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1957: Massillon 20, Warren Harding 14

October 25, 1957July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

State’s No. 1 Team Falls Before 21,384 Fans After Second Half Surge Ties Score
Desperation Pass Wins For Tigers
Sparma-Childers Duo Puts Massillon Back In Running for Title

By CHARLIE POWELL

The pass was slightly wobbly.

The catch was miraculous, one you have to consider lucky.

But it was the best darn pass Massillon has seen for a long, long time.

It was unfurled by a gutty sophomore Joe Sparma by name, third string quarterback. He threw it some 46 yards and time ran out as it was in the air, for only four seconds remained when the play started.

The Horatio Alger was Clyde Childers senior, first string left end. This kid can do just about anything in big league fashion when he makes up his mind. He streaked past the secondary to the two yard line and as he saw the pigpelt wasn’t going to catch up to him, retraced his steps back to the four. Simultaneously he and Willie Jones, defensive halfback for the erstwhile state leaders, leaped into the air. Big Clyde stretched his 6 ft. 4 frame but managed to get only one hand on the ball.

His paw deflected the ball a bit and he jumped up again at the three-yard line.

He was more than a match for Jones this time. He latched his mitts on the ball – and by instinct, wheeled around and churned off the three most important yards of his young life.

Massillon 20, Warren 14,

Absolute pandemonium reigned at Tiger stadium. Like bees swarming to a hive, the fighting Tigers, their coaches and a couple hundred fans rushed toward the vicinity of the south goal where Childers, then Sparma, then Coach Lee Tressel were mobbed.
* * *
THERE WAS NO opportunity for an attempt at the extra point and for the moment, nobody was giving it much thought.

If you just gasped for breath and your eyes were glassy, you weren’t alone. If you screamed and yelled and raved and even shed a few tears of joy, you weren’t alone.

Today, perhaps you can’t remember what you said or did – but brothers and sisters, you aren’t alone.

The tumult and the shouting lasted long after the players got to the locker room. As it started to die down, the Tigers came back on the field, headed for the south goal and amid the din looked around for a football, an opposing team – anything. They wanted to try for the 21st point.

Nothing happened for a couple of minutes and back they went for the usual post-game prayer and then much more celebrating. Those who had been in the conflict viewed by 21,384 fans grew more tired. Those who watched from the sidelines worked up more than a sweat. They really whopped it up.
* * *
THE CELEBRATION was reminiscent of a blast following a state championship victory over arch-rival McKinley.

Out on the field and then in the officials’ room, Warren Coach Gene Slaugher, some of his assistants and a few fans, were showing their ire.

Their argument kept things around the big place humming long after most fans were homeward bound. They claimed that Massillon got an “extra minute” in the late stages of the battle.

They argued that the scoreboard timepiece after reaching the minute mark in the final period, showed 1:59 to go.

There was 2:35 remaining when Massillon got possession of the ball the last time. Time was out at 1:29 after a first down pass was incomplete and fourth down was coming up. After a pass from Halfback Gene Stewart to Halfback Ivory Benjamin made connections, they had to measure for a first down. Time was out at 1:09. The Tigers got the stick mover by a couple inches and here is what happened after that:
* * *
QUARTERBACK BOB GETZ threw a screen pass to Roger Reese, who was in at fullback. The ball was partially deflected by a Warren player but Reese caught the ball as he was falling. It was a six-yard loss back to the 44. At 0:40 Getz hit Childers on a seven-yard gainer.

Stewart passed again with the effort intended for end Ronnie Williams on about the 10. Three Panthers outfought Williams for the grab and the scoreboard read “0:04.”

Childers made the sensational catch and touchdown and just about everybody in the house went off their “rocker.”

Slaughter and others talked the situation over with the officials and Massillon coaches. It was brought out that through a quirk on the part of the scoreboard the figure one flashed back one while the last 59 seconds were ticking off.

However, the “one” was not showing with 40 and four seconds remaining.

Slaughter was a gentleman through it all. After being assured that it is impossible to set the time back, he asserted that he was not disputing “the honesty of anybody.”

When he first took up the argument he said he planned to lodge a protest regarding the matter. Later he iterated his statement, saying he was going to call H.W. Emswiler, commissioner of Ohio high school athletics, this morning.
* * *
LONG AFTER most fans were on their way home, Tiger Faculty Manager Roger Price manned the operating system for the scoreboard.

The time piece was started twice.

Instead of reading 0:59 the first time, the figure one flashed one and a minute and 59 seconds ticked off. But on the second test, everything went normal. After the board showed 1:00 it read 0:59, 0:58, and so on.

A mechanical malfunction.

Apparently Slaughter saw the light but still wasn’t entirely satisfied. The young,
good-natured mentor whose team lost a heart-breaker, laughed and remarked, “You’d
better get that thing fixed” as he turned and headed for the Warren team bus.
* * *
AFTER COACH Tressel, who was in bed all day Friday, (the flu bug is catching up to him) caught a second breath he commented:

“We were real good the first half and they were good the second half. They have a real good team. They moved the ball that second half. Our offense bogged down.”

“I thought our tackling was good all night. I guess the boys had the desire.”

He might have added that the Tigers appeared to be a tired bunch the last quarter. They were hitting hard – and getting hit hard.

While the offense shined the first half, it was the Orange and Black defense which came in for a giant bouquet the last two periods.

Late in the second period the local hustlers stopped a Panther bid at the nine. After Warren tied the score in the last stanza, the defensive units of both sides took charge.

After Tackle John Pietela’s placement made it 14-14 with 10 minutes and 20 seconds remaining, each team had the ball three series before the Tigers got it a fourth and
game-winning time.

Until Massillon gained possession the last time, neither team made a first down. All three times each was forced to punt.

With four minutes left, some fans sent up a howl as the Tigers punted from their own 40. It was fourth and one and apparently they were worrying about the time.
* * *
WARREN HAD to kick from its 39 and Benjamin returned from his 29 to the 38. Ivory and Jerry Allen made a first down at the Panther 48 before Sparma, with his pass receivers covered, was felled for a nine-yard loss. However, Benjamin zipped for nine on a
cross-buck and the Tigers still were in business.

With 1:40 left Stewart’s pass to Childers was too hot to handle but Benjamin took a throw from Stewart for 10 yards and the first down that set the stage for the big developments which gave the Tigers their fifth triumph in six starts.

The win surely will hike Massillon’s stock in the state grid polls. Undoubtedly, Cleveland Benedictine, which has been second after topping Massillon, will move into the No. 1 slot next week.

The championship race could turn out to be a lulu. Much will hinge on the Tigers’ remaining games with Barberton (there next Friday), Akron Garfield (here Nov. 8) and McKinley (at Fawcett stadium Nov. 16).

Massillon fans, used to seeing their team get behind in the first half, were gratified with last night’s early developments that gave the Orangemen the jump.

Warren received and after making two first downs, was forced to punt. The Tigers, for the first time this season, put on a punt rush and Bob Sims, Warren’s main threat in the ball carrying department, was forced to hurry his kick from the Panther 34.
* * *
THE PIGSKIN sailed out of bounds at the Warren 47 and the Tigers clicked on all cylinders. After Benjamin gained three, they pulled off a running pass good for 19 yards with Stewart doing the tossing and Benjamin the catching.

Benjamin, Stewart, Chuck Beiter, (who was slowed up by a pulled leg muscle) and Corky Pledgure carved out two first downs to plant the ball on the four.

From that point Benjamin, on a “belly” play, cracked off the right side and tallied standing up. Sparma came in and booted the PAT to make it 7-0 at 4:10.

Before the quarter was history, Massillon hit pay dirt again.

Again, Warren failed to get a first down after the kickoff and again Sims was hurried on a punting situation from the 29. This time the ball went out of bounds at the 42.

Benjamin got five, then came back on a smash through the middle for seven. A pass was incomplete and Benjamin made only one but on third down Stewart wound up again.

His pass went into the end zone where Childers made a fine over-the-shoulder catch. Hase McKey came in this time for the placement. He made it 14-0 at 1:48 and the joint was really jumping.
* * *
IN THE SECOND period the invading outfit, which had won its first six games, never threatened. The Tresselmen threw them for losses amounting to 25 yards.

But the Tigers did no damage as the Panther defense tightened and allowed only two first downs.

Massillon had to punt after Fullback Scott Kanney ripped for 11 as the third period got under way and Childers kicked dead at the Warren 30.

Warren went all the way with the pile-driving Sims featuring runs of 17 and 27 yards. Sub Halfback Larry Dotson scored from the four on a double reverse. He just made it past the final stripe on the fourth and four set-up. Pietela converted at 6:01.

Massillon received, had to punt, and the boot by Childers was grounded at the Warren 38.

On the last 10 plays the Panthers advanced to the Tiger 24 with the big gainer being a
10-yard pass play, Quarterback Joe Malone to Sims.
* * *
ON THE FIRST play of the last panel Dotson picked up five. Malone passed to Sims who fought his way to the seven. Halfback Bill Miller, who had a tough time shaking loose all night, swept the left side for five before hitting center for the touchdown at 10:20. Pietela’s perfect placement knotted the count and put everybody on pins and needles.

The statistics showed the closeness of the rip-snorter. Warren had 12 first downs, Massillon made 11. By rushing the Panthers gained 199 yards, the Tigers 145. Warren completed four of nine passes for 40 yards and the Tigers hit on seven of 16 for 108 yards.

Stewart completed three for 58 yards and on TD, Getz had two-for-two for 13 and Sparma got one only one pass – but you know what happened.

Benjamin, with 58 yards, was the leading ground gainer for the Bengals. Not to be overlooked were some timely jaunts by Beiter (who did not practice all week), Allen, Pledgure, Stewart and Kanney.

MASSILLON
ENDS – Childers, Snavely, Zorn, Hagan, A. Pierce, Mitchell, Dean.
TACKLES – Slabaugh, A .Slicker, Halter, Donat, Bronwlee, Bordner, Karrenbauer.
GUARDS – Heine, Heimann, McKey, Bendar, J. Kasunick, Cook.
CENTERS – Swartz, Williamson.
QUARTERBACKS – Getz, Anthony, Sparma.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Stewart, Allen Snively, Pledgure, Clark.
FULLBACKS – Beiter, Kanney, Reese.

WARREN
ENDS – Apple, Smith, F. Romig, Fowler.
TACKLES – Pietela, Rudolph, Johnson, Tutich.
GUARDS – Hammercheck, Thompson, Rieser, Windle.
CENTERS – Perfetti, Maggiano.
QUARTERBACKS – Malone, Brown.
HALFBACKS – Szuch, Miller, Jones, Dotson, DeCavitch, Warfield.
FULLBACK – Sims.

Score by quarters:
Massillon 14 0 0 6 20
Warren 0 0 7 7 14

Touchdowns – Benjamin, Childers (2).
Dotson, Miller.
Extra points – McKey, Sparma.
Pietela (2).

STATISTICS
M W
First downs, rushing 6 10
First downs, passing 4 2
First downs, penalties 1 0
First downs, total 11 12
Yards gained, running plays 145 204
Yards lost, running plays 20 26
Net yardage running plays 125 178
Passes attempted 16 9
Passes completed 7 4
Passes had intercepted 0 0
Yards gained, passing 106 40
Total yardage 233 218
Number of punts 6 6
Total yardage on punts 218 157
Average length of punts 27.2 26.1
Number of penalties 0 3
Yards lost on penalties 0 35
Number of fumbles 2 1
Own fumbles recovered 1 1
Ball lost on fumbles 1 0

History

1957: Massillon -, Mansfield – (Game Cancelled)

October 18, 1957July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Flu Cancels Tiger Game

Cancellation of Massillon’s football game scheduled with Mansfield here Friday night and a decision to close Perry township schools were the latest developments in the local outbreak of influenza.

For the firs time since 1918 the Tigers were forced to cancel a football game when Mansfield school officials vetoed a proposal to reschedule the contest after both teams had completed their regular seasons.

The siege of illness, described by L.J. Smith, superintendent of Massillon public schools as a “severe epidemic of influenza among the Massillon public school children, including members of the Massillon football team,” also has caused the following changes in local grid contests:

Postponement of tonight’s vital junior high city series game between Longfellow and Edmund A. Jones until next week, possibly Wednesday or Thursday.

Cancellation of the Lorin Andrews – Canton South game originally scheduled for this afternoon.

