Category: <span>History</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1951: Massillon 34, Alliance 21

Tigers Beat Scrappy Alliance Team 34-21
Massillon Gridders Win But Are Given Scare By Fine Passing Aviators

By LUTHER EMERY

Pride cometh before a fall, they say, and it wouldn’t have taken much Friday evening for the Washington high school Tigers to have tumbled from the ranks of the undefeated.

The Massillon gridders teetered and tottered, but they had a little bit more of everything than Alliance, and came out on top 34-21.

It was one of those nights when the impossible could have happened and might easily have occurred when you look back over the game.
* * *

Program Cover

ONE OF THE scrappiest teams we have seen in years, the Alliance players, several of them with injured legs, ran around on the “stumps” to the very gun, scoring the last touchdown of the game and always threatening with a high-powered aerial attack.

The largest crowd of the season, 13,158 fans followed the proceedings with mixed emotions. Many Massillon fans though wanting their Tigers to win, applauded the Aviators’ gallant efforts and even pulled for them on their scoring opportunities. They were pleased with the score because they prefer the tighter type of game. Others criticized the Massillon team for what they considered a shoddy performance.

Coach Chuck Mather was not at all pleased and was in a more serious mood after the game than we have seen him in a couple of years.

“Things didn’t go right defensively,” he said, and most everyone agreed that the Massillon eleven has been watching the scores of opponents too closely and has become too self-satisfied with its own position. Unknowingly so, because the squad has worked hard in practice.
* * *
AS ONE OF the officials said after the game, “You need one like this to awaken you.” If so, it’s time for the awakening, for five games remain to be played and all should be just as tough if not tougher than Alliance.

Statistically, the Tigers were superior in the matter of gaining ground, because most of their touchdowns came on long drives – but their defense didn’t get them the ball enough. Alliance in fact had the pigskin many more plays, which accounts largely for Massillon’s low score and Alliance’s three-touchdown total.

The Tigers in fact only had the ball three times the first quarter. They scored the first time they got it and fumbled it away on second down on each of the other two occasions, allowing the Aviators to monopolize the ball practically the entire first period.

Though the Tigers rolled up 427 net yards to Alliance’s 239, it was one of those games which could easily have resulted in an upset. With Leonard Dawson throwing strikes at his receivers, the Aviators were always dangerous and once in the first and again in the second period lost the ball on downs inside the 10-yard line largely because of being set back by penalties for offside.
* * *
HAD THE Aviators scored on either or both of those occasions we shudder to think what might have happened.

As it was the visitors scrapped until they had little left to fight with and were wore down at the end of the game, with several of their members extending themselves to the limit of their physical endurance.

The defeat did not come at all as a disappointment to Alliance fans. They, in fact, were proud of the performance of their team and were happy to have scored more points against Massillon than any other opponent has scored since Chuck Mather began coaching here in 1948.

As expected the game was a test of ground forces against the air and the Tigers’ running attack proved superior in point making to Alliance’s aerial game.

The visitors’ air raid did not come as a surprise to the Tigers but the latter were never able to assemble a network of defense to stop the assault.
* * *
FOR ONE THING, Dawson has an extremely good arm – and he had all night to throw the ball and Massillon didn’t have big Jim Geiser to rush him. Jim was side-lined with injuries.

Dawson threw every conceivable pass at the Tigers, completing 17 of 30 tosses for 195 yards. Only once did he fail to get the ball away. His best weapons were short pitches between the linebackers and secondary and a screen pass into the flat which worked consistently all night.

Passes paved the way for two of Alliance’s touchdowns, advancing the ball to where Dawson could buck it over from the one yard line. The third Alliance touchdown and the last score of the game, was a 71-yard kickoff return by Homer Young, an end, who first fumbled the ball, then picked it up and broke through the middle of a group of Massillon tacklers to out-distance everyone in the race for the goal line.

Massillon’s best weapon was Henry “Ace” Grooms who started off to have a bad night by fumbling the ball to Alliance the first two times he got his hands on it. He made up for the muffs, however by racing 84 yards for the Tigers’ second touchdown and rolling up 185 yards in 13 carries.
* * *
THE OTHER BACKS did not carry as often. Lee Nussbaum, carried but once and got 18 yards on the play. Bobby Joe Johnson gained 41 yards in three attempts. Bob Grier 28 yards in three, Tom Straughn 26 yards in five, John Francisco 42 yards in four, John Mlincek 21 yards in two, John Traylor three yards in one and Paul Francisco seven yards in three.

Alliance only gained 51 yards and lost seven, carrying the ball. The visitors missed the services of their big tackle, Ferdinand Maccioli, on whom they depend for a lot of blocking and tackling. He didn’t dress for the game because of a broken bone in his right foot.

It was evident on the first play after the opening kickoff that the Tigers were in for an air bombardment. Dawson tossed to Burwell Baddely for a gain of nine yards, but a fumble gave the Tigers the ball on the 28 and John Francisco went the last 24 on a right end sweep for the first score of the game before three minutes of the contest had expired.

Dawson came right back pitching but the Aviators were forced to punt and Kintz booted the ball out on the Tiger 32.
* * *
A 24-YARD PASS to Dave Gable advanced the ball to the Aviator 45 but Grooms fumbled and Alliance recovered on it 48. Dawson’s passes found receivers and he finally hit Kintz for what would have been first down on the two had not Alliance been offside on the play. The penalty helped the Tigers stop the drive on the 11. On the second play Grooms, again fumbled and Alliance covered on the Tiger 13.

The visitors plunged to what would have been a first down on the one yard line but were again offside on the play and again the penalty helped the Tigers stop them on the nine.

Grooms advanced the ball seven yards and then tore loose on an 84-yard dash around his right for the second touchdown of the game. He was supported by fine blocking but made a run of it the last 15 yards.

Neither team threatened the rest of the second period until toward the close of the half Bob Johnson aided by a key block by Jack Strobel got away on a 31-yard run that took the ball deep into Alliance territory. The Aviators tightened their defense, however and held for downs on the seven-yard line.
* * *
ALLIANCE traveled 33 yards to score the first time it got the ball in the second half. The flight started when William Burger intercepted Paul Francisco’s pass on the Tiger 33. Dawon tossed to Gray for seven and Burger and Gray made it first down on the six. Burger lugged the ball up to within a yard and half of the goal and Dawson nudged it over in two attempts.

The Tigers showed their own courage by taking the kickoff on the 21 and marching it right back 79 yards to score. Straughn carried twice and made a first down on his 42 and Bob Grier carried twice and got down to the Alliance 40. A five-yard penalty and a seven-yard run by Bob Johnson put the ball on the 28. Then Grooms took over to lug the ball twice for gains of 21 yards and a first down on the seven. Grier went over for the T.D. and the Tigers led 20-7.

Alliance struck back to complete three passes for 40 yards and gain a first down on the Tiger 15, but here Gray fumbled and the Tigers recovered. The locals fumbled right back, however, and Alliance got the ball on the Tiger 22. Weldon Younkers intercepted Dawson’s pass and got back to his 29 before being downed. Grooms was set loose on another excursion. In two attempts he lugged the leather to the Alliance 42. Straughn got a couple of yards and Grooms moved the ball down to the 20, where John Mlincek broke through the left side of his line to score his first touchdown of the season.
* * *
THE TOUCHDOWN brought the score to 27-7 but in no way discouraged the Alliance players. A 13-yard pass to Young, a 12-yarder to Gray, an eight-yard peg to Kintz and a 10-yard toss to Young gained a first down on the nine. It took three plays to get it over, Dawson pushing the ball across.

The Tigers followed it by scoring another T.D. in a couple of minutes. On the first play after the kickoff, Grooms tossed 37 yards to Brenner for a first on the 25. Nussbaum, carrying for the first time in the game went 18-yards to the seven. John Francisco put the ball on the one and brother Paul nosed it over.

Alliance still was not finished. Though tiring badly, the Aviators had one surprise package left and Young pulled it out as he picked the kickoff off the ground, fumbled the ball, picked it up again and headed for the goal. The fumble seemed just enough to divert the attention of the Massillon tacklers and Young was through them again before they knew what had happened. Bob Khoenle tried to give chase but Young had position and beat him to the goal after a run of 71 yards.

Brenner almost got away on the following kickoff. Gray bumping him out of bounds after he had gotten all the way back to the Alliance 30.

STATISTICS
Mass. Alliance
First downs 12 14
Passes attempted 8 30
Passes completed 2 17
Had passes intercepted 1 3
Yards gained passing 61 195
Yards gained rushing 371 51
Total yards gained 432 246
Yards lost 5 7
Net yards gained 427 239
Times kicked off 6 4
Average kickoff (yards) 37 42
Yards kickoffs returned by 96 118
Times punted 1 1
Average punt (yards) 39 31
Yards punts returned by 0 7
Times fumbled 3 4
Lost ball on fumbles 3 3
Times penalized 4 5
Yards penalized 30 25

Ace Grooms
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1951: Massillon 13, Steubenville 6

TIGERS DEFEAT STEUBENVILLE
13-6 IN LAST 10 SECONDS 88-Yard Drive Produces Winning Touchdown

By LUTHER EMERY

Unless you are breathing in puffs and your heart pounding at the rate of 220 beats a minute, you can’t appreciate this story for you were not one of the 2,000 Massillon fans who saw victory snatched from the embers of a Big Red fire in Steubenville Friday evening that left 10,000 spectators gasping in their seats and wondering if what they had seen had really happened.

The score was 6-6 and 10 seconds, only 10 seconds remained to be played when Referee Titus Lobach raised his hands signaling that Henry “Ace” Grooms, big Tiger fullback, had lunged over the goal line for the winning touchdown of the game. It mattered not that Jim Rubio kicked the extra point to make the final score 13-6, for Steubenville didn’t have a chance to run a play after the following kickoff.

What a game!

It will go down in history as one of the fiercest fought, one of the best “timed” in the history of Tiger football, taking its place with the never-to-be forgotten 7-6 triumph over Cleveland Shaw in the last 27 seconds of play in 1922.

Brother, pass the aspiring – and an orchid for Grooms and a crown for Chuck Mather which could just as easily have been a fool’s cap, had his daring not paid off in the Tigers’ final victory march.

You can write off the rest of the game as a brilliant battle between the defenses of an inspired Steubenville team and a tenacious Tiger eleven.

Both were supposed to be coping with high-geared offenses last night. They were geared to the occasion – they yielded ground stubbornly – Steubenville enough to let Massillon score in the second quarter – Massillon enough to allow Steubenville to tally in the third period.

The teams were headed for an unexpected 6-6 tie when in the middle of the fourth quarter Bill Kerr of Steubenville got off a beautiful punt that put the Tigers in a hole, deep in their own territory and on their own 12-yard line.

The best local fans could hope for at that stage of the game was a couple of first downs that could get the orange and black out into their front yard where a fumble would not be so dangerous or where they could punt back into Stubber territory.

The Tigers had different designs. Aroused, they began a march that went 88 yards for a touchdown. The distance actually traveled was 98 yards because two five-yard penalties had to be overcome in the drive.

Yards came hard, but everyone counted. Eight times Grooms carried the ball in the effort. He was a demon to the Big Red as he gained on every play.

