly earthed. But a 15-yard clipping call against South put the oval on the Cavalier 10.

Hershberger rolled to the one-foot line and then was held at the line of scrimmage before Sparma sneaked across as play in the quarter ran out. Pledgure swept to the left on the PAT attempt, was halted short of the Promised Land, and that was the final score, 28-0.

In the last session the Tigers went on the prowl in a fine way. They barreled from their own four (following a clipping penalty on a South punt) to the enemy 33. Enroute Pledgure checked in with a 13-yard pickup, Dean ran once for 10 and a pass, Sparma to Mitchell made eight. On third down at the South 40, Sparma fumbled with Spencer recovering for the visitors. That was that.

After a pushing penalty against South, a delay-of-game penalty against Massillon, three runs good for 31 yards and a pass which made 20, Strang’s debut and Assistant “Ducky” Schroeder’s 100 consecutive game here went into the history books.

STATISTICS
M S
First Downs – Rushing 8 6
First Downs – Passing 4 1
First Downs – Penalties 0 2
Total First Downs 12 9
Number of Rushing Plays 50 39
Yards Gained – Rushing Plays 228 141
Yards Lost – Running Plays 8 20
Net Yardage – Running 220 121
Passes Attempted 10 1
Passes Completed 7 1
Passes Had Intercepted 0 0
Yards Returned –
Intercepted Passes 0 0
Yards Gained – Passing 68 20
Net Yardage – Running and
Passing 288 141
Number of Kickoff Returns 1 4
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 31 57
Average Length of Kickoff
Returns 31 14.2
Number of Punt Returns 2 0
Yardage – Kickoff Returns 9 0
Average Length of Kickoff
Returns 4.5 0
Number of Punts 1 3
Total Yardage on Punts 33 102
Average Length of Punts 33 34
Number of Penalties 5 8
Yards Lost on Penalties 35 70
Number of Fumbles 3 3
Own Fumbles Recovered 1 1
Ball Lost on Fumbles 2 2

1957: Massillon 25, Canton McKinley 7

November 16, 1957September 12, 2020
by Eric Smith

Massillon Dazzles Bulldogs With Air, Ground Attack And Herculean Defense
Tigers Boast Lots of Stars As They Get Revenge Before 22,000 Fans

By CHARLIE POWELL

Desire plus blocking plus tackling.

That was the formula for success – the sweetest victory of the 1957-football season. The formulators were those supercharged peerless Massillon Tigers.

That 25-7 triumph they ran up over old rival Canton McKinley Saturday afternoon was the salt of the earth. Scrumptious…fetching…masterful…sensational…terrific…great.

These and many more superlatives are needed to tell the story of the lion-hearted lads who beat McKinley. And how they beat them!

They ran through, over and around the erstwhile state champs. They kept the Bulldogs gasping with a whale of a passing attack. And they added insult to injury with a rugged defense that on only three occasions allowed more than nine yards.
* * *
YES, IT’S OUR turn to howl and rightfully so today the city of champions is living it up.

Getting revenge for those last two setbacks, the Tigers struck for four touchdowns and one extra point.

Something like 22,000 fans saw an awesome offense which powered to 234 yards on the ground and 125 in the air; a net of 359. McKinley made 212 yards on the ground with an 83-yard gainer on an end-around giving the Bulldogs, who failed in their only two aerial attempts, their biggest lift. The Tigers hit on nine of 14 passes and carved out 16 first downs to McKinley’s seven.

And it could easily have been more than an 18-point difference at the finish.

Leading by 18-0 late in the first half, the Tigers saw an electrifying 26-yard pay dirt prance by Ivory Benjamin erased by a penalty. Late in the third period, with the score at 18-7, the blazing Bengals were pounding at the touchdown door when a fumble cost them the ball at the Bulldog 10.

Outside of the 83-yard gallop by End Charley Reeves, the closest the host team got to the Tiger goal was the 23. The first time they had the ball the Bulldogs went on the march from their own 40 and they got down to the 23 before a field goal attempt failed. Consider it a break that they got past the Tiger 43.

From that point, with fourth down and four yards to go, sub Dave Sitzman went back to punt. It was a low pass from center and Sitzman dropped the ball but picked it up and was able to move 21 yards before being grassed.
* * *
BEFORE BENJAMIN’S second period jaunt was called back it looked like the Tigers were headed for a fourth touchdown of the half. End Clyde Childers got behind the McKinley secondary at the 21 but the pass was thrown short and Reeves, racing toward his own goal, leaped high into the air for an eye opening interception that momentarily slowed up the orange and black express.

A mental lapse cost the Tigers a shutout as Reeves, finding a hole off the right side, simply outran would be tacklers. After he got past the line of scrimmage there was nobody in front of him as the defenders on the left side were “suckered” to the opposite side of the field.

So there you have it. Massillon had a big statistical advantage and with a break here and there might have punched out a six or seven touchdown margin.

But nobody is beefing. Beating McKinley by one or 41 doesn’t make much difference.