Cancellation of the game between the Massillon and Alliance sophomores originally scheduled for Tiger stadium practice field Saturday morning.

Cancellation of the Alliance-Erie Strong Vincent game scheduled for Friday night. Alliance, faced with a cancellation a second week in a row, has booked a game with Youngstown Rayen, the game to be played Friday at Mt. Union college stadium.

There is a possibility that the Brewster Magadore game, slated for Mogadore tomorrow night, will be canceled because of the flu situation at Brewster where only 13 players reported for practice Wednesday. Canton McKinley has quite a few absent gridders and it is possible its game with Steubenville may be postponed or cancelled.

History

1957: Massillon 7, Cleveland Benedictine 13

October 11, 1957July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Benedictine Overpowers Tigers 13-7

By CHARLIE POWELL

Mix speed and power and you have George Sefcik. For more power there’s Gary Hansley. Add a big, strong line that just wouldn’t quit and have the ingredients of a mighty fine gridiron team, possibly the best in the state of Ohio.

This team, the Benedictine high Bengals of Cleveland, ambushed the football fortress of Massillon before 14,488 fans in chilly Tiger stadium Friday night.

In beating the orange and black 13-7, on the strength of a 45-yard drive to pay dirt in the final period, here is what the giant-sized Benedictine high bunch accomplished.

Their first victory ever over a Massillon team; their fifth straight win of the current season; and at least runner-up ranking in the state poll.

Benedictine just might find itself perched atop the heap at the season’s close. If it doesn’t make the top, rest assured this history-making array will not be far off.

Right now many, many Massillon fans will agree that it is the cream of the crop. It beat a good ball club last night.
* * *
THE WORLD isn’t going to come to an end nor are the Tigers about to give up the game because of the loss which snapped a four-game winning streak. Not yet anyway, the season is not a complete failure. The Tigers have five to go, with Mansfield here next, followed by front running Warren, and they will have a few chances to salvage a great deal of satisfaction from all their efforts.

We are all hoping they will be in better physical shape than they were last night. The flu bug made its presence felt and our heroes had a number of bad “breaks” but certainly nothing is to be taken away from Benedictine.

On paper and on the field the team coached by Augie Bossu was in supreme command. The Tigers lost to a good team and they’re going to hit some more good ones before the finish. They should realize by now that any team on the schedule is capable of yanking the rug from underneath them.

Nobody was more upset over the defeat than Coach Lee Tressel, whose team appeared headed for the state’s showdown scrap against Warren.

Yes, quite a few things caused the Tigers’ downfall but Tressel wasn’t offering any excuses. He called the Clevelanders “big and strong with two fine backs and lots of determination,” and he told them so in their dressing room when he congratulated them immediately after the game.

“They had the desire to go along with all that equipment. We had a tough time trying to move them when we had the ball. They closed the holes fast. When we were on defense we were getting moved around by those big boys and there wasn’t much we could do.

“The tackling wasn’t good but I guess one reason for that was because they were so good,” he said.
* * *
TRESSEL didn’t bring up the physical condition of his charges but the Tigers were definitely sub-par.

Regular defensive end Bill Zorn was sidelined because of an injury suffered two weeks ago…Joe Brownlee, regular defensive tackle and Harold Slabaugh, regular offensive tackle, practiced only once all week because of illness, flu and a bad case of tonsillitis, respectively and yesterday afternoon Clyde Childers, the offensive left end and kicker, was sent home because of illness.

Brownlee and Childers were “in and out” most of the game while Slabaugh, apparently weakened by his illness, went most of the way on offense. To make mattes worse, an injury slowed up hard-nosed Chuck Beiter.

As we pointed out before, the ball took a couple of bad bounces against the Tigers and probably the toughest breaks were the fumble and the clipping penalty that thwarted a bid in the second period. After Benedictine went ahead in the first session the Tigers went on their prowl from their own 29. Beiter, Ivory Benjamin and Gene Stewart hammered at the enemy line to reach the Benedictine 25.
* * *
WITH TIGER rooters begging for a score, it was third down and one at that point. However, the ball was fumbled and when the whistle blew, Quarterback Bob Getz had covered the pigpelt at the 27. Hopes rose as Stewart flipped a running pass to Benjamin who raced 12 yards to the Benedictine 15. It looked like the Tigers were going all the way but a “hankie” was down on the grass and the clipping call ended that. Mark Anthony replaced Getz at quarterback and hit Benjamin with a short pass but Benedictine ganged up on the swivel-hipped star and the play netted only six yards, 14 short of a first down.

Had Benedictine not had runners the likes of Sefcik and Hansley the Clevelanders might have been easy pickin’s for the Massillon team. This pair gave the 1956 Tiger team fits but they were mild compared to the latest ones.

Benedictine gained 262 yards on land and in the air and Sefcik and Hansley accounted for 233 yards.

Sefcik, besides being a fast and shifty runner, is a deadly passer and long-distance punter. He carried the oval 20 times and gained 82 yards, hit on three of four passes for 32 yards, caught one pass himself for 14 yards and averaged 40 yards on three runs. Partner Hansley, a tank-like half-back, toted the mail 22 times and carved out 105 yards. And he caught the three passes thrown by Mr. Sefcik, who was paraded on the shoulders of happy teammates after the game was over.
* * *
THE BIG Benedictine line, which did a great job of containing theTiger attack except for some sensational runs by Benjamin, gave up 187 yards on the ground. Standouts of this line were Tackles Ron Skufca, 235, and Ted Zmarzly, 205 and End Stan Sczurek.

Benjamin almost drove the visitors crazy. In a truly outstanding performance, he ran like a man possessed, blocked well and was all over the field on defense. He personally accounted for all but 26 yards the locals made on the ground.

It was his tremendous 50-yard sprint in the third period that produced the lone Massillon six-pointer. He carried the pigskin 22 times and twisted and fought his way for 161 yards. He also caught a pass good for six yards.

Only other Tiger ground gainer of any degree was Gene Stewart who made 21 yards in seven trips. Because of his injury and the fact that Benedictine was “laying” for him, Beiter did not occupy too many ball carrying roles.

The team from the lakefront gave an early example of its blocking and running abilities.
* * *
THE FIRST time they had possession, the Bengals marched 67 yards to touchdownland. They digested two offside penalties, but got an assist from the identical penalty against the Tigers.

After the opening kickoff the Tigers had to punt from their own 41 and Childers, hurried on the play, booted out of bounds at the Benedictine 33. A penalty was called against the invading team after Sefcik had gained seven and three plays later he was forced to punt from the 47. The punt rolled dead on the four but Benedictine was able to keep the ball because the Tigers were off-side on the play.

Then Benedictine shifted to high gear. Sefcik and Hansley picked up 13 before Sefcik hit Hansley on an option pass for 13 and the blue-shirted boys were on their way.

Massillon stubbornly gave ground and after Benedictine reached the three, Sefcik hit the right side, did a dive and scored with 2:47 remaining in the quarter. His placement on the extra point try was blocked by line-backer Roger Reese but Benedictine led 6-0 as the Tigers were scored on first for the third straight game.
* * *
LOCAL FANS expected their favorites to come right back and they did only to see the penalty take the sting out of the attack.

The kickoff was returned to the Tiger 29 and on the last six plays of the first period the Orangemen advanced to the Benedictine 43. In the last minute of the second frame Benjamin darted around the right side twice for 17 and Stewart gained on to make it third and one at the 25. Then came the fumble, and the clipping penalty which combined to stall the Tiger attack.

Benedictine made only one first down in that second period as Massillon controlled the ball, thanks to the nifty running of Benjamin.

However, the Tigers couldn’t uncover a payoff punch.

Midway in the quarter Benjamin got loose for 25 yards after regaining his balance just past the line of scrimmage. He and Stewart took the oval to the Benedictine 29, and Tiger fans were calling for a tying TD but Benedictine braced and held, throwing Tiger runners for two losses totaling nine yards in the process.

A minute later the Clevelanders had to punt with Sefcik’s kick from the Tiger 39 rolling out of bounds at the 10. From the nine Benjamin again got on his horse, this time whizzing 45 yards before Jim Kubinski, Bengal end, who had a good angle, came in to make the stop at the Benedictine 42. However, Getz was thrown for an 11-yard loss and two more maneuvers designed for long-distance gains failed to change the score before intermission. Getz’s sideline pass to Beiter was good for nine yards and on the last play of the half the visiting team’s line was not caught by surprise and Benjamin, on a draw play, was downed after a yard gain.
* * *
A PUNT that was fumbled and one that was blocked gave Massillon a pair of opportunities in the third period but after the first kick, the Tigers failed to move.

From his own 15 Childers punted (after Sefcik had booted one 51 yards following the kickoff) and two Benedictine players had their hands on the swinehide before Benjamin recovered at the Massillon 40. But four plays later Childers was called on to punt again with Sefcik returning the 38-yard boot 10 yards to his 34. Benedictine made two first downs before a holding penalty stalled the drive and from the Tiger 45, Sefcik went back to punt.

This time middle guard Hase McKey, who apparently played one of his better games, broke through and blocked the kick. Guard Tom Heine recovered at midfield and on the next play Benjamin cut the gap to 7-6.

Given a couple of nice blocks, Ivory got around the right flank and turned on the gas. At the 15 three Benedictine boys had a shot at him but he shot pass one, cut away from the other two and went in for the score at 1:25. Sub Halfback Jim Hershberger came off the bench and calmly split the uprights to deadlock the count.
* * *
BENEDICTINE started from its own 43 after the kickoff and advanced 24 yards on the last three plays of the quarter.

On the first play of the final canto Hansley got off his longest jaunt, 23 yards, to place the ball on the Tiger 10. But the Tresselmen dug in and took over on downs at the four. Childers punted out on fourth down and Benedictine, starting from the Tiger 45, was not to be denied.

Hansley, the big gun once more, checked in a 22-yard foray for one of the three first downs and from the 13, Quarterback Ken Sprafka sneaked from two yards with his team needing at foot for a foot for a first down. Sefcik and Hansley carried to the one from where Sprafka sneaked across. Sefcik’s placement was on target and it was 13-7 with 4:37 remaining.

The Tigers gambled but their final series fizzled out at the 24 and Benedictine moved to the nine before time ran out.

Benedictine, using a nine-man line a good bit of the time limited the Tigers to a single first down during the second half. It came on Benjamin’s touchdown run.

MASSILLON
ENDS – Childers, Williams, Hagan, Snavely, Mitchell.
TACKLES – Slabaugh, A Slicker, Halter, Donat, Brownlee.
GUARDS – Heine, Heimann, McKey, Bednar, J. Kasunick, Cook.
CENTERS – Williamson, Swartz, Reese.
QUARTERBACKS – Getz, Anthony.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Stewart, Pledgure, Clark, Allen, Hershberger.
FULLBACK – Beiter.

BENEDICTINE
ENDS – Sczurek, Kubinski, Kozlowski, Marek.
TACKLES – Skufca, Zmarzly, Grucza.
GUARDS – Baumbick, Kucera, See, Liederbach.
CENTERS – Kozlevchar, Coufalik.
QUARTERBACKS – Sprafka, Kradisley, Kubinski.
HALFBACKS – Sefcik, Hansley, Knapik.
FULLBACKS – Davis, Jasinski, Blasé.

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 7 0 7
Benedictine 6 0 0 7 13

Scoring:
Massillon Touchdown – Benjamin
Massillon Extra point – Hershberger (placement)

Benedictine Touchdowns – Sefcik, Sprafka.
Benedictine Extra point – Sefcik (placement)

STATISTICS
Mass. Ben.
First downs, rushing 6 11
First downs, passing 0 3
First downs, penalties 0 1
First downs, total 6 15
Yards gained, running plays 220 226
Yards lost, running plays 33 6
Net yardage, running plays 187 220
Passes attempted 4 8
Passes completed 2 4
Passes had intercepted 0 0
Yards returned,
intercepted passes 0 0
Yards gained passing 15 52
Total yardage, running,
passing 202 272
Number of kickoff returns 3 2
Yardage, kickoff returns 51 32
Average length of kickoff
returns 17 16
Number of punt returns 1 1
Yardage, punt returns 5 10
Average length of punt
returns 5 10
Number of punts 4 3
Total yardage on punts 130 121
Average length of punts 32 40
Number of penalties 5 4
Yards lost on penalties 35 30
Number of fumbles 1 2
Own fumbles recovered 1 0
Ball lost on fumbles. 0 2

History

1957: Massillon 26, Steubenville 7

October 4, 1957July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Roll Over Steubenville 26-7
Bengals Come From Behind To Beat Fired Up Foe In Last Half

By CHARLIE POWELL

Fumbles, penalties, an intercepted pass and messed-up assignments on offense kept Massillon in a hole and Tiger fans in a tizzy the first half but the Bengals proceeded to give the Steubenville Big Red a football lesson as they kept their record unstained before some 8,500 fans at Steubenville’s Harding stadium Friday night.

