Category: <span>Massillon v. McKinley</span>

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1927: Massillon 0, Canton McKinley 13

WASHINGTON HIGH BOWS TO CANTON
Local Gridders Hold Canton Scoreless for Two Periods, Then Weaken to Lose, 13 to 0

Eleven members of Washington high school’s greatly tossed about football team, dug their cleats into the hard wrinkled turn of Lakeside stadium, Canton, Saturday afternoon and showed 7,500 fans how a never die spirit could hold Canton McKinley’s high vaunted grid machine to two touchdowns and a score of 13 to 0.

For 24 minutes those snarling Tigers from Massillon turned back the desperate thrusts of the attacking Bulldog and for 12 minutes they held a decided advantage over their eastern rivals.

But a defensive game is a hard strain on any team and with the opening of the second half, things took a different turn. The orange and black, battered badly in its efforts to stem the Canton attack, failed to come back with its gallant defensive stand and was brushed aside by a powerful red and black offense which swept across the Massillon goal line after five minutes of the third period had expired. In these few minutes of the game, the condition of the two teams was the deciding factor and the McKinley players showed greater endurance than the youthful Tigers.

Two forward passes tossed by Lab, Canton substitute, carried the ball across the muddy part of the gridiron to within striking distance of the Massillon goal and paved the way for a touchdown. Then Canton’s galloping ghost, Sam Hodnick, forgot about his injured nose and began ripping the orange and black line to shreds. He carried the ball to the 12-yard mark for a first down. It appeared as though the youthful Tigers, fighting within the shadow of their own goal posts, would turn back the Canton threat. Three times McKinley backs smashed at the orange and black. Once it held. Then it yielded three yards and then five more. With fourth down coming, the ball on the four-yard line and two yards needed for a first down, Hodnick’s signal was called and the McKinley ace drove this165-pounds through the left side of the line with a force that carried him across the Massillon goal.

It was McKinley’s first touchdown. It took the red and black gridders 29 minutes to do what they should have accomplished in five minutes if comparative scores mean anything. McKinley scored one other touchdown, that coming when only half a minute of the game was left to play and was a direct result of a poor pass from the Massillon center which Leiber recovered on the orange and black’s 13-yard line. Goss and Maurer plunged the pigskin to the youthful Tigers one-yard line for a first down and Maurer went across on the next play. McKinley had one other opportunity to score, the ball being placed in position on the local team’s 37-yard line as a result of a blocked punt recovered by the Canton gridders, but after passes had carried the oval to within 12 yards of the goal, the McKinley quarterback like President Coolidge, did not choose to carry the ball, but elected to pass and the pigskin was grounded behind the orange and black goal line. The way in which Reese Price brought Hodnick to the earth after he had received a pass placing the ball on the 13-yard line, probably had as much to do with stopping the Canton gridders from scoring on that occasion as anything. Hodnick had evaded several tacklers until Price pounced on him, bringing the plunging fullback down with a heavy thud and injuring his nose, which slowed him up considerably for the remainder of the half.

While McKinley scored twice on three of its opportunities, the orange and black failed to even threaten the Canton goal line, The local lads got the ball once on the red and black’s 37-yard line after an exchange of punts, but there the Cantonians braced and forced the youthful Tigers to punt. Play during the greater part of the game was between the 35-yard markers and with the exception when McKinley scored its first touchdown; the ball was seldom advanced into enemy territory except through a poor punt or a break in the game.

The game Saturday was a case of a well oiled, fine functioning football machine pitted against an outfit with an unbeatable, defiant spirit. When the orange and black squad trotted out on the field it could be likened to that famous painting, “The Spirit of
Seventy-Six.” Several of the players had slight limps, others possessed injuries that they vainly tried to cover and only a great determination to hold Canton to a low score and preserve Massillon’s high score record, kept them in the game. One player, Dommer, a tackle, tossed away his crutches in order to play Saturday afternoon; another with a torn ear and a heavy bandage over the side of his face, went in and mixed it roughly with the Canton boys, while still another took a chance of being put on crutches for a week or more by playing his first game in five weeks, all because Massillon’s record on the gridiron had to be preserved and such it was. The McKinley team failed to do the thing that it most desired: to set a new high score for a Massillon-Canton game. When the two elevens met five years ago with Massillon being much the stronger team, the Washington high gridders set a record by beating the red and black 24 to 0 and that record still stands as a result of Canton being unable to score more than 13 points Saturday.

At that, granting that McKinley did play a better brand of football than the orange and black Saturday, its game was in reality only one touchdown better than the youthful Tigers. While the teams shared evenly in the breaks, McKinley’s were far more valuable for they came in Massillon territory, one of which contributed to a touchdown. On the other hand the youthful Tigers benefited very little by the breaks they received, practically all coming in their own territory, 50 yards or more from the Canton goal line.

First downs also show that McKinley failed to outplay the youthful Tigers by more than seven points. The red and black made nine first downs to Massillon’s four, but four of the host team’s downs were made on their first touchdown march while the others were scattered throughout the game. McKinley failed to make the required yardage a single time in the second period, while the orange and black negotiated the distance twice. The youthful Tigers had an edge on the red and black that period, outplaying the McKinley gridders. Two more first downs were rolled up by the Massillon aggregation in the fourth quarter, one as a result of a forward pass in the last few seconds of the game and the other on a 15-yard run by “Whitey” Laughlin on a triple pass.

The local eleven never managed to get a pass away until the final period because of the fast charging McKinley linemen. On several occasions Grant was smothered for a loss by a host of tacklers when he was attempting to find a man uncovered to receive a pass. Thus the youthful Tigers were unable to harness the air for gains until after the game was lost. McKinley completed three passes for a gain of 65 yards, while the local gridders made three passes, gaining 35 yards.

The Massillonians lost many yards on poor passes from center. Buttermore played a whale of a defensive game and was a regular bulwark in the center of the line, but after the first quarter he was badly used up by the McKinley players and was unable to bend over sufficiently to pass the ball accurately to the backfield receivers. He was taken from the game shortly after the start of the second half and soon after McKinley scored a touchdown. Whether McKinley would have scored had not Buttermore been injured and taken from the game will never be known but the fact remains that he made it miserable for Canton line smashes when he was playing.

The bad passes from center caused Foster plenty of trouble in getting away his punts. In spite of the fact that the ball was rolled back to him on the ground four times, he had only one kick blocked. These grounders, however, did cut many yards off his punts, as he had to boot the ball hurriedly when surrounded by Canton players, with the result that Kauffman had the edge in the punting for the day though that edge was very slight. Had Foster received as good passes from center as Kauffman, there is every reason to believe that he would have out punted the Canton player by many yards.

His punting held the Cantonians in check during the first half but in the third quarter his kicks failed to travel as far and McKinley gained ground on nearly every exchange. To the fans it appeared at the end of the first half that 1926 history might be repeated and the game result in another scoreless tie. Up to that time, each team had scored but two first downs and neither was able to get anywhere in advancing the ball. Captain Laughlin and Grant had smashed the McKinley line twice for the required distance, while Hodnick, through a forward pass and off tackle dashes, had made McKinley’s yardage.

However, with the opening of the third period McKinley showing greater recuperating power began to mix passes with its running attack. The touchdown march started when the Canton gridders took a Massillon punt in midfield. Hodnick made two yards at right end and Kauffman’s pass fell into unpopulated territory. Lab then heaved the ball to Hodnick for 12 yards, placing the ball on the 36-yard line. With the orange and black on the run, Lab tossed another pass to Farrell for a gain of 13 yards, placing the ball on the orange and black’s 23-yard line. Then Hodnick, forgetting the bump handed him by Price, began a series of plunges. Two drives at the Massillon line brought him a first down on the 13-yard line. Sam then struck to his right for two more. Brinson attempted to carry the ball but was smothered in his tracks, after a gain of two yards. Lab then found an opening and gained four more. With the ball only four yards from the Massillon goal and two yards needed for a first down, Hodnick smashed through Massillon’s right guard for a touchdown. Kauffman kicked the extra point from placement.

Briggs made a neat return of the kickoff, carrying the ball back 25 yards to the 48-yard line before being downed. That was one of two runs that featured the orange and black’s play during the afternoon. The other was Captain Laughlin’s 15-yard dash on a triple pass. Following the touchdown, the ball see-sawed back and forth, with neither team threatening to score until the last minute of the game. Then with the ball on the Massillon 28-yard line, Evans passed the oval over Laughlin’s head, McKinley recovering on the orange and black’s 13-yard line. On the first play, Maurer slashed through the left side of the Massillon line for six yards. Goss then hit the same spot for six more and a first down within half a yard of the goal. Maurer, carried the ball across. L. Miller’s kick was blocked.

A large number of Massillon fans attended the game, although not as many turned out as in former years. There were probably 2,000 or more fans from this city present, including Mrs. Mary Merrell, Massillon’s 87-yard old football fan. Mrs. Merrell attended the game, unaccompanied, via trolley car. If you don’t think she’s a rabid fan, you should have heard her discussing the game on her way to Canton.

The roughness that was a common factor in Canton-Massillon games 10 years back has disappeared. Instead of the customary sight of flying fists between halves, the bands of the two schools staged a drill on the field in front of their respective student bleachers. Everything was orderly Saturday. The sidelines were well guarded and the crowd was kept back of a strong fence so that it could not surge on to the field as it did two years ago. It was as orderly a Canton-Massillon game as has ever been played and credit should be given to the Canton management for making it so.