He hit for four yards, Bobby Grier for three and Bobby Joe Johnson for seven to gain a first down on the Massillon 26. A five-yard penalty set the Tigers back to their 21, but they came smashing back with Grier hitting for six, Tom Straughn for seven and Grooms for 16 and a first down on the Big Red 48.

The pounding which the Tigers had been giving the Big Red line all evening finally began to tell. Grooms took the ball two more times, made seven yards, then three for a first down on the 38. Grier smashed through for 15 and another first down on the 23 with two minutes and 59 seconds left to play.

Mather pulled Grooms out of the line-up to give him a few instructions. Straughn made three yards in two attempts and Grooms was sent back into the game. The fans groaned as the referee stepped off a five-yard penalty . . . the Tigers had already consumed their allotted times out.

Instead of it being third down and seven to go, it was now third and 12. But Mather had gambled and won.

Those who would have jumped all over him today, for the substitutions and penalty, were singing his praise, for Grooms carried out instructions and ran hard to his right for 16 yards and a first down on the nine.

It was Grooms again, this time to the left, and he got as far as the three-yard line. He smashed through for another yard, and on third down, ran hard to his right to go down beneath a pile of humanity at the point where goal line meets side line. When the last body was extricated, Ace was found clinging tightly to the ball, half-an-arm length over the goal line.

A look at the clock showed only 10 seconds remaining of the game. Rubio kicked the extra point and the Tigers just had time to kickoff to the Big Red. The game ended before they could put the ball in play again, and the Tigers had their third victory of the season, and their 17th in a row since they were last defeated by Mansfield in the middle of the 1949 season.

Grooms gained 55 yards in the surge to victory.
* * *
UP TO THE TIGERS’ final drive, the game was virtually even, with each team having gained approximately the same number of yards and defense outshining offense on both sides.

Deduct the 98 yards from the 248 made from the scrimmage by the Tigers and the latter would be left with 150, just 16 more than the yardage gained by the Big Red.

While Massillon fans celebrated the victory, keen disappointment filled the Steubenville dressing room, for the touchdown blow snatched fame away from Ray Hoyman, a former Massillon man who has done a great job of coaching in Steubenville in the three seasons he has been there. It’s too bad it had to happen to as fine a fellow. While praise does not produce points, let it be said for Ray, that every Massillon fan expressed admiration for the battle put up by his team, and we heard nothing but compliments for his Big Red from Steubenville fans.
* * *
THE TIGERS were lucky to win, if you call winning with 10 seconds to go – luck. Had not Grooms gone over when he did, the game would probably have ended before the Tigers could have again got off a play from scrimmage – in which case they would have been unlucky. How you look at it is all a matter of 10 seconds.

You can give the defense credit for playing the game last night and if you want to single out a few boys for praise in this department, give Jim Geiser and Chuck Vilet a big pat on the back, and don’t spare the praise for the other members of the defensive platoon, mainly John Tasseff, Weldon Younkers, Joe Sapia, Alex Matie, Dave Gable, Terry Snyder, Bob Khoenle, John Traylor and Willie Longshore. And don’t forget big Frank Gilliam, and Calvin Jones of Steubenville. Both were knocked out in the touchdown drive.

Massillon’s Snyder did double duty, playing left guard on offense, a position new to him and backing up the line on defense. His work was deserving of special praise.

It was evident early in the game that the Tigers were dealing with a team that had the will to be their master. Yards were lost on the first play from scrimmage and the locals were forced to punt. They got a big break after stopping Steubenville when Kerr, back to punt received a poor pass from center lost 19 yards as he ran back to pick up the ball and was dumped on the 11 by Tasseff. The Big Red dug in and stopped the Tigers, taking over on the two.
* * *
A SHORT PUNT that went only to the Big Red 41, started the Tigers on their first successful touchdown march. Grier plunged for five yards and Straughn whirled to a first down on the 27. Grooms made two at right end and Straughn on two plays went to a first down on the 15. Grier made eight yards and Grooms lunged through center for a first down on the four-yard line. It took four plays to get it over, with Grier finally plunging across on the second play of the second period. Rubio’s kick for the extra point went wide of the uprights.

The teams battled through the rest of the quarter with neither threatening to score and Vilet having the edge in the punting duel.

Neither team made any progress the second half until Jim Prayso intercepted Paul Francisco’s pass on the Tiger 35 and was downed in his tracks as he caught the ball.

Halfback Clarence Lawson carried twice and got a first down on the Tiger 24. He was made the work horse of the Big Red as he smashed three more times in a series of four plays for a first down on the Tiger 10.

There Prayso crossed up the Tigers. He darted off tackle, saw the hole blocked and scooted along the side, to circle right end and score for Steubenville.
* * *
WITH THE SCORE tied at 6-6 the try for extra point was an important one. You felt as though you could reach out and strum the tension and make it ping like a violin string, so taut was the crowd as Howard Linn lined up his kick. The ball was wide of the uprights, however, and Massillon fans breathed easier.

There was nothing else to write home about until the fourth quarter got under way and the Tigers staged their victory march.

Only because of this drive, the Tigers were able to show a substantial advantage in the statistics – 10 first downs to five, a net of 227 yards gained to 105 yards for Steubenville.

Neither team had anything to blow about in the way of passing. It was virtually a useless weapon.
* * *
THE TIGERS completed the only one of the night out of five attempts for 27 yards. Steubenville tried six passes and its only catch was the interception of a Massillon aerial.

The Tigers played over three quarters of the game without the services of Glenn Tunning, veteran left guard, who was removed early in the first period with an injured leg – a charley horse.

Grooms likewise did not try to kick the points after touchdown because of a charley horse.

In addition to Grooms ‘ 107 yards, other Massillon backs gained ground as follows: Grier 49 yards in nine carries; Straughn 42 yards in 15 carries; Nussbaum 15 yards in five; Johnson seven in one and Paul Francisco one in one.

MASSILLON
ENDS – Shilling, Brenner, Taseff, Matie.
TACKLES – Gibson, Strobel, Geiser, Younkers, Kraus.
GUARDS – Tunning, Grunder, Snyder, Gable, Moyer, Stewart.
CENTERS – Roderick, Sapia.
QUARTERBACKS – P. Francisco, Longshore, Dommer.
HALFBACKS – Grier, Straughn, Johnson, Khoenle, Traylor, J. Francisco, Milncek.
FULLBACKS – Nussbaum, Grooms, Vilet.

STEUBENVILLE
ENDS – Gilliam, Fields, Pilya, Thomas
TACKLES – Yohn, Linn, R. Conkel
GUARDS – Jones, Kerr, D. Conkel
CENTERS – e. Locust, Amick.
QUARTERBACKS – Medves, Vincent.
HALFBACKS – Prayso, Lawson, Dixon, R. Locust, Stinson.
FULLBACKS – Bunch.

Score by periods:
Massillon 0 6 0 7 13
Steubenville 0 0 6 0 6

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Grier; Grooms.
Steubenville – Prayso.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Rubio (placekick).

Officials
Referee – Lobach.
Umpire – Boone.
Head Linesman – Jenkins.
Field Judge – Shopbell.

STATISTICS
Mass. Steub.
First downs 10 5
Passes attempted 5 6
Passes completed 1 0
Had passes intercepted 1 0
Yards gained passing 27 0
Yards gained rushing 221 134
Total yards gained 248 134
Yards lost 21 29
Net yards gained 227 105
Times punted 5 8
Average punt (yards) 33 31
Yards punts returned by 49 19
Times kicked off 3 2
Average kickoff 36 46
Yards kickoffs returned by 40 13
Times fumbled 2 3
Lost ball on fumbles 0 0
Times penalized 8 3
Yards penalized 60 25

Ace Grooms
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1951: Massillon 42, Cincinnati Elder 6

Tigers Defeat Cincinnati Elder 42-6
Long Runs And Sharp Passes Produce 16th Straight Grid Triumph

By LUTHER EMERY

Southern Ohio football was given a jolt before 13,005 fans here Friday evening when the Washington high school Tigers administered a 42-6 licking to Cincinnati Elder, 1950 champion of the Queen City.

You would have thought the blow severe enough to make the visitors holler, but they took the defeat gracefully, expressed their thanks for being able to play here, hoped they could be just as good a host when the Tigers go to Cincinnati next fall and departed with the words that they would be better competition in 1952.

Though they scored the same number of touchdowns a week ago in their opener against Toledo Libbey, the Tigers were a smoother football team last night and might have rolled up a considerably higher score had not Coach Chuck Mather substituted freely. He used 44 players, the equivalent of four teams, in an effort to give many of his younger players the benefit of game experience.
* * *
THREE of the touchdowns produced a bit of the sensational while two long passes helped to electrify the fans.

The cheering all came from the Massillon side of the field, for Elder, like Libbey, did not have a band and no more than a handful of rooters accompany it to Massillon.

It didn’t take the Tigers long to impress Elder with the style of football played in northern OhIo. Only four minutes and 34 seconds of the first period had expired when Ace Grooms raced 13 yards for the first score. An Elder fumble had given the locals the ball deep in Cincinnati territory.

From that point on the Tigers managed to shove over at least one touchdown a period. They got two in the second and fourth; while Elder’s lone score came in the last 32 seconds of play.

The Queen City Panthers had threatened on one other occasion, losing the ball on first down on a fumble in the first period on the Tiger 12-yard line.
* * *
THE VICTORY was the Tigers second of the season and their 16th of a string that started in the middle of the 1949 season.

From the score one would be inclined to believe that Elder had little in an offensive way, but the Panthers managed to roll up 13 first downs to the Tigers’ eight and push the locals back 240 yards from the line of scrimmage. The Massillon team gained 354 from scrimmage.

The Tigers altered their defense from time to time during each series in an attempt to confuse the visiting team, but for the most part tossed the equivalent on an eight-man line against the Panthers. Several times visiting backs broke through the forward wall, but the Tiger halfbacks and safety men are fast, and one of the three always managed to tangle the runner’s legs.
* * *
FANS will chuckle all week over the three long passes caught by the local players last night and the two long jaunts for touchdowns. They were the classics of the game. One of the pegs, a 30-yard throw by Paul Francisco to Bruce Brenner produced the first touchdown. Another 45-yard shot from Grooms to Brenner placed the ball in position for another score, and a 50-yard heave by Grooms to Alex Matie in the final seconds of the game was all for nought as time expired before the ball could be put into play on the 20-yard line.

The two best runs of the night also produced touchdowns. Grooms wheeled 53 yards for one and Bobby Joe Johnson 60 yards for the other. Lee Nussbaum had one called back, a fine jaunt of 20 yards around left end, because one of his teammates clipped on the play. Also bulling his way along for a fine punt return was Willie Longshore.

Grooms was easily the leading scorer. Not only did he lug the leather for two touchdowns, but he also kicked six for six from placement from touchdown.

A week ago the movies showed Grooms looking up as he kicked the ball, and the result was three for six. The error was called to his attention. Last night he kept his head down like a good golfer and it paid off. The first five were dead center, the sixth, low and wobbly, but with enough impetus to clear.

There probably would have been more passing in the second period had not the lights gone out on the west poles. Players had a hard time following the ball until repairs could be made.

As it was the Tigers completed three of seven, which isn’t too good a percentage, but the average in yards gained, 42 per pass, is unusually high.