A lesson?

Sure. Once they uncoiled the Tigers were definitely the superior team with a high-geared attack sparkling in a 26-7 romp for victory No. 4.

For the first time this season the Tigers found themselves on the deck but they regained their poise, cut loose an offense that had halfbacks Ivory Benjamin and Gene Stewart driving the Steubers mad and regrouped the defensive troops to slam the door oln the upset-minded Big Red.
* * *
A FUMBLE led to Steubenville’s touchdown which came with five minutes gone in the opening quarter. A 43-yard pass play set up the first Massillon touchdown, which helped bring about a 7-7 deadlock at intermission.

But the second half was all Massillon.

The Tigers reigned supreme, both offensively and defensively. A 27-yard scamper by Benjamin paved the way for the Tigers to break the tie early in the third heat and clinching TDs came in the first and last minutes of the final round.

Steubenville, its coaches and fans, were “up” for this battle you could write a book about.

The Steubers tried, tried hard, and for quite a few minutes the Tigers were sweating it out. But the classy, more experienced backs, the harder hitting blockers and the teeth-jarring tacklers were too much.

When it was all over the Bengals had chalked up 18 first downs to 11, on the ground gained 272 yards to 73 and the over-all picture showed Massillon with 339 yards, the Big Red with 150.
* * *
IN THE OZONE the Steubers made four more yards than they did on the ground as quarterback Jim Roach, a junior star-in-the-making, hit on four of seven aerials. The Tigers, with Bob Getz and Stewart doing the tossing, completed two of five and had two intercepted.

With Co-Captain Chuck Beiter bottled up in the middle, most of the running was put in the hands of Benjamin and Stewart and this duo was a dandy.

Benjamin winged his way to 163 yards in 16 tries while Stewart carted 11 times for 65. Mark Anthony, who shared the signal-calling role with Getz, pitched in with 26 yards in four trips as he added a spark enroute to the third touchdown.
* * *
STEWART checked in two touchdown runs, both on short gainers, Beiter tallied once from a yard out and Benjamin scored on a 29-yard glitter-sprint with only 15 seconds remaining in the contest.

It was a hard-played game and both sides came out with numerous bumps and bruises.

And this story would hardly be classed a complete one if we would overlook some of the decisions made by the men in the striped-shirts.

One of the most controversial ones of the night came after Stewart scored from the seven and Hase McKey kicked the equalizer in the second period. Childers then kicked off with the ball landing around the four and going into the end zone. Halfback Wally Neel of the Big Red picked it up and tried to run but Pete Heimann, Tiger guard, zoomed in and lowered the boom. Was it a safety or a touchback? The officials ruled a touchback because the impetus of the kick not Neel’s actions, carried the ball past the goal line.

Another one that had the fans buzzing happened a few moments later. Steubenville punted from its 34 and Leaman Williamson, rugged defensive end for the Bengals, blocked it with Tackle John Donat recovering at the five. But the Tigers, instead of having the ball, were called for defensive holding and penalized 15 yards with the Steubers getting a first down at the 49.

Tiger Coach Lee Tressel was not all together pleased with the game but commented that “The boys buckled down and played good ball after the first quarter.

“They hit hard, especially in the second half. Steubenville was just as tough as we thought. The next one will be another battle too.”
* * *
THE TIGERS were a confused lot at the outset of the game. Plays went haywire during their first series after receiving the opening kickoff and Steubenville was able to rip off yardage in short chunks very reminiscent of the 1956 Mansfield team. The Steubers got the ball on a fumble on Massillon’s third play and eight plays later and with only five minutes off the clock, the Big Red have seven points.

Stewart, taking off on a sweep, couldn’t find the handle and Rufus Simmons, Red end, came up with the ball on the Tiger 25.

The Tigers gave ground little by little before a 12-yard pass play, Roach to Weinman, helped put the oval on the eight. Al White and Ed Weinman went to the three from which point Halfback Dave Cunningham veered off left tackle and reached the Promised Land after being hit at the one-yard line. Roach sneaked across for the extra point and the local boys experienced something new – they were behind for the first time this season. And also it was the first TD scored through the Massillon line.

On the kickoffs Steubenville was keeping them short and on the ensuing one, Childers grabbed the ball on the 30 and was downed on the 34. A pass failed and Getz, keeping the ball after a mix-up in the backfield, was downed for a loss of a yard. Troubles still bounded the Tresselmen, it seemed, but an unrehearsed lateral play kept the Tigers from bogging down.

On third down Stewart struck off the right side and just as he was grabbed at the 31, he flipped the pigskin to Benjamin and Ivory scooted goal ward. After this 34-yard foray the Tigers appeared to be sailing a little easier but on the very next play Steubenville’s Neel made a terrific interception of Stewart’s pass in the end zone.
* * *
THE PASS was intended for Childers but Neel, leaping high, came down with the ball for a touchback. Starting from their own 20, the hosts had their fans clamoring for another score. White, Neel and Weinman turned the ends and George Hugus and Dave Cunningham hit the middle as the Big Red rolled to the Tiger 39 before the first period came to a close.

They might have gone all the way but with fourth and one at the 35 Neel tried the right side, and Williamson barreled through to toss the runner for a two-yard deficit. However, Steubenville got possession again three plays later as Benjamin muffed a pitch-out and fell down trying to recover. Dave Cunningham pounced on it for Steubenville at the 36 but again the orange nad black got tough.

On third down Corky Pledgure came up to smack Roach down with a 10-yard loss and he punted on the next play, his boot going out of bounds at the Tiger 14.

Thanks to a nicely executed pass play, the Bengals zoomed to their first score in seven plays. After Stewart and Benjamin made a first down at the 26, the former whizzed for 10 yards to the 36. Beiter gained four and Benjamin five as he just missed a first down. On the next play, a 43-yard pass hit the bullseye.
* * *
GETZ did the tossing and Childers the catching with Clyde pulling it in at the 30 and going down to the 12. A delay-of-game penalty against the Big Red moved it to the seven and from that point Stewart found a hole at left tackle and raced across standing up. Joe Sparma came in and they lined up for a placement but Sparma took a direct, but high pass from center and twirled into the end zone where Childers was all-alone on the left side. The tie score at 4:48 was followed by the play that will be talked about for a while.

Childers kicked off and the ball landed near Steubenville’s Neel around the four. He went back into the end zone to retrieve it but just before he got up to the final stripe Heimann brought him crashing to the ground. A touchback was ruled and the Steubers began operating from the 20.
They made three first downs, one on the ground, one on a defensive holding penalty and one on a 24-yard pass. The holding penalty was ruled when the host club stalled at the 34 and Roach punted. The ball didn’t go far, though, as Williamson blocked it and Center Dan Swartz recovered for the Tigers at the Steuber 25. However, the penalty gave the host team the ball on the 49 and on the last play of the half a reverse pass, Roach to Hugus, was good to the 36.
* * *
ON THE SIXTH play after the second half kickoff Williamson recovered a Big Red fumble at the Red 46 and a few minutes later Tiger fans were able to make plenty of noise.

Benjamin, on a sweep, banged for 27 yards to the 19 before Allen made three, Benjamin six, Stewart four (on a third and a foot situation), Benjamin five and then Stewart one for the tie-breaking touchdown. Hase McKey came in to boot the extra point to make it 14-7 about halfway through the quarter.

After the next kickoff Steubenville had to punt and at the end of the period the Bengals were well on their way to pay dirt again.

Benjamin fumbled Roach’s punt at the 30 but returned 16 yards to the 46. Beiter, Benjamin and Stewart got some running help from Anthony and Jerry Allen as the Tigers advanced for a clincher.

Before the end of the period Anthony, on option plays, ran twice for 10 yards and Allen inserted an eight-yard gain. On the first play of the last panel Anthony kept again for six and Benjamin got a yard for first and goal at the one.

Beiter then scored, hitting a maze of youthful gladiators on the right side, and it didn’t matter much when McKey’s placement went to the right.
* * *
STEUBENVILLE was forced to punt after the kickoff but got the pigskin back as Neel intercepted Getz’s pass intended for Ron Williams. Aided by a 31-yard pass play Roach to Weinman, a roughness penalty (piling on) against the Tigers and then an off-side call against the visitors, the Steubers planted the ball on the locals’ 12 before the Bengals stiffened.

Sub Fullback Tom Cunningham was held to a gain of two on a sweep. White dropped a throw from Roach and then Cornelius Clark broke up a peg intended for White in the end zone. On fourth down Toach hit White on a screen pass to the left but the receiver was stopped shy of the first down and with 4:08 remaining the only job the Tigers had was to run out the clock.

But they didn’t fool around.

Stewart swept the left side and was almost away for a real longie but the defenders had the angle and the hard-running righthalf was nailed after a 27-yard gain. Benjamin followed with a 12-yard run and then a 14-yarder. A clipping penalty was digested as Getz tossed to Benjamin for a gain of 24 yards to the 30.

Five plays later it was on the Big Red 29 with only 25 seconds remaining in the game. Benjamin dashed to pay dirt as a double reverse, with Ivory doing some heady running, completely fooled the Steubenville defense. McKey again kicked to the right on the conversion attempt.

After the kickoff, an onside try by Childers who downed the ball short of the necessary 10 yards, Steubenville had time for one more play, Roach went back to pass but a host of Tigers grassed him 15-yards back of the line of scrimmage and as the Red quarterback was hit, the siren signaled the Tigers’ fourth-straight win and Steubenville’s second loss in four starts.

Steubenville, which returned to the Tiger schedule after an absence of two years, has not beaten Massillon since 1931. The series now stands 18-2-1.

The summary:

STEUBENVILLE
ENDS – Simmons, Milosevich, Sizemore, Hutter.
TACKLES – Anderson, Lewis, Walton, Campbell, Speaker.
GUARDS – Gianamore, Farmer, Pierce, Deiderich.
CENTERS—Barren, Fisher.
QUARTERBACKS – Roach, Crossley.
HALFBACKS – White, D. Cunningham, Weinman, Neel.
FULLBACKS – Hugue, T. Cunningham.

MASSILLON
ENDS – Childers, Williams, Hagan, Snavely, Pierce, Dean.
TACKLES – Slabaugh, A. Slicker, Donat, Halter, Brownlee.
GUARDS – Heine, Heimann, Bednar, McKey, Taylor.
CENTERS – Swartz, Williamson
QUARTERBACKS – Getz, Anthony, Sparma.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Stewart, Allen, Snively, Clark,
Mitchell, Pledgure, Lawson.
FULLBACKS – Beiter, Reese, Kanney.

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 7 7 12 26
Steubenville 7 0 0 0 7

Massillon scoring:
Touchdowns – Stewart (2), runs-7; Beiter run-1; Benjamin run-29.
Extra points – Childers (pass); McKey (placement).

Steubenville scoring:
Touchdown – D. Cunningham run-3.
Extra point – Roach, run.

STATISTICS
Mass. Steub.
First downs, rushing 16 6
First downs, passing 2 3
First downs, penalties 0 2
First downs, total 18 11
Yards gained, running plays 283 115
Yards lost, running plays 11 42
Net yardage, running plays 272 73
Passes attempted 5 7
Passes completed 2 4
Passes had intercepted 2 0
Yards returned, int. passes 0 -4
Yards gained, passing 67 77
Total net yards 330 150
Number of kickoff returns 2 3
Yards, kickoff returns 4 71
Average length of kickoff returns 2 23.6
Number of punt returns 2 0
Yardage, punt returns 11 0
Average length of punt returns 5.5 32
Number of punts 0 3
Total yardage on punts 0 100
Average length of punts 0 33.3
Number of penalties 6 4
Yards lost on penalties 60 20
Number of fumbles 3 2
Own fumbles recovered 3 1
Ball lost on fumble 2 1

History

1957: Massillon 28, Alliance 6

September 27, 1957July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Smash Alliance Aviators 28-6
Massillon Gridders Excel In Blocking And Tackling

By CHARLIE POWELL

Most football games are won by superior blocking and tackling.

