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History

1920: Massillon 0, Canton McKinley 14

MASSILLON LOSES TO OLD FOE IN GREAT TILT

2 TOUCHDOWNS IN 3RD QUARTER GIVE CLEAN RECORD TO CANTON

Greatness is always measured by success.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Defeated, But Not Disgraced

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

Score by quarters:
Canton 0 0 14 0 – 14

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

Touchdowns – Harmony 2.

Goals after touchdown – Kennedy 2.

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

Time of quarters 15 and 12½ minutes.

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1917: Massillon 7, Canton Central 6

COACH SNAVELY’S LADS, IN GAME BATTLE, BEST SUPERIOR ENEMY, 7-6

Thirteen fighting orange and black clad gridiron warriors of Massillon high school covered themselves with the large gobs of glory, slush and mud Saturday afternoon on the M. B. A. C. field. These 13 youthful gladiators accomplished a feat which all of Canton and half of Massillon considered impossible. They defeated the crack red and black eleven of Central high, Canton, 7 to 6, in the annual grid tilt between the two old rivals and grabbed off the scholastic championship of Stark county for the second straight time. It was the last game of the season.

Going into the struggle in which Canton high was a decided favorite, because of its top notch playing all season, Coach Snavely’s boys fought with all the fury and vigor of a tiger at bay and their titantic efforts were rewarded with victory. The largest crowd that has witnessed a scholastic battle this season was on hand to see the big struggle although the atmosphere was decidedly chilly for spectators.

It was a break of the game that gave Massillon its chance to win which also was responsible for Canton’s score. But break or no break, it does not detract one whit from the glory that should go to the orange and black for it justly deserves all that it won. It was a tense struggle with Canton having the edge on the offensive play, but while the visiting eleven made eight first downs to six for Coach Snavely’s youthful Tigers, Massillon always tightened and the red and black only penetrated the local eleven’s 20 yard zone once, that was in the second quarter.

Touted as the best scholastic eleven turned out at the Canton institution in many years, the red and black journeyed to Tiger town Saturday confident of winning by at least three touchdowns. Why should it not have confidence? Did it not defeat Alliance 67 to 0 while Massillon only won 27 to 7; didn’t it not hold New Philadelphia scoreless while the Tuscarawas county lads walloped the orange and black 27 to 0, and did it not defeat Rayon of Youngstown 27 to 0 while the best Massillon could do was to win 15 to 0?

It had every reason to be confident of winning and it possessed an admirable backfield in Boldt, Mitchell and Rate, three athletes fleet of foot and powerful line plungers. Besides this it outweighed Massillon several pounds to the man.

But it did not take very long to show that Massillon’s “green” team would give the veteran Canton eleven a hard battle and that there wouldn’t be any victor until the struggle was over. Coach Snavely’s line, composed mostly of men playing their first year of varsity football time after time rolled back the rushes of Canton’s heavier and veteran front line of defense and brought the great Boldt and Rate to earth with very, very few of the big gains they were expected to make in dashing through the orange and black line or sweeping around the ends.

Give the orange and black all the credit in the world for it came up from behind and won a battle very few expected it to win and give to Coach John Snavely a share of this credit for developing a team that will fight to the last ditch no matter what the odds are against it. Sheer pluck and a determination to win at all costs turned the trick.

The first quarter was nearly over when Canton scored. Canton had received to start the battle but Mitchell fumbled on the second play and Converse covered on Canton’s 27. Thomas, aided by gains by Converse and Archbold, ripped up the Canton line for two first downs and placed the ball on Canton’s four yard line when a five yard penalty for being offside shoved the orange and black back to the nine yard line. Massillon was held then and when a forward pass failed on the fourth down, Canton gained the ball on its nine yard line. The red and black immediately punted, the kick getting past Thomas and going to Massillon’s 45 before being recovered by “Swig.” The local eleven was held and Archbold punted, a strong wind carrying the ball to Massillon’s 45-yard line where Mitchell grabbed it and carried it to the 30 yard line before being downed. A Rate-Lautenheiser pass covered half the distance to the goal and three plunges with Rate carrying the ball carried the pigskin to Massillon’s 3 yard line from where Boldt carried it over on a cross buck. On the kick out Canton missed the ball and lost a try for goal.

From then on until early in the third quarter the play was confined mostly to the middle of the gridiron. With the ball on the 30 yard line, Roderick made a bad pass which went over Rate’s head, and the ball bounded toward Canton’s goal line with the orange and black hot in pursuit. Fulton tried to pick up the leather but it slipped out of his fingers and kept bounding on until it bounded over Canton’s goal line and at least five orange and black warriors pounced upon it while Canton made a desperate effort to recover. When the mass of players had been pried apart plucky little Fulton, Massillon star right end was under the heap tightly hugging the leather which meant six points for his team and a possible victory. Thomas kicked goal and Massillon was one point to the good, a lead it kept through the balance of the struggle although Canton tried with all its might to score again.

Near the end of the quarter Massillon brought the ball back to Canton’s 30 yard line but held and on the fourth down Thomas tried a kick from placement from the 39 yard line which struck the cross bar. Another inch higher and Massillon would have had three points more.

In the fourth quarter Canton carried the ball 30 yards to Massillon’s 31 yard line but lost it when Oberlin intercepted a Canton pass on his 35 yard line.

Every one of the orange and black warriors who participated in the struggle deserves oceans of credit but the playing of “Swig” Thomas, Massillon’s youthful halfback, was the bright spot in the orange and black’s attack. Paid especial attention by Canton because of his offensive ability, “Swig” plowed through the red and black line for many big gains and played an important role in the big victory. Archbold also ripped the Canton line to pieces on several occasions.

On defense, Massillon’s playing was par excellence. Outweighed considerably, the line was shoved back on several occasions but rallied gamely and throughout the greater part of the game outplayed its red and black foes. Cheyney, Fulton, Oberlin, Converse and Archbold played prominent roles on the defense.

A REAL VICTORY

Massillon – 7. Pos. Canton – 6.

Wittmann le Guest

Cheyney lt Lautenheiser

Taylor lg Steele

Ertle c Roderick

Harrison rg McCarel

Oberlin rt Cameron

Fulton re Wiseman

Graybill qb Snyder

Thomas lhb Boldt

Converse rhb Mitchell

Archbold fb Rate
Substitutions – Massillon: Edwards for Taylor, Taylor for Edwards, Kemp for Taylor.

Touchdowns – Boldt, Fulton.

Goal from touchdown – Thomas.

Referee – Snyder, of Harvard.
Umpire – Bletzer, of Mount Union.
Headlinesman – Miller of Massillon.

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.

Score by quarters—
Canton 6 0 0 0 6
Massillon 0 0 7 0 7