Tag: <span>Akron South</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1928: Massillon 0, Akron South 19

SAUER RACES THROUGH MASSILLON TO GIVE SOUTH HI 19-0 VICTORY
SCORES 18 POINTS ON BRILLIANT RUNS; TIGERS LACK PUNCH

‘Twas a Sauer day for Akron, Saturday, but a bit more sour for Massillon than Akron for the maroon and gold of South high school swept over the orange and black of Washington high to score a 19 to 0 victory.

It was sour for Massillon because the defeat was a bitter pill for the local team to swallow, and it was Sauer for Akron, because a young gentleman by that name scored 18 points and also helped in scoring the 19th point.

Sauer was sweet. It sounds funny but true nevertheless. And his speed and manner of running quite upset the youthful tigers of Washington high, for twice he slipped away for runs of 70 yards for touchdowns and ran so fast that as a spectator said, “even his shadow had a hard time keeping up with him.”

With the cool air brushed over the field by a moderate wind, and the autumn sun concealed behind a blanket of clouds, the day was a fitting one for a football game.

Orange and black streamed from many a coat lapel as did the gaudy maroon and gold colors of the rabid Akron rooters who went wild with joy when they saw the tow-headed Bill Sauer rush into the game in the second period when everything appeared headed for a Massillon victory.

Why all the flash of color and noise from the Akron stands just because a substitute was entering the game? queried Massillon fans. Just something to yell about. The Massillonians had done all the yelling so far for their team was the only one to score a first down or even come close to scoring.

But the folks of the would-be Zeppelin city had an idea of what was about to happen for they knew that Bill Sauer is the fastest runner in Akron and isn’t slowed down a bit when in football togs.

That was in the first few minutes of the second period. Previous to that Massillon fans had seen their hopes rise and fade when the youthful tigers carried the ball deep into South territory, once to the 13-yard line, only to lose it on downs. South hadn’t even worked the ball into Massillon territory and when Sauer entered the game the locals were in possession of the ball in midfield. Twice the orange and black slashed the Akron line, for gains of seven yards but a yard was lost on the third attempt. With fourth down coming, the tow-headed substitute, dropped back from a halfback position to safety man. Coach Weltner chuckled. John Kester punted, and Sauer ran. Catching the ball on his own 28-yard line he eluded two tacklers and headed for the sideline. Like a horse with the string-halt he ran, only there wasn’t any “halt”. Legs kicking high, knees nearly touching his chin, Sauer was a difficult gridder to tackle, and before the Massillon players or fans knew what had happened, he was behind the goal line, waiting for the referee to catch his breath in order to blow his whistle.

That turned the tide of battle. After Sauer had passed to Larson, an end, for the extra point, the Massillon eleven went back in the game, somewhat downhearted, but far from beaten at any rate. A few minutes later Sauer fumbled and Slinger scooped up the ball and raced back to the Akron 10-yard line before being tackled, but the referee ruled the play out and gave Akron the ball. That was a tough break for the local eleven. The bark of the timekeeper’s gun kept the youthful tigers from another chance to score when the half ended with them in possession of the ball on the Akron 23-yard line.

Sauer was placed on the bench when the second half started. Weltner awaiting an opportunity to duplicate his stunt of the second period. It came, not in the third quarter but at the beginning of the fourth period. Massillon had just shown a burst of offense that carried the ball to the 11-yard line, threatening to tie the score, but fumbled on the first down, Akron recovering. The Akron gridders then began their only real offensive march of the day. They paraded from the 11-yard line to the Massillon eight-yard line before the third quarter ended. But with the orange and black bracing, and the South backs weakening under the battering they took in carry the ball down the field, Weltner beckoned to Sauer, and the human bit of lightning sped toward the two teams already lined up to play. There’s no need telling the rest but just to complete the story, Sauer tucked the ball under his arm and plunged across the goal line for his second touchdown. This time his pass was knocked down by Lewis, and the extra point was foiled.

But the lineup credits Sauer with six more points.

A few minutes later he took the ball from scrimmage on a shift play, which many Massillon fans thought to be illegal, galloped for 70 yards and a touchdown. This time his pass to Porter was complete, but the referee stepped in, declared the point did not count. That concluded the scoring for the day and did it with a spectacular finish.

Followers of sport have heard of a lot about one-man teams, and Saturday’s game furnished a good example. When Sauer wasn’t in the fray the orange and black outplayed the Akronites, but with the big-tow-head in the lineup, the maroon and gold gridders not only showed their offensive punch but braced on defense and stopped the attacks of the local backs.

The Massillon gridders solved the baffling formation of the South gladiators too late to do any good, other than giving the Massillon fans the unexcelled pleasure of seeing the ghost of the Akron team tossed for losses instead of gains.

But in spite of the score, the orange and black made eight first downs, only two less than the number totaled by the Akron gridders. The youthful tigers, however, were helped out somewhat in their efforts to carry the ball by penalties, while South frequently lost ground through the power of the referee. The Akron gridders were penalized 100 yards, while the youthful tigers were set back 55 yards.

South’s tight pass defense made the local eleven look foolish when attempting to use the aerial game. Thirteen times signals were called for forward passes. Twelve times the ball was batted down and once it was intercepted but on one of the occasions, the referee ruled that an Akron gridder interfered with a Massillon man’s attempt to try to catch the ball and declared the pass completed.

Akron only tried four passes, two of which were completed for a gain of 20 yards. The others were wasted.