Last night the Massillon Tigers did a jolly good job of pasting Alliance and in doing so should have made believers out of themselves – that they can get the job done by throwing their weight into those fundamentals that are as old as the game itself.

They did not dallying, either in opening up wide paths for a classy corps of ball carriers or jamming a monkey wrench into the Alliance offense. They were determined to win and win they did, 28-6, sending the Aviators down to their first defeat and hiking their own stock in Ohio pigskin circles.
* * *
EVEN BEFORE the 15,762 fans saw a minute of action at Tiger stadium; even before the season began, this one loomed as a paper-thin issue. There were many possibilities and even without the assumptions and the intangibles the game figured to be pretty bloomin’ close

But much to Massillon’s joy, it wasn’t. How much more lop-sided can you get?

The Tigers had a first period bid thwarted but then tuned up with a safety and a touchdown in the second quarter, added six more points early in the third period and on the first play of the final stanza the orange and black had a total of 21 points while the stunned Aviators still had a great big zero to show for their efforts.

Lee Tressel’s boys stood out like a walrus at a goldfish ball.
* * *
THEY SPLURGED to 21 first downs. On land and in the air they accumulated 387 yards, 338 by rushing. A defense as tough as a two-bit steak made the vaunted Aviator running game as tame as a kitten.

Fullback Chuck Beiter played his best game of the young season and the halfbacks, Ivory Benjamin and Gene Stewart, popped through and around the Alliance line with reckless abandon. This trio alone accounted for 286 yards and Benjamin and Stewart divided the four touchdowns.

Bob Getz, the stocky senior, moved in at quarterback midway in the second period and the Tigers then started the massacre but both Mark Anthony and Joe Sparma gave tidy, if not spectacular, performances.
* * *
UP FRONT there were a lot of stouties…the job of pointing out one or two “stars” will be left to the foolhardy. The situation was the same on defense. All played hard, heads-up ball. But to overlook the work of Linebackers Beiter and Roger Reese and flanker Leaman Williamson would mean an apology or two. They were outstanding, to say the least, but their tasks were softened by their hustling teammates.

One good thing about Alliance was its linebackers, Harry Angle, Tom Goosby and Les Traver. They did most of the tackling for Mel Knowlton’s team, a team that could do little right against this fighting gang of Tigers.

Coach Tressel was “real pleased” with his boys.

“They hit hard. They wanted to win and I guess desire always counts.”

“We maintained possession of the ball and that helped our defense,” he said.
* * *
FOR THE RECORDS, the Tigers had the ball for 64 running and passing plays. Alliance had it for 32 plays.

Tressel also praised the defensive stalwarts who limited the enemy to six first downs (four by passing) and a net of 44 yards. The opposition has yet to score on the ground against Massillon.

“All the quarterbacks looked good although Getz was probably the best tonight. Mark wasn’t too sharp at the beginning because the Alliance boys were yelling and drowning out his signals.”

“Several times the ball was snapped on the wrong count,” he added.

Tressel is never one to go completely overboard.

“The season is still young and we don’t want to make the mistake of looking too far ahead. We play Steubenville next week and we should take them one at a time,” he said.
* * *
STEUBENVILLE got back on the victory trail by walloping Youngstown Rayen 53-7 last night. Steuber scouts here last night asserted that the Big Red outplayed Weirton last week but that a couple mistakes gave the West Virginians a one-point decision.

Apparently Alliance geared its defense to stop Beiter and Benjamin but both boys had a big hand in the mop-up. Beiter averaged six yards per try and Benjamin, who now has scored seven touchdowns, averaged five.

Stewart, however, bore the brunt of the ground work. He carried 14 times and gained 109 yards – that’s almost eight yards a crack – with his 45-yard foray on the first play of the final quarter giving the Tigers plenty of steam.

Halfback Jerry Allen came into action late and averaged over eight yards a try as he toted five times.

On the other hand Alliance’s touted runners, Gary Wilson, Bob Brown and Dick Plummer (with pre-game averages of 5.2, 8.0 and 8.6, respectively), made little headway against the swash-buckling Tiger defenders. Wilson carried five times for 18 yards, Brown 10 times for 20 and Plummer four time for nine.
* * *
AFTER AN EXCHANGE of punts in the initial round, the Bengals gave an idea of things to come.

Srarting from their own 23, they stuck to the ground with Anthony in the pilot’s position to control the ball the rest of the period.

Anthony, Beiter, Benjamin and Stewart handled the running chores and the locals carved out four first downs to reach the Alliance 27. But after Benjamin made three, a holding penalty put them back on the 39 and the drive fizzled out. There was no hole on the right side and Benjamin made only three and on fourth down Anthony had to “eat” the ball as he went back to pass.

On the first play of the second canto the Tigers punted but Alliance was forced to kick back after a holding penalty set the blue-shirted team back to its own four-yard line. End Roy Allen’s kick was grounded on the Massillon 42 and the first two Tiger points were not long in coming. At the Alliance 43, the Bengal attacked stalled and lanky Clyde Childres punted again. The ball soared to the one where it was fielded by Brown, who was trapped in the end zone by Guard Pete Heimann. As he was tackled Brown fumbled and the ball squirted into the arms of another Alliance player who was immediately tackled by Al Slicker and with 8:22 remaining in the half it was 2-0.

And so Alliance had to kick off from its own 20. Beiter returned 12 yards to midfield and the Tigers started clicking again, digesting a holding penalty on the way. Beiter ran twice for a total of 10 before Benjamin whizzed for 12, then 10, then another 12. The Tigers were pounding at the 18 but then Beiter fumbled after barreling to the nine and Tackle Archie Joseph grabbed the ball out of the air and Alliance had the oval at its own 10.
* * *
THE AVIATORS ran seven plays before Allen, who did a terrific job punting (but his were only slightly better than Childer’s booming boots), kicked dead at the Massillon 49. This time the Tigers were not to be stopped.

After Benjamin gained a yard, Stewart winged one of his long ones. Benjamin caught the ball on the Aviator 40, hurdled one would-be tackler and twisted away from another before they managed to bring him down on the nine. The play was good for 41 yards and was the big play the Tigers needed. Beiter got one and Benjamin two before the latter tallied on a dandy play.

Getz, who had replaced Anthony after the punt, beautifully faked a give to Beiter who in turn faked a thrust off tackle. Alliance converged on the big boy but he didn’t have the ball. Ivory did, though, and his six-yard run was fairly easy. Sparma came in to try the extra point, his kick was blocked, and it was 8-0 with only 40 seconds remaining in the half.

On the ensuing kickoff Wilson fumbled and Williamson, a boy who kept gumming the works for Alliance all night, recovered at the Aviator 35. With 35 seconds left, Getz passed but the ball wound up in the possession of Angle who returned to the 21 before he lost the ball. However, a teammate recovered and the visitors kept for one more play. On a double reverse Brown appeared to be off to the races but slipped as he cut the corner and had to settle for a yard.
* * *
IN THE SECOND half Alliance picked up only a total of one yard on the ground and the first time Knowlton’s crew had the ball they finished minus two yards before Allen had to punt.

A fine return by sub halfback Jim Snively set the stage for the Tigers to make it 15-0 with only four minutes gone in the third period.

Allen, aided by four cracking blocks, returned from 39 to the Alliance 43 and in six plays the Tresselmen had their second TD. The big play was Benjamin’s 13-yard drive off tackle and the next play saw Stewart bang off the opposite side for the last four yards – carrying a defender into the end zone – and Sparma’s placement made the score read 15-0.

Alliance then took to the air and two straight pegs by Walt Zingg gained 30. But then two running plays made only two yards and once again Alliance was forced to punt. Massillon punted back after one first down on a 13-yarder by Stewart and Allen punted again after Zingg was caught twice attempting to pass. Benjamin returned the last punt to the Aviator 49 and on the next play, with Anthony at the throttle, another touchdown was registered by the Tigers.
* * *
STEWART caught the Aviators flat-footed as he cut around left end and got into the clear at the 34. He wriggled out of the grasp of one Alliance player at the 15 and went across standing up. Sparma’s kick was blocked but it was 21-0 and the Bengals had it iced.

The Aviators, although it was too late, struck back quickly. The kickoff was returned to the Aviator 37 and Zingg passed to Brown for 16 yards, then the same duo clicked for a touchdown strike. Brown got behind the defense, caught the ball on the run at the nine and trotted past the final stripe to complete a 47-yard scoring play. Jerry Quick’s placement was low and it was 21-6 at 11:15.

Apparently this only riled the Tigers.

They took the following kickoff and marched 65 yards for another insurance TD. Allen fought his way for 14, Beiter used his blocking to advantage for 15 and Getz passed to Allen for eight yards to help move the pigskin to the three from which point Benjamin tallied on a sweep. Hase McKey kicked the 28th point.

Alliance punted after making six yards in three plays and the Bengals went to work again, only to have time run out on them. A roughing penalty against Alliance plus runs by Allen and Stewart advanced the ball to the 12 with eight seconds remaining. Sparma’s pass was too far for Benjamin but there was time for one more play after the Aviators were penalized to the seven for encroachment. On the last play of the game Reese became a ball carrier. He hit off the right side and was stopped only inches short of pay dirt.

End Bobo Hagan of the Tigers did not play because of an injury and a sprained ankle sustained in practice Wednesday confined Al Pierce to limited duty. During the game Bill Zorn, continuing to improve as a defensive end, suffered a badly sprained ankle.

The summary:
MASSILLON
ENDS – Childers, Williams, Mitchell, Steele, A. Pierce, Snavely, Zorn.
TACKLES – A. Slicker, Slabaugh, Halter, Bordner, Brownlee, Donat.
GUARDS – B. Kasunick, Heimann, Heine, McKey, J. Kasunick, Taylor, Cook.
CENTERS – Williamson, Swartz, Reese.
QUARTERBACKS – Anthony, Getz, Sparma.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Stewart, Allen, Pledgure, Snively, Clark.
FULLBACKS – Beiter, Kanney.

ALLIANCE
ENDS – Traver, Allen.
TACKLES – Johnson, Oprandi, Joseph.
GUARDS – Goosby, Coldsnow, Quick.
CENTERS – Furcolow, Giesse.
QUARTERBACK – Zingg.
HALFBACKS – Wilson, Brown, Venables.
FULLBACKS – Angle, Plummer.

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 8 7 13 28
Alliance 0 0 0 6 6

Scoring:
Massillon Touchdowns – Benjamin 2 (runs of 6 and 3 yards); Stewart 2 (runs of 45 and 4 yards);

Massillon Extra points – Sparma (placement); McKey (placement), safety.

Alliance Touchdown – Brown (pass, 47 yards).

STATISTICS
Mass. All.
First downs, rushing 18 2
First downs, passing 2 4
First downs, penalties 1 0
First downs, total 21 6
Yards gained, running plays 353 58
Yards lost, running plays 15 14
Net yardage, running plays 338 44
Passes attempted 4 7
Passes completed 2 4
Passes had intercepted 1 0
Yards returned, int. passes 0 4
Yards gained passing 49 93
Total yardage, running, passing 387 137
Number of kickoff returns 3 5
Yardage, kickoff returns 35 50
Number of punt returns 4 1
Yardage, punt returns 40 2
Average length of punt returns 10 2
Number of punts 4 7
Average length of punts 38.2 39.5
Number of penalties 3 6
Yards lost on penalties 35 65
Number of fumbles 4 6
Own fumbles recovered 3 4
Ball lost on fumbles. 1 2

History

1957: Massillon 19, Canton Lincoln 0

September 20, 1957July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers’ Long Runs Beat Lincoln 19-0
Bengal Team Shows Improvement As It Chalks Up Win No. 2

By CHARLIE POWELL

Ah, but there was joy in Tigertown.

Reason No. 1 – the good warriors of Washington high turned back the challenge of Canton Lincoln for a prized hard-earned victory. Reason No. 2 – the failure of that “other” team from the burg to the east.

Yep, while Massillon’s explosive ball toters served as a hypo in the 19-0 conquest of the Lions here last night, the mighty McKinley Bulldogs ran into more than they could handle and their 21-game winning streak came to an abrupt end, 31-7, at the hands of a do-nothing-wrong Warren crew.