The game ends the season for the two elevens. In point of victories it has been one of the most successful for McKinley which dropped but one game, an early season 19 to 0 contest to Steubenville. The season, however has been just as disastrous for the orange and black as it has been good for McKinley. The youthful Tigers have won three games, lost five and tied one. In the last three years that Canton and Massillon have met, the McKinley gridders have won two games while last year’s contest ended in a scoreless tie.
Lineup and summary:
Canton – 13 Pos. Massillon – 0
Farrell LE Fox
Miller LT Dommer
Samuels LG Henderson
Rittersbaugh C Buttermore
Zeren RG Mauger
Esmont RT Price
Barrett RE Straughn
Kauffman QB Grant
Combs LHB Foster
Brinson RHB Briggs
Hodnick FB Laughlin

Score by periods:
Canton 0 0 7 6 13

Substitutions:
Massillon – Evans for Straugh, Shanabrook for Fox, Fox for Shanabrook, Shanabrook for Evans, Evans for Buttermore, Garland for Dommer, Schnierle for Shanabrook.

Canton – Lab for Combs, Jurekovic for Farrell, Farrell for Barrett, Leiber for Zeren, Maurer for Brinson, Goss for Lab, Lab for Kauffman, Beidler for Jurekovic, Fraunfelter for Samuels, Schubach for Esmont, Green for Hodnick, Harbert for Miller, Kelly for Farrell.

Touchdowns – Hodnick, Maurer.

Point after touchdown – Kauffman (placekick).

Officials:
Referee – Shafer (Akron).
Umpire – Morgan (Youngstown).
Head Linesman – Barrett (Sebring).

Earl Straughn
Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1926: Massillon 0, Canton McKinley 0

WASHINGTON HIGH BATTLES CANTON M’KINLEY TO SCORELESS TIE
OLD RIVALS GET EVEN BREAK IN THRILLING DUEL

COMING through with the greatest exhibition of fighting spirit it has shown all season Coach John H. Atkinson’s orange and black eleven of Washington high school last Saturday afternoon held the powerful red and black aggregation of McKinley high, Canton, to a scoreless draw in their annual battle on the snow-covered gridiron at Massillon Field. About 8,000 spectators, the largest crowd to ever witness a scholastic football duel in Massillon, were on hand to see the fall classic and were treated to a spectacular contest in which both teams distinguished themselves by their hard but clean playing.

And once again the old dope bucket was given a wallop in the solar plexus. Entering the fracas as the under dog with Canton McKinley ruling the favorite because of a long string of impressive victories behind it, Coach Atkinson’s boys flung back at their critics the charges that they lacked fighting spirit and uncovering as much grit and courage as any Massillon eleven in the past, came within one yard of scoring a touchdown that would have brought victory over their ancient rival.

Only a desperate fighting Canton eleven, that was battling with all its strength to stave off defeat, kept Massillon from shoving across a touchdown in the third quarter when two blocked Canton punts, the first to be flocked on the east enders this year, gave Massillon the ball deep in Canton’s territory. The last blocked punt gave Massillon the ball on Canton’s four-yard line but four smashes into the line failed to take the oval over, although the orange and black had lugged the ball to Canton’s one-yard line before fourth down.

It was the best chance either team had to score. Canton launched its strongest attack in the first half and in the second quarter twice advancing the ball inside Massillon’s 20-yard line but was never equal to the task of pushing back a determined orange and black eleven that bristled with courage and gameness when its goal line was in danger. Massillon held the upper hand throughout most of the second half, throwing more than one scare into the hearts of Canton rooters.
FEW CHANGES
Nine of the eleven Massillon players who started the game were still in the lineup when the final whistle blew. Massillon made but two substitutions, Dave Smith replacing Mauger in the line in the first quarter and Easterday going in for Spencer in the last few minutes when the big guard was injured after playing a whale of a game throughout. Injuries couldn’t keep the Massillon regulars out of the contest. Several of them were hurt and had to take time out but not a one of them would give up. All of which indicates that the orange and black Saturday had plenty of fighting spirit and physical fitness, the two things which worried local fans considerably before the game.

Canton sent quite a number of players in to the game. At the start of the third quarter Coach Peabody had three fresh halfbacks and two new ends in the lineup, saving his regulars for a late spurt. But the regulars did not get much of a rest. They were rushed into the battle again in a hurry after Massillon had blocked two of Holmes’ punts and was driving through the Canton eleven toward the east enders’ goal line. Only Peabody’s quick action in jerking his replacements kept Massillon from scoring.

Snow fell during most of the game. Both teams were hampered by the wet condition of the field. A slippery ball made it difficult for both teams to do much with the aerial game, although Canton uncovered quite a puzzling forward pass attack that succeeded in registering numerous gains.

So far as ground gaining was concerned Canton held a big edge on the Massillon lads making 11 first downs to one for Massillon but while Canton could gain on passes and end runs in midfield it never was able to do much against the fighting orange and black eleven once it had worked the ball into Massillon territory.

Despite the slippery condition of the ball fumbles were very scarce. Both teams played cleanly throughout and few penalties were inflicted by the officials.
FOX, BENSON, PRICE STAR
Massillon’s line came through in great shape, Saturday, every lad on the forward wall giving a good account of themselves but the heroes of the conflict were Sam Benson, center, and Fox, left tackle. Both played brilliant defensive games and it was their hard charging that enabled them to burst through the Canton line at the start of the third quarter and block two of Holmes’ punts.

Fox, a lad who has played a steady game all Fall, rose to heights of greatness Saturday by his wonderful performance. He was in practically every play, tackled hard and blocked the punt that gave Massillon the ball on Canton’s four-yard line. Benson also distinguished himself by his playing. The Massillon center was pitted against Ballard, captain of the Canton team and one of the best lineman the east end school has ever had but he met more than his match Saturday in Benson and was badly outplayed by the Massillonian. It was Sam who crashed through the Canton line to block a punt in the third quarter, gaining the distinction of being the first player of the year to block a kick on Holmes, the Canton punter.

Assisting Benson and Fox in their star defensive game was Captain Bill Price, the Brewster Welshman. Price’s work in the secondary defense was brilliant throughout. He was all over the field and tackled like a demon. Dave Smith, Ott and Spencer also played good games. Gump and Fulton on the ends had a busy day as Canton depended a great deal on end runs for its gains. They had difficulty stopping the Canton charges in the first half but both played strong games in the last two quarters.

Massillon’s offense, however, was not equal to its defense. This was largely due to the strong defensive games played by Canton. The best offensive game was played by “Whitey” Laughlin who never failed to gain a yard or two on his smashes into the Canton line. Courtney Smith also played well but McConnell and Price had difficulty gaining. Canton knew the ability of both of these lads and watched them closely. McConnell, however, got away for the longest gain of the game at the start of the third quarter when he went through Canton’s left tackle for 28 yards, having cleared the entire visiting eleven except Holmes, the safety man, who brought him down on Canton’s 22-yard line.
McCONNELL OUT PUNTS HOLMES
It was in punting that McConnell did his best work, Saturday. His exhibition of kicking was one of the best of the season and he clearly out-punted Holmes, Canton’s backfield star, gaining considerable yardage for the orange and black by his long and well placed punts.

Canton as usual depended largely upon Holmes for its offensive strength but outside of several brilliant returns of punts the Canton quarterback was held in check. He tossed several neat forward passes but most of the Canton gains were made by Hodnick, Clark and Taubensee on plunges through the line or dashes around the ends.
FIRST QUARTER
Massillon received to open the game and punted on third down. Holmes immediately launched an aerial attack and after his first pass had failed, tossed to Ritterspaugh and Kaufman for gains of seven and 15 yards. Canton then shifted to line plays and end runs and worked the ball to Massillon’s 34-yard line where the orange and black held for downs and took possession of the leather.

Then followed an exchange of punts, before Hodnick went through the line for eight yards before being tackled by McConnell.
SECOND QUARTER
A 25-yard return by Holmes of McConnell’s punt gave Canton the ball on Massillon’s 45-yard line early in the second quarter. After three plays had failed Holmes skirted right end for 11 yards and a first down before being chased out of bounds by Fulton. This put the ball on Massillon’s 32-yard line. Holmes was hurt but continued in the game. Hodnick hit the line for three and Holmes then passed to Hodnick for eight.

This gave Canton a first down with the ball on the 19-yard line. Kaufman was stopped without gain but Taubensee and Hodnick made seven in two plunges. On fourth down Holmes passed to Hodnick but the Canton receiver caught the ball out of bounds and it went to Massillon on its 13-yard line. McConnell punted out of danger but Massillon was penalized 15 yards for holding and the ball was back on Massillon’s 22-yard line.

The orange and black, however was equal to the occasion and held the red and black getting the ball on its 15-yard line. McConnell again punted and Holmes brought the ball back to Massillon’s 35-yard line. Four plunges gave Canton a first down. Only a few seconds of play remained in the second quarter and Kaufman dropped back to the 32-yard line for a field goal but his kick was short.
THIRD QUARTER
Canton received at the start of the third quarter but after Goss had been tossed for a four-yard loss Holmes punted to midfield. Then McConnell ripped through Canton’s left tackle for 28 yards taking the ball to the Canton 22-yard line. Three attempts to gain netted only four yards and McConnell attempted a drop kick from the 30-yard line. The pass was low and his kick was blocked by Ritterspaugh who was downed on his 35-yard line.

Canton failed to gain and Holmes dropped back to punt. But his kick never got across the line of scrimmage. Big Sam Benson breezed through the line and threw himself in front of Holmes, blocking the punt. The ball rolled back toward the Canton goal line and McConnell fell on it on Canton’s 22-yard line. After two attempts at the line had failed McConnell passed to Price for five yards. He then attempted a pass to Smith but the ball was grounded and Canton took it on its 15-yard line.

Holmes dropped back for another punt but this time Fox crashed through and blocked the kick and Gump dropped on the ball on Canton’s four-yard line. Canton’s regulars were coming back into the game as fast as Coach Peabody could send them in.

That blocked kick gave Massillon its best chance to score. McConnell failed to gain at right tackle. Laughlin made two yards at the line.