The Washington high gridders missed George Hess in the backfield. Hess, who was ineligible, would have provided the extra offensive punch that might have enabled the local team to have bucked across a touchdown. As it was, “Chip” Hollwager probably played the best offensive game for the local eleven, although Schnierle, who is an in and outer, made two good runs. Kester’s punts, as usual, kept the ball in Akron territory the greater part of the game.

Massillon fans were given the run around as soon as they entered Akron. In the first place, the road, over which they were directed to the stadium by an official of South high, was closed, and the machines had to detour. Then when they reached the field, the local sport enthusiasts, at least a great many of them, had to march clear around the fence before they found the entrance gate. After that, well that has already been told. Sauer did the rest of running around. The playing field, however, was covered with about as good a sod as any field the local eleven has trod upon this season, making it easier falling than on the pebbles of Massillon Field.

After Coach McGrew realized he was hopelessly beaten he freshened his ranks with many substitutes in order to give them experience in varsity competition for next year.

Lineup and summary:

Massillon Pos. Akron South

Schnierle LE Winkleman

Slinger LT Robinson

Fisher LG Kraus

Potts C Huth

Blatz RG Hartz

Goodman RT Burke

Houriet RE Larson

Lewis QB Porter

Hollwager LH Gablac

Kester RH Brundage

Buttermore FB Hedderly
Score by periods:
South 0 7 0 12 19

Substitutions:
Massillon – Watkins re, Mann lg, Worthington, fb, Hess lh, Garland rt, Francis rh, Malone re, Geis rt, Willison c, Herman lt, Minger rf, Pfister lg, Toles lh.
South – Sauer lh, Perry c, Kazan lg.

Touchdowns – Sauer 3.
Point after touchdown – Larson (pass)

Referee—Kirk.
Umpire—Daum.
Headlinesman—Anderson.

Henry Potts
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1927: Massillon 0, Akron South 20

SOUTH DRUBS HIGH GRIDDERS 20 TO 0
Orange and Black, Showing Lack of Proper Training, Proves Easy for Old Rival in Slow Contest Here

Washington high school’s football team, after putting up a fairly good game of football the greater part of the first half, Saturday, went to pieces in the last two quarters and was decisively beaten 20 to 0, by the fighting Corsairs of Akron South high school.

The Massillon team began to slip about the middle of the second period and from then on the South backs ripped the line to pieces while the Massillon offense failed to retaliate.

Contrary to other games played this year, it was the poor defensive game put up by the Massillon eleven that brought about South’s victory.

The defense was poor from the very start and only braced in the last period of the game when it turned back the thrusts of the Akron backs on the one-foot line, thus thwarting the enlarging of the score to 26 points or a possible 27. The orange and black offense got off to a good start and ripped the Akron line to pieces, carrying the ball from its own 20-yard line to Akron’s 30-yard line before losing the pigskin on downs. Then again in the second period the local team smashed its way from its 20-yard line to Akron’s 15-yard line where the visitors braced and held for downs. Turned back twice in its efforts to score, the local gridders appeared to lose heart, while the Akronites gained in confidence, strengthened their defense and kept the local team out of scoring distance the remainder of the game.

The South gridders tallied 10 first downs to Massillon’s eight during the first half and then made the required yardage nine more times in the last two periods, while the local gridders failed to make a first down.

Akron’s first touchdown came shortly after the start of the second quarter, Hedderly going across after a 20-yard run and a march of 40 yards down the field. Grahame caught the local team napping by carrying the ball across for the extra point instead of kicking.

The second set of points made by Akron was the result of a break. With the locals in possession of the ball on their own 35-yard line, a fumble occurred in the Massillon backfield when the ball was snapped back and Geisinger, Akron end, scooped up the oval and raced for a touchdown. A pass, Grahame to Winkleman was completed after being bounced around between three players and brought Akron’s score to 14 points.
The last touchdown was made in the final period, penalties being greatly responsible. Akron was continually playing in Massillon territory the second half and shortly after the start of the fourth quarter worked the ball to the five-yard line where the local team held for downs. Briggs punted the ball back to the 25-yard line, Grahame returning five yards. Captain Laughlin declared Grahame stepped out of bounds but Umpire Barrett could not see it so where upon Whitey’s language became strong and the local team was penalized. This enraged the Massillon captain so that he used his fists on the umpire and the referee again began stepping off the yards, stopping at the one-yard line. Here South had difficulty in shoving the ball across. Massillon was offside on the very first play and the referee moved the ball up to within a foot of the goal line. Hedderly then plunged across with the ball after three attempts. In the final minutes of the game South again carried the ball to the one-yard line where it lost it on downs.

South’s opportunities to score were many, while Massillon had but one good chance. The local team had the ball on very few occasions in the last half, and failed to make any progress when it did try to carry the pigskin.

Akron surprised fans with a powerful offense. Heretofore this department of the team failed to respond for Coach Weltner, but Hedderly and Sauer had their day Saturday and the orange and black tacklers had difficulty in stopping them.

Unless the local team braces and plays better football than it has to date, Canton is going to have easy sailing on November 19, for the McKinley gridders took over South 33 to 0 a week ago and Saturday beat Youngstown Rayen 19 to 0.