So there was plenty to laugh and talk about. In fact McKinley’s setback was just as much the center of conversation today as the Tigers’ second win in as many starts and their 12th in a row over a Lincoln team.

The noise from most of the 11,954 fans at the stadium last night was good noise every time Massillon scored or a member of the orange and black turned in a long run. But you should have heard the roar when the house heard the announcement that Warren was paddling the Bulldogs at the half.
* * *
RIGHT HERE and now let’s add a sober note: the Tigers will meet Warren here Oct. 25. Prior to that date they will face stern tests in Alliance, Steubenville, Cleveland Benedictine and Mansfield, in that order.

It will be out of the frying pan into the fire because Alliance comes here next week. Apparently, the Tigers have still a long way to go. Neither the offense or the defense are up to snuff in Coach Lee Tressel’s book. He said as much following last night’s fracas, a hard, cleanly played one on a soggy turf.

But don’t get Tressel wrong. Last night the Tigers played a good ball club. The Lions have plenty of size and speed and it will require them some time, also, to function without some ping in the motor.

If you didn’t before, you will know now that Lincoln was no push-over by looking at the statistics.

The Lions made 11 first downs to Massillon’s 10 and it was close in total net yards gained with the Tigers grinding out 211 to Lincoln’s 186. Lincoln completed three of seven passes for 39 yards while neither of two Tiger aerials clicked.

The offense smoothed out a little bit and Tressel said, “we didn’t make as many mistakes offensively but on defense there were more glaring errors.”

However, he quickly pointed out that Lincoln was a better team than Akron South. The Lions kept shifting their trenchmen and linebackers and 9 and 10-man lines frequently greeted the attackers.
* * *
THE TRESSELMEN sat on their lead after a pair of fancy dashes by Ivory Benjamin and Jim Hershberger’s place kick made it 13-0 at the half. With conditions as they were, they weren’t taking any chances by going to the air lanes.

The defense kept the goal line uncrossed after taking its belt up a notch on three different occasions. Three times the invaders had the Tigers with their backs to the wall with drives reaching the orange 3, 9 and 17-yard lines.

Lincoln controlled the ball most of the first, third and fourth quarters and the entire final period was played in Massillon territory.

But the break-away backs spelled the difference.

With less than two minutes gone in the second panel, Benjamin showed his heels on a
37-yard touchdown scamper. A few minutes later it was his 54-yard punt return that put the locals in business. They didn’t score that time as the bid ended at the Lion 13 but Al Pierce, the scrappy junior end, recovered a fumble and the Tigers had a second touchdown as Benjamin turned the right flank for the final 17 yards.

Sub Halfback Jerry Allen, one of the fastest boys on the squad, came off the bench early in the third period and inserted a 35-yard jaunt that paved the way for a 10-yard TD run by another sub Halfback, Corky Pledgure.

That was it. Massillon stopped a Lincoln bid at the nine just before the end of the period, then spent the rest of the game keeping the Paul Dellebra-coached outfit away from pay dirt.
* * *
ALTHOUGH the Tigers failed to muster more than one sustained drive, the blocking showed improvement over the opening game.

There was quite a few telltale downfield blocks on the long gainers by Gene Stewart, Benjamin, Allen, et al.

Mark Anthony went most of the way at quarterback and there was little difficulty in the timing and ball-handling departments. However, Chuck Beiter’s running was noticeably absent.

The muscular fullback carried only five times for 23 yards as Tressel gave him as much rest as possible. An oxygen mixture alleviated his asthma.

Benjamin, the club’s chief ground gainer, made 92 yards in 14 trips with the mail while Stewart netted 29 in three carries and Allen 36 in three. For Lincoln Saimes carried nine for 42, DeOrio 13 for 34 and Lyke 10 for 39.
* * *
THE CANTONIANS gave a display of their tight T offense after receiving the
game-opening kickoff. From their own 38 they marched all the way to the Tiger two as Vic DeOrio, George Saimes, Dick VanBethuysen, Jerry Pikna, Jerry Lyke and Tom Dinkins hit the inside.

A pass play, VanBenthuysen to end Gary Anderson, was good for 15 yards and all the runs did not gain more than five yards on any one play. Lincoln had four downs to make the last 11 yards but the Bengals repulsed the enemy and with 4:39 remaining in the quarter took over at the two.

Massillon’s blocking was conspicuous by its absence and the first time the Tigers had the pigskin and they were forced to punt. Dinkins punted right back with his boot going into the end zone. And from their own 20, the orangemen started to get serious.

After Beiter made one, Anthony sped for 10 on a keeper around the right side and on the first play of the second frame. Stewart hit off left tackle and picked up 18 yards with Saimes, the last man having a chance to get him, bringing him down on the 49. Anthony kept again, this time for 14 yards to put the ball on the 37 and then came Benjamin’s first touchdown which broke the ice.

Ivory hit over right tackle on a quick opener, went straight ahead for 10 yards, then veered toward the east sidelines. He stepped on the gas and easily outran his pursuers into the end zone. Sophomore Halfback Jim Hershberger came in to boot the extra point and it was 7-0 at 10:34.
* * *
THE VISITORS had to punt after gaining nine and Benjamin had the crowd roaring with his 54-yard return of the kick by Dinkins, Ivory fielded the ball at the 44, faked a reverse to Jim Snively, and with the help of some nifty blocking, sped to the Lion nine.

But four plays later the locals were on the Lincoln 13 as Lyke sifted in to nail Anthony for a six-yard loss and a bad exchange cost the locals a yard to offset three-yarders by Beiter and Benjamin.

After VanBenthuysen gained one, Lyke fumbled on the next play and Pierce’s recovery gave Massillon possession at the Lion 17. Center Dan Swartz recovered a fumble at the line of scrimmage following a mix-up in the backfield and on the next play the scoreboard figures changed to 13-0.

Benjamin skirted right end and went over standing up as Beiter’s block erased the last defender with a possible chance of stopping the shifty halfback. Hershberger’s kick was low and to the left and the score remained 13-0 with 3:35 left in the period.
* * *
LINCOLN RETURNED the kickoff to its 34 and after making one first down, stuck to the ground to run out the clock in the first half.

At the outset of the third quarter the Canton team was unable to check the Tiger attack.

They marched 71 yards after Snively returned the kickoff by Dinkins to the Tiger 29. Beiter, Benjamin and Stewart advanced the oval to the Lion 39 before Allen, on a sweep, came up with one of the better individual efforts of the night.

The junior speedster ran like a fullback, shedding tacklers right and left, after he got past the line of scrimmage.

Three times he appeared to be stopped but he buzzed to the four before being grassed. Following his 35-yard sprint, Anthony was thrown for a six-yard loss on a keeper but from the 10 Pledgure dashed across and once again it was a block by Beiter, which made the score possible. Hershberger’s kick was blocked by Anderson at 5:35 but it made little difference.

There was a lot of action crammed in the remaining time. The Lions received and went on the prowl with Saimes and Lyke hitting off the tackles effectively. From their own 42 the maroons moved to the Tiger nine. With the Bengals getting tougher by the minute, the Lions picked up only three yards after getting a first and 10 at the 12.

The locals had to punt out and Lincoln set up shop again, this time from the Tiger 40, shortly after the fourth stanza got under way. On the first play of the quarter Allen swept right end but was tripped up at the 18 after a nine-yard gain, otherwise he might have been long gone.

This time Lincoln moved to the Bengal 17 before tackle John Donat smacked Dinkins for an 11-yard loss. Consequently, when Lyke hit end Wilbur Billings on a 15-yard pass play the enemy lacked the necessary yardage for a first down.

Five plays later Anthony tried a jump pass. Lyke intercepted at the 24 but then fumbled and Tom Heine, Tiger guard, grabbed the ball out of the air on the nine and made like a fullback to the Tiger 22. A few moments later the Tigers had to punt and four plays later halfback, Cornelius Clark intercepted a pass by Dinkins and returned from the two to the eight. Sub fullback Scott Kanney picked up nine and Benjamin 11 as the tussle came to a close.

Apparently the Tigers came through without any serious injuries. They played without the services of end Bobo Hagan who has a badly sprained ankle.

MASSILLON
ENDS – Childers, Williams, Pierce, Snavely, Zorn, Mitchell.
TACKLES – Slabaugh, Slicker, Halter, Donat, Karrenbauer.
GUARDS – Heine, Heimann, Cook, Taylor, J. Kasunick.
CENTERS – Swartz, Reese, Williamson.
QUARTERBACKS – Anthony, Getz.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Stewart, Pledgure, Clark, Allen, Hershberger, Snively.
FULLBACKS – Beiter, Kanney, McKey, Dean.

CANTON LINCOLN
ENDS – Billings, Anderson, Dan English, Wetzel
TACKLES – Thewes, Caughey, McCoul, Shyrock, Thompson.
GUARDS – DePasquale, Baird, Paratore.
CENTERS – Knight, Olson.
QUARTERBACKS – Dinkins, Crowse.
HALFBACKS – VanBenthuysen, Saimes, DeOrio, Dave English.
FULLBACKS – Pikna, Wilson.

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 13 6 0 19
Lincoln 0 0 0 0 0

Massillon scoring: Touchdowns – Benjamin 3; Pledgure.

Extra Points – Hershberger (placement)

STATISTICS
Mass. Lin.
First downs, rushing 10 10
First downs, passing 0 1
First downs, penalties 0 0
First downs, total 10 11
Yards gained, running plays 243 108
Yards lost, running plays 27 18
Net yardage, running plays 211 147
Passes attempted 2 7
Passes completed 0 3
Passes had intercepted 1 1
Yards returned,
intercepted passes 8 0
Yards gained, passing 0 30
Total net yards,
running, passing 211 186
Number of kickoff returns 1 4
Yards, kickoff returns 15 72
Average length of
kickoff returns 15 18.5
Number of punt returns 1 3
Yardage, punt returns 54 15
Average length of
punt returns 54 5.0
Number of punts 3 2
Total yardage on punts 104 44
Average length of punts 34.6 22.0
Number of penalties 4 0
Yards lost on penalties 30 0
Number of fumbles 3 4
Own fumbles recovered 2 2
Ball lost on fumble 1 2

History

1957: Massillon 33, Akron South 0

September 13, 1957July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Beat Akron South 33-0
Massillon Defense Outshines Offense In Football Opener

By CHARLIE POWELL

The jitters…missed…tackles…missed blocking assignments…fumbles…off-the-beam passes…he zigged when he should’ve zagged…all were evident as the Massillon Tigers blew the lid on a new football season at the stadium Friday night.

Very, very conspicuous also was a Tiger victory – their 11th straight opening triumph – with the count being 33-0 over an out-manned but scrappy Akron South team.

The better part of over 10,000 fans (9,621 paid) toasted the Tigers after they completely outplayed the enemy.

But the orange and black had to work, work, work every inch of the way in a maiden gridiron voyage that was just about as typical as any of them.

Despite the fact that they hit for five touchdowns, three of them by hurryin’ Ivory Benjamin, the home town boys were not too impressive. They simply were not a good offensive football team. Their longest sustained drive of the night was only 35 yards and they never made more than three first downs in any one series of plays but a mixture of long-distance strikes and a fairly soft South defense let them come home without being subject to too much pressure.
* * *
COACH LEE TRESSEL, whose team some time ago indicated that it was far better fixed defensively, had little to say about the offense.

“A look at the statistics reveals quite a difference but it really didn’t seem like we moved the ball that much,” he said.

To this we add that the statistics were deceiving. Before subtracting losses, the Tigers made 305 yards by rushing. But two runs by Benjamin accounted for half of that total.

Tressel was not satisfied with the quarterbacking and it looks like there will be a lot of work ahead for the trio which took their turns guiding the club last night. Starter Bob Getz, Mark Anthony and Joe Sparma had looked like fine passers in pre-season scrimmages but weren’t consistent in their first real test. Tressel found fault in the blocking department and answered “could be” when somebody reasoned that the offense might have been sharper had not injuries and sickness kept the team from practicing as a unit more often.
* * *
THE TIGER TUTOR smiled when the talk shifted to defense.
Anchored by the line-backing of Chuck Beiter and Roger Reese, the Tigers limited the Cavaliers to two first downs over land and a net total of 38 yards.

