Blog Posts

Posts

History

1906: Massillon 21 Wooster 0

(REGULAR SEASON WOOSTER GAME FOLLOWS)

SEPTEMBER 27, 1906
(This game was considered a scrimmage or exhibition game)

HIGH SCHOOL WAS DEFEATED
Ex-Highs Made Two Touchdowns in the Last Half

IT WAS A GOOD FAST GAME
Spectators Nearly Stop the Game by Crowding on the Field

S.A. Wilson Came Last Night
McChesney Here on Friday

The Massillon High School football team opened the season by losing the first game to the ex-High football team on the high school grounds Wednesday afternoon by the score of 10 to 5.  The high school boys made the first touchdown of the game in the first half.  The ball was in the possession of the high school boys and as they had two downs and about five yards to gain they punted the ball towards the goal when Graze managed to get the ball and scored a touchdown.  The ex-High team worked hard to get the ball across the goal line, but fumbles kept them from doing so the score ended (this portion of the line is unreadable…High School’s favor.

In the second half the game went the other way.  The ex-Highs braced up and managed to score two touchdowns.  Merwin, who played quarterback for the ex-Highs, punted the ball near the goal line, which Dow fumbled.  Burkhart picked up the pigskin and scored the first touchdown for the ex-Highs.  The second touchdown was scored by Keller, the
ex-Highs bringing the ball up the field to the goal line by forward passing and line bucking.  Much difficulty was experienced by the teams on account of the spectators crowding over the lines, making it almost impossible for the game to proceed.  Time and time again both teams were penalized for being offside and tackling too low, some of the players using the rules in use last season.  The High School team is (this portion of line unreadable…) to put up a good fight with any high school team in the vicinity.

The line-up and summary follow:

Ex-High            Position    High School
Snyder  left end             Graze
Fiegenschuh left guard           H. Wagner
Crookston               center           Winger
Keller       right guard        Bair
McGuire   right tackle     Wells
S. Reed    right end     Taggart
Merwin      quarterback         Swanson
Thompson   left halfback Wells
Burkhart   right halfback          Wagner
Miller    fullback               Dow

Score of first half:
High 5; ex-high 0.

Time of halves:
25 and 30 minutes.

Touchdowns:
Graze, Burkhart and Keller.

Referee – H. Reed.
Umpire – Becker.
Timekeepers – Brown and Hay Smith.

OCTOBER 8, 1906
(Regular Season Game)

School Team Defeated
Wooster High by the Score of
21 to 0

In the preliminary game the Massillon High School football team defeated the Wooster High School team by the score of 21 to 0.  It was thought that on account of the increased weight of the visitors that the local team would suffer a bad defeat, but although the visitors weighed fifteen pounds more to the man they could not hold the locals.  Koltz’s end run from the locals’ fifty yard line was the feature of the game, although Swanson, Wells and Dow starred.  The High School team is now in fine form and is ready to meet any of the high school teams.

Line-up and summary:

Massillon – 21            Position   Wooster – 0
Koltz   right end       Slaybaugh
Grinnell     right tackle Firestone
Bair  right guard               Ibrig
Winger    center            Redick
H. Wagner  left guard     Miller
G. Wells     left tackle Weygant
Taggart  left end             Everly
Swanson      quarterback  Shallenberger
S. Wells      left halfback   McSweeney
C. Wagner right halfback Bender
Dow     fullback               Baer

Touchdowns:
Swanson 1; Wells  2; Dow  1.

Kicked goal:
Dow  1.

Referee – Merwin, of Massillon.

Time of halves – 20 and 15 minutes.

HIGH SCHOOL NOTES

Ex-Highs Defeat the M.H.S. at the Park Saturday
(This is also considered an Exhibition Game)

The football game at the park Saturday afternoon between Massillon High and ex-Highs resulted in a victory for the latter by the interesting score of 5-0.  As was expected, the alumni outweighed the students considerably, but the good organization of the latter almost made up for this.  The game was called at 2:45 and until near the end of the first half both teams fought fiercely within an area of fifty yards.  With but several minutes to play the ex-Highs pushed Miller over the line for a touchdown.  An attempt at goal failed.