Massillon was hurt by penalties, being set back 40 yards, but South suffered even worse, being penalized a total of 50 yards.
Lineup and summary:
Akron South – 20 Pos. Massillon – 0
Klipstein LE Straughn
Robinson LT Fox
Piry LG Mauger
Bowers C Potts
Harty RG Henderson
Smith RT Anthony
Winkleman RE Evans
Grahame QB Grant
Shepparde LHB Garland
Sauer RHB Briggs
Hedderly FB Laughlin

Score by periods:
Akron 0 7 7 6 20

Substitutions:
Massillon – Dommer for Fox, Andrews for Garland, Buttermore for Potts, Potts for Buttermore, Fox for Anthony, Price for Dommer, Anthony for Price, Baltzly for Mauger, Mauger for Baltzly, Shanabrook for Evans, Evans for Henderson.

Akron – Geisinger for Klipstein, Klipstein for Geisinger, Roeger for Smith, Schill for Sauer.

Touchdown – Hedderly 2, Geisinger.

Point after touchdown – Grahamme (carried), Winkleman (forward pass).

Officials:
Referee – Shaffer.
Umpire – Barrett.
Head Linesman – Howells.

Earl Straughn
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1926: Massillon 36, Akron South 0

BURIES AKRON SOUTH UNDER 36 – 0 SCORE
BILL PRICE STAR AS LOCAL ELEVEN TOPPLES OLD FOE

FIVE touchdowns plus three points after touchdowns with an added three points from as pretty a field goal as was ever hoofed over the cross bar in any high school football contest amounts to a sum total of 36. And that’s the number of points John H. Atkinson’s golden tornado at Washington high school rolled up last Saturday afternoon while smearing a 36 to 0 defeat upon Akron South at Wooster stadium, Akron, in the annual argument between these two scholastic rivals.

To some who are not yet aware of the fact that the South Mill street institution harbors a real honest-to-goodness football team that top heavy 36 to 0 victory might be a bit amazing; but it certainly ought to be convincing. Any team that can face Akron South in its own balliwick and inflict a 36 to 0 defeat upon a Weltner coached aggregation must be a pretty fair sort of a team. Well, Washington high’s outfit was a pretty fair team last Saturday – and then some.

Just a week before Canton McKinley defeated South 32 to 14 at Canton and it was described as one of those breath-taking affairs, full of thrills every minute. Massillon last Saturday did better than that and so far as thrills are concerned it was a one-sided affair. Massillon furnished them all much to the glee of the hundreds of local fans who witnessed the contest and to the sorrow of Akron South’s supporters.

To say that South never had a chance to win is putting it mildly. South could have put 22 players and its high school band on the field Saturday against Coach Atkinson’s man-eaters and still the orange and black would have triumphed. You can’t stop a team that won’t be stopped. South never threatened. It never worked the ball inside Massillon’s 30-yard line. Weltner’s boys never got a chance to see what the Massillon goal line looked like until after the game when a few of them were seen taking a sorrowful peek at it.
PRICE IS HIS NAME
There was one man in the Washington high lineup Saturday that certainly spelled gloom for Akron South. In fact he did so much to upset the Akronites that the mere mention of his name to an Akron South fan makes him turn white and ring for an ambulance. That lad is none other than William “Bill” Price, captain of that line busting golden tornado and the best known citizen in the railroad village of Brewster.

Bill can have anything he wants in Brewster or Massillon but if he ever wants anything in Akron he better never tell anybody in the rubber city that he is the same Price who wrecked so much damage on Akron South’s 1926 football team. If he does it’s all off.

Coach Weltner of Akron South is still wondering what he might have told his boys to do in order to stop this chunky Welshman, who streaked around and through his team so fast that all his gridders saw was a flash of orange or felt a thump that made them think they were hit by a ton of bricks.

Price was by far the outstanding star in the Massillon lineup Saturday. Not only did he shine on offense with his brilliant dashes but he was nearly a whole team by himself on defense. It certainly will be a gloomy day when Captain Bill hangs up his football togs at Washington high school for good.

The Massillon leader however was ably assisted on offense by Art McConnell and “Whitey” Laughlin, a pair of illustrious teammates who were almost as hard to stop as their brilliant general. Akron can’t figure how three such good boys were ever landed for one team. Akron, however, ought to know by this time that one of the best things they do in this neck of the woods is raise football players.
SOUTH OUTCLASSED
Offensively the orange and black was far superior to Akron South. Massillon scored in every quarter and started off with a punch that rolled up 16 points in the first period in such quick time that Akron fans began having dizzy spells. South was never within a city block of scoring. Its offense never got much chance to show for Massillon’s forwards piled through the Akron line like water through a sieve and plastered South’s plays before they even got started. Nothing South tried would work consistently, largely because Massillon was right on top of the ball at all times.

The first blast of the referee’s whistle had hardly died away before Coach Atkinson’s boys had their offense in motion and were on their way to score points. South received but couldn’t gain and Picken’s punt was blocked. Fulton falling on the ball on South’s 31-yard line.

Right off the bat McConnell dashed around Akron’s right end for 15 yards. Then Price got away under a full head of steam and flashed through left tackle for 10 more but a Massillon man was ruled guilty of holding and the local team received a 15-yard penalty. That robbed the orange and black of a touchdown within the first two minutes of play.
McCONNELL’S GREAT KICK
But the golden tornado was not to be denied. After three plays had failed to gain any great amount of ground McConnell dropped back to Akron’s 39-yard line for a shot at the Akron goal posts. And a moment later Massillon had three points for McConnell drop kicked a perfect goal, one of the greatest ever seen in a high school football game. The Massillon lad’s attempt would have gone over the cross bars from the 50-yard line as well as the 39 for when it cleared it was still many feet in the air and good for another 10 yards at least.