Smith made yard, taking the ball to the one-yard line but on the next play McConnell failed to get through the line and Canton got the ball on its three-yard line. Holmes then punted from behind his goal line to Smith who was downed on Canton’s 37-yard line.

Holmes then intercepted McConnell’s pass and ran it back to Massillon’s 43-yard line. Holmes passed to Hodnick for 20 yards, putting the ball on Massillon’s 29-yard line but on the next play Hodnick fumbled and Fulton covered on his 23-yard line.
FOURTH QUARTER
A 25 yard penalty in Canton territory at the start of the fourth quarter put the ball on Canton’s 11-yard line. After several exchanges of punts Massillon got a break when Holmes punted out of bounds on his 19-yard line. Laughlin and Price made five in two plunges and McConnell dropped back to the 25-yard line for another shot at the Canton goal posts. The pass, however, was low and McConnell ran around Canton’s right end to the 12-yard line before being pushed out of bounds.

On the next play he tried another drop kick from the 22-yard line but the ball went wide and Canton put it in play on its 20-yard line.

Canton then began a determined march up the field and made two first downs before Massillon held and took possession of the oval in midfield as the game ended.
A Good Finish
Massillon – 0 Pos. Canton – 0
Gump LE Ritterspaugh
Fox LT L. Miller
Spencer LG Spence
Benson C Ballard
Mauger RG Carnahan
Ott RT Esmont
Fulton RE Sheets
McConnell QB Holmes
C. Smith LHB Clark
W. Price RHB Hodnick
Laughlin FB Kaufman

Substitutions:
Massillon – D. Smith for Mauger, Easterday for Spencer.

Canton – Taubensee for Clark, Samuels for Spence, D. Miller for Carnahan, Goss for Taubensee, Brinson for Kaufman, Wilgus for Hodnick, Taubensee for Goss, Kaufman for Brinson, Hodnick for Wilgus, Carnahan for D. Miller, Clark for Taubensee, Jurevoki for Ritterspaugh.

Referee – Lambert, O.S.U.
Umpire – Shafer, Akron.
Head Linesman – Barrett, Salem.

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.

Bill Price
Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1925: Massillon 3, Canton McKinley 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Touchdown – Taubensee.

Field goal (from placement) – Kammer.

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

Time of quarters – 12‚ minutes.

Paul Brown

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1924: Massillon 6, Canton McKinley 0

KAMMER’S MUDDY DASH OF 65 YARDS DEFEATS CANTON, 6 TO 0
INTERCEPTED PASS DECIDED BIT TILT OR LOCAL SCHOOL

Talk about that stadium dedication jinx all you want to but speaking in the vernacular “there ain’t no such animal: as far as the orange and black scholastic eleven of Washington high school is concerned. Superstitious individuals have it that no football team can successfully dedicate a new field and win a gridiron tussle all in one afternoon.

But Coach David B. Stewart’s huskies at the South Mill street institution did that very thing last Saturday afternoon when they dedicated the new high school athletic field near Pearl street and then handed the local school’s perennial foe, Canton, McKinley, a 6 to 0 trouncing in the annual conflict between the two old rivals and won for the third straight year in succession the scholastic championship of Stark county by trouncing the east enders in the final battle of the season for both schools.

The dedication jinx was handed a wallop in the solar plexus in the first quarter by Kammer, Massillon’s fleet footed and line cracking fullback, when he snatched a Canton forward pass out of the air and sloshed his way through 65 yards of mud and water for a touchdown – in favor of the orange and black for the third straight year.

It was a mud battle. Of that there can be no doubt. The field, newly constructed was made soggy by a heavy rain Friday. In spots stilts were needed for a successful passage and the balance was a nice sticky mass of mud anywhere from two to four inches deep. It was the worst field either team had played upon this year, but blame the elements for that, and it was the same kind of a gridiron the two rivals have had to settled their disputes on in the last three years.

Such being the case all the nicely pre-arranged dope was shot to the eternal bow wows early in the fracas for coaches of both teams and the players and spectators as well had prayed long and fervently for a dry, firm footing. On a dry field Massillon was a heavy favorite to win by a top heavy score. But on a muddy field, such as the one last Saturday, the orange and black was lucky to come out ahead.

With a chance to show its speed there is little doubt that Coach Stewart’s machine would have run the Canton invaders to shreds. But on a muddy field McKinley high, with a big, heavy and somewhat slow moving aggregation held the upper hand as it proved by outplaying the lighter Massillon team, distinctly at a big disadvantage in the mud.

Canton had a forward wall that had at least a five to eight pound advantage per man on the Massillon line. Its backfield also was heavier. And what Massillon fans have been trying to figure since Saturday’s conflict is why Canton, with such a formidable group of lads, did not do better than win but two games out of nine this fall.

The orange and black won the game; and that was the big thing, through the medium of Kammer’s muddy dash but to the east enders must be given the credit of trudging off the field holding an advantage in the actual play and proving themselves just a wee bit better mud dogs than Coach Stewart’s warriors. Their superiority in weight gave them that advantage along with the fact that their fighting spirit was better Saturday than it has been at any time this year. Even Canton fans were a bit surprised to see the dogged and determined fight their boys put up against the Massillon eleven. The way Canton had been defeated all season didn’t indicate a great deal of fighting spirit but they had it against Massillon – large gobs of it too.

With the muddy field as the scene for the big fracas the plans of both coaches to unleash the speed of their teams were shot but this probably was a life saver for Canton for even on the soggy battle ground the McKinleyites could not travel nearly as fast as Coach Stewart’s speed merchants. On a dry field Canton’s warriors would have appeared to be standing still when compared to the speed of the Massillon backs.

Breaks of the game however went to Canton. A bit of poor generalship on Massillon’s part also helped the east enders. The forward pass which Canton tried and Kammer intercepted was not a break for Massillon. It was one of those things that every team faces when it attempts a gain by the aerial route and the fact that Kammer took advantage of the opportunity and turned it into a touchdown for Massillon only proves that Kammer is a wide awake individual in mud or on dry land.

Right at the start of the game Canton got a lucky break when Vince Define, back in the game after a lay off of two weeks with a damaged knee, speared a Canton punt and raced it back 45 yards to Canton’s 15-yard line only to have it count for naught when two Massillon men were offside on the punting play. Again in the third quarter came another break of like nature. This time Canton punted from behind its goal line. The kick was poor and King signaled for a fair catch on Canton’s 17-yard line. He was tackled and the 15-yard penalty to be inflicted for this offense would have put the ball right under Canton’s goal posts but once again a Massillon player, too eager for a chance to block the kick, was offside and Canton got another chance to boot the oval, this time sending it down the field about 50 yards.

Canto, while it made five earned first downs to four for Massillon, never dreamed of being able to score through Massillon’s line or around the ends. The east enders’ only hope lay in successfully putting over a touchdown by the aerial route and they worked the overhead game to a frazzle in the first quarter when they attempted 15 passes, only four of which succeeded and three of which were intercepted by Massillon, one of them being turned into the winning touchdown. After that Canton tried only two passes during the remainder of the game, completing one and failing in the other.

Canton, however, did uncover quite a proficient performer late in the game in Curley Whitmer, its plunging fullback, who was not discovered as possessing ball toting qualifications until only two weeks ago. He is a big, powerful lad and crashed through Massillon’s line for several substantial gains in the last two quarters but never got out in the open far enough to prove dangerous.

Massillon’s offense, disrupted by the mud, was nothing to brag about either except for a brief flash in the third quarter which marched the ball down the field for three first downs to the Canton five-yard line and a flashy dash by Jimmy Price late in the fourth quarter when he slipped through the Canton line and plowed through the mud for 53 yards to Canton’s 15-yard line before Corl sunk him.

The local team’s best offensive play was shown in the return of punts by Define and Jimmy Price. Canton out-punted Massillon. Corl and Dent having an edge on Define, Smith and Edwards, but this advantage was wiped out by the manner in which Define and Price carried back the ball. The Canton receivers of punts seldom moved out of their tacks before being spilled in the mud.

Massillon did not make a first down in the first two quarters. Its four first downs came during the second half. All of them were earned. Canton made three, all coming in the first quarter, two on penalties and one on a forward pass. The east enders made four earned first downs in the last half, two in the third quarter and a like number in the fourth.

Bill Edwards, finishing his high school football career after three years of steady and brilliant playing, was Massillon’s defensive star. The orange and Black leader, with his head swathed in bandages to protect a bad ear, didn’t miss getting into many plays and when he tackled the Canton man stopped right where Bill hit him. The Massillon line, pitted against the heavy Canton forward wall, was well coated with mud but not outplayed by the east enders.

Punting was frequent and Massillon showed a decided tendency of not being able to handle the water-soaked, slippery ball while Canton, discredited because of its numerous fumbles all season, never once fumbled.

Canton’s best chance to score came in the first quarter when Edwards passed the ball over Define’s head and Bolender covered for Canton on Massillon’s 23-yard line. The east enders then tried and failed at four passes and the orange and black came back in possession of the ball on the same spot it had lost it. Then each team intercepted a pass before Kammer picked the ball out of the air on his 35-yard line and made his 65-yard dash.

Kammer, the fastest man on the local team, splashed mud in the faces of more than one would-be Canton tackler as he charged down the west side of the field. He was given perfect interference too, Ike Hise taking out the last man between Kammer and the Canton goal line. Edwards failed to add the extra point on a try for goal by place kick.

It was in the third quarter that Massillon showed its best form. Stewart’s lads got the ball on Canton’s 38-yard line and marched it down to the visitors’ five-yard mark before being stopped, line plays and a 15-yard pass from King to J. Price shoving Canton back to its five-yard line. But with only five yards to make in four downs the local team failed to score. Borza made two yards in a plunge and then lost three on his second attempt through failure to pay strict attention to the play. King tried to make up the loss on a line plunge but was stopped without gain. He then attempted a forward to Jimmy Price as the last chance to score and the ball went over the goal line and the chance was lost.