In the second half, by a clever use of the forward pass, S. Wells made a splendid run for a touchdown.  However, this was ruled out by the referee on account of some technicality or other.  No scores were made in the second half.  No ill feeling was shown with the exception of a slight argument between Lee Willenborg and several of the high school faculty on account of some partiality shown to the ex-Highs.  However, matters were amicably settled and “all went merry as a wedding bell.”

The teams with blood in their eyes faced each other as follows:

Massillon High – 0       Position      Alumni – 5

Klotz           LE              Reed
G. Wells      LT           Becker
Baer            LG            Garrett
Wenger         C        Schworm
Wagner       RG    Youngblood
Miller           RT             Hagan
Grinnell, Smith                   RE            Brown
Graze          QB           Merwin
Wagner       RH              Jones
S. Wells      LH      Thompson
Dow            FB              Miller

Head Linesman – Lee Willenborg.
Referee – Anderson.
Linesmen – Moody and Borroway.
Timekeeper – Prof. Hopkins.

Time of halves – 25 minutes.

History

1905: Massillon 6 Dover 0

MASSILLON 6, DOVER 0

As a preliminary to the Tiger game, Massillon High School, won from the Dover High School, the score being 6 to 0.  The game was a very close one and the hardest Massillon has had this season.  Two twenty-five minute halves were played.  The entire Massillon team put up a great game and the line held in great shape.  Merwin’s punts were all of the first class and Dover never realized any gain upon them.  Kline and Jones at the ends got into the game and broke up Dover’s interference repeatedly.  Miller, Burkhart and Thompson made great gains and cut up the line.  Massillon kicked off to Dover, Burkhart making a nice tackle.  Dover was forced to punt and held Massillon, fumbling  directly afterwards. Burkhart circled the end for twenty-five yards but the ball was lost on downs.  Diefenbacher, for Dover, made twenty-five yards on a trick play but fumbled.  The ball was thus kept in the center of the field until the end of the first half, neither team scoring.  Dover then kicked south to Massillon, Scott bringing the ball to the forty yard line.  Merwin went around end for twenty yards; Thompson made fifteen.  Dover was forced to punt, and after line bucks Burkhart carried the ball around end thirty yards, following it by fifteen yards for a touchdown.  Merwin kicked goal.

Massillon kicked to Dover, who was not dangerous in the second half.  It took the hardest kind of work during the remainder of the game but no touchdown resulted.  For the spectators the game was more exciting than the Tiger game.  The Dover team held the heavy New Philadelphia high school team to a 0 to 0 score.  They were slightly outweighed by the Massillon boys.

Line-up and summary:

Massillon High – 6  Position       Dover High – 0

Kline                          LE             E. Schawaker
Fiegenschuh               LT                          Steitz
Beatty                        LG                          Kline
Klotz                           C            M. Schawaker
Grinnell                      RG                         Klarr
Scott                          RT                       Allman
Jones                         RE                          Lund
Merwin (c)                QB             Diefenbacher
Thompson                LHB          Richardson (c)
Burkhart                   RHB                   Waldron
Miller                         FB                        Peters

Minehart, referee.
Coleman, timekeeper.
J. Long, head linesman.

Time – Two 25 minute halves.

History

1905: Massillon 0 New Philadelphia 0

SEPTEMBER 12, 1905

HIGH SCHOOL NOTES

Captain Merwin, of the football team, is looking up candidates for the varsity eleven and expects to turn out a winning team.  The players must keep up a fair average in school work and Superintendent Cronebaugh will attend to the matter of scheduling games.  Merwin, Smith, Burkhart, Jones and Hollinger are some of  the announced candidates.

HIGH SCHOOL NOTES

Schedule of Football Games for the Season

The first real musical exercises conducted by Miss Brosman, the new instructor in this department, were held Wednesday morning.  A few of the simpler songs were gone over, Miss Brosman expressing herself as well pleased with the manner of the rendition.

A schedule for the football season has been arranged and Massillon high will have a season of good hard work and all the practice which it is possible for the team to get as necessary.  Captain Merwin is putting the team down to steady work and the way they go through practice is good for the hearts of the old high school men to see.

The following is the scheduled:
September 30               New Phildadelphia high, at home.
October 14                  Wooster high, abroad
October 19                  probably Barberton high, at home
October 25                  Dover high, at home
November 1                 Wooster high, at home
November 11               New Philadelphia high, abroad
November 17               Dover high, abroad

By the above the quality of ball required by the boys may well be seen.  New Philadelphia was a hard proposition last year, though Massillon defeated them two straight games.  Wooster won from Massillon twice last season, walking all over the home boys the second game.  Barberton was easy last time and Dover is an unknown quantity.