A fumbled Elder lateral covered by the Tigers on the 17-yard line on the first series of plays of the game, got the locals in position for their first touchdown. They moved to the eight, but a five-yard penalty for being offside set them back to the 13. On the first down Grooms romped for six points.

Another touchdown drive was well under way before the period ended. It started when Bob Khoenle intercepted an Elder pass on the latter’s 30. On the first play of the second period Francisco tossed a beauty to Brenner who went all the way for the six points.

A 32-yard punt return by Longshore set up the second touchdown of the quarter. Tom Straughn, Bob Grier and Lee Nussbaum moved the ball to the one where Straughn knifed through for the six points.

The half ended with the score 21-0.
* * *
THE TIGERS scored but once in the third period, and that came on Grooms’ 53-yard run on the first play that followed the kickoff.

A 45-yard pass, Grooms to Brenner, put the ball on the 10 as the third period closed and enabled Bob Grier to lug it over for the fifth T.D. of the game.

The final Massillon score came on Johnson’s very fine 60-yard run.

The Tigers made a gallant stand in the fourth quarter in an attempt to keep their goal line from being crossed for the first time this season. It took the visitors four downs to get across from the four-yard line and then they barely got the ball into pay dirt.

They tried to kick the extra point but Chug-Chug Stewart, of all persons, broke through and blocked the ball.
16th In A Row
MASSILLON
ENDS – Tasseff, Matie. W. Shilling, Brenner, Corbett, Keen, Tarrant, Allison, Sweasey.
TACKLES – Geiser, Kraus, Gibson, Strobel, Younkers, Takacs. Gumpp, Rubio.
GUARDS – Sapia, Khoenle, Tunning, Grunder, Stewart, Moyer, Crone, Snyder.
CENTERS – Roderick, Gable, Kinnins, Fisher, Fabinich.
QUARTERBACKS – Longshore, P. Francisco, Misere, Dommer.
HALFBACKS – Traylor, J. Francisco, Grier, Straughn, R. Johnson, Milncke, Williams.
FULLBACKS – Vilet, Nussbaum, Grooms.

ELDER
ENDS – Bender, James, Kelly, Junker.
TACKLES – Albers, Knowerzer, Burkhart.
GUARDS – Griffin, Durbin.
CENTER – Schiller.
QUARTERBACK – Bockenstette.
HALFBACKS – Caruso, Grainger, James, Sabino.
FULLBACKS – Bachman.

Score by periods:
Massillon 7 14 7 14 42
Elder 0 0 0 6 6

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Grooms 2; Brenner; Straughn, Grier; Bob Johnson.
Elder – Bockenstette.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Grooms 6 (placement kicks).

Officials
Referee – Dan Tehan (Cincinnati).
Umpire – Dr. Fred Heinold (Cincinnati).
Head Linesman – Jack McPhee (Poland).
Field Judge – Clyde Moore (Wooster).

STATISTICS
Mass. Elder
First downs 8 13
Passes attempted 7 14
Passes completed 3 2
Had passes intercepted 0 2
Yards gained passing 125 75
Yards gained rushing 229 165
Total yards gained 354 240
Yards lost 20 4
Net yards gained 334 236
Times punted 4 4
Average punt (yards) 32 29
Yards punts returned by 32 2
Times kicked off 7 2
Average kickoff 45 18
Yards kickoffs returned by 53 74
Times fumbled 0 3
Lost ball on fumbles 0 2
Times penalized 5 5
Yards penalized 40.5 35

Ace Grooms
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1951: Massillon 39, Toledo Libbey 0

Tigers Defeat Libbey 39-0 In Opening Game
Local Gridders Score 20 Points In Fourth Period Passing Attack

By LUTHER EMERY

A fourth period passing attack that produced three touchdowns gave the Washington high Tigers an impressive start in defense of their state football championship Friday evening as they defeated Toledo Libbey high 39-0 before 12,0000 fans in Tiger stadium

Without the fourth quarter spurt the opener would not have been so impressive, but if Libbey is as good as it usually is the 39 points speak well for the Tigers and for future successes this season.

Program Cover

Nobody knows just how strong the Toledo school is this fall, for it was the opening game for the Cowboys, but we believe they will not lose many games, if any more, by 39 points this season.
* * *
LIBBEY tackled well, turned loose a set of fast backs, and was the victim of three fumbles which the Tigers turned into touchdowns.

The latter summary would tend to indicate Libbey a better team than the score indicates, but the visitors had their weakness too – pass defense, and not until the last period of the game – did the Tigers capitalize on it.

The Massillon gridders showed flashes of power. In fact their performance for the most of the night consisted of flashes. Their blocking was often crisp and sharp, but it was inconsistent, and one poor block can offset two or three good ones.

Coach Chuck Mather felt pretty good about everything except the tackling of his team. Many tackles were missed when opposing ball carriers could have been thrown for losses.
* * *
WHILE the Tiger offense did not mow the opposition down consistently, it was better in a yard gaining capacity than most fans realize.

The locals gained 478 yards from scrimmage to Libbey’s 197. The yardage included 226 yards gained by passing.

In fact it was the fourth period aerial bombardment of Libbey that provided most of the offensive fireworks of the game, including the longest touchdown, a 51-yard peg from Ace Grooms to Wesley Shilling, which the latter took on the 10-yard line and raced over for the touchdown.

While Mather had planned to use Grooms on defense, he showed enough last night on offense to convince most fans it will be hard to keep him out of the backfield.
* * *
ANOTHER PASS, even longer than the 51-yard peg, was dropped by Shilling in the end zone for what would have been a Tiger touchdown.

In his desire to give as many boys as possible a chance to play, Mather used 37 members of the squad in the game. Some of the younger players did not get into the tilt, but they will see action today in a pair of games arranged for them. The sophomores will play at Barnesville and the juniors at Newcomerstown.

The game was not without its accidents. Big Jim Geiser lost a front tooth when he was kicked in the mouth in the third quarter. He was shaken up earlier in the contest when he and John Climo bumped heads, putting both temporarily out of action. Climo got back into the contest before the end of the game.

It was one of those rate nights when the Tigers never punted. They either made their yards or lost the ball on downs when fourth down got around. Not once did anyone boot the ball which leaves unanswered the question who will be the kicker when Co-Capt. Chuck Vliet isn’t in the game. He didn’t play last night because of injuries.
* * *
IT ONLY took the Tigers four minutes and five seconds to score their first touchdown. The opportunity came when Libbey fumbled on the second play of the game and John Tasseff promptly flopped on the leather on the 27-yard line.

The going was hard as the Tigers ground out two first downs, but with the ball on the four, Bob Grier banged through for six points. Grooms’ attempted placekick was wide.

Libbey held the ball most of the remaining time in the period as it marched from its own 13 to the Tiger 14 where the locals held for downs and seized the pigskin.

There began a drive that continued into the second period and went 86 yards for a touchdown, the last two being made by hard running Tom Straughn, the right halfback. Grooms kicked this one and the score was 13-0.

It took seconds to get the next one. Libbey fumbled after the kickoff and Alex Matie was Johnny on the spot on the 26-yard line. Two plays gained three yards and Grooms, carrying for the first time went to the 12 for a first down. Grier picked up the rest of the distance. The extra point was lost when Paul Francisco fumbled the pass from center.
* * *
THE SCORE remained 19-0 throughout the third period in which Libbey staged its second threat, marching the ball to the Tiger eight before being thrown back on downs.

The Tigers began throwing passes. Francisco tossed 26 yards to Bruce Brenner for the first touchdown. It followed a pass, Francisco to Shilling good for 58 yards. Them came Grooms’ 51-yard pitch to Shilling.

The final score came as the last seconds of the game were ticked off. Credit John Mlincek with getting the ball to set the Tigers in motion. He covered a Libbey fumble on the 30. Two plays had gained four yards when Francisco pitched to Bob Johnson for 26 yards and a T.D. Grooms’ attempted point was partially blocked and the game expired before the Tigers could kickoff to Libbey.

Next Friday the local team will entertain Cincinnait Elder here.

A Good Start
MASSILLON
ENDS – Matie, Tasseff, Shilling, Brenner, Corbett, Keen, Clime, Sweasey.
TACKLES – Kraus, Geiser, Strobel, Gibson, Younkers, Chapman, Rubio.
GUARDS – Sapla, Snyder, Tunning, Grunder, Moyer.
CENTERS – Fabian, Roderick, Gable.
QUARTERBACKS – Longshore, Francisco, Dommer.
HALFBACKS – Williams, Traylor, Grier, Straughn, R. Johnson, Milncek, Millar, J. Francisco.
FULLBACKS – Nussbau, Grooms, Stewart.

LIBBEY
ENDS – Domhoff, Manzy, Rowe, Bigelow.
TACKLES – Brown, White, Kelley, Heckhart.
GUARDS – McCarty, Kakela, Willey.
CENTERS – Smith, Hill.
QUARTERBACK – Strahm.
HALFBACKS – Craig, Tucholski, Lochett, Haverman, Berning.
FULLBACKS – Russell, Boyd.

Score by periods:
Massillon 6 13 0 20 39

Touchdowns: Grier 2; Straughn; Brenner; Shilling; Johnson.

Points after touchdown: Grooms 3 (placekicks).

Officials
Referee – McPhee.
Umpire – Rupp.
Head Linesman – Grubbs.
Field Judge – Schaffer.

Statistics
Mass. Libbey
First downs 15 10
Passes attempted 18 11
Passes completed 11 3
Had passes intercepted 1 0
Yards gained passing 226 30
Yards gained rushing 252 167
Total yards gained 478 197
Yards lost 21 12
Net yards gained 457 185
Times punted 0 5
Average punt (yards) — 31
Yards punts returned by 46 —
Times kicked off 5 1
Average kickoff 43 12
Yards kickoffs returned by 0 90
Times fumbled 1 6
Lost ball on fumbles 1 3
Times penalized 4 3
Yards penalized 20 15

Ace Grooms
Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1950: Massillon 33, Canton McKinley 0

22,000 See Tigers Smash McKinley Bulldogs 33-0
Massillon Gridders Win Third Consecutive Ohio Football Championship

By LUTHER EMERY

The ambitions of a coach and football team were realized in Tiger stadium Saturday afternoon as 22,000 fans saw the Washington high school Tigers beat down the challenge of Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs by the impressive score of 33-0 to win their third consecutive state championship and their first Ohio conference crown.

Today Coach Chuck Mather was in possession of his first untied and undefeated seasons in his coaching career and the Tigers were able to boast that they had defeated Canton McKinley by more points than any other Massillon team had been able to measure the Bulldogs in the 55 games that have been played between the two teams since they first met in 1894.

Program Cover

Then too, the Tigers can have the additional honor of being the team that caught up with Canton McKinley. The series is all even now, each school having won 25 games, while five resulted in tie scores. There was a bit of personal pride for the 20 senior members of the squad too – they closed their football careers by having played on three state championship teams.

Not many boys in Ohio have been able to make that kind of boast. In fact only in Massillon have boys played on championship teams during their three years in high school. No other school has been able to win three in a row but Washington high since the Associated Press originated its organized football poll. The Tigers won seven in a row from the season of 1935 through 1941.