A touchdown was in sight when the game ended. It was due to Jimmy Price’s remarkable dash of 53 yards. Massillon got the ball on its 32 yard line on a punt and on the first play Price, rammed his way through Canton’s left tackle and darted up the field. Had Jimmy not out-run his interference he might have scored but he was too fast for the balance of his mud-soaked comrades and he outstripped them but not Corl, the Canton safety man, who overhauled him and pulled him to earth on Canton’s 15-yard line.

Then once again Canton’s line hurled itself in the mud and refused to be budged and the orange and black lost the ball on downs. Canton punted but Price brought it back to the 15-yard line from where Grant and Kammer carried it to the seven-yard line in three plays. There the game ended.

Four Straight
Massillon – 6 Pos. McKinley – 0
W. Price LE Bolender
McCarthy LT Gebel
Hise LG Young
Edwards C Parker
Halco RG Henning
Weidman RT Nealander
Thomas RE Genet
J. Price QB Black
Define LHB Poet
Kammer RHB Corl
Borza FB Whitmer

Score by quarters:
Massillon 6 0 0 0 6

Substitutions:
Massillon – King for Define, Gump for W. Price, Agler for Thomas, Grant for Borza, P. Smith for J. Price, Borza for Grant, J. Price for P. Smith, Thomas for Agler, W. Price for Gump, Define for Borza, Grant for Define, Gump for W. Price.

Canton – Dye for Bolender, Dent for Corl, Clark for Genet, Bigson for Poet, Corl for Gibson, Poet for Dent, Bolender for Dye, Genet for Clark, Farwick for Gebel, Gebel for Farwick.

Touchdown – Kammer.

Referee – Roudebush, Cleveland.
Umpire – Shafer, Akron.
Head Linesman – Michaels, Akron.

Time of quarters – 15 minutes.

NEW ATTENDANCE MARK
IS SENT AT PARK DEDICATION
Rain; snow and plenty of mud couldn’t hold down the attendance at Saturdays’ football game which marked the dedication of Massillon field, Washington high’s new athletic playground. The largest crowd which ever saw a scholastic game in this city was on hand, attracted by the annual fracas between Massillon and Canton and the dedicatory programme.

High school authorities, Saturday night, while hundreds of joy-filled students were turning the town upside down in a big celebration of the 6 to 0 victory over Canton, said that a conservative estimate of the crowd placed the attendance at 8,000. Every inch of the park was packed and quite a few saw the game from good vantage points on the outside.

The only thing that marred the event was the weather which was the poorest of the entire season. Friday’s heavy rain turned the gridiron into a quagmire but nobody cared much about the mud, except the players who soon carried a thick coating of it.

The dedication programme started promptly with H.R. Gorrell, superintendent, in charge. After the local high school band had strutted around in the mud and played a selection, Congressman John McSweeney, of Wooster, mounted a platform at the south end of the field and speaking through a double barreled megaphone made the principal address of the day.

His talk was devoted to clean sportsmanship and high class athletics. He was followed by the Rev. F.B. Hax, of St. Paul’s Lutheran church who offered prayer.

Then came Miss Louise Hunter, Washington high school senior, selected by the student council to christen the field. Miss Hunter did a good job of it and broke a bottle, filled with nothing stronger than water, at the south goal post as she christened the field, “Massillon Field.”

That was followed by an aerial display of bombs, featured by the setting loose of pennants of Canton McKinley and Washington high, attached to parachutes and a large American flag.

Between the halves after the students of the two schools had sung their school songs the American Legion and Legion Auxiliary presented the school with an American flag and large orange and black pennant. Headed by the Canton McKinley band and the local band bringing up the rear a uniformed detail of Legion members marched to the south goal post where Arthur Paul, commander on behalf of the Legion made the flag presentation speech and Mrs. Edward Johns, on behalf of the Auxiliary presented the pennant.
E.P. McConnaughy, accepted on behalf of the school and board of education.

Then as the massed bands played the Star Spangled Banner the flag and pennant were run up the flag pole presented and erected by the Legion and the second half of the game was started.

The affair was well arranged and quite appropriate to the occasion.

The game itself, while played on a very muddy field, was clean throughout, players of both teams playing hard but cleanly. The officiating was good too, although Head Linesman, Michaels once gave Canton five downs in which to make 10 yards but even this did not help the east enders on this occasion and they were forced to punt.

The battle was delayed about 15 minutes by failure of Shafer and Michaels to appear. They thought the game would start at 2:30 o’clock. Finally it was agreed to use Frank Bast of Massillon as umpire and Bletzer of Canton as Head Linesman until the regular officials arrived. They appeared shortly after the first kickoff.

One thing that is badly needed at the park is larger exits. The big crowd was jammed quite a bit while the thousands of fans tried to get out through several narrow gates.

Part of the first half was played in a drizzling rain and snow.

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1923: Massillon 9, Canton McKinley 0

MASSILLON DOWNS ITS OLD RIVAL 9 TO 0 ON MUDDY FIELD
ENDS CAMPAIGN WITH STERLING GRID TRIUMPH

Captain Bob Pflug’s educated toe and Harry Potts’ uncanny ability to dash into the midst of a struggling group of players and grab a forward pass were the main reasons why the orange and black gridiron team of Washington high school Saturday afternoon trounced its perennial foe, McKinley high, of Canton, 9 to 0 in the annual battle between the two ancient enemies staged on a rain-soaked and mud-covered battlefield at Lakeside Stadium, Canton, before at least 6,000 rabid, cheering fans, probably the largest crowd which has ever seen these two scholastic rivals in action. It was Massillon’s third consecutive triumph over the red and black of Canton in three years and the victory not only brought about another downfall of Canton before the athletic supremacy of Massillon but also resulted in Coach David B. Stewart’s huskies annexing the scholastic championship of Stark county for the second straight time and possession for one year of a large silver cup offered to the winner by the Canton University club.

Adherents of the Canton eleven may try to console themselves by saying that because their down-trodden and oft-defeated held the Massillon eleven to nine points that the red and black emerged from the churned up gridiron a moral victor. But a moral victory doesn’t mean anything. The only victory that is worth while is the one that comes through having more points to show after the game than the other fellow. And Canton McKinley can pat itself on the back that the game was not played on a dry, firm field. Had the gridiron been solid instead of the quagmire that it was Canton would have been fortunate to hold Massillon to 30 points.

One glance at the field convinced most any one who saw the game that the team which scored would indeed be fortunate and have a driving power that carried a decided punch. Fast work was out of the question on a battleground that was ankle deep in mire and water but Coach Stewart’s athletes showed that they possessed far more punch than their perennial enemies by plowing through the Canton defense for a field goal and a touchdown to amass their nine points.
PFLUG IS STAR
The lion’s share of the glory for Massillon’s third successive triumph over a Canton eleven must go to Captain Robert Pflug, sturdy and capable leader of the orange and black who finished his high school gridiron career last Saturday in a blaze of glory.

It was not because he hoofed a field goal from the 17 yard line early in the third quarter that gave Massillon its first points that made Captain Pflug the hero of this titanic battle but he was the shining light because of his steady all around performance throughout the entire battle. He was a tower of strength on the line where he has performed so steadily all season and his long distance punts throughout the tussle were the real deciding factor of the game.
How Orange And Black
Trimmed Its Old Rival

FIRST QUARTER
Massillon won the toss and received, defending the north goal. DeMinno kicked off to Borza, who was downed on his 38-yard line after a return of 15 yards. V. Define went off left tackle for one. Schrader hit the same hole for five and Pflug then punted 35 yards to Volzer, who was run out of bounds on his 33-yard line after a return of 10 yards. Fellows made one at left tackle. Edwards tackled DeMinno after a gain of five through right tackle. DeMinno punted 18 yards to Massillon’s 41-yard line. Borza made two at left tackle but Edwards was penalized 15 for holding. Borza was forced out of bounds on his 30-yard line. Pflug punted 40 yards to Volzer, who was tackled on his 30-yard line. DeMinno’s punt was blocked by Massillon and Fletcher covered for Massillon on Canton’s 22-yard line.

V. Define fumbled and McConnell covered for Canton on his 22-yard line. Johnson made on at the line and Edwards tackled Volzer after a gain of one around right end. Fellows hit the line for two and DeMinno then punted 39 yards, the ball going out of bounds on the 40-yard line, but both teams were ruled offside and the ball was brought back.

DeMinno then punted 35 yards to V. Define, who was downed on Massillon’s 43-yard line. Price made three at left tackle but Borza was tossed for a loss of two. Pflug punted 45 yards to Volzer, who was downed by McCarthy on Canton’s 15-yard line. Johnson made three at the line. Fellows failed to gain. So did Volzer, and DeMinno punted 40 yards to V. Define, who was tackled in midfield. Price made three off left tackle. Schrader made two at the line and Pflug punted out of bounds on Canton’s 12-yard line. DeMinno attempted to return the kick but the punt was blocked and Hug covered on Canton’s 26-yard line. A Massillon man was offside and Canton took the gain made on the recovered fumble for the penalty and thus registered a first down. Johnson went through on a delayed buck for six before being tackled by Edwards. DeMinno made three more in two plunges as the quarter ended with Canton in possession of the ball on its 32-yard line.
Score: Massillon 0, Canton 0.