SEPTEMBER 29, 1905

Tomorrow the local football season opens at the park, when the Massillon High and New Philadelphia High clash.  The teams are about equal in strength, although the visitors outweigh the locals quite a few pounds to the man.  New Philadelphia comes determined to win and get even for last year’s defeats.  Special cars will be run to the park.  The game will be called at 3 o’clock sharp.  It is certain that a large crowd will witness the game.  The expenses will be quite heavy.

The line-up will be as follows:  Klotz, center; Miller and Fiegenschuh, guards; Jones and Scott, tackles; Kline and Kirchhofer, ends; Merwin, quarterback; Smith, fullback; Burkhart and Thompson, halves; Taggart and Heckman, subs.

MASSILLON
TIED NEW PHILA. HIGH
Locals Though Outweighed,
Played the Best Game

NEITHER TEAM ABLE TO SCORE
Coach Benedict and the High School Fans
Perfectly Satisfied With the Result
Against Such a Heavy Team as That from the Southern City

The Massillon high school football team celebrated the opening of the football season in Massillon Saturday on the baseball park grounds by playing a tie game with the big New Philadelphia high school team, the score being 0-0 after two bitterly fought halves.  Superintendent Cronebaugh, of the Massillon public schools, and Superintendent Maurer, of New Philadelphia, were the timekeepers.

The locals were outweighed at least fifteen pounds to the man, and perhaps twenty, and the feat is therefore the more creditable, as the heavy visiting team looked able to down the local light team by a big score.

Coach Verne Benedict was referee and Thompson umpire for the visitors.  The work of both was satisfactory, very few protests being registered.  Massillon high kicked off and New Philadelphia brought the ball back to the middle of the field, where it went to Massillon, then to the visitors, until the half was over.  Massillon’s line did some great work in holding down the visitors, and the halfback, fullback and quarterback surprised the New Philadelphia team with their hard tackles.  As a result of the hard work in the hot sun the visitors were well exhausted in the beginning of the second half and the lighter Massillon players swept them off of their feet, carrying the ball to the fifteen yard line before the big New Philadelphia linemen could recover.  Here the visitors held and took the ball on downs, Massillon again holding and getting the ball, but losing at once on a fumble.  It was at this stage of the game that Farrel, the visiting right end, took the ball and skirted Massillon’s end for a forty yard run before being brought down by Captain Merwin who was backing up the line.  This was as close as New Philadelphia came to scoring, the game being called with the ball well toward the middle of the field.

Coach Benedict and the players on the Massillon high school team are deserving of considerable praise for the plucky fight made against such a heavy team, and if the work Saturday is improved upon, M.H.S. will bother many of the high school teams of this state.

Kline, Kirchhofer, Merwin, Burkhart and Smith all played unusually good games, while the rest of the men, although outweighed, more than held their own with the visitors.

The line-up was as follows:

Phila.                Position                   M.H.S.
Orr                      RE                 Kirchhofer
Rippert                 RT                 F. Wagner
Kustic                  RG                     Willison
Paige                     C                           Klutz
Cunning               LG               Fiegenschuh
Senhauser            LT                 H. Wagner
Farrell                  QB                      Merwin
Amstead              RH                         Jones
Cabel                   LH                    Burkhart
Gintz                    FB                         Smith

Time, fifteen and twenty minutes halves.

Referee and umpire alternating:
Benedict of Massillon;
Thompson, of New Philadelphia.

Timekeepers:
Superintendent Cronebaugh, of Massillon;
Superintendent Maurer, of New Philadelphia.
Head Linesman – Jack long, of Massillon;
Assistants – Souers, of New Philadelphia; and Tucker of Massillon.

History

1904: Massillon 5 Canton Central 12

MASSILLON HIGH
DEFEATED AGAIN
Canton Team Too Heavy for the Locals
SCORE WAS TWELVE TO FIVE

The Massillon Team Lacked Ginger in the Second Half,
Allowing the Canton Boys to Score Easily
Game was a Clean One

Yesterday afternoon at the new park Massillon met defeat for the second time this season at the hands of Canton High, the score standing 12 to 5.  The Canton team made a touchdown in each half, the local team making their score early in the second.