While the Tigers will not be officially crowned champions until the Associated Press announces the final standings in its poll this week – there’s no doubt as to how it will turn out – and the Tigers should be a unanimous choice for the title. Anyone voting otherwise will be voting sentiment and not sense for the Massillon team has been on top in the pool from the very first week of the football season.

It is the only time in the history of the poll, according to Fritz Howell, the originator, that one team has held the top rung every week of balloting.

In winning the Ohio Scholastic conference crown the Tigers beat all other teams in the conference.
* * *
THE TIGERS were magnificent in victory – the Bulldogs game in defeat.

There was no question as to the local team’s superiority. It is shown not only in the score but throughout the statistics, and while the Tigers could easily have won by several more touchdowns (they lost the ball three times on fumbles inside the 20-yard line) there also were anxious moments, particularly early in the third quarter when McKinley moved the ball deep into Tiger territory, only to lose it on the 22 when Tom Zeller pounced on Sam Parks’ fumble. It was one of two times the red and black were able to penetrate the danger zone.

The other was in the final period when Lou Mariano uncorked the most brilliant run of the game as he traveled some 100 yards in moving forward 41, ran out of steam and out of bounds on the Tigers 29.

Bill Stoner ended that threat on the next play when he made a brilliant interception of George Ramsayer’s pass on the 18. These two maneuvers accounted for 83 yards of Canton’s 165 net yardage.

The Tigers on the other hand rolled up 432 net yards, all but 54 through rushing. The 54 were made by the completion of two of 11 forward passes. McKinley made all but four of its yards by rushing, completing only one of nine passes for four yards. First downs were 14 to 7 in Massillon’s favor.
* * *
THE GAME ran true to form, and Canton’s hopes of overcoming Massillon power with spirit failed. The Bulldogs though still fighting as the game ended, were as badly a beaten team as ever limped off the field in a Massillon-Canton engagement.

With many of them called upon to play defensive and offensive football in contrast to the two-platoon system used by the Tigers, hardly a play was run off the last seven minutes without time being taken out for one or more exhausted McKinley players. Two of them, Ronald Wilds, who played a great game and who was virtually walking on his knees throughout the second half, and Chuck Gelal were taken to Mercy hospital Canton after the game for observation but were found not to be seriously hurt.

It was Wilds who caused the Tigers most of their trouble. They never knew where he would be – over the center or off to the side and as a result were unable to trap him successfully. Because of his wandering tactics he messed up many a Tiger play. After the game Coach Chuck Mather paid him the tribute of being among the best linemen the Tigers have faced all season.
* * *
THE LOCAL gridders escaped without a serious injury – in fact they haven’t had one all season – and it was their gratitude for this, that before they began celebrating the fruits of victory, they locked themselves in their squad room and before Coach Mather or assistants knew what was going on, were on their knees with one of their number, Ray Lane, leading them in a prayer of Thanksgiving. Voluntary, unrehearsed and coming from the heart, it goes down as a red letter page in their championship history.

You can name your own individual starts. We’ll take both platoons as our champions and not single out anyone for special honors. Fred Waikem, Bob Howe, Lane and Ernie Russell made the touchdowns. Waikem two of them, but without the assistance of the big Tiger line, the blocking of their teammates and the ability of the defensive platoon to throw back McKinley’s challenge to gain ground, the glories of victory might not have been attained.

Every player made his contribution to seeing that the Tigers won the title. Tom Zeller flopped on a couple of Canton fumbles at the right time, Stoner and Bob Khoenle pulled down Bulldog passes to regain the ball for the Tigers, Jerry Krisher booted three points from placement after touchdown, Wilfred Brenner caught one pass and Russell another with Fred Close doing the pitching as well as handling the ball like a magician from his
T-quarterback position. Frank Gibson, Glenn Tunning, Jim Reichenbach, Jim Schumacher and Cliff Streeter beat down the McKinley line time and again to open touchdown avenues for the ball carriers, and always there was that fine defensive line of Allen Murray, Jim Geiser, Rudy Grunder, Dick Woolbert, Tom Zeller, and Jack Strobel to smash the charge of the Bulldogs so that the line backers Chuck Vliet, Joe Gleason and Lane could lower the boom with head-on tackles. There are three line backers Coach Mather and Elwood Kammer, his secretary of defense, wouldn’t trade for any other three boys in the state.
* * *
THE BRUNT of the ball carrying was shared by Howe, Russell and Waikem. Big Bob lugged it 21 times for a net of 126 yards, while Russell and Waikem each had it 13 times for net gains of 139 and 100 yards respectively.

Mariano’s long run of 41 yards gave him the edge over parks in the ball carrying department for the Bulldogs. Each carried 17 times, Mariano gaining 83 net yards and Parks 45. Leuby Popoff plunged for 33 in six carries.

Seldom has a Massillon-Canton game been played under a more favorable setting. Sunshine and a temperature that was not too cold made it pleasant for both fans and teams.

Only a strong breeze interfered with the game, passers having difficulty throwing against it and receivers misjudging the carry of the ball as it rode the wind right out of reach of their outstretched arms.
* * *
THE TIGERS had set as their point objective – to beat McKinley by a greater score than any other Massillon team. They succeeded by a point but failed by two points from reaching the greatest point difference of 35, set by the Canton McKinley team of 1942 which shellacked the Tigers 35-0.

The Massillon team the following year, 1943 was undefeated and untied and this season is the first perfect one since that time. The 1945 eleven was undefeated, but was tied five times.

Ever since he began coaching at Brilliant in 1937, Chuck Mather has never had a perfect season. He has been undefeated on several occasions but always there was a tie to spoil the mark of perfection. He wound up with a perfect record at Leetonia one year, but stuck his neck out in a post-season game with Salem which ended in a tie.
* * *
THE TIGERS had hoped to score a touchdown the first time they got the ball against the Bulldogs but failed to do so and had to await a second chance. Then they marched 68 yards for the marker and crossed the Bulldog goal after seven minutes and 36 seconds of the first period had expired.

They score again in the second quarter after Zeller covered a Canton fumble on the Bulldog 39, and wound up the game in grand fashion by pushing over three T.D.’s in the final period on drives of 42 yards, 47 yards and 71 yards.

Seldom have seen a ballgame in which the ball was lost so many times on fumbles. The Tigers fumbled four times and lost the ball on three of them, while Canton lost the ball on all of its five fumbles. In other words one of nine fumbles made by the two teams was recovered and that by Massillon.
* * *
UNFORTUNATELY the game got a bit rough in the last period which resulted in two players being ejected by the officials. Had the officials asserted their authority earlier they might have prevented some of the punches that preceded the expulsion.

The hardest any ball carrier hit a player here this season occurred late in the game when Bob Howe ran over Mariano. The latter gamely picked himself off the ground shaken but uninjured.

The Tigers lost the toss and McKinley elected to receive. The Bulldogs gained nine yards and advanced the ball to the 28 in three attempts from which spot Ramsayer punted to Stoner who caught the ball on the 50 but was dropped in his tracks. Waikem went for two yards and Howe 11 for a first down on the 37. McKinley drew an offside penalty, putting the ball on the 32. Russell added a yard. Two passes went for naught and Howe stumbled and lost a yard.

Canton took over the ball on its 32, Mariano and Parks gained eight yards on three attempts and Stoner returned Ramsayer’s punt two yards to his 32. The Tigers broke Howe loose for a 45-yard run. Out in the clear, he was caught in a diving, desperation tackle by Parks who managed to snag one heel, enough to throw Howe off balance on the 23. Howe went for six more to move the ball to the 17. Close picked up a Tiger fumble, eluded two Bulldog tacklers, then sped around left end for a first down on the seven. Howe put it on the three and Waikem went the last three on a quick opener. Krisher’s attempted kick was wide of the uprights and the Tigers led 6-0.
* * *
NEITHER TEAM was able to gain an appreciable amount of ground in the remainder of the first period and in the first half of the second quarter until Zeller pounced on Parks’ fumble on the Bulldog 39. Howe and Russell gained but three yards in two attempts and the Tigers drew a five-yard penalty after Waikem had gone for what would have been a first down. He struck right back, however and in two plays took the leather to the 27. Close was tossed for a loss of three but Waikem was running hard and picked up 13 for a first down on the 17. He went for another eight to the nine and Howe exploded through his left guard from that point for the touchdown to give the Tigers a 13-0 lead.

The Tigers made two more bids for touchdowns in the same period. After Khoenle had gotten the ball for the Tigers by intercepting a McKinley pass, Waikem missed a first down by inches on the 19 and Canton took over.

The longest pass of the game, a 45-yard peg to Russell produced a first down on the 16 but Waikem fumbled on third down and the Bulldogs covered the ball on their 14 to end the threat.

The Tigers received at the start of the second half and got seven yards over the midfield stripe before stopped by Canton which forced Reichenbach to punt. He got off a good kick but it bounced back 15 yards to the McKinley 34.

The McKinley offense, which gained but one first down the first half, flashed for the first time during the afternoon and the Canton stands had good reason to shout with joy. It was Mariano for 11 yards, Parks for 12, Mariano and Parks for a first down on the Tiger 29. Mariano for four more and then a fumble by Parks that the Tigers covered on their own 22. The fumble was one of many bad breaks received by the Bulldogs throughout the day. It stopped what looked like a sure touchdown drive.
* * *
THE TEAMS took turns punting and fumbling the rest of the period. Zeller covered one Canton fumble on the Bulldog 22, but the Tigers obliged when Howe fumbled on the 13 and Canton covered. On the next to the last play of the quarter Stoner covered Parks’ fumble on the Canton 42. Howe reeled off 13 yards to end the period and set the Tigers in forward motion.

Waikem ran for 12 more and a first on the 17 but the drive petered out when Wilds bounded in to cause Close to fumble a hand off, Gelal covering for McKinley. Stopped with a net gain of three yards on as many plays, Ramsayer punted poorly to the Tiger 29. On the first play Russell went through left tackle for a touchdown and Krisher’s extra point made the score 20-0.

The Tigers fourth touchdown came soon after Mariano’s brilliant 41-yard run to the Massillon 29. Almost every Tiger player got a hand on him it seemed, some of them taking two shots at him as he headed for the west sidelines then reversed his field and shook off tacklers until he went out of bounds.

On the next play Ramsayer fired a long pass that Bill Stoner knocked down with one hand and grabbed with the other on the 18. It was mostly Waikem the rest of the way down the field. He ran 27 yards to his 45, and after Russell had moved it over the midfield stripe, too off on a 47-yard jaunt to the Promised Land.

The final touchdown came after Ramsayer had punted out on the Tiger 29. Close’s pass to Brenner gained nine yards and Waikem ambled for nine more. Howe went for four, Russell eight, and a 15-yard penalty inflicted on Canton for unnecessary roughness put the ball on the 26. Howe cut the distance by 19 yards on a jaunt around right end and lane went the last seven through the left side of the line.

State Champions

MASSILLON
ENDS – Murray, Zeller, W. Brenner, Streeter, B. Brenner.
TACKLES – Geiser, Grunder, Gibson, Schumacher, Strobel, Mitchell.
GUARDS – Gleason, Woolbert, Tunning Reichenbach, J. Howe.
CENTERS – Krisher, Dowd, Martin.
QUARTERBACKS – Stoner, Close, Francisco.
HALFBACKS – Khoenle, Russell, Waikem, Grier, Lane.
FULLBACKS – Vliet, Howe, Stewart.