Those three points immediately put South on the short end and it stayed there the rest of the afternoon while Coach Atkinson’s boys romped over the gridiron with a devastating attack. A few minutes later Dave Smith pounced on a South fumble on Akron’s 45-yard line and once again Engineer McConnell pulled the throttle wide open. Laughlin and Price had made seven yards on three line plays when McConnell decided he had better try his hand at cracking the Akron line.

McConnell didn’t crack it. He simply busted it into pieces. The lanky quarterback smashed right through the center of South’s line and ambled on down the field for 37 yards and Massillon’s first touchdown, eluding any and all South tacklers. He drop kicked for the extra point, boosting the Massillon total to 10.
MR. PRICE STARTS
But South had not yet been punished enough. About this time Captain Price’s feet were beginning to itch for action. South received but was stopped in its tracks. Pickens tried to punt but his kick was partially blocked and Mr. Price, of the Brewster Prices, picked up the ball on Akron’s 30-yard line and stepped so fast that he had carried it back to South’s two foot line before finally being held down long enough so that the referee could blow his whistle. Then on the next play Price crashed through for Massillon’s second touchdown. This time McConnell’s educated toe failed to function and he missed his try for the extra point, the kick being blocked.

The first quarter ended a short time later. Early in the second period the local team lost the ball on downs. It was then that South succeeded in making its first first down of the game, a five-yard pass being of great benefit. But that was all for South. Gump then blocked a punt and Massillon got the ball on South’s 45.

Then followed an exchange of punts. When Massillon got possession of the ball again Price was called on the first play and the orange and black flash stepped around right end for 20 yards before being forced out of bounds. No one was harder to hold than Price was Saturday.

With the ball on South’s 25 yard line, McConnell rammed the line for 16. Laughlin and McConnell lugged the pigskin up to the one-yard line in three plays. Laughlin hit again and put the ball about three-sixteenths of an inch from the line and on the next play Price went over. McConnell drop kicked for the extra point, raising Massillon’s total to 23.

About the middle of the third quarter South punted to midfield. Once again Price was called upon and once again Bill delivered, smashing through right tackle and then dashing down the field for a 39-yard gain before being forced out on South’s 11-yard stripe. Laughlin hit for six but the umpire said Fritz Gump had committed some kind of an offense and Massillon was penalized 15.
FRITZ GETS EVEN
But on the very next play Gump had the laugh on the umpire and the whole South team. McConnell called for a pass and Fritz sneaked out in the open about five yards from Akron’s goal with not a South player within 10 yards of him.

“Here I am Mac,” yelled Fritz.

“Here she comes,” shouted McConnell, and the ball sailed gracefully through the air into Gump’s outstretched hands and he pranced away for Massillon’s fourth touchdown. McConnell missed the try for the extra point.

It was getting toward the end of the fourth quarter when Fulton speared a South pass on the 50-yard line. McConnell heaved a pass to “Danger” Smith for 18 yards. Two cracks at the line were not successful and then McConnell called for a play that had not yet been used.
WILLIAM RUNS AGAIN
It was a triple pass and when the boys got through passing the ball around it was tucked under Bill Price’s arm. Bill, being a generous youngster, ran back about 15 yards before he really set sail for South territory. While doing this he shook off, ducked, out ran or otherwise eluded a flock of South tacklers and when he finally was brought to earth he had covered 28 yards and placed the ball on South’s one-yard line. Of all Price’s brilliant dashes Saturday this was his best. Laughlin then went over for the fifth touchdown. McConnell drop kicked for the extra point and the score was 36 to 0.

Here Coach Atkinson figured that some of his regulars had earned a bit of rest and he sent in seven fresh athletes. Up to that time he had made but one substitution. South got a bit gay with the substitutes and ripped off two first downs in succession but couldn’t go any farther. When the final whistle blew the golden tornado was once more steaming toward South’s goal, a 15-yard run by Bast and a 16-yard gain on a pass from Briggs to Bast taking the ball right back into South’s territory.

Statistics show South was greatly outplayed. Massillon made 15 first downs to eight for Akron. South showed its best offense in the second and fourth quarters, when all of its first downs were recorded. Massillon completed five out of 10 passes for 81 yards. South tried 13, completed three for 20 yards, had eight batted down and two intercepted.
Stepping Fast
Massillon – 36 Pos. Akron South – 0
Gump LE Hirschner
Ott LT Gardner
D. Smith LG Portz
Potts C Nidert
Spencer RG Antes
R. Price RT Sweet
Fulton RE Klipstein
McConnell QB Pickens
C. Smith LHB Schill
W. Price RHB Shephard
Laughlin FB Sirilla

Score by quarters:
Massillon 16 7 6 7 36

Substitutions:
Massillon – Fox for Ott, Ressler for Fulton, Briggs for C. Smith, Bast for McConnell, Mauger for Spencer, Spencer for D. Smith, Ott for Fox, Hosso for R. Price.

Akron South – Roberts for Hirschner, Jeter for Sweet, Souers for Schill, Brown for Pickens, Winkleman for Klipstein, Bowers for Nidert, Pickens for Brown, Klipstein for Winkleman, Stewart for Gardner.

Touchdowns – W. Price 2, McConnell, Gump, Laughlin.

Points after touchdown – McConnell 3 (drop kick).

Field goal – McConnell (drop kick).

Referee – Shafer.
Umpire – McRay.
Head Linesman – Caldwell.

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.