“We’ll know who did the jobs after we see the movies,” Tressel said.

It might be said, too, that the Bengals appeared to let down after clicking for two quick touchdowns…both gifts after South fumbled the ball away deep in its own back yard.

With only about two minutes gone, Benjamin scored the first of his three TDs. It came three plays after Reese recovered a fumble at the Cavalier nine.

Beiter, limited to light work because his asthma took the wind out of his sails early in the evening, tallied the second touchdown with just two seconds remaining in the first
period – eight plays after he had recovered a South bobble at the enemy 35.
* * *
THE SCOREBOARD timer showed only six seconds left in the first half when Benjamin winged his way 74 yards and clinching touchdowns were added in the third and fourth quarters – by Benjamin on a 10-yard run midway in the third frame and by Ron Williams, the big right end, on a 37yard pass play with Halfback Gene Stewart on the gunning end on the first play of the final stanza.

The final quarter was a real comedy of errors. Massillon had two passes intercepted but hauled in four South forwards.

Another look at the figures and we find that Benjamin gained 153 yards in 15 carries while Stewart lugged 10 times for 55 yards and Beiter seven for 54.

Corky Pledgure, who has been waging a battle with Stewart for the right half job, came up with the second longest jaunt of the evening when he raced 50 yards to the South 30 in the last quarter. However, the nice run was wiped off the books by an in motion penalty against the locals.

South was not the worst team ever to appear here. The Cavaliers got themselves in hot water right off the bat and never completely recovered. Otherwise, the battle that was predicted might have materialized.
* * *
ON THE THIRD play of the game Halfback Willie Gray fumbled, Reese recovered, and the Tigers had possession on the South nine. After Benjamin lost a yard on a sweep, Stewart came back with six at the middle and then on third down, Benjamin found a hole at right tackle and followed Beiter through and into pay dirt. Sophomore Hase McKey tried the extra point but the ball hit the left upright and bounced back.

South received again and made one first down before wingback Henry Adams, the team’s hardest runner, fumbled on a double reverse attempt. McKey covered the oval this time but after four plays picked up 19 yards, the Tigers lost the ball on an interception.

Bob Getz’s toss was short at the South nine and Rudy Bell, defensive halfback, grabbed the pigskin and returned to the South 34. Adams recovered his own fumble at the line of scrimmage before Quarterback Bill McFrey’s fumble was recovered by Beiter at the Invader 35.

Beiter made 21 yards on two runs and Stewart got four before a three-yard loss put the ball on the 13. Then Mark Anthony went to the air. With South converging on a short man, end Clyde Childers went deep and snagged the ball, fighting his way to the one from which point Beiter smashed over right guard for a score with only two seconds left in the quarter. McKey’s placement this time was low and to the right.

Massillon indicated that it was going to get tougher the first time the Tigers had possession in the second canto. From the 26 Benjamin got six and Stewart three before the slippery Ivory, helped by Tom Heine’s fine block, rambled for 27 to the South 38. But after Benjamin came back with two and Beiter lost four on a sweep, the ball went over to the blue and white clad forces again.
* * *
GETZ HIT Williams down the middle but after pulling a juggling act, Williams fumbled (after a 15-yard gain) and South recovered. South couldn’t move the Orange forward-wall and had to punt but the local lads relinquished possession again on another pass interception.

Then came Massillon’s best defensive performance of the night. As a pass, Johnny Williams to Adams, was good for 25 yards the visitors moved to a first and 10 goal situation at the five. Adams was held for no gain and Gray got three on a dive play, then the same lad was stopped at the line of scrimmage two more times and the Tigers assumed command at the two.

They moved out, with Beiter making 10 on a trap and Stewart nine on an off-tackle slant, and were on the 26 when Benjamin took it off the right side. Given nifty blocking, he hit the jackpot – twisting away from one defender and then giving another a hip. One Akron boy appeared to be catching up around the Cavalier 30 but Ivory just shifted into overdrive and went in unmolested. There were only six seconds remaining in the half when McKey booted the extra point to make it 19-0.

The Tresselman received the third period kickoff and advanced from their own 17 to the 47 but were forced to punt. During this effort Benjamin raced for 11 on an option play, for 10 off tackle and Beiter got 10 up the middle.
* * *
CHILDER’S PUNTED 41 yards to the South 12 and the Cavaliers got back to the 33 before fumbling again. This time Leaman Williamson, the defensive left end, recovered at the South 27.

Steward whizzed for 17 before Benjamin followed his blockers beautifully for 10 yards and his third six-pointer. At 4:33 Jim Hershberger, another sophomore kicker, came in to convert.

On the last play of the quarter Bill Woodard’s punt was grounded on the South 37.

On the first play of the final session the Stewart-Williams combination wound up the scoring. Stewart took the ball on a reverse and as he was hit, threw far into the right corner. Williams made a nonchalant catch at the two and stepped past the final stripe at 11:52. Hershberger again converted.

A lot could be said about the rest of the game but all the action was meaningless. Neither side could work up anything resembling a sustained drive. It was in this period that the Tigers intercepted four South passes – two by safety man Cornelius Clark, one by middle guard Noan Taylor, and the other by big Bill Zorn after Taylor had batted the ball.

Second and third stringers played most of the quarter.

The summary:
MASSILLON
ENDS – Childers, Williams, Snavely, Zorn, Hagan, Pierce, Mitchell, Dean.
TACKLES – Slabaugh, A. Slicker, Donat, Karrenbauer, Brownlee, Bordner.
GUARDS – Haine, Heimann, McKey, Taylor, J. Kasunick, Cook.
CENTERS – Swartz, Williamson, Shilling, Reese.
QUARTERBACKS – Getz, Anthony, Sparma.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Stewart, Pledgure, Snively, Clark, Garcia,
Young, Hershberger.
FULLBACKS – Beiter, Kanney.

AKRON SOUTH
ENDS – Toomer, Wims, Scott, Bell.
TACKLES – Woodard, Bioniarz, Slater, Ivey.
GUARDS – Green, Pearson, Burrell, Spencer.
CENTERS – Power, Nicolinio.
QUARTERBACKS – McFrye, Campbell, Williams, Carruthers.
HALFBACKS – Haynes, Owens, Stradwick, Smith, Gsellman, Bell, Gray.
FULLBACK – Adams.

Score by quarters:
Massillon 12 7 7 7 – 33
Akron South 0 0 0 0 – 0

OFFICIALS
Referee – Leo Less, Youngstown.
Umpire – John Russ, Youngstown.
Head Linesman – Ed Corsi, Shaker Heights.
Field Judge – Andy Moran – Berea

Scoring plays: Massillon
First period – Benjamin, 4-yard run; Beiter 1-yard plunge.
Second period – Benjamin 74-yard run.
Third period – Benjamin 10-yard run.
Fourth period – Williams (pass from Stewart), 37 yards.

Extra Points: Massillon – McKey (placement); Hershberger 2 (placements)

STATISTICS
Mass. Ak. South
First downs, rushing 11 2
First downs, passing 3 4
First downs, penalties 1 1
First downs, total 15 7
Plays 57 49
Rushing yardage 305 45
Yards lost, rushing 24 7
Net yards, rushing 281 38
Passing yardage 76 82
Total yardage 356 120
Passes Attempted 12 23
Passes Completed 4 5
Passes had intercepted 4 4
Fumbles 5 10
Own fumbles recovered 3 5
Punts 1 2
Punts, average 41 20
Penalties 7 2
Yards penalized 55 10

History

1956: Massillon 7, Canton McKinley 34

November 17, 1956July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

McKinley Has Too Many Guns For Tigers
Martin Ball Of Fire Against Tresselman

By CHARLIE POWELL

A COMBINATION OF the irresistible force and the immovable object.

That would be an apropo description for Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs who, before over 23,000 fans at Tiger stadium Saturday afternoon, provided proof that they are worthy of the title, “1956 Oho state football champions.”

The best ball club to face a Massillon team in many a year and probably the best of all McKinley arrays without a doubt played its best game of the season and proceeded to paddle the out-manned but always-fighting Tigers by a stunning 34-7 count.

Let’s give McKinley credit. It had the horses as it:
1. Went undefeated for a second straight year and extended the school record to 20 triumphs in a row.
2. Beat Massillon for a second season in a row, the first time this trick has been pulled since 1933.
3. Handed the Tigers their first loss on home sod for the first time since Mansfield turned the tide in 1949.
4. Gave a Massillon team its worst beating since the 35-0 thrashing of 1942.
5. Registered 34 points to hike its school record to a season total of 490 points in 10 games. The old mark was 487 points in 11 contests.
6. And captured the state title for a second straight year, another first for a Bulldog team.

According the Bulldogs the championship and the Rutgers Hall of Fame trophy that goes with it is only a matter of formality.

The loss for the Tigers was the sixth over the last 10 campaigns and it marked the first time since 1947 the Bengals dropped two in one year. The Tiger record of eight wins, two setbacks, is the school’s worst since the 6-4 mark of 1947.

McKinley thus scored as many points in one game as it did against the Bengals in the seven previous years combined. And the win was the Bulldogs’ 27th in the ancient and colorful rivalry. Massillon, which has been the victor 29 times (five battles ended in ties) now has won 22, lost 12 and tied three over the last 36 years.

It was the ninth straight year the Tigers and Bulldogs had met with the state title riding on the outcome. Up until last season the locals had grabbed the brass ring seven consecutive years.

And now let us give credit to the local team, the more inexperienced and immature of the two.
* * *
LEE TRESSEL’S aggregation might have folded after being hit so hard early in the game but the Tigers never gave up trying. And when they realized they were a beaten ball club they fought back even harder.

But some bad breaks, their own mistakes and the stout McKinley defense left them a cropper.

Coach Tressel said the fumble on the first play after the kickoff following McKinley’s initial touchdown hurt his team immensely and who is there to disagree? There was another fumble after the second Bulldog TD and the Tigers were in a hole they were never able to get out of.

Three fumbles lost to the enemy and two pass interceptions stalled the Tiger attack and Tressel attributed the local defense to a “good McKinley offense.”

“They were a great ball club Saturday but I felt we were better than we showed. We certainly could have done a better job,” he said.

That sterling McKinley offense was centered around Quarterback Ron “Ike” Grimsley, the magician who directed the Bulldogs in his usual fine fashion; All-Ohio Bob Williams, who was simply great on defense and plucked two Massillon passes out of the air and also pounced on a Tiger fumble, all in the third period; little Phil Martin, a will-o-wisp who wrecked the Tigers with his sensational running in the first half; and Wayne Fontes, his running mate at halfback who ran equally as well inside as he did outside.

The mercury-footed Martin tallied on runs of five, 57 and 77 yards in that order and finished up the day with 191 yards in 15 carries – an average of 12.7 yards per trip. Fontes made 95 in 16 runs and Grimsley gained 81 in 14. The latter’s passing wasn’t anything to brag about but the Bulldogs were hardly pressed into going to the sky.

Mike Hershberger, the boy with a man-sized heart, led the Tiger attack despite the fact he was hampered by his bad knee. He carried 13 times for 68 yards, blocked with abandon and turned in an outstanding defensive game. Speedy Ivory Benjamin collected 74 yards in 15 carries and “Chuck” Beiter, took over for Chester Brown at fullback and picked up 43 yards in eight trips. Even for a losing cause, there were other Tiger stats.
* * *
THE BULLDOGS, who did very little wrong, went on the prowl after they won the toss of the coin and elected to receive. They pounded off the tackles and skirted the end like demons for 14 plays.

Fontes too Tim Krier’s kickoff on the 22 and got back to the McKinley 35 from which point Grimsley went on the air. Big Williams got behind the defenders at the Tiger 35 but the pass sailed over his head and the invaders then decided to hoof it.

Fontes had a hole at the left side for 10 yards and four plays later, on a fourth and two situation, blasted through center for four yards as he kept his team rolling at the Tiger 43. Only Hershberger kept Grimsley from going all the way and after Ike’s 16-yarder the Bulldogs chopped off short yardage to reach the five. At 6:01 Martin, with the aid of a nice block by Fontes, raced around the right flank for the first Bulldog TD and Grimsley followed with the first of his three conversions.

This had happened to the Tigers on many other occasions in the past and usually the Orangemen retaliated with a bang. But after Brown returned Williams’ kickoff 13 yards to the Massillon 38, Benjamin fumbled after dashing eight-yards.