We would have settled for even a one-point win Saturday.

McKinley was no slouch. Some coaches, players and fans rate them on a par with Cleveland Benedictine, only team to up-end the Tigers this year. That the Bulldogs were a bunch of hard-hitters will be attested by the Tigers.

The Canton club, whose only previous loss was inflicted by Warren, gave ground begrudgingly. They were in there battling all the way. But the odds were too great.
* * *
COACH LEE TRESSEL moved his backs like chessman. Halfbacks ran from both left and right posts and fullbacks ran from halfback slots. Five different boys threw passes with one of them, Halfback Corky Pledgure, getting off the first of his scholastic career.

Defensively, the Tresselman certainly lived up to their reputation. Offensively, a major factor was the blocking by the linemen.

The coaches knew the weak points of the Bulldogs and the Tigers concentrated on those spots.

The highly cherished victory was the eighth in nine games for the Tigers and No. 30 for Massillon in the long, colorful series. McKinley has won 27 but only twice in the last 10 meetings. The win snapped a 25-game win string for the Bulldogs at friendly Fawcett stadium.

Still very much alive and kicking are Massillon hopes for a state championship.

The official Associated Press poll will include Thanksgiving Day games – meaning the local boys could get a big assist from Cleveland St. Ignatius.

If Benedictine loses to St. Ignatius in the senate championship fray Nov. 28, Massillon apparently would have the inside track on the gonfalon.

The Tigers really played like kings Saturday. They virtually ran the Bulldogs off the premises.

One big reason was the whirling dervish named Ivory Lee Benjamin.
* * *
THE BULLDOGS found out why Massillon thinks so much of the mercury-footed
co-captain.

He scored the first touchdown of the game, capping an 80-yard drive with a 17-yard foray that really was a beaut. He sparked the drive with runs of 11, 3 and 20 in that order.

In the second stanza he ran for 11 and Gene Stewart passed to Ronnie Williams for
22 yards to help put the pigskin on the McKinley 26. From that point Ivory came up with the best individual effort of the sunny afternoon.

He hit off left tackle and turned on the gas, spinning away from three red-shirted defenders and the last 10 yards he was strictly on his own. He began dragging tacklers with him at the 10 and the last five yards it looked like practically the whole McKinley team was trying to pull him down. He fought his way in but a clipping penalty was called at the 15.

His other long run was for 23 yards in the third quarter. On that one he was aided by Dave Dean’s fine fake.

Benjamin again led the Tiger leather-luggers as he racked up his 17th touchdown of the year and made 96 yards in 14 carries. That’s an average of 6.1 yards per try.
* * *
FOR THE ENTIRE season Ivory accounted for 1,564 yards with 1,138 of that total coming on 146 trips with the mail.

Scott Kanney averaged 6.4 yards in seven tries while Anthony and Dean, who will be back next year, averaged 5 yards each.

Co-Captain Chuck Beiter was slowed by a leg injury but the Tigers got a hard- nosed effort from the senior fullback. He averaged 3.5 yards a try.

In the passing department the Bengals staged on of their better productions.

The nine completions were good for 125 yards and two touchdowns. The receivers worked their way into the clear and the passers, Anthony, Joe Sparma and Gene Stewart, threw the ball on target – and at the right time.

McKinley had Tiger fans on edge shortly after the tussle got under way. Massillon received, gained eight yards in three plays, and had to punt with Sparma’s short, wobbly boot going out of bounds at the Bulldog 40.

After making one first down the hosts got to the 43 before going into punt formation. It was at this point that Sitzman picked up the low pass from center and ran right for 21 yards to the Tiger 22.
* * *
THE MASSILLON defense got tough and three plays later McKinley had lost a yard.

With the ball on the 23, McKinley tried a field goal at 5:40.

Guard Jesse Chenault’s boot from the 32 just missed. The ball struck the crossbar and fell harmlessly to the turf in front of the goalpost.

Apparently all this served as a shot in the arm to Massillon’s spirit.

The Tigers showed class and precision as they marched 80 yards. Benjamin started the ball rolling with an 11-yard sweep and then winged off 20 yards after he picked up three and Scott Kanney churned for five.

A sideline pass, Anthony to lanky Clyde Childers, was good for 20 yards and Tiger followers were blowing their top as the ball moved to the 17.

Then Benjamin, tearing out of the grasp of tacklers twice, showed his heels and went into the end zone standing up at 2:40. Sophomore Jim Hershberger’s placement on the extra point try sailed to the left but everybody from Tigertown was happy indeed.

And it wasn’t long until the Tresselmen again had their rooters raving.

Hase McKey kicked off twice. His first went out of bounds and on the second, the twisting leather hit at the 27 and as a couple of McKinley players watched helplessly, end Al Pierce came in to cover.
* * *
IT WAS MASSILLON’S ball on the Bulldog 25 and the Tigers were off to the races.

Benjamin fumbled and recovered for a gain of one, Beiter picked up three, Anthony hit Benjamin on a short running pass for three, Benjamin got some sharp blocking and went for five, Anthony rammed for six and Beiter came back with two as the first period ended.