Bill Price
Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1925: Massillon 0, Akron South 7

Record Turnout Sees Akron South Win Big Grid Tussle
SCORE TOUCHDOWN IN 2nd QUARTER TO WIN BIG CONTEST

Outsmarted and outplayed from start to finish by an opponent that had speed to burn and was exceedingly wise in gridiron strategy, the orange and black football team of Washington high school last Saturday afternoon ran into its first defeat of the campaign when it was vanquished 7 to 0 by the powerful and undefeated South high eleven of Akron. The contest was played on Massillon field which had been turned into a veritable sea of mud and water by recent rains. The contest attracted a crowd of at least 6,000, the attendance being nearly on an equal with that of the annual battles between Massillon and Canton.

Only because of the fighting spirit of Coach David B. Stewart’s warriors was an even worse defeat averted. Had the local lads been less courageous Akron South probably would have won by a much bigger margin for practically all of the battle was waged in Massillon territory and twice the local warriors came through with game exhibitions of skill, holding the invading rubber city gridders on their one-yard line when it was fourth down and goal to gain.

Two great scholastic football machines tangled in that muddy encounter Saturday and the best team came off the field victorious. South clearly outplayed Massillon from start to finish, making 14 first downs to three for Massillon. It presented a well drilled, smart football machine and its speed was not hampered a bit apparently by the ankle deep mud for the Akronites out-charged the Massillon forwards and plowed their way through the orange and black line of defense with the ease which water goes through sieve.
A DISAPPOINTMENT
It was a big disappointment to the local team and its followers that it should be conquered by Akron South but the defeat was not a disgraceful one. Coach Stewart’s warriors have the satisfaction of knowing that they went down to their first reverse fighting gamely to the last ditch and the defeat, coming after the sensational victory of a week ago over Erie Academy high, should be beneficial. If nothing else it should serve to spur on the Massillonians to greater efforts in their remaining games on the schedule.

What would have been the outcome of the game had it been played on a dry field is a matter of conjecture. But from the style of game Akron South played Saturday it probably would have defeated the local team by a far greater margin. Coach Smiley Weltner of Akron South had his charges well pointed for the Massillon fray. He wanted to win and so did his boys and atone for the defeat Massillon handed South a year ago. South would have been a mighty hard team for Massillon to stop last Saturday under any circumstances and therefore to them must go credit for winning a splendid football victory through the medium of playing a better brand of the autumnal sport than their adversaries.

A well executed triple pass brought victory to South, resulting in the only touchdown of the game after a gain of 31 yards. South used this triple pass but once, but once was enough to spell defeat for the orange and black. The play came in the second quarter just a few minutes after the local team had made its first gallant stand in defense of its goal line, holding the visitors on the one-yard line.
SOUTH TOO FAST
Massillon’s vaunted offense was stopped in its tracks by the fast charging South forwards. The orange and black could not gain on line plays, end runs or through the air. The South gridders scrambled over the sloppy field like ants and were everywhere, busting through the Massillon line continually and stopping Massillon’s backs before they got started.

On offense South was well drilled, it was good on the running game, line smashes and forward passes. It had excellent interference and in Hench, Kroah and Arnette had a trio of backs that were versatile to say the least. They could run or plunge as the occasion demanded. Aultman at quarter was the brains of the visiting machine and a steady little field general he was. He was continually outsmarting Massillon; pulling a line play when an end run was expected or heaving a pass when some other form of attack was looked for.

But one of the biggest stars on the Akron team was right end, K. Sweet, a tow-headed lad, who was a bear on defense and a shining light on offense. South’s forward passes generally traveled from one side of the line across to the other side and it was generally Sweet’s job to get from his end, through the squirming mass of players to the opposite side to take Aultman’s passes and he generally did, getting away with one for a 42-yard gain, only being stopped from scoring a touchdown by Smith.
KELLY IS BIG HERO
Because of the fact that it was up against a superior team and was taking a drubbing, Massillon’s team as a whole did not show up very well Saturday. Nothing like it did in the first three starts when victory perched on the shoulders of the local warriors but there was one lad in the Massillon lineup Saturday who came out of the tussle just a short time before it ended covered with mud and glory. That was Leo Kelly, right guard. Had every man on the Massillon line played in the same smashing manner that Kelly did a different story might be told.

He was easily Massillon’s hero. He outshone all of his teammates, towering head and shoulders above them by his brilliant defensive work. But the terrific game Kelly played began to tell on him in the fourth quarter and Coach Stewart finally relieved him. He same plodding off the field nearly exhausted and fell in a heap in front of the Massillon bench but he had acquitted himself nobly, played so splendidly in fact that Akron South’s players congratulated him for his work.

Coach Weltner had his men well trained to stop Kammer, Define and the other Massillon backfield stars. South played such a rushing game that it was on the Massillon backs before they could lift their feet out of the mire. The orange and black never launched one serious threat to score in the entire game, seldom being able to get the ball in Akron territory. Massillon never was within South’s 30-yard line and play in the fourth quarter was almost continually inside Massillon’s 30-yard line with the local team being called upon to batter down and turn back repeated onslaughts of the Akron team.

South complete six out of 12 passes for a total gain of 103 yards. Four of its passes failed and Massillon intercepted two. The local team worked three passes for 27 yards, failing in three others and having Akron intercept three.