Linebacker Jesse Chenault covered the pigskin at the Bulldog 38 and McKinley was in business again. After Fontes and Fullback Arnold Lewis made two a piece, Martin wowed the crowd and stunned the Tigers again. He got off a 56-yard pay dirt jaunt by going off right tackle, working himself loose from three would-be tacklers and cutting away from two more. In the clear at the Orange 40, he raced to the end zone without too much effort. Grimsley again converted with (text unreadable) the period.

Less than a minute later Rinehart fumbled and McKinley had a break again, this time at the Tiger 18. After a 15-yard holding penalty, Grimsley tossed to End Bob Burchfield for 15 yards and from the 13, Grimsley threw again. Martin made a beautiful catch as he fought off two defenders but he was out of the end zone and the Bulldogs were stymied, temporarily anyway.
* * *
IN THE SECOND period, following a punt exchange, Benjamin recovered his own fumble on a punt and from their own 19 the Orangemen picked up steam. They made one first down on the ground and another via the airlanes as a reverse pass, Gene Stewart to End Don Elavsky, netted 19. But from the Bulldog 40 the Tigers had to kick. Hershberger’s kick was taken by Fontes, hit immediately by Benjamin and the ball was on the eight.

Mr. Martin made it 20-0 in a jiffy. After he lost two, Fontes picked his way for 17 yards to the 23 to set the stage for Martin’s third touchdown dash of the half. On a 77-yarder, the scatback went to his right, faked two defenders out of the way and sped to the end zone.

The Tigers came up with their first real thrust after Washington returned the kickoff to the Bengal 36. Benjamin did a neat bit of running for 19 and Hershberger spun and fought his way for 20 and a first down at the Bulldog 26. Tiger fans were yelling for a score but Massillonians were to be denied this time. Hershberger made three and Benjamin five to make it third and about two at the 18.

Then the Tigers, trying to catch the enemy by surprise, decided to take to the air. Rinehart intended to slip the oval to lanky Clyde Childers but Childers slipped and fell and the smooth Tiger quarterback was forced to “eat it.”

Coach Tressel later explained that the coaches had noticed the McKinley halfbacks coming up fast as the Tigers stayed on the ground. The strategy called for a long throw to Childers but things went haywire as Childers fell and the other eligible receiver, Benjamin, was covered. On the next play Tackle Harry Sylvester knifed in to throw Beiter for a six-yard deficit and the locals’ bid was stopped.

Williams was the fly in the Massillon ointment during the third period. The Tigers had possession four times but twice Williams intercepted a pass and on anther occasion be recovered a fumble.

At the outset of the canto he hauled in a Rinehart pitch and ran back to the Massillon 32. In just six plays the Bulldogs tallied again. Fontes started the drive with a 17-yard sprint and from the four he bulled over to make it
27-0 at 7:41.
* * *
THREE PLAYS after the kickoff Williams covered the Tiger fumble at the Bengal 18 and soon McKinley hit the jackpot for the fifth time. From the 13 Grimsley went back to pass, decided he had to run with it, and run he did. He ran to the left, then cut back toward the west sidelines and wasn’t hit until he crossed the final stripe.

Near the end of the period Fontes punted into the west stands and the Tigers began to percolate from their own 48. Hershberger made eight, Beiter seven and Benjamin made 11 yards on the last play of the session.

Benjamin sandwiched five yards between five by Hershberger for a first down at the 16 and the Tigers weren’t to be shutout even though they lost four on a fumble. Hershberger came back with five before Beiter tallied from the 15. The junior fullback ploughed through right tackle and had good blocking as he scored at 9:40. Davie Richardson converted for the 21st time this season – his 11th one in a row.

After an exchange of punts the Bulldogs began to move again. Hershberger punted, with his beauty going out of bounds at the eight, and the McKinley lads advanced to the Tiger 30 before the game came to a close.

The 22,993 paid admissions brought Massillon’s total attendance for seven home games to 98,159. This was the third largest number to see Tiger teams play at home in modern history.

It was the last football game in a Tiger uniform for 16 boys – Elavsky, Krier, Rinehart, Hershberger, Richardson, Washington, Chester Brown, Bob Brown, Dick Brenner, Joe Wells, Tom Mays, Dick Whitfield, Jim Mercer, Bruce Bixler, Tom Meldrum and Bob Kiplinger. McKinley will lose 12 by graduation, including such boys as Grimsley, Fontes, Bob Williams, Phil Martin, Dick Martins, Dick Roknich, and Burchfield, plus Guard John Ifantides, who will be too old for scholastic competition next fall.

The summary:
MASSILLON – 7
ENDS – Elavsky, Brenner, Hagan, Childers, Wells, Mays.
TACKLES – Mercer, Whitfield, Halter, Bixler, Brownlee.
GUARDS – Meldrum, B. Brown, Heine, Herimann.
CENTERS – Krier, Kiplinger.
QUARTERBACKS – Rinehart, Stewart.
HALFBACKS – Hershberger, Benjamin, Bivings, Washington, Richardson.
FULLBACKS – C. Brown, Beiter, Reese.

McKINLEY – 34
ENDS – B. Williams, Burchfield, Reeves.
TACKLES – Roknich, Paul Martin, Koeliner, Sylvester, S. Williams, Patterson.
GUARDS – Ifantides, Bender, Chenault.
QUARTERBACK – Grimsley.
HALFBACKS – Phil Martin, Fontes.
FULLBACKS – Lewis, D. Martins.

McKinley 14 7 13 0 34
Massillon 0 0 0 7 7

McKinley scoring:
Touchdowns – Phil Martin 3; Fontes, Grimsley.
Extra points – Grimsley 3 (placements).

Massillon scoring:
Touchdown – Beiter.
Extra point – Richardson (placement).

STATISTICS
Massillon McKinley
First downs, rushing 10 17
First downs, passing 1 1
First downs, penalties 0 0
Total first downs 11 18
Yards gained rushing 207 396
Yards lost rushing 32 6
Net yards gained rushing 175 392
Yards gained passing 19 28
Total yards gained 192 420
Passes attempted 4 9
Passes completed 1 2
Passes intercepted by 0 2
Times kicked off 2 6
Kickoff average (yards) 35.0 43.3
Kickoff returns (yards) 86 29
Times punted 2 2
Punt average (yards) 31.7 18.5
Punt returns 9yards) 1 -2
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 6 2
Lost fumbled ball 3 0
Penalties 2 6
Yards penalized 6 60

History

1956: Massillon 35, Akron Garfield 0

November 9, 1956July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Top Garfield, Turn To Bulldogs
Benjamin Leads Rout As Massillon Hands Presidents 1st Loss

By CHARLIE POWELL

BEAT McKINLEY!

This phrase will be emoted by more Massillon people the next seven days than any other two words in the English language.

BEAT McKINLEY. You heard it before last night’s victory over heretofore undefeated Akron Garfield became official. The enthusiasm and that cry was whipped up in fine fashion after the final gun.

With the scoreboard clock showing a minute and 36 seconds remaining and the Tigers out front by 35-0, which was the way it ended, a big sign, strung from wires between the light standards at the north end of the stadium and reading BEAT McKINLEY was unfurled.

After action ceased a small but spirited group of Tiger fans staged a brief pep rally.

Tiger followers including adults broke out their small BEAT McKINLEY banners. In a few short words they praised the charges of Lee Tressel and staff for another job well
done – then it was BEAT McKINLEY.
* * *
THE BIG ONE, the one the Tigers have been pointing to since that narrow loss to Mansfield, comes off here next Saturday afternoon. All seats have been sold. The gates will open at 12 noon and there will be standing room only. In the events to follow the Orange and Black will be out to avenge last year’s setback by pinning the defeat label on the powerhouse from the city to the east.

If the Tigers do it they should hit the jackpot. What could keep them from regaining that state championship?
BEAT McKINLEY!
Against Garfield before close to 10,000 fans including 9,381 paid, the Orangemen weren’t “up.” Undoubtedly the circumstances prevented them from getting too “high” even though the Presidents had only a couple of ties marring an otherwise perfect mark.

But the locals had more than enough to put the damper on the Prexies. Sparked by twinkle-toed Ivory Benjamin who got great support from Bob Rinehart, Chuck Beiter, Chester Brown, Larry Washington and a host of others, the attack was just about as sharp as any time previously this season. The defense was crisp as the night air.

If you like scythe-like blocking and some teeth-jarring tackling put together with some fancy running, you were satisfied.

True, there were times when it looked like the Garfield ball carriers might have been grassed back of the line of scrimmage or with little yardage to show for their efforts. You can’t have everything, can you?

After all, the Tigers held the invaders to a total of 161 yards – only 23 through the air. And the Prexies had been averaging over six yards per rush.

Coach Tressel couldn’t find much fault with the offense although he agreed that it looked like his charges would “never get started.” Garfield was threatening three times in the opening period but it was completely shackled after that. The Tiger mentor, whose team now has won eight, the last three in a row, had some warm words for the line play, the running of Benjamin, Brown and Beiter, and the ball handling of Rinehart, who completed two of his four passes, one for a touchdown.

The Tigers zipped to a net of 381yards on the ground with Benjamin making 182 in 16 carries, Beiter 63 in eight and Brown 50 in seven. Washington, who started in place of Mike Hershberger, lugged seven times for 26 yards and Rinehart ran a keeper once for 13 yards as Benjamin waylaid three men with a crunching block.
* * *
OF COURSE ball carriers would get exactly nowhere without blocking from the boys up on the line. In this department the local youngsters appeared to be in peak form.

And all this came about with Hershberger and guard Bob Brown watching form the sidelines. Hershberger could have played but Tressel wasn’t about to take an unnecessary chances. “We’ll need them next week,” he said.

Dave Richardson, who booted five extra points, tackle Dick Whitfield and sub tackle John Halter were banged up a little but all will probably be ready for the Bulldogs, who were to meet Akron South this afternoon.

Richardson converted after Benjamin tallied three times, Beiter once and end Clyde Childers, who was on the receiving end of both Tiger pass completions, once.

Actually Garfield was never in the running after the initial panel. Probably because of a good scouting job and a bunch of kids who weren’t going to let another loss interfere with their plans.

In all fairness to the Presidents it must be emphasized that had a couple of first quarter aerials not gone awry they might have been able to make an issue of it as many expected them to do. On the second play the first time Garfield got possession its sterling halfback, Sterling Shephard, passed from the Tiger 49. The Tigers were apparently worrying about Manzie Winters, the President’s pass catching star, and let the other end, Don Gibson, get in the clear at the 20.

Shephard probably thought Gibson was going to cut to his right but he didn’t and a
sure-fire touchdown play went with the wind. Two plays later Garfield had to punt but got the pigskin right back as Benjamin fumbled at the Tiger 21. Shephard moved seven yards to the Orange 14 and after Chet Brown and Pete Heimann tossed Fullback Nick Arshinkoff for a one-yard deficit, Massillon gained possession again as Beiter intercepted Shephard’s spread play pass at the six.

Three plays later, after Benjamin got loose from a 30-yard scamper from his own eight to the 38, the locals lost the ball on another fumble. This time it was Garfield’s ball at the Massillon 44.

With the help of a twisting 17-yard run by Shephard, the Prexies advanced to the Tiger 17. But on fourth down linebacker Roger Reese barreled in and smacked Shephard down for an 11-yard loss to end the thrust.

Then the Tigers went ahead as two long runs, one by Brown and one by Benjamin, paved the way. Benjamin ran twice for 12 before Brown, stiff-arming one, veering away from three and getting blocks from Whitfield and Childers, galloped 29 to the Garfield 35. Washington picked up three and Benjamin sped to the left – with Dick Brenner springing him loose with a fine block at the 33 – and rambled all the way standing up. Three minutes 27 seconds were left in the quarter when Richardson converted his first time.

The Akron array bounced back but to no avail. From the 32 they made three first downs to the Tiger 22 as an 18-yard jaunt by halfback Frank Misker and a 13-yarder by Shephard provided the spark. Shephard tried two passes and sub Lindsey Humphrey two but none made connections.
* * *
ONCE WASHINGTON batted the ball down, once three Tigers outfought two Presidents, once Shephard dropped a Humphrey toss on the 10 and on fourth down the latter’s heave overshot the lanky Winters. Thus it was Massillon’s ball at its own 40.