SECOND QUARTER
DeMinno punted 50 yards to V. Define who was tackled on his 21-yard line. Borza made five off left tackle. Schrader gained two though the line. Pflug punted 45 yards to Volzer, who was tackled on his 39-yard line. Johnson made one through McCarthy’s tackle. Volzer was tackled without gain by Edwards on a long run around right end. Johnson made five at left end on a triple pass before being tackled by Schrader and Borza. DeMinno punted 40 yards to V. Define, who returned 10 to his 35-yard line. Schrader hit through right tackle for five. Borza was thrown for a loss of five by Seiple. Pflug punted 40 yards to DeMinno, who was dropped in his tracks by Potts, who made a pretty flying tackle. Volzer lost three on a triple pass. Johnson made two at the line and DeMinno on a delayed pass made six at the line before being tackled by Edwards. DeMinno punted 28 yards to V. Define, who fumbled, Canton covering on the 43-yard line.

Potts spilled Johnson after gain of two yards around his end. Vol.zer hit left tackle for three but Johnson fumbled on the next play and Fletcher covered on Massillon’s 45-yard line. V. Define went through right tackle for two. J. Define failed to gain at left tackle and Pflug punted 45 yards to Volzer, who fumbled but covered on his 19-yard line. DeMinno punted to V. Define, who was downed on Canton’s 43-yard line. Potts missed a long pass from Fletcher. Johnson grabbed Fletcher’s next pass but could not hold the slippery ball.

Pflug punted to Canton’s 21-yard line as the quarter ended.
Score: Massillon 0, Canton 0.

THIRD QUARTER
Massillon received and DeMinno kicked off to Grant, who returned 15 to his 36-yard line. V. Define knifed through right tackle for 13 and Massillon’s first first down. Define made three at left tackle. McConnell had his left knee hurt and time was taken out. Borza went around Canton’s left end for 17 and another first down, taking the ball to Canton’s 25-yard line. Schrader hit left tackle for five. Both teams were ruled offside and the gain was not allowed. Schrader hit Canton’s right tackle for six and a first down, taking the ball to the 14-yard line. Borza made three at left tackle and V. Define made one at right tackle. With the ball on the 10-yard line, Pflug dropped back to the 17-yard line and kicked a goal from placement for the first points of the game. Grant held the oval.
Score: Massillon 3, Canton 0.

Massillon received and DeMinno kicked off to Edwards, who was tackled on his 38-yard line. Herbert was hurt and time was taken out. Pflug punted to Volzer, who was tackled by V. Define on Canton’s 44-yard line. Johnson lost one. Hug’s pass was grounded and his next one went wide. DeMinno punted 25 yards to Massillon’s 30. Pflug returned the kick, punting to Volzer who was tackled by Potts on his 40-yard line. Boerner smashed Hug’s attempted forward to Volzer. Seiple then passed to Volzer for 11 and first down. Potts tossed Seiple for a loss of 15 when he crashed through and nailed the Canton end as he was about to make a forward. De Minno failed to gain at right end and Grant intercepted Hug’s pass on Massillon’s 42-yard line.

V. Define dashed around Canton’s left end for 31 yards, the longest gain of the game, taking the ball to Canton’s 25-yard line. V. Define made three at left end and then lost two on his next attempt. Grant los six and Pflug’s place kick from the 39-yard line went wide, Canton putting the ball in play on its 20-yard line. DeMinno punted 30 yards to V. Define, who was tackled on Massillon’s 45. Young was hurt. V. Define made nine off left tackle and came back and made five through the line for a first down. He was thrown for a loss of three on his next attempt. Boerner passed 10 yards to Potts, who ran 30 yards for a touchdown. Potts grabbed the ball as it landed in the midst of a group of struggling players, broke free and romped away for the score. The total gain was 44 yards. Pflug kicked goal but the point was not allowed, the officials ruling a Massillon man had held as the kick was made.
Score: Massillon 9, Canton 0.

Massillon received and DeMinno kicked off to Edwards who was tackled by Johnson on his 41-yard line. The quarter ended here.
Score: Massillon 9, Canton 0.

FOURTH QUARTER
Pflug punted 45 yards to Volzer, who was tackled on his 16-yard line by Potts. Pflug blocked DeMinno’s punt but Johnson covered for Canton on Canton’s 12-yard line. DeMinno punted to V. Define, who was tackled on Canton’s 30-yard line. V. Define made one at right tackle. Schrader made three through the same hole and Boerner plunged through right tackle for a first down, carrying the ball to Canton’s 28-yard line. V. Define made two at right end but Massillon was penalized five for offside play . Schrader ripped through the line for six. Boerner made three at left tackle but the gain did not count as both teams were offside. Boerner made four at right tackle and V. Define one. Pflug’s place kick from the 25-yard line was blocked by Young and covered by Seiple, who carried the ball back to Canton’s 45-yard line before being tackled. Two line plunges made three and Hug’s pass was grounded. DeMinno punted to V. Define, who was thrown out of bounds for Johnson on Massillon’s 35-yard line. Pflug punted 45 yards, the ball going out of bounds on Canton’s 30. Johnson made eight before being tackled by Boerner and Grant. Canton was offside and drew a five-yard penalty. DeMinno punted to V. Define, who was tackled on Massillon’s 44-yard line. Pflug dropped back to punt but the pass was low and the kick went only eight yards to the line of scrimmage, where Seiple fell on it for Canton. Johnson made two at right tackle. Brooks dropped Streb for a loss of three and Pflug tackled Streb for a loss of five. Black punted 10 yards to Edwards, who was tackled on his 45-yard line. Both coaches were sending in their substitutes.

Boerner made two at the line. J. Define lost three at right end and Pflug punted 50 yards to Canton’s 10-yard line as the game ended.
Score: Massillon 9, Canton 0.

As It Should Be
Massillon – 9 Pos. Canton – 0
Potts L.E. Seiple
McCarthy L.T. Whipple
Miller L.G. Henning
Edwards C McConnell
Pflug R.G. Young
Brooks R.T. Herbert
Fletcher R.E. Hug
Price Q Volzer
V. Define L.H. Johnson
Borza R.H. DeMinno
Schrader F Fellows

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 9 0 9

Substitutions:
Massillon – J. Define for Borza; Grant for Price; Borza for J. Define; Boerner for Borza; Harris for McCarthy; Price for Grant; J. Define for Schrader; Thomas for Fletcher; Hise for Brooks; Murdock for V. Define; Reis for Boerner.

Canton – Black for Volzer; Kreighbaum for DeMinno; Streb for Johnson; Mitchell for Fellows; McFarren for Henning; Whitmer for Herbert; Poet for McConnell.

Touchdown – Potts.

Field goal – Pflug.

Referee – Hazelwood (Grove City).
Umpire – Daniels (Ohio Wesleyan).
Head Linesman – Howells (Sterling).

Time of quarters – 13 minutes.

Canton Wanted Something
Out Of Game So It Took Ball
It is always customary and a mark of good sportsmanship on the part of the losing team to let the victors march off the football field in possession of the ball which was used during the game. But Canton evidently forgot its sportsmanship Saturday when Coach Smith of the McKinley high eleven ran out on the gridiron after the game and took away from one of the Massillon players the ball which had been used.

Canton furnished the ball and Canton can have it, if it wants it that badly, but the east enders would have looked just a little bit better in defeat if they had acted the part of good sports and given the orange and black the trophy of victory. Well, Canton’s sportsmanship some day might equal that of Massillon but it still has a long way to go.
**********
Rain and snow failed to dampen the ardor of the fans who jammed their way into Lakeside Stadium to see the battle. Practically every inch of seating space and standing room was filled to capacity long before the rival elevens trotted upon the field to see how deep the mud was. And Massillon was not in the minority so that it could be noticed.
**********
Supporters of the orange and black packed the bleachers which ran the entire length of the east side of the gridiron as well as the grandstand. Canton fans occupied the west side bleachers. And when it came to rooting, Massillon was every bit as good as its east end neighbors. The spectacle reminded one of the old days when Massillon and Canton used to fight for the professional football championship.
***********
The Massillon band, hired through donations by local citizens, was on hand to help out the high school band. Canton had its high school band on the field. Between halves the two bands marched to the north end of the field where they massed and played, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” as the American flag was hoisted to the top of a flag pole. And several thousand males shivered as they stood bareheaded while Old Glory was run up to the top of the pole.
**********
The day was very similar to a day two years ago when the two rivals clashed on the same field. And the field, while mighty bad, was not as sloppy as the gridiron of two years ago. Massillon won that game by a 13 to 12 score, stopping Canton within the shadow of its goal posts in the last two minutes of play.
**********
Early comers were greeted to a snow storm before the game. Snow fell quite steadily for about half an hour. A light rain was falling just before the battle started but ceased once the rival athletes started their fuss.
**********
That Coach Stewart’s warriors were in the best of shape to stand such a grueling battle as was fought Saturday was evidenced by the fact that not once during the game did a Massillon man take time out because of an injury . The first Canton man to be hurt was McConnell, who maintained a wrenched knee in the third quarter. But after that several red and black warriors went down for the count.
**********
Both coaches began sending in their substitutes toward the close of the game and there was a steady stream of athletes running to and from the field as new blood was injected into the fracas to replace the lads who had fought so hard throughout the duel.
**********
Massillon tried but three forward passes and completed one of these for a total gain of 44 yards and a touchdown. This successful pass came in the third quarter when Potts made his spectacular catch and scampered 30 yards for the score. Fletcher tried two of his long heaves in the second quarter but both failed.
**********
Canton completed but one forward out of six attempts. Four failed and Grant intercepted one in the third period.

Carl “Ducky” Schroeder
Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1922: Massillon 24, Canton McKinley 0

CANTON BOWS TO ORANGE AND BLACK, 24 TO 0

LOCAL ELEVEN ENDS CAMPAIGN WITH TEN STRAIGHT TRIUMPHS

Chalk up for Massillon another athletic triumph over its ancient rival, Canton. It happened last Saturday when the great orange and black football team of Washington high school vanquished its perennial foe – McKinley high, of Canton – 24 to 0 in the annual fracas between the two schools staged on the Pearl street gridiron before the largest crowd that has seen Coach David B. Stewart’s wonder eleven in action this fall.