The game was not called until about 4 o’clock.  Captain Kennedy, of Canton, won the toss and chose to receive at the south goal, there being a strong wind from the south.  Albright made a beautiful kick against the wind, Kennedy receiving the ball at about the thirty yard line and was downed before advancing more than five yards.  The Canton men began to batter the light Massillon line and went around end for substantial gains, Schaeffer, the Canton right tackle, being especially conspicuous in gains.  The opposing team seemed to have things their own way for a long while, until the fifteen yard line was reached.  Here the Canton team was forced to put forth every effort to realize a goal and it looked as if they would lose on downs, but finally they reached the goal line.  It was an easy goal and was kicked.

Canton now kicked to Massillon, Albright receiving.  The home team went through the heavy Canton line and made good steady gains, the hurdling of Albright being the most spectacular feature.  The end runs attempted by Massillon resulted in a loss, and straight bucks were carried out.  A fumble was made about this time which resulted in Canton’s receiving the ball.  A few gains were made by the opposition but they again lost the ball.  Albright now made a good heady play, as well as one of the most beautiful punts seen on a Massillon gridiron this season.  The punt was made at the forty-five yard line and for sixty yards it sailed down the field going across Canton’s goal line.  The ball was now kicked from the twenty-five yard line to Massillon who advanced it to the fifteen yard line and here lost the ball.  Canton carried it toward their goal but time for the first half was now called.

At the beginning of the second half Canton kicked to Massillon, McFarren receiving the ball and making a good gain to the thirty yard line.  Steady gains on line bucks were made by the Massillon boys.  Kirchhofer, the plucky Massillon fullback, now showed his true form, worming himself through the line for good gains at all times, his one gain of five yards being one of the longest made by the home team during the game.  Albright’s hurdles were here brought to the front again and his end runs netted good gains.  The Massillon team steadily worked itself from the thirty-five yard line to the ten yard line on good straight football.

The Canton team here braced up and Massillon had to work its hardest but finally by massing the men Albright was pushed and pulled through for the first touchdown Massillon High has made on Canton for many a day.  This touchdown was made at the southeast corner of the field and the punt, which was so successful for the Tigers last Saturday, was tried but Hollander failed to heel the ball.

Canton now kicked off to Massillon, Burkhart receiving.  Canton soon received the ball and the Massillon team apparently lost heart and allowed the Canton team to make gains of fifteen and twenty yards at a down, Wenger carrying the ball across goal and again goal was kicked, the score standing 12 to 5.  Massillon now received the kickoff and Burkhart made the proper play under the circumstances, punting to the thirty yard line.  A few gains were made by Canton when time was called.  Everybody seemed fairly well satisfied with the game, although the allowing of Canton’s second touchdown was entirely unnecessary.

The line-up was:

Canton                   Position            Massillon
Gould                         LE                Smith, Hollander
Hershey                     LT                Jones
Haylor                       LG                Stoner, Kaylor
Gibson                        C                 Tucker
Brown                       RG               Ratchford
Shaffer                       RT                Kaylor, Smith
Clarke                        RE                Merwin
Kennedy                    QB               McFarren
Knox                         LH                Albright
Vliet                           FB                Kirchhofer, capt.
Holl, capt.                  RH               Burkhart

Linesman, McCallum and Bast.

The work of all the boys was entirely satisfactory, the backs playing fine ball and the linemen laid down before the heavy Canton line, holding them whenever possible.  Ratchford played an unusually good game and Tucker played all over Gibson.  Merwin, Smith and Hollander put up a fine game; Merwin getting the ball on fumbles in a twinkle.  Jones and Stoner put up a stiff game.  The game was an unusually clean one, no quarrelsome spirit being in evidence.

History

1904: Massillon 0 Wooster 44

THE SCORE WAS 44 TO 0
High School Football
Team Defeated at Wooster

On Wednesday afternoon on the athletic field of Wooster University the Massillon High School met one of the worst defeats in the history of the football team, the score standing
44 to 0.