On the last two running plays of the period Benjamin made nine and Brown four. A penalty against Garfield helped put the oval on the Massillon 40 as the second frame got underway. Benjamin netted 12 in two carries, Brown boomed through tackle for 14 and Beiter went up the middle for eight before the latter tallied on a 26-yard run. The hefty junior, who has been playing both fullback and righthalf, shot inside guard, and cut to his outside and was only 10 yards from pay dirt before most everybody in the stadium knew who had the ball.

This score came with 10:01 left and less than five minutes later the Orange had their third.

Beiter rushed Humphrey on a punt from the Garfield 31 and the ball sailed out of bounds at the 35. Beiter sandwiched eight and nine-yard gains around a three run pickup by Benjamin and from the 15 Irvory scooted the rest of the way on a double reverse that worked to near-perfection. Only one hand touched him and he twisted away from that lone defender.

The rest of the first half was meaningless. But things livened a bit for the home side at the outset of the third period as another bad punt by Humphrey led to the Tigers’ fourth TD.

Massillon had to move only 30 yards this time. Benjamin, Brown and Beiter carried to the 19 before Rinehart unwound. His pass hit Childers on the 10 and the big boy got away from the last would be tackler after Benjamin had thrown a key block. It was 28-0 with seven and a half minutes to go in that stanza.
* * *
THE ORANGEMEN made a strong bid before the quarter came to a close. From their own 37 they rolled to the one as a Rinehart-to-Childers pass clicked for 21 yards and Benjamin inserted a 20-yard sprint. However, an offside penalty set them back to the six and on last down Rinehart was three yards short on a sneak.

The Prexies were deep in their own territory as the final stanza began and from the seven sub Wayne McFarland kicked out of bounds at the Garfield 38.

On the first play Benjamin struck off the right side and streaked to pay dirt.

After that Tressel made use of his second stringers and twice Richardson, defensive safety, stymied the visitors by hauling in passes.

Looking Sharp

MASSILLON – 35
ENDS – Brenner, Elavsky, Mitchell, Wells, Snavely, Childers, Hagan, Williams, Mays.
TACKLES – Whitfield, Mercer, Ortiz, Slabaugh, Brownlee, Bixler, Halter.
GUARDS — Meldrum, Heine, Heimann, Cook.
CENTERS – Krier, Kiplinger.
QUARTERBACKS – Rinehart, Getz, Reese, Dutton.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Washington, Pledgure, Richardson, Bivings.
FULLBACKS – C. Brown, Beiter, Dean.

AKRON GARFIELD – 0
ENDS – Winters, Hubbard, Gibson.
TACKLES – Wiseman, Flanders, Hicks, Truza.
GUARDS – Balca, Rekettye, Phillips, Capatosta, McFarland.
CENTERS – Blouir, Smith, Sabatino.
QUARTERBACK – Rossi.
HALFBACKS – Shephard, Miskar, Humphrey, Rogers.
FULLBACKS – Arshinkoff, Vic Rich.

Scoring by quarters:
Massillon 7 14 7 7 35
Garfield 0 0 0 0 0

Massillon scoring:
Touchdowns – Benjamin (3, runs of 32, 15 and 28 yards); Beiter (run 26 yards); Childers (pass 19 yards).
Extra points – Richardson 5 (placements).

STATISTICS
Massillon Garfield
First downs, rushing 17 9
First downs, passing 2 1
First downs, penalties 1 1
Total first downs 20 11
Yards gained rushing 401 159
Yards lost rushing 20 21
Net yards gained rushing 381 138
Yards gained passing 42 23
Total yards gained 423 161
Passes attempted 4 18
Passes completed 2 4
Passes intercepted by 3 0
Times kicked off 6 1
Kickoff average (yards) 43 54
Kickoff returns 9yards) 12 92
Times punted 2 7
Punt average (yards) 32.2 19.7
Punt returns (yards) 16 0
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 2 1
Lost fumbled ball 2 0
Penalties 6 9
Yards penalized 50 85

History

1956: Massillon 35, Barberton 6

November 2, 1956July 8, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Beat Barberton 35-6
Score Three Touchdowns In First 10 Minutes

By CHARLIE POWELL

Rolling up 159 yards via 10 running plays, Massillon’s Tigers rocked Barberton with three touchdowns in the first 10 minutes of play Friday evening and it looked like a simon-pure rout was in the making at Tiger stadium.

But the Orangemen apparently suffered a let down except for brief spurts in the third and fourth periods and a Dads’ Night crowd, including only 9,945 paid admissions, watched them grind out a methodical 35-6 triumph, their seventh in eight starts.

The Magics, anything but tricky or reminiscent of some of their previous arrays, were outplayed all around and had it not been for their passing game would have been sadly outclassed.

There wasn’t much difference in first downs as the Tigers had only two more than the opposition but the host crew hipper-dippered and blasted its way for 258 net yards rushing while the Magics gained only 96 on the ground.

Passing gave the Magics their only touchdown and all told netted them 105 yards on eight compleltions in 15 attempts.

The aerial game benefited the Tigers too as one connection went for the jackpot and Bob Rinehart, the sweet thrower and neat manipulator of the Tiger “T”, had a pretty fair night with five completions in seven tosses.

The handwriting was on the wall in a jiffy. There wasn’t much for Bengal followers to shout about the last three periods but Coach Lee Tressel was not too discouraged.

He thought the defense, on Barberton running plays, was more than adequate and noted that the pass defense needs polishing up. The only time the Magics didn’t fare too well in the airlanes came in the final session when they resorted to spread formations.

Until that time Junie Ferrall stayed with the straight T with a balanced line and the Magics’ tactics in the ozone kept the Tigers on their toes.

Barberton was weak at the middle and the Tigers quickly took advantage of the situation as Chester Brown, the big fullback who hammers then gallops, carved out the first two scores on lengthy jaunts of 48 and 53 yards. Then Ivory Benjamin, the twinkle-toed speedster, took over the burden and made the last three six-pointers, two on runs (six and 16 yards) and the other on a pass play which covered 16 yards.

Little Davie Richardson, with Mike Hershberger sidelined by a pulled leg muscle, handled the conversion chores in fine fashion. He split the uprights on four with his other shot barely clearing the crossbar.
* * *
BROWN and Benjamin each gained more yards than the entire Barberton team on the ground as chuggin’ Chester averaged over 14 yards per try on 143 yards in 10 trips and hurrying Ivory made 107 in 15 carries. Larry Washington, Jimmy Bivings and “Chuck” Beiter worked at Hershberger’s right half slot and although none of the trio was scintillating, all were just as instrumental in giving Massillon its 16th victory in 20 meetings with Barberton teams. Beiter also played some at fullback.

It required the Tresselmen just 53 seconds to draw blood.

Washington grabbed up a short kickoff and got back to the Tiger 27. Benjamin made four at right tackle, then came back and zipped around the right flank. The junior standout reeled off a 21-yard run (the last man having a chance shot at him got him) to put the oval on the Magic 48.

Then Brown got a big hole at the middle, wriggled free at the 34 and raced into the end zone standing up.

Barberton made one first down after the kickoff and on a fourth and two situation at the Massillon 36, Bob Savage, the tank-like fullback, fumbled the center pass and Tackle Jim Mercer pounced on the bobble to give the Tigers possession at their own 44.
* * *
AFTER BROWN made 11 (Barberton’s Dave Lee Bartee came up with a shoe-string tackle to stop him from going the distance) and Bivings lost eight on a sweep, Massillon reached the Promised Land again.

It was Brown again. The play was the same as on his first trip. Given a key block by End Don Elavsky, Chester raced 53 vards, Richardson again converted and the Tigers led 14-0 with 5:22 remaining in the opening heat.

The third tally was set up by Benjamin’s interception of a pass by Magic Quarterback Marco Burnette. Massillon was pounding at the visitor’s 27 after Ivory returned 28 yards.

In five plays six more points flashed up. Beiter pounded for seven, ditto for Brown before Benjamin picked his way 10 yards to the three.

Barberton was then penalized to the one for being offside and on the next play Rinehart sneaked across. But the locals were offside and penalized five yards back to the six. From that point Benjamin found a hole at right tackle and his spurt came easy at 1:46.

Early in the second period Rinehart hit Clyde Childers for 18 yards but the locals stalled and Burnette returned Jim Dutton’s punt to the 32. The Magics digested a five-yard penalty and marched the rest of the way with three passes doing the damage.
* * *
BURNETTE did all the throwing with Moses Iverson catching one for 13, Bartee one for 10 and Les Jones one for 27 – the final 27 yards. A 15-yard dash by Jim Hatula kept the drive going.

On the touchdown, which came at 3:40, the toss down the middle was snagged by Jones at the five and he could have walked past the final stripe. Barberton had to settle for six after Jones’ placement sailed wide to the right.

Tackle John Halter leaped on a Barberton bobble at the Magic 28 on the third play of the third frame and Massillon jacked the margin four plays later. Benjamin got one, Brown three before Ivory squirted eight to the 16. Rinehart then went to the air. His pitch to the left hit Benjamin, who juggled the oval momentarily at the 10, turned around, twisted away from one would-be tackler and fought his way into the end zone at 9:22.

An exchange of punts followed the kickoff and Barberton then threatened to score. Burnette passed to Sub End Bob Velloney, Regular End Alan Cooksey and another sub, Jerry Mattingly accounted for 41 yards with a 10-yard completion to Mattingly placing the ball on the Massillon 10 as the quarter came to a close.

But Barberton magic failed, and after three aerials went for naught, the locals took over. Benjamin, Beiter, Brown and Washington (text missing)

HOWEVER a holding penalty cost the locals. A Rinehart to Bivings pass made six but Brown got only six and Bivings just one and Dutton was called on to kick again.

Barberton fumbled four plays later and Mercer again recovered.

With 4:09 left and the ball at the 34, Rinehart sneaked for one, Benjamin ran three times for nine, Beiter got five and Brown three before Benjamin made his third TD trip from 16 yards out. He simply got some fine blocking off the left side and outran the defenders to pay dirt at 1:04. Three plays later it was all over.

In addition to the aforementioned Hershberger, Bob Brown, regular right left guard, missed the game because of a broken bone in his left hand. Luckily the locals came out of the scrap without any more serious injuries.

The summary:
MASSILLON – 35
ENDS – Brenner, Elavsky, Childers, Mitchell, Hagan, Williams, Zorn, Wells, Steele, Mays.
TACKLES – Whitfield, Meldrum, Bixler, Halter, Slabaugh, Mercer.
GUARDS – Heine, Meldrum, Heimann, Cook.
CENTERS – Krier, Kiplinger.
QUARTERBACKS – Rinehart, Dutton.
HALFBACKS – Benjamin, Washington, Beiter, Bivings, Pledgure, Richardson.
FULLBACKS – G. Brown, Reese, Dean, Beiter.

BARBERTON – 6
ENDS – Cooksey, Bartee, Gissinger, Bob Velloney, Hampton.
TACKLES – Creager, Shaffer, Goletz, Reeves.
GUARDS – Mystovich, Chaykoski, Dilbeck, Gardner, Johnson.
CENTER – Schens.
QUARTERBACKS – Burnette, Mobley.
HALFBACKS – Jones, Iverson, Mattingly, Spencer, Savage.
FULLBACKS – Savage, Hatula.

Scoring by quarters:
Massillon 21 0 7 7 35
Barberton 0 6 0 0 6

Massillon scoring:
Touchdowns – Benjamin 3 (runs 16, 6, pass 16); Brown 2 (runs 48 and 53)
Extra points – Richardson 5.

Barberton scoring – Touchdown – Jones (pass 27).

STATISTICS
Massillon Barberton
First downs, rushing 11 5
First downs, passing 3 7
First downs, penalties 0 0
Total first downs 14 12
Yards gained rushing 280 126
Yards lost rushing 22 30
Net yards gained rushing 258 96
Yards gained passing 66 105
Total yards gained 324 201
Passes attempted 7 15
Passes completed 5 8
Passes intercepted by 1 0
Times kicked off 6 2
Kickoff average (yards) 47.5 37.0
Kickoff returns (yards) 17 130
Times punted 4 3
Punt average (yards) 34.3 30.7
Punt returns (yards) 15 20
Had punts blocked 0 0
Fumbles 0 6
Lost fumbled ball 0 2
Penalties 4 3
Yards penalized 40 12

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