Chalk up also for the local team a season finished without a defeat and a string of 10 straight victories over the strongest high school aggregation in Ohio. Massillon’s claim to scholastic championship honors of the Buckeye state became rivet bound Saturday when Coach Stewart’s lads trimmed the east enders. But in addition to their championship claims and their 10 straight triumphs the orange and black also established another record in that hectic duel. They registered the largest score that has ever been made in the history of athletic relations between Massillon and Canton since their resumption in 1912, beating by three points the 21 to 0 victory Massillon scored over Canton in 1919.

Coach Stewart’s lads said they would do it and they did even though they had to wait until the fourth quarter before they finally pierced the defense of the Canton eleven and scored their first touchdown. For three quarters the east enders fought with all their strength to hold the orange and black in check. And favored by the breaks they succeeded in halting Coach Stewart’s lads during the first 45 minutes of the struggle even though the local team several times was within the shadow of the Canton goal posts.

But in the fourth quarter Massillon’s attack found a vulnerable spot and when Captain “Tink” Ulrich, playing his last game with the orange and black smashed off Canton’s right tackle and ran 28 yards over the snow covered gridiron for the first touchdown, Canton’s fighting morale was broken and from then on the local team drove its steamroller through the east enders almost at will.

Canton Plays Hard

To Canton must be given the credit for putting up a stiff fight. In comparison Massillon held a big advantage. So much so that the east enders appeared defeated even before they stepped upon the battle field. But they showed a fighting spirit that fought with untold fury until Captain Ulrich made that first touchdown. Then it disappeared.

From the way it played McKinley appeared to realize that it could not defeat Massillon. But it hoped for a scoreless tie and that’s what it was playing for. Had it succeeded in bringing the game to an end without either team scoring it would have registered a moral victory for it would have accomplished something that no other team had been able to do all season.

But Canton’s hopes were to be blasted. After that first touchdown had been recorded the orange and black piled up three others in rapid succession and came very near scoring a fifth but for “Dutch” Hill who carried the ball to Canton’s one foot line late in the fourth quarter only to fumble it when tackled.

Snow Covers Field

The game was played on a snow covered field. It snowed steadily during the contest and a wintry wind which blew fiercely, numbed the hands of the struggling warriors and made it exceedingly difficult to hold the slippery oval. Under such conditions neither team was able to resort to an open attack. Straight football for the most part predominated although each team attempted several forward passes but none of them were completed.

Team Plays Well

Massillon had no outstanding hero Saturday. The entire team played brilliantly and kept on fighting manfully even though Canton had all the best of the breaks during the first three quarters. Those lads of Coach Stewart had been through too many heated battles before to lose heart in that final tussle. They just kept on plunging, waiting for their big opportunity and when Captain Ulrich brought it by his brilliant 38-yard dash the orange and black machine started off under full steam and never stopped until the whistle ended the big contest.

On the line the work of Salberg and Edwards stood out prominently. This pair of tackles stopped many a Canton drive. Pflug, Kallaker and Miller also were in the midst of every clash while the ends saw to it that few gains were made by the east enders or runs around the wings. On offense Ulrich, Hill and Define were Massillon’s chief ground gainers.

End Runs Gain

Massillon’s best attack Saturday was the end runs in which Ulrich and Define made big gains in the third quarter. Hill played consistently but until the fourth quarter could not gain much as the Canton defense, coached to stop him, watched the big fullback like a hawk. But Hill showed them his driving power by scoring three touchdowns in the last 10 minutes of play.

Canton never threatened to score. It did not once get inside Massillon’s 30-yard line. It made but two first downs during the entire game. Massillon smashed its attack like an egg shell, stopping Kirk and Johnson, Canton’s best backfield bets, time after time without gain. And Canton by no means placed a team of weaklings on the field. It had a big rangy aggregation of lads but they simply were outclassed by Coach Stewart’s well drilled team every man of which had a part to play and played it well.

19 First Downs

Massillon made 19 first downs, 11 coming in the last quarter. Three were registered in the first quarter, one in the second and four in the third. Penalties inflicted by the officials hurt the orange and black in the first half and several times kept them from scoring. The officials probably knew what they were doing but it looked as if more competent men could have been secured to handle a game so important as a Massillon-Canton clash.

In the first quarter Massillon worked the ball within Canton’s 30-yard line and was marching steadily through the east enders when a 15-yard penalty for holding spoiled its chance to score. Another 15-yard penalty before the quarter ended did not help Massillon’s chances any.

In the second quarter Ulrich grabbed a Canton punt and returned it for a gain of about 30 yards before he was tackled but the ball slipped out of his grasp and bounced right into a Canton man’s arms.

Breaks Favor Canton

Another unfortunate break in Canton’s favor came right at the start of the third quarter when Edwards kicked off to Kirk who fumbled and Edwards covered the ball on Canton’s 10-yard line. A touchdown seemed inevitable but after Hill had taken the ball to the five-yard line the officials ruled Massillon had been offside and the ball was taken back to the 15-yard line. Then Ulrich was thrown for a loss of 9 and on the fourth down Edwards dropped back to the 28-yard line to try a drop kick. Again fortune favored Canton for Bill’s kick was headed straight between the uprights but it struck the cross bar and bounded back into the field. Another inch and it would have gone over.

These breaks all helped to keep up Canton’s spirit and the east enders were beginning to have visions of holding the Massillon eleven in check when the fourth quarter opened. Ulrich and Define made several big gains around Canton’s ends ending up on the east enders’ 30-yard line. Then he went skimming around Canton’s left end for 20 talking the ball to the 10-yard line. Hill plunged into the Canton line three times and the ball was over for the third touchdown. Jamison had his eyes open also and when he covered a Canton fumble on the Canton 25-yard line he paved the way for another touchdown. Thomas took the ball to the 15-yard line and then Hill crashed into the Canton line and went over for his third touchdown.

Just shortly before the game ended, Broda attempted to punt from his 20 yard line but the pass was bad and he was downed on the 10-yard line and Massillon gained possession of the ball, it being fourth down when Canton tried to punt. Hill made 5 on his first plunge and was on his way to another touchdown when he was tackled near the goal line and fumbled. Reno covering for Canton. Canton punted but before Massillon could start a play the game ended.

A Clean Slate

Massillon – 24 Position Canton – 0
Potts LE Borda
Edwards LG Whipple
Kallaker LT Gibson
Roth C Huffman
Pflug RG Fellows
Salberg RT Reno
Jamison RE Dimino
Thomas Q Asboom
Borza LH Reiner
Mercer RH Kirk
Hill F Johnson

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 0 24 – 24

Substitutions: Massillon – Ulrich for Mercer, Weirich for Potts
Rohr for Jamison, Boerner for Thomas, Miller for Kallaker,
Define for Borza, Jamison for Rohr, Potts for Weirich,
Shaidnagle for Pflug, Eschliman for Salberg, Hax for Ulrich.
Canton – Collier for Whipple, Meeks for Collier, McConnell for
Dimino, Farrell for Reiner, Arnold for Kirk, Valmer for Asboom.

Touchdowns: Hill 3, Ulrich.

Referee – Litick, Miami.
Umpire – Kumweiler, Zanesville.
Healinesman – Brannon, Wooster

Timers – Rider and Bietner

Time of quarters – 15 minutes

Tink Ulrich
Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1921: Massillon 13, Canton McKinley 12

HIGH GRIDDERS TRIM CANTON IN ANNUAL DUEL

ORANGE AND BLACK IS 13-12 WINNER IN MUDDY ENGAGEMENT

A football game hung in the balance!

Only a few seconds of play remained. Eleven tired and mud be-spattered but grimly determined youths stood within the shadow of the goal line they had so nobly defended. Opposite them stood eleven other tired and mud be-spattered but as grimly determined lads who by sheer strength had forced their way to within four yards of the goal line.

Upon the next play rested the outcome of the encounter. But one point separated the rival gladiators, so thoroughly soaked with mud that it was almost impossible to discern friend from foe. But in the faces of eleven of those sturdy lads was written the grim resolve not to yield one more inch of ground. In the countenances of the others could be seen an equally firm determination to score the touchdown which meant victory.

On the sidelines several thousand highly excited persons stood in breathless silence as they waited for this final test of strength. The atmosphere vibrated with the tenseness of the moment. The opposing warriors took their positions.

Then—“Time!” That single word echoed across the field. A sharp blast of a whistle pierced the air. And for the fifth time in nine years the orange and black waved triumph over the red and black. Massillon had defeated Canton! By a single point had victory been achieved. Washington high school’s football team had won its annual encounter with its perennial foe, McKinley high, of Canton, by a score of 13 to 12.

On one side of the field at Lakeside stadium, Canton, pandemonium broke loose. Cheer after cheer rent the air as the victorious Massillon lads trotted off the field. On the other side quiet prevailed. With heads bowed, the defeated athletes trudged through the mud. They had fought gamely in this the biggest battle of the year. The defeat was a bitter pill but they bore their cross manfully. Needless to say, Massillon celebrated Saturday night.

Thus ended the annual gridiron fracas between the scholastic elevens of Massillon and Canton. In 1920 Canton came to Massillon and handed the orange and black a 14 to 0 lacing. This year Massillon turned the tables and the balance of power rests with the local school, for of the nine games played, five have been Massillon victories. Three have been won by Canton, while one ended in a tie.