The local team was completely out-classed, showed poor form, played slow ball and utterly failed to stop Wooster’s fierce end runs and line bucks.  The Wooster team has shown wonderful improvement since the game here, when it beat the Massillon team by the score of 5 to 0, and it is now altogether the fastest aggregation Massillon has met this season.  Massillon, of course, was greatly handicapped by the absence of some of the regular players and the lack of practice of the last week was clearly shown.  Wooster has the advantage of good coaching and has a spirit of willingness that the home team lacks.

The game was called at 3:15, Wooster kicking off to Massillon, which faced the east goal, Smith received the ball at the twenty yard line and advanced ten yards.  Quarterback Merwin called line bucks which were found to be a hard proposition, end runs were tried which were hardly more successful, and the result was the loss of the ball on downs at the fifty yard line, Wooster here taking the ball through Massillon’s line for great gains and with several long gains on end, Mouchy, Wooster’s big fullback, carried the ball across the line for the first touchdown after about five minutes of play.  Elder kicked an easy goal.  Smith again secured the ball on Wooster’s kickoff and advanced it to the twenty-five yard line where he lost it on a fumble, Wooster taking the ball around the end for fifteen yards and after a few bucks through the line Captain Blough, of Wooster, took the ball for the second touchdown, Elder missing an easy goal.

On Wooster’s next kickoff Smith once more received the ball and succeeded in making the thirty-five yard line, where, after the first down, another fumble was made and Wooster again fell on the ball.  Massillon now succeeded in stopping one of Wooster’s bucks but on a double pass the big Wooster fullback carried the ball back to the goal post for the third touchdown, where Sellers missed an easy goal, the score standing 21 to 0.

Albright caught the ball on the kickoff at the fifteen yard line and was downed at the twenty yard line.  Massillon was held to a one yard gain on two downs and a punt was called.  Albright kicked to the forty yard line, Wooster made a good gain and an end run netted them fifteen yards.  The next down Wooster lost a yard but Mouchy, taking the ball behind good interference, scored the fifth touchdown, which, when goal was kicked, left the score 27 to 0.

Wooster again kicking to the locals, Burkhart carried the ball to the twenty yard line, where the inevitable fumble was made but the ball was not lost.  Albright punted to the center of the field and the clever triple pass by the opposing school worked well, netting them fifteen yards, when Albright made a nice tackle just as time for the first half was called.  The Massillon boys naturally felt pretty sore but after a short rest went back to face the music.

Massillon kicked to Wooster and they by a double pass succeeded in reaching the
thirty-five yard line where the same tick play was worked which took the ball way down the field and in another down Halfback Blough made another touchdown, Sellers kicking goal.  On the next kickoff the ball was advanced to the thirty yard line and Massillon was held for downs at the forty yard line, Wooster walking down the field.  Center Tucker made a nice tackle, the opponents were held for a down and their double pass was blocked, but a quarterback run and several line bucks took Blough across the line for the sixth touchdown, after which Elder kicked goal.

Wooster again kicked off and the usual fumble by Massillon was made.  Wooster held for two downs but one of the longest runs of the game, one of forty yards, took Wooster a long way down the field and but for a tackle by Burkhart and Kirchhofer, would have netted another touchdown.  Massillon again got in and Wooster was held for a down but Blough taking the ball was pulled across goal for the seventh touchdown of the game.  Sellers missed an easy goal and before the ball was kicked off time was called, the score standing 44 to 0.

The halves played were twenty and fifteen minutes.

Following is the line-up:
Wooster                       Position          Massillon
Bricker                         LE                 Hollander
Reiman                         LT                  Schnierle
Saborn                         LG         Wagner, Jones
Orr                               C                       Tucker
McSweeney                 RG                Ratchford
Lindsay                        RE                      Myers
Sellers                          QB                   Merwin
Mouchy                        FB               Kirchhofer
Lanbach                       RH                  Burkhart
Blough (capt.                LH                   Albright

Coach St. John, of the university, refereed in a very satisfactory manner.
Snyder, of Massillon, umpired.
McFarren and Manlin were timekeepers.
McGlen was head linesman.

TEAM TO DISBAND
But High School Football Players
to Have One More Game

A meeting of the High School football team of 1904 was held Thursday afternoon.  Owing to the crippled condition of the team, with Schnierle and Kirchhofer out of school and Tucker out of town, besides nearly the whole team being more or less hurt, the team was disbanded for the season, and the only remaining game, that with Barberton High for next Saturday, was cancelled.