South began to show its power late in the first quarter when Aultman heaved a pass to K. Sweet for a 20-yard gain. Then Aultman came back with a heave to Arnette for 12 yards and the ball was on Massillon’s 20. Steady hammering at the line brought a first down and carried the oval to the eight-yard line. Three plays had been run off when the quarter ended and South had lugged the oval to the one-yard line with goal to gain on the first play in the second quarter. The orange and black was fighting desperately to stem the Akron tide.

Then as the second quarter opened the local team gave its first great exhibition of gameness by stopping Akron on its one-yard line. Hench carried the ball on a line smash. He hit the line with all his power but gained nary an inch. Smith immediately punted out of danger, the little Massillon kicker giving a good exhibition of punting on a muddy field.
THE TOUCHDOWN
But South was not to be denied. Getting the ball on Massillon’s 31-yard line Aultman began to open up. His first attempt to K. Sweet failed. Then he gave the signal for the triple pass, evidently worked out especially for the Massillon game. Snap, snap went the ball as it passed from the center to Aultman and then to Hench. Hench started out as if he was about to dash around Massillon’s right end. But instead he stopped, wheeled and heaved the ball over the tussling warriors into the waiting arms of Aultman who had dashed down the right side of the field. There was no one between Aultman and the Massillon goal except Captain Vince Define. The Massillon leader nailed Aultman as he reached the line and brought him to earth but the Akron quarterback was over and the game won for Akron.

Between halves both teams shed themselves of as much excess mud soaked rainment as possible. The Massillon backs came out attired in rubber pants while Coach Weltner had all his players remove their stockings, playing in bare legs. Both coaches wanted speed and the only way to get it was to lighten the equipment the players were carrying.

It was late in the third quarter that South made its next threat to score a touchdown. Play had been mostly in midfield until South secured the ball in the middle of the field on a punt. Then once again Aultman opened his aerial attack and heaved a pass to K. Sweet who snatched the water-soaked ball out of the air and ran 42 yards before being dropped on Massillon’s seven-yard line by Smith.

Massillon was then called upon to give another exhibition of gameness as Akron began to hammer away at the line in an effort to drive through for a touchdown. Three plays took the ball up to the one-yard line as the quarter ended. Massillon was giving up ground but not without a terrific battle.

On the first play in the fourth quarter Akron started another line play but the ball slipped out of Hench’s fingers and Dommer shot though and pounced on it on the five-yard line, averting a touchdown. Then came a punt and an intercepted pass by Smith to give Massillon the ball to midfield. Here the orange and black in a last desperate effort to score opened up with passes but after making a first down Kammer fumbled on of Brown’s passes long enough to let K. Sweet intercept. McCoy then slipped around end for 20. A bad break for Massillon came a moment later when Define fumbled Aultman’s punt on his 10-yard line, Akron covering. But once again Massillon was able to stave off the visitors and after four plays had failed Massillon got the ball on its eight-yard line. The rest of the battle was fought out inside Massillon’s 40-yard line with Akron making a drive toward the local goal in the closing minutes when Arnette and Hench in two plays carried the ball from midfield to Massillon’s 10-yard line. But South was stopped on the three-yard line as the game ended.
**********
Every available inch of seating space and all the standing room around Massillon Field was filled Saturday with spectators. Akron said it was going to send at least 1,000 to the game and from all appearances it did. The Akron South high band was on hand. The visiting rooters had a section on the east side of the field. The contest attracted one of the largest crowds in the history of scholastic athletics.
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Nothing can be said for the condition of the field. It was a mass of mud and water which was soon churned into a sloppy mess after the first few plays. The contesting warriors were hardly distinguishable after the first few downs.
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Massillon Field is not equipped with any underground drainage on the playing sector but it has a good base of gravel and sand which affords good drainage. The water which collected on the top of the field was surface water and probably would not have been carried away by underground tile. The surface was soft and slippery but the base was firm and the players did not sink very deep.
Sad But True
Massillon – 0 Pos. Akron South – 7
Gump LE Hirsman
N. Harris LT Douglas
Crone LG Stahl
Price C Meidert
Kelly RG Ports
W. Harris RT N. Sweet
Thomas RE K. Sweet
Smith QB Aultman
Kammer LHB M. Kroah
Laughlin RHB Arnette
Halpin FB Hench

Score by quarters:
Akron South 0 7 0 0 7

Substitutions:
Massillon – Define for Halpin, McConnell for Laughlin, Storrie for N. Harris, Brown for Smith, Smith for Define, Halpin for McConnell, Dommer for Crone, Storrie for Gump, Define for Halpin, Agler for Storrie, Storrie for Dommer, McConnell for Smith.

Akron – Sirela for H. Sweet, Popeka for Stahl, McCoy for M, Kroah.

Touchdown – Aultman.

Points after touchdown – Aultman.

Referee – Shafer, Akron.
Umpire – Kester, Mount Union.
Head Linesman – Bast, Massillon.

Time of quarters – 15 minutes.

Paul Browne

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1924: Massillon 33, Akron South 20

HIGH GRIDDERS COME FROM BEHIND TO DOWN AKRON SOUTH 33 – 20
RALLY IN FINAL QUARTER BRINGS HOME THE BACON

Any football team that can spot its opponents to a 20 point lead in the first half and then come back and hand them an artistic drubbing the second half must have a superabundance of that fighting spirit so essential to a successful gridiron eleven. And that’s the kinds of spirit Coach David B. Stewart’s orange and black aggregation of Washington high school displayed last Saturday afternoon at Buchtel field, Akron, when it buried Akron South under a 33 to 20 lacing staging a rally in the last half that swept the Akronites off their feet.