Saturday was far from being an ideal football day. A steady downpour, which lasted until after the game had begun, turned the field into a quagmire of mud and water. With the mud several inches deep, fast playing was out of the question. Straight football had the call and with a team several pounds to the man heavier than Massillon’s aggregation, the advantage rested with Canton. But once more Massillon grit and fighting spirit conquered. After the first few plays the rival players were so covered with mud that it was hard to distinguish one from the other.
Under such conditions victory would go to the team which secured the breaks. Massillon secured the breaks but they resulted because of the hard and fierce playing of Coach Stewart’s lads who entered the fray to do or die. Canton’s points were made because of the ability of its heavy backs to plunge through the lighter Massillon eleven.

Although Ted Roth, Massillon’s splendid center, was injured and forced out of the game before the second quarter ended, it was his fierce tackling which paved the way for Massillon’s first touchdown in the initial period. For it was he who tackled Kennedy, Canton’s star halfback, so hard as he came through the line that the wet ball slipped from his grasp and was pounded upon by Boerner, Massillon’s halfback, on Canton’s 20-yard line. Then Captain Hess, whose ankle which was injured in the Dayton Steele game several weeks ago was still weak, sneaked through the Canton line for three yards and on the next play heaved a pass to Boerner, which brought a first down and placed the ball on Canton’s 10-yard stripe.

Next came a double pass. Rosenberg to Hess and the orange and black leader dashed around Canton’s right end, being forced to the extreme edge of the field before he crashed into an opposing player and slid over the goal line for Massillon’s first touchdown. He kicked goal and that point later was to be the deciding point of the battle.

Not until the third quarter did Massillon’s next opportunity to score present itself. A Massillon punt was downed on Canton’s two-yard line. The red and black was given five yards to punt. Bob Shaidnagle, a husky lineman, who had not played since early in the season because of a broken collar bone, had just entered the game for Massillon. Kennedy dropped back to punt. As he received the pass, Shaidnagle shot through the line and blocked the kick, the ball rolling over the Canton goal line where Potts fell on it for Massillon’s second touchdown. Hess failed at goal.

Canton’s first touchdown came after an unbroken march of 60 yards. The Cantonians launched their drive as the first quarter ended. With Kennedy, the star of the Canton offense, playing the part of a battering ram, the red and black smashed its way through the Massillon eleven for five first downs, the march not being halted until Kennedy dove through the orange and black line for a touchdown from the four yard line. Canton then had a chance to tie the score but Kennedy missed goal.

Canton’s second touchdown came early in the fourth quarter. As the third period ended Hess had fumbled a Canton punt. Beachy covering for Canton on Massillon’s 30-yard line. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Kennedy shot around Massillon’s right end for a gain of 11 yards bringing the ball to Massillon’s 19-yard line. Three smashes into the line netted Canton another first down and carried the ball to the five-yard line. Kennedy was called into action and on his second attempt pierced the Massillon line for his second touchdown. Again Canton had an opportunity to tie the score but once more Kennedy’s attempt was low and was batted down by a Massillon warrior.

Massillon was leading by one point. The quarter was nearly half over and indications were that the orange and black would triumph. But Canton came back strong and presented a first class running attack which carried the ball deep into Massillon territory. The wet condition of the field and ball made good punting impossible and as a result Massillon was unable to punt the oval out of danger.

Two bad passes by Potts, who had replaced Roth at center, which prevented, Hess from punting gave Canton possession of the ball on Massillon’s 10-yard line with but a minute to play. A line plunge netted two yards. Then Hess batted down an attempted Canton forward. Another dive into the line took the ball to the five-yard line. Canton had goal to gain on the next play or lose the ball, but before the play could be put into motion time expired and the duel was over.

Played on a dry field the game might have ended differently. With solid footing Massillon’s speedy backfield stars more than likely would have given Canton plenty of trouble but speed was no asset on a field such as the rival elevens played on Saturday. On only a few occasions were Hess, Ulrich and Rosenberg able to show flashes of their fleetness of foot. The heavy mud made it impossible for them to get started. Forward passes and trick plays also were difficult to execute.

As it was statistics show that Canton, so far as the actual amount of ground gained, outplayed Massillon. The red and black made 12 first downs to five for Captain Hess’ aggregation. Each team punted 11 times. Massillon completed two forwards out of eight attempts. Canton completed none in four attempts. Neither team intercepted a forward.

Although all of its regulars performed, Massillon was far from being in first class shape. Hess’ ankle bothered him. Ulrich entered the game with his injured knee bandaged. Roth’s shoulder, hurt several weeks ago, gave way and he was forced to leave the contest. Boerner sustained a badly wrenched hip in the second quarter attempting to catch a forward pass and he had to be helped to the sidelines. But even though injuries did weaken them, Coach Stewart’s lads deserve a world of praise for their game and determined fight. To them there is no such work as quit and to them goes all the honor for winning cleanly and fairly in this, their greatest battle the year.

A Sweet Morsel

Massillon – 13 Pos. McKinley – 12
Lyons LE Ashcon
Snyder LT Viethmeyer
Rutherford LG Gibson
Roth C Hoffman
Kallaker RG Bob Wade
Nelson RT Kartman
Jamison RE Frease
Rosenberg QB McGlashan
Hess LH Kennedy
Boerner RH Hamilton
Potts FB Johnson

Score by periods:
McKinley 0 6 0 6 – 12
Massillon 7 0 6 0 – 13

Substitutions – McKinley: Beachy for Viethmeyer, Ralph Wade
for Bob Wade, Mayforth for Hamilton, Hamilton for McGlashan,
Kirk for Mayforth, Deal for Hamilton, Harmon for Kennedy, Bob
Wade for Ralph Wade, Rebillot for Ashcon.
Massillon: Bischoff for Boerner, Ulrich for Potts, Potts for Roth,
Pflug for Rutherford, Shaidnagle for Pflug, Hax for Bischoff.

Touchdowns – Kennedy 2, Hess, Potts.

Goal from touchdown – Hess 1.

Missed goals from touchdown – Hess 1, Kennedy 2.

Referee – Paige of Ohio Wesleyan.
Umpire – Bletzer of Mount Union.
Head linesman – Zimmerman of Mt. Union.
Time of periods – 15 minutes

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1920: Massillon 0, Canton McKinley 14

MASSILLON LOSES TO OLD FOE IN GREAT TILT

2 TOUCHDOWNS IN 3RD QUARTER GIVE CLEAN RECORD TO CANTON

Greatness is always measured by success.

Even though the orange and black eleven of Washington high school last Saturday afternoon went down to a 14 to 0 defeat before the onslaught of the great red and black machine of McKinley high of Canton, in the annual tussle between the two schools on the Pearl street gridiron the gritty battle waged by the youthful Tigers stood forth even more brilliantly than the victory achieved by Massillon’s perennial enemy.

Greater even in defeat than it has been in victory the orange and black aggregation need not be downcast because of the defeat. Fighting a foe superior in weight, strength and ability, both individually and as a team, the local eleven fought with such fierceness and tenacity that Canton’s powerful troupe was indeed fortunate to emerge from the conflict a victor by two touchdowns.

It was Canton’s first victory over Massillon since 1916 when it trimmed the Youthful Tigers 7 to 6 and besmirched an otherwise perfect record. With the triumph goes the scholastic championship of Stark county for Canton has met and defeated both Alliance and Massillon. And the east enders, by registering victory Saturday, finishes the 1920 campaign with a perfect mark of eight victories and a record of not having one point scored against them during the entire season.

Considered as having only the barest of chances of winning last Saturday’s gridiron classic, the youthful Tigers sprung one of the biggest surprises of the season when they outfought and outplayed the Cantonians in three of the four quarters. In only one quarter, the third, did the red and black machine display any of its highly advertised steamroller tactics and in that quarter the foe from the east end city smashed through the Massillon team for both its touchdowns.

The rest of the battle was decided in Massillon’s favor. Although the local eleven did not succeed in getting within Canton’s 20-yard line until the fourth quarter, the orange and black, displaying all the grit and determination characteristic of local scholastic aggregations, which in the past have fought with their backs to the wall and acquitted themselves in a creditable manner, beat back the attack of the invaders with such decisive results that it earned even greater praise than did the victors.

Massillon was outweighed. Its offense was not as well drilled as that of the Canton eleven. But it was not outfought and it was that fighting spirit, that determination to hold Canton at all costs, that allowed the orange and black to arise from the smoke of battle even greater in defeat than Canton was in victory.
It was a typical Massillon-Canton duel. Struggling warriors threw themselves into the conflict with utter abandon. There was only one object in view and that was victory and throughout the strife the struggling elevens fought back and forth over a muddy gridiron in one of the greatest scholastic battles ever seen here. Canton won because it had the better team. That much was almost a certainty before the game began. But the red and black machine only won after it had battered down and trampled under foot the plucky orange and black clad lads who never for a moment gave up trying and who were only beaten after a much heavier eleven had crushed them down.

There was no big individual star in Massillon’s play. Every one of the lads who participated in that engagement covered himself with glory. They all fought and played their hardest and there is no one to criticize them for what they failed to do because they did much better than they were expected to.

“Chuck” Hess, midget quarterback, probably was Massillon’s biggest offensive star. The local luminary was closely watched by the Canton team but at that he succeeded on several occasions in breaking away from the red and black warriors for nice gains. On defense the entire team played remarkably well with J. Tilton, Graber and Snyder doing Yeomen service.

Canton rolled mainly upon straight football for its gains but it was not until the third quarter that its husky backs were able to smash their way through the Massillon line for any substantial gains. Canton’s highly touted attack showed itself only in the third quarter. During the rest of the fracas it didn’t have a chance simply because the youthful Tigers crumbled up the Canton line and stopped the backs before they could get under way.

“Hunk” Harmony was the lad largely responsible for Canton’s victory. This sterling warrior made both the east enders touchdowns, crashing through Massillon’s line twice for counters. Mitchell, who in previous battles, had been the star of the Canton offense did not shine very brightly Saturday.

