Ron Ertle is Headed to the Football Hall of…
Ron Ertle is Headed to the Football Hall of Fame
The Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 will be inducted this August during the Massillon Football Booster Club’s Reverse Raffle event. Included this year is new member Ron Ertle, who played linebacker for the Tigers in 1965-67. During the event he will receive a distinctive plaque commemorating his achievements. A second plaque will be mounted in the WHS sports hall in the space reserved for past Hall of Fame inductees. In addition, Ertle will be recognized on the field prior to the opening football game against Valdosta, Georgia.
“Ruby” Ertle played both linebacker and lineman under Head Coach Bob Seaman. As a starter during his junior year he instantly became a force on defense, giving a hundred percent on every play. One could describe him as just a “really tough player.” Against Canton McKinley he had a pass interception to quell a drive, and also during the season recovered two fumbles. Unfortunately, the Tigers’ record that year was 4-5-1.
In his 1967 senior year Ertle was named a team co-captain along with Trevor Young and was once again a dominating force on the field. That led to a much more successful campaign than the previous year, with the team finishing 9-1 and earning 2nd place in the Associated Press state sportswriters poll. Massillon’s only loss that year came at the hand of the eventual No. 1 team, Upper Arlington, by the score of 7-6. But the Tigers did defeat both McKinley 20-15 and undefeated Steubenville 26-16 on the way to a 4-0 mark in the All-American Conference.
Ertle finished the year as the leading tackler. He also scored four extra points from his tight end position. After that the awards flowed in. First, he received the Touchdown Club’s Hardnose Award, well-representing the attributes associated with this Bob Commings accolade, the Reese’s Raiders “E” Award for effort, efficiency and endeavor, and was named Massillon’s Most Valuable Player. After that came Massillon Independent All-County linebacker and WHBC Player of the Year. All of that culminated in him being named 1st Team All-Ohio linebacker and Ohio Football News Magazine All-Ohio linebacker. The following summer he participated in the Ohio North-South All-Star Game.
Congratulations to Ron Ertle.
St. John’s, located in Chevy Chase, Washington D.C., was established in 1851 as the second oldest Christian Brothers school in the U.S. and is currently affiliated with the De La Salle Brothers. It is also the oldest Army Junior ROTC school in the country. With an enrollment of 1,100, it is a co-educational school with 100% of its students enrolled in college prep. Tuition is $22,950. In 2021, St. John’s graduates received $34 million in scholarship money.




















Playing at 5’-9”, 155 lbs., his primary position was right halfback, where he became the second leading scorer with 54 points, behind Ivory Benjamin, who had 90. That included seven rushing touchdowns, six PATs and a 79-yard kickoff return for a score against Canton Lincoln. Two of his rushing touchdowns came against
Hershberger first played with the White Sox AAA Club Pacific Coast League’s San Diego Padres where he batted .310. But it didn’t take long before he was called up by the big club, where he played outfield from 1961-64. The next two stops were Kansas City and Oakland, covering 1965-69. His final home was the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970. But before retiring, he returned to the White Sox for one final year.
In 2007, the 

Most Valuable Player Willtrell Hartson. A commemorative football was also presented which displays the rushing and scoring records he set.
Offensive Player of the Year Ardell Banks and Defensive Player of the year Dorian Pringle.
John Pizzino Sr. Academic Football $1,000 Scholarship Award winner Christian Kring. Also shown are Mark Fair and Anthony Repp.
Coach of the Year Spencer Leno and Academic Award winner Yanii Berry.
Nate Moore receiving a commemorative photo display for breaking Paul Brown’s win record. Also shown are Rob Maylor and Ed Starcher.
Special Teams Player of the Year Angelo Salvino and Lineman of the Year Marcus Moore.
Through the Roof Award Winners Willtrell Hartson (Offensive Player of the Year), Marcus Moore (Leader of the Year) and Dorian Pringle (Defensive Player of the Year) presented by Ray Jeske (WTIG) (left) and and Fred Horner (Advanced Industrial Roofing) (right).
All-Ohio Players from Tiger opponents:
First Team
Bob Commings was a very successful coach for the Tigers from 1969 to 1973, compiling a record of 43-6-2, including Massillon’s last state championship (1970) and qualification for Ohio’s first ever state playoff games (1972). Commings departed following the 1973 season to become head coach of the University of Iowa and later coached at GlenOak High School, for which their field was later named.
Left to right: Hardnose Award winner Willtrell Hartson, Touchdown Club President George Mizer, Head Coach Nate Moore, Assistant Coach and previous Hardnose Award winner Bo Grunder, defensive lineman Marcus Moore and long snapper Angelo Salvino.
Willtrell Hartson receiving the Hardnose Award from Bo Grunder.
Willtrell Hartson and family