South’s warriors brought a look of surprise and disappointment to the faces of hundreds of Massillon fans who had journeyed to Akron to see the game by running up a string of three touchdowns in the first two periods, one on a forward pass and the other two through costly Massillon fumbles, while holding the orange and black scoreless. This was entirely unexpected for South was not rated as very formidable but Massillon’s rather ragged play gave the Akronites their chance and they made the most of it.

To one not well acquainted with the fighting spirit of Coach Stewart’s team it would have looked like almost certain victory for South when the teams left the field at the end of the first 30 minutes of play. Even quite a few Massillon rooters were a bit shaky as to the outcome but soon after play began in the third quarter it became evident that Coach Stewart’s boys were fighting with their accustomed never-say-die spirit and hopes were raised when one touchdown was shoved across in that period.

But the real force of the Massillon attack did not have its offset until the final quarter when South began to wilt under the steady hammering of the Massillon backs and finally went under completely as the orange and black shoved across four touchdowns in the final period and romped off the field a winner by 13 points.

The fact that south was able to score 20 points in the first half made the contest an interesting affair to watch with quite a few spectacular runs, and plenty of good tackling. There is no disputing the declaration that the local team outclassed South’s sturdy eleven in every department of the game. But for those two costly fumbles in the first half and some rather ragged playing on the part of the Massillon contingent South probably would have been lucky to score and the game instead of being an interesting one would have developed into a one-sided contest with the only question being as to the size of the Massillon score.

South, however, must be given credit for putting up a plucky game. It fought from start to finish and only succumbed in the closing stages of the battle after having put forth its best efforts during the earlier part of the conflict to hold the orange and black back.

It was Jimmy Price, the Brewster lad, who furnished the real thrills for the Massillon fans. The Massillon pivot man almost won the game single handed for his team in the fourth quarter when, within the space of less than five minutes he twice dashed through the entire South team for touchdowns after runs of 55 and 61 yards. Both were sensational dashes and after that South’s fighting morale weakened quickly and the Massillon Tigers crashed through for two more sets of counters before the game ended.

Sharing honors with Price on offense was Kammer, the stocker line crusher, who battered the South line to bits despite the fact that he was in the contest with a bad leg. John Borza, another line smasher, also found quite a few holes in the South team for substantial gains. On defense the entire team played too football, holding South in check throughout most of the game. The tackling of Bill Price, brother of the fleet-footed quarterback, was a thing of beauty. South’s backfield men generally stopped in their tracks when Bill got his paws on them.

McCarthy and Weidman at the tackles also played good defensive games as did Hise and Reis. Bill Edwards, who started the game at fullback and then went back to his job at center in the second period, also was in the game up to his neck until the fourth quarter when the heat began to tell on him and he was forced to retire.

Coach Stewart started off with a substitute backfield, sending Grant to quarter, Smith and Brown to the halves and Captain Edwards to fullback, it being the Massillon leader’s first assignment to a backfield role. It was not until after South had scored its second touchdown that the Massillon coach shot in his regular backfield consisting of Price, Define, King and Borza and from then on South’s line got a battering that it will not forget for some time.

South’s first touchdown, resulting from a cleverly executed forward pass, did not cause much excitement among the Massillon fans but when the other two came as the result of Massillon fumbles, a wee bit of consternation began to trickle into the Massillon camp, to be dispelled by the rally in the last half.

Right at the start of the game, South broke through and blocked Smith’s first punt on Massillon’s 16-yard line. The local team held and South’s attempted field goal went wide. Then play for the most part was in midfield until South fumbled and South covered the ball on Massillon’s 40-yard line. After an exchange of punts Aultman heaved a 20-yard pass to Hardesty who let the ball nestle in his arms as he dug for the Massillon goal 30 yards away. He made it but Aultman failed to kick goal.

A few minutes later Smith grabbed the ball for a shot at South’s line. He fumbled as he hit the line and Arnett scooped up the oval and dashed 80 yards for another South touchdown. Aultman kicked goal.

It was then that Coach Stewart shot his regular backfield quartet into the fray. But while the regulars immediately proceeded to rip South wide open they could not score. The ball was kept in South’s territory until about the middle of the quarter when Define uncorked another costly fumble. This time Klipstine scooped up the oval and raced 75 yards for South’s third touchdown. Goal was again kicked by Autlman.

Twenty points behind, the orange and black began to show some speed and soon had driven through South by a series of line plays from midfield to the five-yard line. A touchdown seemed certain but after Borza in three smashes at the line had made only four yards King was given the ball on the fourth down and South stopped him dead in his tracks, getting possession of the ball.

In the third quarter with Kammer cracking the South line wide open the local team soon took the ball deep into South’s territory and Kammer finally went over for the first touchdown. Then the tide of battle turned. At the opening of the fourth quarter South punted to Jimmy Price who grabbed the oval on his 45-yard line and with almost perfect interference dashed through the entire South team for 55 yards and Massillon’s second touchdown.

A minute later Price was destined to again bring the crowd to its feet. On the first play after the kickoff with the oval on Massillon’s 39-yard line, Price slipped through South’s left tackle and streaked his way up the field almost unaided, outstripping the South gridders and running 61 yards for the third touchdown. This tied the score at 20 all and Captain Edwards put his team out in front by booting goal for the extra point.