McKINLEY
ENDS – Killins, Gelal, Zander, Singleterry, Poole.
TACKLES – Dempsey, Ruble, Winderl.
GUARDS – Wilds, Price, Edwards, Shaffer.
CENTER – Dividio.
QUARTERBACKS – Ramsayer, Schrade.
HALFBACKS – Parks, Mariano, Horner, Prophet.
FULLBACKS – Popoff, Cast.

Score by periods:
Massillon 6 7 0 20 33

Statistics
Mass. Canton
First downs 14 7
Passes attempted 11 9
Passes completed 2 1
Had passes intercepted 1 2
Yards gained passing 54 4
Yards gained rushing 414 181
Total yards gained 464 185
Yards lost 32 20
Net yards gained 432 165
Times punted 4 7
Average punt (yards) 22 28
Yards punts returned by 44 8
Times kicked off 6 1
Average kickoff (yards) 44 35
Yards kickoffs returned by 12 66
Times fumbled 4 5
Lost ball on fumbles 3 5
Times penalized 4 3
Yards penalized 40 25

Jim Reichenbach
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1950: Massillon 35, Barberton 6

Tigers Smash Barberton’s State Championship Hopes
Local Team Tightens Hold On Ohio Crown By Trouncing Magics 35-6

By LUTHER EMERY

If a lot of Massillon football fans have heart aliments today, blame it on the Washington high school Tigers who last night spotted Barberton a six-point lead, then rose in all their power to score 35 points the last two periods to whip the Magics 35-6 before a capacity crowd of 22,000 in Tiger stadium.

It was Barberton’s first loss of the season, its last game of the season, and knocked it out of any chance of claiming the Ohio high school football title and left Massillon without a good challenger for the crown.

Program Cover

The Tigers have one game yet to play, that the traditional battle with Canton McKinley next Saturday afternoon, preparations for which already started with a little pre-game rally in the stadium immediately after the Barberton victory.

The throng that turned out to see the state’s two titans battle it out last night was one of the largest ever to attend a game in the Massillon stadium, and was treated to one of the best games ever played here.

For two periods Barberton had a grasp on the state championship as the Magics scored a second period touchdown on a 25-yard pass from Dick Hunter that Bob Harris caught brilliantly in the end zone. It was the fist time the Tigers had trailed this season and when they went to the dressing room at half-time the game was very much in doubt.

They won it there. Coach Chuck Mather and his assistants showed them what was wrong – how they should spread their defense more to combat the Barberton offense and how to take out a tackle who had been playing in the Massillon backfield most of the first half.
* * *
WHEN THEY came out for the second half the only likeness of the two first half teams was their uniforms. Where Barberton Magic had practically matched the Tigers yard for yard the first half, it failed to dismay anyone the last two periods. The locals were complete masters of the situation. Where Barberton had scored six points the first half and rolled up 115 net yards, it was held scoreless the last two periods with the net gain of six yards. The Tigers on the other hand shoved their offense in high gear to score five touchdowns, kick as many points and roll up 168 net yards from scrimmage compared with 115 yards the first half.

The Tigers second half attack came like a bolt out of the blue. Massillon fans were hoping but few expected the avalanche of 35 points to pour over the Barberton goal the last two quarters when the locals were able to score none the first half.

But they struck quickly, pushing over a T.D. the first time they got the ball with only two minutes and nine seconds of the period having expired.

It came when Harris’ punt was blocked by Allen Murray and Cliff Streeter picked up the ball and ran it back to the 15-yard line. It took four plays to get it over, Bob Howe finally lugging it across the last 10 on a lateral sweep around left end. Jerry Krisher kicked the extra point that made the score 7-6 and punt the Tigers in front to stay.
* * *
AS IT TURNED out, that would have been enough, but the point hungry Tigers struck back later on in the third period with a 43-yard march that ended with Freddie Waikem going over on fourth down from the two-yard line.

The fourth quarter had hardly gotten under way until the Tigers struck again, to finish a drive they had started in the third period. It began on the Barberton 42 and ended with Waikem going over from the one-yard line.

With only three minutes and 48 seconds of the game left to play, the locals scored their fourth touchdown. It began with Bruce Brenner covering Hunter’s fumble on the Barberton 42 and ended with Howe smashing over the goal line from three yards out.

Only seconds remained when the final touchdown was scored. A 50-yard punt return by Bill Stoner put the ball on the Barberton 23. Freddie Close’s pass to Wilfred Brenner moved it up to the four-yard line and Howe went over for the six points. The game ended on the next kickoff.
* * *
THAT’S THE WAY the touchdowns were made and while it reads easy in the summary, it was far from that.

The Magics, wired to top pitch, didn’t come to Massillon just for the ride. They were convinced in their own minds they could beat the Tigers and they played superb ball until the power and weight of the local team began taking its toll as the game progressed.

The visitors were literally brilliant at times, particularly Harris who intercepted two passes the first half with almost impossible catches and scored the Magics’ touchdown with a leap high in the air to take the ball away from two Massillon defenders who were in just as good a position to block it.

Both teams got bad breaks, but the devil seemed more unkind to Massillon than Barberton the first half.

The Tigers, for instance were well on their way to tie the score in the second period when Howe lost the ball on a fumble on the five-yard line which probably would have been a first down coming up had he held on to it.

A fumble and two intercepted passes mean throwing away three opportunities to advance the ball.
* * *
THE STREAK of hard luck and the apparent inability of the Tigers to rally their forces had local fans wondering the first half if this was going to be a repetition of the 1949 Mansfield game, which was the last game lost by the Tigers.

Probably every fan in the stands thought Tiger Coach Chuck Mather got up his dander between halves, but he says he didn’t, and took the time to try to correct his team’s mistakes.

“The boys just decided they had to win this one,” he said, “so they did.”

It was evident from the first tackle on the kickoff opening the second half that the Massillon gridders were charged for greater action. They tackled more viciously and Barberton’s attempts to advance the ball gained but three yards on three plays and when they tried to punt out, Massillon linemen broke through to bat down the leather, which made it possible for Streeter to scoop it up and get down to the 15-yard line and pave the way for the locals first T.D.

The locals threw a scare at Barberton several times in the first half but always the Magics managed to wiggle out of it. After experiencing their first bad break when Ernie Russell slipped on the four-yard line with the kickoff, Freddie Waikem on the first play from scrimmage broke through the entire Barberton team, had a lead of six feet but couldn’t hold it and was hauled down from behind on his 47. A five-yard penalty on a pass play that would have netted a first down in Barberton territory ended that particular threat. A punting duel ensured and when Harris intercepted Close’s pass on the Barberton seven he started the Magics on a drive that went 93 yards to score. There was no luck involved – just good, hard running by Charlie Mitchell and Hunter combined with two passes, thrown by Hunter to Harris, one of 17 yards and another of 25 that produced the Barberton touchdown. It was registered on the third play of the second period. Hunter’s attempted kick was wide of the posts.
* * *
THE TIGERS charged back with the ball after the kickoff, Howe getting away for a
39-yard run to the Barberton 25 that was called back when the Tigers were charged with offside.

With the help of a 15-yard penalty for roughing the kicker, the Tigers got back to a first down on the Barberton 24 but there they faded and the visitors took over the ball.

The Tigers forced Barberton to punt, and the Massillon eleven once again moved the ball well and was apparently headed for a touchdown when Howe’s fumble was recovered by the alert Dick Stefanic on the five-yard line.
* * *
MASSILLON FANS would much rather have received the kickoff at the start of the second half than booted the ball to Barberton, but as it was it turned out better the latter way when Streeter ran Harris’ blocked punt back to the 15-yard line. Four plays netted but five yards, so the ball was pitched out to Howe who ran hard to his left for the touchdown while his teammates did a good job of taking out the Magic secondary.

Howe did most of the lugging on the second touchdown drive after Harris had kicked out on his own 43. On the first play big Bob ran around left end for 19 yards and a first on the Barberton 24. He went for eight more, Waikem for 10 and How for four more. On another pitch-out, Howe got down to the four-yard line where Waikem knifed through tackle for the score.

The Tigers started their third touchdown in the last minute of the third period after Harris had punted out on his 42. Waikem went around right end for 10 before the period ended. He took it two more times for five and 23 yards, dribbling the ball the second time, but recovering. Howe moved it to the one where Waikem went over.

The boys did a lot of hammering to get their fourth touchdown after Bruce Brenner recovered Hunter’s fumble on the 42. Howe got down to the 23 in two tries, Russell hit for eight and Waikem for two and a first down on the 13. Waikem in two tries got a first down on the three where Howe went over.
* * *
BARBERTON got its first, first down of the second half on the next series but the forward motion was throttled and Stoner took Harris’ long punt and raced brilliantly 50 yards up the sideline to a first on the 23. It only took three plays to get it over from there, Close passing to Wilfred Brenner for eight and 11 yards and Howe taking the ball over on a right end sweep.

The Tigers won the game not only on the scoreboard but in the statistical column as well. Only in the art of forward passing were they beaten. They had a hard time passing, and didn’t complete a throw until the last series of the game.

They made 13 first downs to Barberton’s seven and gained 293 net yards from scrimmage to Barberton’s 121.

In one department, punting, the Tigers had a terrific advantage, Jim Reichenbach kicking a charmed ball that bounced right for him for a 43,6 average, while Harris, always, rushed by the Tiger line, had one punt blocked, and kicked another straight up in the air for a 25.8 average.
* * *
EVERYBODY had their favorite players, but offensively from this department we thought the hard running of Bob Howe stood out for the Tigers. He big boy is just beginning to come in to his own as he demonstrated on one occasion when he rammed for five yards with five Barberton players on his back.

Defensively the whole Tiger team played great ball, but the line backing of Joe Gleason and Ray Lane, particularly in stopping Barberton’s end sweeps and reverses, had plenty of sparkle. On one occasion in particular, Lane knocked out three blockers and got a hunk of the ball carrier. That is desire.

Barberton’s Hunter, Harris and Mitchell played well on offense, while Tackle Ed Balash stood up well defensively.

Coach Junie Ferrall of the Magics came over to the Tiger dressing room after the game, congratulated Coach Chuck Mather and was told by the latter, “We had a good bit of weight on you, June.”

“I was afraid we couldn’t stand up the whole game,” the Barberton coach replied, “You have a great team.”

Amen.

Statistics
MASS. BARB.
First downs 13 7
Passes attempted 8 13
Passes completed 2 6
Had passes intercepted 3 0
Yards gained passing 19 52
Yards gained rushing 287 97
Total yards gained 306 149
Yards lost 13 26
Net yards gained 293 121
Times punted 3 10
Average punt (yards) 43 25
Yards punts returned by 71 0
Times kicked off 6 2
Average kickoff (yards) 43 47
Yards kickoffs returned by 3 86
Times fumbled 3 2
Lost ball on fumbles 1 1
Times penalized 6 2
Yards penalized 80 20

Jim Reichenbach
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1950: Massillon 39, Toledo Waite 0

Tigers’ Hard Running Attack Smashes Waite 39-0
First Team Rolls Up 33 Points First Half Then Retires To Bench

By LUTHER EMERY

A terrific running attack packed with hard blocking smashed Toledo Waite 39-0 before 9,592 fans in Tiger stadium Friday evening and gave Washington high school its eighth straight triumph of the season.