During the first two quarters Massillon outplayed its red and black foes. The orange and black made two first downs in the initial quarter. In the second quarter Canton made three first downs and came very near scoring a touchdown, but Massillon’s defense was of such stonewall proportions that the Canton machine was turned back within two yards of the local team’s goal line.

Canton’s big advantage came in the third quarter when with Harmony as the battering ram, it plunged through the local team for six first downs and hung up its two touchdowns.

The fourth quarter saw the orange and black rally and make a desperate effort to score. It commenced an aerial attack that, had the field been dry, might have worried the red and black aggregation considerably. In this period Massillon completed five forwards but because of the slippery conditions of the field the receivers of the passes were not able to elude the Canton warriors.

It was also in this quarter that “Romey” Greenfelder, the team’s star goal kicker, tried his best to at least register points against the red and black but he failed in four attempts although his third try from the 42-yard line was a perfect kick but fell short by a scant two feet of going over the cross bar.
Canton made 10 first downs to four for Massillon. The red and black punted 10 times to eight for Massillon. The orange and black had a big advantage in the aerial game, completing seven passes for a total yardage of 34, while Canton heaved only three successful passes for a net gain of 19 yards. Each team intercepted two forwards.

Canton tactics were considerably rougher than those of the local team although the game was very clean. The east enders drew several penalties for holding. Massillon was penalized but once.

Defeated, But Not Disgraced

Massillon – 0 Position Canton – 14
Graybill LE Jackson
Harrison LT Bridge
Nelson LG Tobay
Roth C Smith
Graber RG Wolf
Snyder RT M. Miller
Lyons RE Clark
Hess Q Mitchell
Greenfelder LH Harmony
Howells RH Kennedy
J. Tilton F Van Nostram

Score by quarters:
Canton 0 0 14 0 – 14

Substitutions: Massillon – Ulrich for Greenfelder; Greenfelder for
Ulrich; Rosenberg for Hess; Mollet for Lyons; R. Tilton for
Graber; Lyons for Mollet; Mollet for Roth.
Canton – M. Miller for Clark; Relfsnyder for M. Miller; Ketman for Wolf.

Touchdowns – Harmony 2.

Goals after touchdown – Kennedy 2.

Referee – Blythe, Mount Union.
Umpire — Pickerel, Ohio State.
Headlinesman – Wilson.

Time of quarters 15 and 12½ minutes.

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1919: Massillon 21, Canton McKinley 0

High Gridders Trim Canton, 21-0
SPECTACULAR PLAY GIVES LOCAL TEAM DECISIVE TRIUMPH

Father Massillon knew no sorrow Saturday night.

While bonfires blazed merrily and hundreds of shouting youngsters paraded the streets, that venerable old gentleman, with his face wreathed in smiles paid homage to those stalwart sons of his who during the afternoon, had taken unto themselves large chunks of fame by their stellar performance on the gridiron at League Park, Meyer’s Lake.

The orange and black of Washington high school waved triumphant in the breeze, Saturday night, for Massillon’s crack scholastic combination had dealt its perennial enemy. McKinley high of Canton, a sound lacing, inflicting defeat upon its red and black antagonist by a 21 to 0 count, the battle closing the present campaign for both schools.

Rated as one of the strongest elevens in Buckeye scholastic circles Coach John Snavely’s youthful Tigers showed their quality by unfolding a piercing attack in the last two quarters that netted three touchdowns and three goals and registered the most decisive victory over Canton that a local team has annexed in more than a decade. While several thousand highly strung spectators cheered lustily, the orange and black, in a most precise and deliberate manner, trampled under foot its red and black foe and emerged from the annual conflict with the east enders with a record of only one engagement lost during a string of nine tough battles.

Surely the reason for hilarious conduct Saturday night was sufficient. The decisive mauling, which the local gridders administered to the Cantonians left the east enders without even a whimper, and the orange and black has taken unto itself the undisputed claim of scholastic champions of Stark county, having disposed of Alliance early in the season by a 23 to 0 victory.

When the struggling gladiators left the gridiron at the close of the first half, with the battle still a scoreless draw and the outcome not at all decided, Massillon would not have believed that Coach Snavely’s youngsters would be able to emerge from the duel with a 21 point margin in their favor.

Canton, with its regular lineup in the fray, was putting up a stiff encounter and holding the local eleven on better than even terms. Massillon, on the other hand, with Stuhldreher, its crack halfback, on the sidelines because of an injured arm, was not playing at its customary gait. Its defensive work was not up to par and its offense was ragged, failing to make any great headway against the sturdy defense of the red and black.

The beginning of the second half-looked still more gloomy, for Hess, another stellar light of the orange and black backfield, was unable to re-enter the battle because of a bump on the head, sustained in the second quarter.

But with its determination and fighting spirit strengthened rather than weakened by these reverses which had robbed it of two of its stars, the orange and black settled down to business and before the second quarter had progressed far the local team commenced a march from its four yard line that was not halted by the red and black until Russell Oberlin smashed his way through Canton’s left tackle for Massillon’s first touchdown.

Massillon received to open the third quarter, and after an exchange of punts Oberlin started the march that was to score the first touchdown by smashing through Canton’s right tackle for nine yards. Archbold made it a first down and Greenfelder skirted the red and black’s left end for 38 yards, bringing the ball to Canton’s seven-yard line. He made three more on the next play and then Oberlin plowed through Canton’s left tackle for the first touchdown. Greenfelder kicked goal.

The fourth quarter found Massillon in possession of the ball on its 40-yard line. A pretty 10-yard pass from Greenfelder to Howells and a 20-yard sprint by Howells carried the ball to Canton’s 14-yard line, but the red and black fought stubbornly and held. Greenfelder attempted a place kick from the 16-yard line, which was low. A few minutes later Oberlin intercepted a Canton forward on the 50-yard line. On a cross buck which caught the Canton eleven napping Archbold dashed through Canton’s right tackle, and neatly evading the two tacklers, scampered across the red and black goal line for Massillon’s second touchdown. Greenfelder added a point by kicking goal.

But the youthful Tigers were destined to register another touchdown before the game passed into history. After Canton had lost the ball on downs on its 33-yard line, the orange and black commenced another drive that ended with Oberlin shooting around Canton’s right end for 25-yards and the third touchdown.

Three first downs, the result of some brilliant plunging by Greenfelder, Archbold and Oberlin, and a 15-yard penalty brought the ball to Canton’s 25-yard line, from where Oberlin set his pedal extremities in the direction of the red and black goal posts. Greenfelder made the score 21 by kicking goal.

The showing of the orange and black in the last half was a complete reversal of the form they displayed in the first two quarters. Unable to give proper interference or to successfully combat the efforts of the red and black to gain ground, Coach Snavely’s lads found themselves battling their opponents on their own territory during the first quarter, the quarter ending with Canton in possession of the ball on Massillon’s 16-yard line.

In the second half the battle shifted to Massillon’s side but not enough to give the orange and black any decided advantage. A 35-yard run by Greenfelder, which took the ball to Canton’s 27-yard line, gave Massillon a chance to score, but the red and black fought gamely and Canton came into possession of the pigskin on its 18-yard line. Then, after an exchange of punts, Hess and Archbold negotiated two first downs in as many plays, bringing the ball to Canton’s 11-yard line. Archbold made two on a line plunge and Hess dashed through Canton’s left tackle for eight, only to fumble on his one-yard line, Canton covering the misplay. This gave strength to the Cantonians who stemmed the orange and black tide for the balance of the period, although Greenfelder barely missed a goal from a placement from the 42-yard line. The drive was low and sailed under the cross bar.

The third and fourth quarters found the orange and black machine in perfect working order and the faults that had marred the first half of the battle were entirely missing, as Coach Snavely’s lads battled their way to a 21-point victory.

While all of the local warriors acquitted themselves creditably, the brilliant performance of Russell Oberlin, who until a week ago had been playing a tackle position, was an important factor in Massillon’s triumph. The sturdy gridder proved Massillon’s mainstay on defense by his hard tackling and dogged determination to hurl himself into every play, while on offense his smashing tactics produced two of Massillon’s three touchdowns. Canton found him hard to stop at all times.

Archbold, orange and black captain, Greendelder and Hess also did notable work in the backfield, Archbold’s 50-yard dash for a touchdown being the longest of the game. Greenfelder on several occasions tore through the Canton defense for gains of from 25 to 35 yards. Massillon’s forwards displayed stonewall characteristics, especially in the second half, when their attack tore large gaps in the Canton line.

Renner, Harmony and McCarel were the bit offensive stars for Canton. The two teams were evenly matched in weight. Canton having the advantage if any existed.

Massillon – 21 Pos. Canton – 0
Hermann LE D. Miller
Taylor LT Witter
Clay LG Lautenhiser
Angstadt C Smith
Harrison RG Heltzel
Tilton RT E. Miller
Howells RE Duckworth
Hess QB Renner
Greenfelder LHB Harmony
Oberlin RHB Kreuffine
Archbold FB McCarel

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 7 14 21

Subsitutions: Massillon – Adams for Clay, Graber for Tilton,
Hollerback for Hess.
Canton – Jackson for Duckworth, Barthlewmew for McCarel.

Touchdowns – Oberlin 2, Archbold.

Goals after touchdown – Greenfelder 3.

Referee – Blythe, of Mount Union.
Umpire – Snyder of Harvard.
Head linesman – Miller.

Timer – Ligget.
Time of quarters – 12½ m.

Massillon vs. McK - Throwback (Large)

1918: Massillon -, Canton McKinley – (GAME CANCELLED)

McKinley High School on Market Avenue North opens and adopts the mascot name ‘Bulldogs’.

Six McKinley games were canceled due to the flu epidemic including the game against Massillon.

McKinley finished the season at 0-3-0, while Massillon finished 2-2-2 under Coach Snavely.

Story Credit: www.cantonmckinley.com