On the first play of the second canto Dean got three and a first down before Sparma, on an option play to the left, just had room to get over the final stripe. At 11:16 Hershberger’s kick was wide but few fans were worrying. It was 12-0.

After the kickoff McKinley made one first down as Bob Kettlewell and Bob Cook collaborated for 12 yards but at the 43 the red and black was forced to punt.

Defensive end Leaman Williamson, a tower of strength for the Tigers all season, barreled in to block Sitzman’s kick and second string defensive tackle John Donat pounced on the pighide at the McKinley 40.

Another touchdown play was pulled off by the Bengals as Sparma, given beautiful protection, threw down the middle to Anthony, all alone at the 23. Mark chugged in at 7:08 and still it was 18-0 as a bad pass from center ruined the extra point try.

There was no further scoring the first half but late in the second chapter the Tigers were pounding hard.
* * *
STEWART THREW like a pro to Williams for 22 yards and Benjamin, cutting back off the left side, fought his way for 11 yards before the same kid zipped 26 yards – but to no avail.

McKinley’s score in the third period came after an exchange of punts. On the first Massillon series Kanney got off a 20-yarder but at the McKinley 40 Sparma had to punt with Jordon Fronimo being smeared at the 13.

Cook gained two and Fronimo two before Reeves carried on an end-around. He had just enough room to get through the right side and was gone. Sub back John Fontes made it
18-7 at 4:20.

That was McKinley’s last chance to stand up and cheer.

After the kickoff Benjamin got loose for 23 yards and Dean, on a dive play off the right side, blasted for 13 before a fumble gave the Bulldogs possession at their 10.

After an exchange of punts in the final round the Tigers added another clincher. They used air and ground maneuvers to go 65 yards with the choice bits being a 15-yard pass from Anthony to Childers, an 11-yard pass from Anthony to Benjamin and a 12-yard jaunt by Kanney.
* * *
THE DRIVE WAS climaxed at 2:20 when Williams made a terrific catch of a Sparma pass in the end zone. This time McKey tried the extra point and made it. Five plays later Massillon’s revenge victory entered the record books.

Jubilant Massillon players and fans cut loose as soon as it was over. Coach Tressel was carried from the field and the Tiger locker room, close to 30 minutes afterward, was a mass of hysterically happy humanity.

Besides Childers, Beiter, Williamson, Williams, Getz, Benjamin, Stewart, Anthony and Kanney, the seniors are Harold Slabuagh, Joe Brownlee, Tom Heine, Pete Heimann, Al Slicker, Paul Lawson, Noah Taylor, Jesse Steele, Dan Swartz, Maury Snavely, Jim Cook, Bobo Hagan, Roger Reese, and John Halter.

The summary:
MASSILLON
ENDS – Childers, Williams, Hagan, Zorn, Mitchell, Wood, Steele, Pierce, Snavely.
TACKLES – Slabaugh, Slicker, Brownlee, Halter, Donat, Karrenbauer.
GUARDS – Heine, Heimann, McKey, Bendar, Taylor, Cook.
CENTERS – Williamson, Swartz.
QUARTERBACKS – Getz, Sparma.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Pledgure, Anthony, Allen, Snively, Lawson, Clark, Stewart, Hershberger.
FULLBACKS – Kanney, Beiter, Dean, Reese.

McKINLEY
ENDS – Reeves, Bowes, Tolson.
TACKLES – Swimmer, Patterson, Guedel.
GUARDS – Chenault, Bender, Connor, Rossetti.
CENTERS – Bridges, Hodge.
QUARTERBACKS – Cook, Sitzman.
HALFBACKS – Fronimo, Kettlewell, Fontes.
FULLBACKS – Martin, Turner.

Massillon 6 12 0 7 25
McKinley 0 0 7 0 7

Massillon scoring:
Touchdowns – Benjamin (17-run), Sparma (2-run); Anthony (40-pass); Williams (10-pass).
Extra points – McKey (placement).

McKinley scoring:
Touchdown – Reeves (83-run).
Extra point – Fontes (placesment).

STATISTICS
Mass. McK.
First downs, rushing 11 7
First downs, passing 5 0
First downs, penalties 0 0
First downs, total 16 1
Yards gained, running plays 254 235
Yards lost, running plays. 20 23
Net yardage, running plays 234 212
Passes attempted 14 2
Passes completed 9 0
Passes had intercepted 1 0
Yards gained passing 125 0
Total yardage, running, passing 359 212
Number of kickoff returns 2 4
Yardage, kickoff returns 24 77
Average length of kickoff returns 12 19
Number of punt returns 1 0
Yardage, punt returns 19 0
Average length of punt returns 19 0
Number of punts 4 5
Total yardage on punts 100 137
Average length of punts 25 27
Number of penalties 4 2
Yards lost on penalties 50 10
Number of fumbles 4 1
Own fumbles recovered 2 0
Ball lost on fumbles 2 1

Category: <span>History</span>