Officers were elected for the season of 1905, Fred D. Mersin captain and Lyman H. Tucker manager being the selections.

History

1904: Massillon 12 New Philadelphia 0

HIGH SCHOOL WAS VICTORIOUS
The Football Team Won by a Score of 12 to 0
OPPONENTS NEARLY SCORED
New Philadelphia Put Up a Strong Game
and Showed Surprising Strength Near the Close of the Game
Massillon High Rallied and Held the Opponents on Downs

Saturday afternoon before a crowd of about one hundred and fifty people the Massillon high school football team more than redeemed itself for any former defeats by trouncing New Philadelphia High by the score of 12 to 0.  The game was one of the best seen on a Massillon field this season.

The game was called at 2:30, New Philadelphia kicking off to Massillon.  The kick was a nice one and Smith received it at the fifteen yard line and advanced to about ten yards.  Massillon started line bucks, but New Philadelphia displayed unexpected strength.  The boys managed to push a few yards up the field toward north goal, but rather than run the risk of being held for downs, McFarren called a punt and Albright responded by making a fine one of forty yards.  New Philadelphia managed to reach the fifty yard line when a fumble was made and Massillon secured the ball.  Burkhart now found a hole and slipped through for a fifteen yard run, after which the opposing line was hit for long gains, Kirchhofer displaying fine talent in this line.  The boys were now at the five yard line and Albright took the ball and put it across the line directly beneath the goal posts amid the cheers of the onlookers.  The goal was an easy one and was kicked by Albright.

The local team now kicked to the visitors, who received the ball at the fifteen yard line and advanced to the twenty-five yard line, where McFarren made a nice tackle.  Slow gains by the opposition were now in order and on a fumble by New Philadelphia Jones by quick work managed to fall on the ball.  Big “Dutch” Senhauser, the adversaries’ right half, was now laid out.  Massillon here devoted its efforts to line bucks and gained steadily.  The locals here made some great runs – Smith one of twenty-five yards, Albright thirty-five yards and Burkhart twenty yards, in close succession, bringing the home team to the five yard line when time was called.  The score was 6 to 0.

At the beginning of the second half Massillon again kicked to the guests.  The ball was caught at the twenty yard line and advanced fifteen yards by good dodging.  The visitors could not realize on Massillon’s line and a fumble was made which resulted in a loss to them of twelve yards.  Albright tackled the man before he could make any gain.  Massillon here made good gains, though it had to fight gamely for them.  The home aggregation now neared its goal and its blood was up for a second touchdown to make it better than its first game with this team, and Albright carried the ball under the goal posts and once more kicked goal.

Massillon once more kicked to the opposition, the ball being received at the fifteen yard line, where the man was instantly tackled without a gain.  The New Philadelphia team succeeded in reaching the twenty-five yard line when the man with the ball was tackled behind the line and was carried back fifteen yards.  A punt was called by the visiting team and was fumbled by McFarren, New Philadelphia regaining the ball.  The opposing team now played the best of the whole game, going through Massillon’s line for its five yards regularly.  Time for the second half was rapidly nearing the end and the home boys put forth every effort to keep the visitors from a touchdown.  As they reached the five yard line Massillon braced itself and the result was a yard to gain on the third down when time was called, the score standing 12 to 0.

The line-up was as follow:
New Phila.             Position                Massillon
L. Zellner                   LE                   Hollander
Kislig                         LT                         Jones
Cunning                     LG                   Ratchford
Page                           C                        Tucker
Olmstead                   RG                     Wagner
Ripeth                        RT                         Smith
Orr                            RE                      Merwin
K. Zellner                  QB                  McFarren
Foster                        LH                    Burkhart
Senhauser, capt.         RH                     Albright
Wilkin                        FB                 Kirchhofer

Alternate referee and umpire, Bast and Doeschock.
Timekeepers, Cronebaugh and Wiley.
Head Linesman, Souers.

The record of the High school team now stands as follows:
Wooster                  5
Massillon                 0

Canton                    8
Massillon                 0

New Philadelphia     0
Massillon                 5

Barberton                0
Massillon               15

Canton                  12
Massillon                 5

The game with Wooster on next Wednesday will be rather one sided with the present crippled state of the team, with Kaylor sick, McFarren with a sprained wrist, and Stoner doubtful as to being able to play.