With big Bob Howe, Ernie Russell and Freddie Waikem ripping off long gains, the Tigers were unstoppable until Coach Chuck Mather took matters in hand and himself checked the onslaught by filling the ranks with substitutes the last two periods of the game. Not a regular played offensive football in the second half, and 42 players in all got into the melee.

Program Cover

A driving rain isn’t supposed to be good for offensive football, but the Tigers plunged into the dampness as though they were out to win dashes in a swimming race.
* * *
RAY LANE went over for the first touchdown from three yards out on the seventh play of the game. Then came three T.D.’s in a row with the Tigers scoring on the first play from scrimmage after getting possession of the ball. Howe romped for two of them on runs of 63 yards and 84 yards and Fred Close tossed to Cliff Streeter for 60 yards and the fourth touchdown of the game. It took two plays to get the fifth, Ernie Russell crossing the goal on a 24-yard jaunt.

That represented all of the scoring in the first half and with undefeated Barberton coming up for a game next week, that was enough. Mather rested his team the last two periods and the subs were able to score but once, Paul Francisco tossing a six-yard pass to Tom Zellers in the fourth quarter for the final score. Jerry Krisher had his poorest night of the season at kicking extra points, missing on half of his attempts as he booted the wet ball over three out of six times.

It was a small crowd, as Massillon crowds go, but a grave group of fans who sat in typical Massillon-Toledo Waite weather to watch the proceedings.

Not once during the entire game did it stop raining and fans dripped out of the stadium in a downpour.

Protected by a tarpaulin which was not skinned off until shortly before game time, the field while slippery was far short of the quagmire it would have been had it not been covered. As it was, the numbers of players were easily legible at the end of the game.
* * *
SELDOM HAS a football team rolled up as much yardage in the rain as the Tigers reeled off last night. They gained 451 from scrimmage including 103 by passing and 348 by rushing, and with only 26 yards lost on scrimmage plays had a net total of 425 for their evening’s performance to 115 for Waite.

Easily the outstanding ground gainer though he carried the ball but three times was Bob Howe. He went 18 on his first attempt to put the leather on the three-yard line in position for Lane to score the initial T.D. of the game, and this effort added to his two touchdown runs gave him 165 yards for three ball carrying attempts. Not bad – 55 yards per try.

Waikem and Russell also ran well, and the hardest luck player on the squad, Bob Grier, had a 76-yard touchdown run called back in the fourth quarter because a teammate was found guilty of holding.

The backs were able to run only because of some superb blocking accorded them. The Tiger line mowed down the Waite forward wall, and end sweeps which provided most of the long bursts, were accompanied by terrific protection and the fanciest downfield blocking seen here this year.
* * *
THERE WAS considerable deception in ball handling, too. This clever slight of hand work on the part of quarterback Close and a good fake by Russell largely made possible Howe’s longest run. Practically the entire Waite team went for Russell who charged up through the middle and most fans also thought he had the ball until they saw big Bob streaking down the sideline with three blockers ahead of him.

You can’t single out any particular blocker without being unjust to the other members of the team. They were all looking for somebody to knock over last night, and that’s the way football games are won. Coach Mather only hopes they will be that sharp next Friday when Barberton comes here.

Not once did the Tigers punt. They were going to try it on one occasion but Jim Reichenbach juggled the wet ball, tried to run with it, tried to boot it on the run, missed it, and the Tigers lost the oval.

If you look in the first down department, however, you would wonder how the local team ever made 39 points and still did not punt. You have to get into the details for the reason. The Tigers only had eight first downs, but long runs for touchdowns do not show in the first down column which is the big reason for the small figure. The locals might have punted on one other occasion but instead lost the ball on downs. Then too they lost the ball twice on fumbles and had three passes intercepted, all of which retards an offense and cuts down on chances of making first down yardage.
* * *
THE TIGERS experimented with several types of defense against Waite’s single wing attack, but could hardly tell from the progress of the game which was the better since Waite did not have too much offensive power. In fact the only time the Indians reached any depth in Tiger territory was through covering a Massillon fumble and intercepting a Tiger pass. They were unable to punch the ball over the 45.
Waite, however, appeared to have plenty of blockers on its sweeps and reverses, but the Massillon secondary came up fast to nail the ball carriers after the first line had spilled the interference.

Buddy Peacock, Waite’s fleet freshman halfback, got into the game early and was easily the best runner on the visiting team. He didn’t gain a whole lot of ground but he is only a freshman and should be a good one some day.

Both teams came out of the contest without serious injuries.

The Tigers lost no time scoring their first touchdown. They won the toss, elected to receive and Streeter brought the kickoff back to his 28. On the first play of the game Russell went 23 yards to the Waite 49. The Tigers were set back yards for being in motion on the next play, but Waikem got back eight and Russell swept left end for a first down on the 36. He took it two more times in succession gaining three yards and 12 yards for a first on the 21. Howe ran hard around right end for 18 yards and a first down on the three and Lane went over from that point.
* * *
WAITE was held for downs on the Tiger 37 after recovering a Massillon fumble and on the first play Howe romped 63 yards to score. Krisher who had kicked the point after Lane’s touchdown, missed this time and the quarter ended at 13-0.

In a little burst of offense, Waite moved the ball from its own 30 to the Massillon 45, but had to punt, the ball going out on the Tiger 16. On the first play Howe swept his left end for 84 yards and his second touchdown.

Stopped again after the kickoff, Williams punted out on the Massillon 40. Close called for a pass play, ran back and fired the ball to Streeter who made a good catch on the 35 and ran the remaining distance to score. Krisher’s point made it 27-0. Bill Stoner covered a Waite fumble on the second play after the kickoff, on the 30-yard line. Waikem ran for six yards and Russell went through on a quick opener for the remaining 24. Krisher missed this attempted kick and the score at the half stood at 33-0.

The second, third and fourth stringers hammered away throughout the last two periods but it was not until midway in the fourth that they were able to score. Once Lee Nussbaum got off a 26-yard run to the 18 but the attack faded when Waite recovered a fumble on its 15. When they finally did score the subs took the ball on downs from Waite on the Indians’ 41 and overcame a couple of five-yard penalties on a pass, Paul Francisco to Bill Stoner that netted a first down on the 17. Francisco was thrown for a 13-yard loss trying to pass, but Nussbaum got back eight of them and Grier on a double reverse ran hard to the six-yard line where Francisco tossed to Zeller for the final touchdown.

Victory No. 8

MASSILLON
ENDS – W. Brenner, Streeter, Murray, Zellers, Corbett, B. Brenner, Tassoff, Keen, Allison.
TACKLES—Gibson, Schumacher, Grunder, Geiser, Strobel, Martin, Woolbert, Mitchell.
GUARDS – Tunning, Reichenbach, Moyer, Gleason, J. Howe, Corral, Snyder.
CENTERS – Krisher, Dowd, Gable.
QUARTERBACKS – Close, Francisco, Misere.
HALFBACKS – Waikem, Russell, Stoner, Nussbaum, Khoenle, Grier, Straughn, Lane, Climo, Vliet.
FULLBACKS – R. Howe, Stewart.

TOLEDO WAITE
ENDS – Davis, Turner, Galuzny, Whitner.
TACKLES – Cummings, Poose, Carter, Thomas.
GUARDS – Koroloff, Ahumada, Fromley, Tschirret.
CENTERS – Gunner, Keaton.
QUARTERBACKS – Petroff, Smith.
HALFBACKS – Zieroff, Eckardt, Peacock, Blanton, Kohn.
FULLBACKS – Sterger, Williams, Galyas.

Score by periods:
Massillon 13 20 0 6 39

Touchdowns: Massillon – Lane; Howe 2; Streeter; Russell; Zeller.

Point after touchdown: Massillon – Krisher 3 (placekicks).

Referee – Tehan.
Umpire – Heinold.
Head Linesman – Dunton.
Field Judge – Gross.

Statistics
Mass. Waite
First downs 8 6
Passes attempted 14 12
Passes completed 3 2
Had passes intercepted 3 2
Yards gained passing 103 13
Yards gained rushing 348 116
Total yards gained 451 129
Yards lost 26 14
Net yards gained 425 115
Times kicked off 7 1
Average kickoff (yards) 42 48
Yards kickoffs returned by 21 84
Times punted 0 6
Average punt (yards) — 32
Yards punts returned by 5 —
Fumbles 2 2
Lost ball on fumbles 2 1
Times penalized 10 3
Yards penalized 60 35

Jim Reichenbach
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1950: Massillon 23, Warren Harding 6

Washington High School Defeats Warren Harding 23-6
Tigers Find Panthers Tough Defensively And Touchdowns Hard To Get

By LUTHER EMERY

Strange things happen in football, and because of the uncertainty Massillon fans for two periods Friday evening clung to the edge of their seats wondering if it was the night when one of those fearful upsets would blast their Washington high school Tigers out of the running for the state championship. But it turned out not to be so and the local gridders through a second half assault smashed their way to a 23-6 victory over a stubborn Warren Panther for their seventh straight triumph of the season.

All was not rain that dampened a large portion of the crowd of 12,571 fans who turned out for the spectacle. Those who sat under the roof, about 99 per cent of whom were Massillon fans, were wet from perspiration as they heaved and puffed with the Tiger football team as it tried to make headway on the visiting eleven.

As ‘twas said – strange things happened; from the first four plays of the game one would have expected the Tiger score to have approached three figures, so easily did Massillon register its initial touchdown. It took the Tigers just four plays to get over the Warren goal after the kickoff, Freddie Waikem getting the last 30 yards after only one minute and 27 seconds of the game had expired.

From there on the going was rough, brother, and you can say that again.

The touchdown represented the only score of the first half, and plenty of Massillon spectators were uneasy when the teams went to the dressing rooms at intermission. And to add to their worries, Tiger Drum Major Russell Mowery, missed catching his baton when he tossed it over the goal post (in itself an ill omen). The witches and bones trotted out in the band show helped to cast a spell over the minds of the skeptical who kept saying to themselves, “this is the night.”

The Tiger football team, however didn’t see what went on between halves. Members were too busy in the dressing room charting the weak spots in the Warren line for a second half assault, and when they came out for the third period, they smashed across for 10 points the first two opportunities they had to carry the ball. Fortunate they did, for Warren had one in the bag that turned out to be the most sensational play of the game, a pass into the flat from Don Stroup to Dennis Pardee who raced 72 yards down the sideline to score. He did it alone and it seemed as though every player in the Tiger lineup slid off his pants before he finally shook himself free.
* * *
HAD THAT touchdown come at the start of the third period instead of the fourth there’s no telling how the game would have wound up. As it was it served no other purpose than to give the visiting rooters an opportunity to release some of their enthusiasm for the Tigers had the game pretty well sacked by that time.

As expected the Panthers threw up a stout defense against the Tigers. They fell apart only once – at the start of the game when the locals raced to their first score. Otherwise it was slam-bang all the way with a sturdy, hard charging line turning back several other Tiger bids to score and throwing Massillon ball carriers for a total loss of 60 yards. Howard Glover, end, and big Bob James were hard to move, the former giving Quarterback Freddie Close a hard time on several occasions when he attempted to pass.

Nevertheless the local team had the advantage in the statistics, marking up 14 first downs to Warren’s four and gaining a net of 322 yards to Warren’s 169 yards.

The visitors did not show any great amount of offense, their ground attack gaining only 87 net yards and their pass offense 82 yards. They might have shown to better advantage in their aerial game had the ball been dry. As it was the slippery leather made it tough on both passers and receivers.
* * *
CLIFF STREETER for instance dropped a fourth period pass from Close that undoubtedly would have resulted in another Massillon touchdown. The ball skidded through his arms on the three-yard line.

On the other hand big Cliff made the catch of the evening in the second period when he hauled in a 51-yard pass from Bob Howe on the 17-yard line. It didn’t get the Tigers anything, however for Warren braced and threw the local team back to the 32.

The victory was not only the Tigers’ seventh of the season but was also their third straight Ohio conference triumph. They are the only undefeated eleven in the conference at the present time.
* * *
THE TIGERS’ last touchdown was one too many for Jerry Krisher, place kicking artist of the local team. Jerry went into the game with nine in a row. He got the first two to make it 11 but the ball sailed wide of the uprights on his third attempt.

However, he kicked a field goal in the third period, the first that he has attempted and the first field goal scored by a Massillon team since Jack Clendening booted one against Akron South on Oct. 14, 1929. Freddie Close put the ball down on the 18-yard line for Krisher’s boot. Jerry now has kicked 33 points after touchdowns out of 38 attempts. He had kicked 26 of the last 27 before he missed last night.

The way the Tigers took off after the opening kick it looked as though they would have a field day last night.

Ernie Russell brought Santti’s kickoff back to his 28 and Waikem immediately took off for a 19-yard run. One more block and he would have traveled the distance. On the next play Russell went to the opposite side to sweep the left end for 21 yards and put the all on the Warren 32. Bob Howe tried a right end lateral but gained only two yards. The visitors evidently had marked him as the man to stop. On the next play Waikem went up the middle on a quick opener and was over the Warren goal before most fans knew who had the ball.
* * *
NEITHER TEAM did much offensively the remainder of the period, though the Tigers twice got over the middle of the field only to be stopped by the Panther defenders.

Howe’s 51-yard peg to Streeter started a definite threat in the second period, but it ended with Russell being thrown for a six-yard loss and Waikem a 12-yard loss as Warren appeared to find a defense that could cope with the Massillon sweeps. Neither team threatened the remainder of the period.

After being dressed down by their coach between halves, the Tigers scored the first time they got their hands on the pigskin in the third period. They kicked off to Warren to start the quarter and forced the visitors to punt back, Pardee kicking out of bounds on the Massillon 37.

The local team overcame a five-yard offside penalty as it drove to a first down on its 48 with Howe doing most of the lugging. Howe and Russell picked up six and nine yards respectively to get the ball down to the Warren 37, where Waikem cracked for four, Howe for nine and Russell for eight. That put the leather 16 yards short of the goal and Howe made everybody from Massillon feel more comfortable when he circled his right end for the remaining 16. Krisher kicked the extra point and it was 14-0.
* * *
WAREEN was stopped after the kickoff and a fine punt return by Russell put the ball on the 30, where the Tiger halfback needed some help by Jim Reichenbach, Jim covering Ernie’s fumble.

Close gambled and pitched the wet ball to Wilfred Brenner for a first down on the 13. When the next three plays gained but five yards, Krisher placekicked his field goal to put the local team ahead 17-0.

The fourth quarter was getting along toward the halfway mark when Stroup tossed a pass into the flat to Pardee. It almost amounted to a long lateral, and Pardee after shaking off two Tiger tacklers set sail for the sideline. He was hit time and again, but Tiger tacklers slid off and he went 72 yards for Warren’s touchdown.

Pesanelli who kicked a field goal last week to beat Alliance was sent in to try for the extra point but missed the conversion.

The Tigers received on their 38 and marched 62 yards for the final touchdown of the game with Waikem and Howe doing most of the ball toting, but Russell going over for the last two yards and the six points.

Statistics
Mass. Warren
First downs 14 4
Passes attempted 8 12
Passes completed 3 3
Had passes intercepted 0 1
Yards gained passing 74 82
Yards gained rushing 306 97
Total yards gained 382 179
Yards lost 60 10
Net yards gained 322 169
Times kicked off 5 2
Average kickoff (yards) 51 47
Yards kickoffs returned by 29 108
Times punted 4 6
Average punt 9yards) 21 27
Yards punts returned by 21 6
Times fumbled 6 4
Lost ball on fumbles 0 1
Times penalized 5 3
Yards penalized 25 15

Jim Reichenbach
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1950: Massillon 56, Mansfield 6

Tigers Defeat Mansfield 56-6 For Sixth Victory
Alert Massillon Team Capitalizes On Series Of Breaks To Beat Foe

By LUTHER EMERY

A snarling band of Washington high school Tigers wreaked vengeance in Mansfield Friday evening and brought home a gratifying 56-6 victory over the only team that beat them last year.

It was the Tigers’ sixth straight victory of the season and Mansfield’s third loss of the year.

Program Cover

The game was more bitterly fought than the score would indicate. Don’t let it fool you. The overflow crowd of 14,000 or more fans received plenty of thrills during the first two and one-half periods until Mansfield, victim of two consecutive bad breaks in the third period opened wide the gates and the Tigers poured through with touchdowns to victory.
* * *
THIRTY-FIVE of Massillon’s points went over the goal line in the last 18 minutes and breaks, which cost Mansfield a second touchdown, provided two for the Tigers.

‘Twas well Mansfield did open the doors, for the Tigers were not sharp themselves. At least Coach Chuck Mather and many of his fans didn’t think so, and although Massillon looked the stronger team most of the evening, without the smiles of lady luck, the margin of victory would not have been so great and there would have been no drippings for fans to feast on today.

Ray Lane capitalized on two breaks for the Tigers, grabbing a fumble out of the air on one occasion in the third period and racing 16 yards to score and intercepting a pass and running it back 40 yards into pay dirt for the local team’s eighth and last touchdown of the game.

Covering of a Mansfield fumble on the six-yard line put the locals in position for another of their touchdowns and intercepted passes by Chuck Vliet and Bill Stoner helped set up two more.

The blow that killed Mansfield came in the third period. Up to that time the Tygers had been giving the local team a hard time and the score was 21-6 in Massillon’s favor when Halfback John Auer broke through the center of the line and raced 96 yards for what looked like a touchdown until the ball was called back and Mansfield penalized for being offside. On the very next play John Todd smashed through for 12 yards but the ball squirted from his hands when hit by a Tiger tackler, and popped into the outstretched arms of Lane. He knew what to do with it and was over the Mansfield goal in a leap and a bound. Thus instead of the Tiger lead being cut to one touchdown, it soared to a three touchdown lead.
* * *
MANSFIELD was finished then and there. The Tygers lost spirit and the local team found it easier to score and by the end of the game, Mansfield was a badly beaten team.

It was the first time this season that the breaks had come Massillon’s way, and for the defensive platoon it must be said that it had much to do with making many of the breaks.

The defensive team actually grabbed the honors last night. Without its hard and sturdy tackling and alert pass defense, the game would have been much closer, for the Tiger offense found it hard to go all the way.

The team would click for one, two or three first downs, only to be snuffed out by the Mansfield defense. It gained 334 yards, 85 by passing and lost 39 for a net sum of 295 yards, while Mansfield was held to a net gain of 119 yards of which 52 were made by passing. First downs were 10-4 in favor of the Tigers.
* * *
THE TIGERS had a hard time completing their passes, partially because of poor receiving. Mansfield fared little better with its passing and had five passes intercepted, a figure which should have reached eight or 10 had Massillon players had a little more glue on their fingers. Where Massillon completed five of 15 passes; Mansfield completed but four of 23.

Apparently Coach Augie Morningstar had picked passing as the Tigers weakness, for he kept throwing all evening even though his team was meeting with a little more success in this department than it was at carrying the ball.

The hard hitting Mansfield running attack that looked good here last year, was missing completely. Save for two quick opening thrusts by Auer, the ball carriers had little to be happy about.

Jerry Krisher added eight more points after touchdown to boost his current string without a miss to nine. He has now kicked 24 of his last 25 attempted points from placement. His season’s total is 31 of 35, though he has actually scored 32, having run over an extra point in the opening game of the season.

Jerry missed the uprights once against Latin and Alliance and twice against Canton Lincoln.
* * *
THE TIGERS had to cross the Mansfield goal twice before they scored a legal touchdown. They first time they got their hands on the ball they began a march from the Mansfield 47. On the third play from scrimmage, Ernie Russell went 34 yards to score but the ball was brought back and the Tigers penalized five yards for being offside. Bob Howe tried to pass to Streeter but overthrew his mark. Freddie Waikem dashed 47 yards to the two-yard line and Howe went over for the six points. Jerry Krisher kicked the first of eight consecutive points after touchdown.

The locals were on their way to their second touchdown with a drive that began on the Mansfield 43, when the first period ended. Running hard, Freddie Waikem overcame a five-yard offside penalty to run the ball to the 28. Russell moved it up 16 yards in one attempt and Bill Stoner took it the last 13 on a sweep around his right end.

The Tigers had a chance to score later on in the second quarter when they recovered a fumble on the Mansfield 19, but they eventually fumbled themselves, losing the ball on the 10. They forced Mansfield to punt, however, and Russell ran the ball back well to the Tyger 34. A 15-yard pass from Close to Streeter and a seven-yard run by Howe put the ball on the 12 where Waikem wiggled through to score.
* * *
MANSFIELD capitalized on one of two opportunities to score in the closing minutes of the period. The Tygers covered a fumble on the Massillon eight, but on the first play Joe Gleason intercepted one of Benny Garbetta’s passes and came back eight yards. With less than a minute to play, Close tried to catch Mansfield asleep and tossed a pass that Darce Shasky intercepted and ran back to the 14 before being downed. The Tigers held for three downs, but on fourth down Auer passed to Lee in the end zone for what proved to be Mansfield’s only score of the game.

Mansfield’s bid to narrow the score came in the halfway mark of the third period when Auer raced 96 useless yards for what looked like a touchdown until the ball was called back and Mansfield penalized for being offside. There followed the first of Lane’s two contributions and the Tigers led 28-6.

The locals kicked off but before Mansfield could get beyond its 39-yard mark, Vliet hauled in one of Carbetta’s passes and raced back to the 24. Russell went for four and Waikem for 14. Howe in two plunges went the remaining distance and with Krisher’s boot it was 35-6.

The fourth quarter was well under way when Jack Strobel covered a Mansfield fumble on the six-yard line. Russell was over in two attempts and the score mounted to 42-6.

Two more touchdowns were chalked up in rapid order. Stoner set up the first when he intercepted Robert Matthews’ pass and raced back to the Mansfield 29. On the first play, Close pegged the ball to Streeter for the touchdown. Mansfield again received the kickoff and when attempting to pass, Lane intercepted the ball and committed larceny by running it back for another six points.

That ended the scoring, though the Tigers had another chance when Dick Woolbert blocked a punt and Mitchell fell on the ball on the Mansfield 32.

Victory No. 6

MASSILLON
ENDS – Murray, Zellers, Streeter, W. Brenner, B. Brenner, Corbett., Woolbert.
TACKLES – Strobel, Geiser, Gibson, Grunder, Schumacher, Mitchell.
GUARDS – Reichenbach, Gleason, Tunning, Moyer, J. Howe, Sapia.
CENTERS – Krisher, Dowd.
QUARTERBACKS – Close, Francisco, Khoenle.
HALFBACKS – Stoner, Russell, Grier, Lane, Waikem, Straughn.
FULLBACKS – Vliet, Howe, Nussbaum, Stewart.

MANSFIELD
ENDS – Guy, Diemer, Truax, Fowler, Ewers.
TACKLES – Monastra, Fidler, Lindsay.
GUARDS – Kent, Welker, Esbenshade, Kleer, Stauffer.
CENTERS – Maurer, Means.
QUARTERBACKS – Carbetta, Matthews, Pesano.
HALFBACKS – Shasky, Todd, Schluter, J. Dawkins, Auer.
FULLBACKS – Jordan, Lee, Ziegler.

Score by periods:
Massillon 7 14 14 21 56
Mansfield 0 6 0 0 6

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Howe 2; Lane 2; Stoner; Waikem; Russell; Streeter.
Mansfield – Lee.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Krisher 8.

Referee – Dr. Fred Heinold.
Umpire – Earl Gross.
Head Linesman – Elsaes.
Field Judge – Russ.

Statistics
Mass. Mans.
First downs 10 4
Passes attempted 15 23
Passes completed 5 4
Had passes intercepted 3 5
Yards gained passing 85 52
Yards gained rushing 249 84
Total yards gained 334 136
Yards lost 39 17
Net yards gained 295 119
Times kicked off 9 2
Average kickoff (yards) 49.2 51
Yards kickoffs returned by 43 167
Times punted 4 8
Average punt (yards) 43.5 30.5
Yards punts returned by 70 0
Times fumbled 3 3
Lost ball on fumbles 2 3
Times penalized 9 3
Yards penalized 65 25

Jim Reichenbach
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo

1950: Massillon 29, Alliance 7

Massillon 28, Alliance 7

By LUTHER EMERY

Yes, that’s the way it ended folks and Alliance’s “Beat Massillon” and “Remember ‘48’” campaign was buried in the turf of Mount Union stadium by a gallant Tiger team that was wired to top pitch by Coach Chuck Mather.

Lucky for Alliance the score was not higher, and lucky for Coach Mather he made an impromptu speech to his team a moment before the kickoff, when he said, “If you fumble or get a bad break, and forget it. Just set your mind on getting the ball back and doing better next time.”

Chuck must have sensed what was going to happen last night for his team received one bad break after another, lost the ball four times on fumbles, enough to have discouraged many a high keyed eleven, but roared right back and vanquished the foe.

It was not an easy victory. “This was our hardest game,” Coach Mather said after the contest. He can say that again. Alliance was stubborn, always dangerous with the forward pass and only because of a bad break, in which Candy Carroll dropped a pass with a clean field ahead, would have scored two touchdowns instead of one.

Because his team was up against its strongest opponent by far this year, Mather relied almost entirely on his starting offensive and defensive platoons, making few substitutions during the evening except a continual change of halfbacks to carry in plays.

The Tigers scored in every quarter, but they only got two points in the first when big John Borton was slammed down behind his goal line while trying to pass, seven in the second, seven in the third and 13 in the fourth. Alliance scored its one T.D. in the third period.

Save for bad breaks, Massillon might have scored two or three more touchdowns and Alliance one.
* * *
THE GAME, which most folks had expected to be a battle of offenses from the start, turned out to be very much a defensive contest much of the time with the Tigers punting four times and Alliance six.

Give the Massillon line most of the credit for the victory. The Tiger forwards out-charged their opponents, battered down much of Alliance’s ground work, and bothered Quarterback Borton so much that he had a hard time passing and several times was thrown for big losses when he couldn’t get the ball away before the Massillon linemen came banging through.

It is hard to pick a standout in this type of ball game, but the guy who pulled down the most praise from impartial observes was Capt. Jim Reichenbach for his great offensive and defensive line work. With Jim Schumacher out with injuries, Reichenbach went into the slot on defense. What a man! Don’t overlook Sophomore Jim Geiser, either, whose long arms were continually weaving around Alliance ball carriers, and throwing them for losses.

Jerry Krisher got in his share of licks, and then there was Tom Zellers chasing Borton back of the goal line for the safety, getting a hold on him while Krisher, Ray Lane, Chuck Vliet and Geiser all came crashing in to put him on the bottom of a big pileup. Allen Murray was in there several times to spill runners for losses and Joe Gleason and Jack Strobel got their share of tackles.
* * *
THE AVIATORS tested the line in the very early minutes of the game when they recovered a fumble deep in Tiger territory, but found themselves wanting for strength to puncture the goal line and lost the ball on downs.

That should have been the tip off but most fans so respected the offensive power of the Alliance team they believed the Aviators could still muster the strength for a sustained ground attack. They didn’t have it. They only gained 104 yards rushing and lost 65 leaving them with a net gain of 39 for their evening’s work.

The Tigers had the Alliance ball carrying aces, Candy Carroll and Henry Nicholson so bottled up that they seldom were able to advance the ball beyond the line of scrimmage and many times found themselves tumbling backward for losses. Candy got away for only two good gains, one for 15 yards and one for 27.

The Tiger offensive line on the other hand, so beat down the Alliance linemen that only one player was thrown for a loss all evening, and that for a yard. The Tigers on the other hand gained 280 yards on the ground.
* * *
LEADING Massillon ball carrying parade were Bob Howe, Freddie Waikem and Ray Lane. They ran hard right down their opponents’ throats – so to speak, for that’s the way the Tiger coaching staff had planned the attack. They gambled victory on a hard running attack to get their first scores and saved any passing or fancy dan stuff for the later stages.

Ernie Russell played the whole game though nursing a couple of injuries including a lame arm which might have been partially responsible for him fumbling a punt in the first minute of the game that gave Alliance a scoring opportunity.

Mather was glad for the words he had spoken about forgetting the breaks when this first minute bobble occurred. The Tigers had kicked off to Alliance to start the game and had thrown Alliance back three yards in as many ball carrying efforts. Borton got off a booming punt that Russell misjudged but tried to catch on his 25-yard line. The ball squirted from his arms and Ted Bates recovered for the Aviators. Carroll shook himself loose for one of his two good runs of the game as he circled right end to a first down on the eight.
* * *
THE TIGERS took time out to talk the situation over and then settled down to show Alliance which was the better football team. Four downs netted the Aviators but five yards and the Tigers took over on the three.
The local team was magnificent as it charged down the field from its own three-yard line as Russell went for 31 yards, Howe 14, and Waikem 15. Then hard luck again dogged the team. Howe broke through to the Alliance 11 where he fumbled the ball when tackled and Harold Gray recovered it for the Aviators.

The attack wasn’t entirely for naught, however, for on second down Borton dropped back to pass, found Zellers in his way and eventually was thrown behind his own goal line for a safety that gave the Tigers two points. And that’s the way the first period ended with Massillon leading 2-0.
* * *
THE SECOND QUARTER had a good start when Borton punted to Russell who returned a few yards to his 36. It set off a 64-yard touchdown drive. Russell and Fred Close made it first down on their 47. Waikem almost got away on a quick opener as he wormed his way to the Alliance 35 before he was downed. Russell and Howe picked up six yards and Waikem on another quick went to the Aviators’ 20. He hit for five more and with the ball on the 15, How was called on to run down the alley. He went over standing up for the touchdown and Krisher kicked the extra point, his 14th in a row.

Cliff Streeter intercepted a Borton pass immediately after the following kickoff and got back to the Alliance 46. The Tigers worked the ball to a first down on the 35 where they began fooling with passes and lost it on downs. Alliance rallied after stopping the threat and with a 27-yard run by Carroll and a pass that Russell trying to block tipped into the arms of Joe Zelasko, took the ball deep into Tiger territory. The half ended on third down with 13 yards to go and Massillon ahead 9-0.

It took an exchange of punts after the second half kickoff to get the Tigers going again. The half started as Bill Stoner brought Borton’s punt back nicely to his 39. Waikem and How took turns carrying the ball until they got it to the Alliance 27. There Close whipped the leather to Wilfred Brenner for a first down on the eight-yard line. Waikem came within a yard of going over and Lane took it for that yard and six points. Krisher’s placekick for the extra point made the score 16-0.
* * *
A SHORT TIME later, a 38-yard punt return by Stoner which saw him do some fancy sideline running got the ball deep into Alliance territory again. The locals moved it to the 15 where Russell fumbled, Alliance covering Borton’s punt and a 15-yard penalty imposed on the Tigers for clipping put the ball back on the Massillon 26 where after failing to gain they were forced to punt. Reichenbach got away a short kick that went to the Tigers 47 and on second down, Borton pitched a strike to Carroll for a touchdown. Nekites kicked the extra point. Score Massillon 16, Alliance 7.

Alliance took on new hope, but it was short lived for early in the fourth quarter the Tigers drove to the Aviators’ 22, fumbled and lost the ball. But Borton also fumbled on a handoff and Reichenbach pounced on the leather for Massillon on the Alliance 16. On the very first play, Waikem went over for a touchdown. Krisher missed the attempted placekick ending his string of 15 without a miss.

The fourth period was in the final five minutes of competition when the Tigers got their last score. Russell started the effort by intercepting Borton’s pass on the Alliance 40. Waikem and Russell ran for a first down on the 27 and Howe went to the eight on a draw play. It only took Lane one play to go over form that spot and he did it with a lot of hard running. Krisher started what may be another string of points by kicking the extra marker from placement.
* * *
ALLIANCE’S outstanding players were Borton, Warren Scholosser and Paul Jack. All three looked good on defense, Borton, it seemed getting a hand in almost every tackle, despite the bumping around he was given by Tiger blockers. He also booted some hefty punts for an average of 38.1 yards, the first of which virtually disappeared for a time in the darkness of the not too well lighted stadium. It was against the wind too and traveled approximately 60 yards in the air.

Had you been able to see across the field, you would have noticed Alliance was a badly beaten team at the end of the game. The contest was clean, but the Aviators were worn down by the hard charging of the Massillon line and were a tired lot at the end of the game.

No Massillon player was seriously injured. Streeter and Russell took a good bumping but appeared all right in a physical checkup after the game.

Statistics
Mass. All.
First downs 15 8
Passes attempted 10 16
Passes completed 3 5
Had passes intercepted 0 2
Yards gained passing 46 88
Yards gained rushing 280 140
Total yards gained 326 192
Yards lost 1 65
Net yards gained 325 127
Times punted 4 6
Average punt (yards) 28.5 38.1
Yards punts returned by 84 13
Times kicked off 5 3
Average kickoff (yards) 41.6 44.3
Yards kickoffs returned by 41 57
Times fumbled 3 2
Lost ball on fumble 3 1
Times penalized 4 0
Yards penalized 30 0

Jim Reichenbach