South began to realize then that it was in for a beating. The Akronites could do nothing with Massillon’s defense and a bit later Andrew Halco made himself a hero when he covered a South fumble behind the goal line for the fourth touchdown. Aultman of South attempted a forward pass but the Massillon line dashed in on him so fast that he never had a chance to throw the ball which slipped out of his grasp, rolled across South’s goal line and was pounced upon by Halco.

King made the fifth touchdown a little later in a 12-yard dash through South’s left tackle. Another touchdown was in sight as the game ended. The orange and black had carried the ball to South’s four-yard line and Kammer had taken it to the two-yard line when the whistle blew.

Statistics of the game show that Massillon made 19 first downs to five for South. The Rubber city eleven made but two first downs in the first half. Massillon completed four forwards for a total yardage of 33 while South completed four for 76 yards, one bringing it a touchdown. Seven attempted Massillon passes failed while South had a like number grounded.

That Old Fight
Massillon – 33 Pos. Akron S. – 20
W. Price LE Hardesty
McCarthy LT Pesaric
Crone LG Huckwith
Hise C Wert
Weidman RG Hoopkins
Thomas RT Nickles
Grant RE Klipstein
Grant QB Aultman
Brown LHB Sloop
Smith RHB Arnett
Edwards FB Hench

Score by quarters:
Massillon 0 0 7 26 33
South 13 7 0 0 20

Substitutions:
Massillon – J. Price for Gant, King for Smith, Borza for Edwards, Edwards for Hise, Define for Brown, Hise for Crone, Agler for W. Price, Kammer for King, W. Price for Agler, Reis for Hise, King for Define, Grant for Borza, Hise for Edwards.

Akron South – Larson for Nickles, Gossage for Hopkins, Neiddert for Wert, Kennedy for Aultman, Perkins for Kennedy, Durham for Klipstein, Sweet for Hardesty, McCoy for Hench, Aultman for Kennedy, Larson for Nickles, Hench for McCoy, Neiddert for Wert, Pesaric for Hopkins, Hopkins for Pesaric, Nickles for Pesaric.

Touchdowns – Hardesty, Arnett, Klepstein, Kammer, J. Price 2, Halco, King.

Goals after touchdown –Aultman 2, Edwards 3.

Referee – Kester (Mt. Union).
Umpire – Berger (Wittenberg).
Head Linesman – Waugh (Ohio Wesleyan).

Time of quarters – 15 minutes.

Bill Edwards

 

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1915: Massillon 27, Akron South 0

M. H. S. Plasters a 27-0 Defeat on Akron South’s 11

Without uncorking any secret offensive work, in preparation for the big game with Canton high in two weeks, Massillon high’s football team Saturday afternoon, on the driving park grounds, defeated Akron South high 27 to 0. All points but seven were made in the first half.

Both teams were of about equal weight but the fast playing and team work gave the local eleven its points. The visitors put up a great defensive but soon were playing a losing game and were unable to withstand the plunging of the orange and black’s backs.

During the greater part of the last half the ball zigzagged back and forth in the visitor’s territory. They were unable to gain by punting. Diske, quarterback for the Akron team, was the best ground gainer for the Summit county lads.

Toward the end of the game the visitors uncorked several trick plays, which fooled the local team. After making two straight downs the locals crushed all hopes of gaining any ground.

Toward the end of the game the visitors by recovering a punt got within kicking distance of the goal. Four unsuccessful attempts were made to drop kick it over. The ball was then punted out of danger.

Hollinger, McLaughlin and Roderick starred for the local team.

VICTORY NO. 7

Massillon – 27. Pos. Akron – 0.
Harrold le Mitsen

Johnson, Muskoff lt Hemming, Moore

E. Stults, Stoner, Teff lg Slusher

Bischoff c Dossehl

Archbald, Graybill rg Stevens, Eckert

H. Stults rt West

Hess re Dunkling, Stevens

Hollinger qb A. Diske

Zorger lhb Archer

Roderick rhb R. Diske

McLaughlin, Converse fb Winters, Lewis
Touchdowns – McLaughlin 2, Roderick 2
Goals from touchdowns – McLaughlin 2, Hollinger 1

Referee – Plott, of Otterbein
Umpire – Kopenhaver, of Heidelberg

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1914: Massillon 9, Akron South 0

M.H.S. TRAMPLES
AKRON SOUTH
IN MUD
WINNING
SATURDAY’S GAME
9 – 0
Contest Was Played on Field of Slime Several Inches Deep Orange and Black Squad Outplayed Opponents at All Stages of the Game
Eckstein Makes Points

Battling for nearly an hour Saturday afternoon on a field that resembled a sea of mud, Massillon high’s gridiron warriors finally triumphed over the pride of Akron South by the score of 9 to 0 in a slow but intensely exciting contest. The soggy condition of the field made fast play impossible. After the first down the players became nearly unrecognizable and more than once was time called out in order to allow some poor unfortunate to dig the mud out of his mouth and eyes.

The game did not begin until 4:05 o’clock and the greater portion of the contest was played in the slowly gathering dusk. Although outweighed by the Akron team, the local players were in the game every minute and their spirited attack swept the rubber city lads off their feet while the suddenness of the onslaught left them dazed. The orange and black team carried the ball within striking distance of the Akron goal line several times only to lose it on fumbles.

To fullback Eckstein goes the credit for making all the points. The first score came in the second quarter. With the ball on their 15-yard line, Akron was held for downs and forced to punt. Theis, Massillon’s star tackle, broke through the line and blocked the kick, sending it spinning toward the Akron goal line. Harold, left end, chased after the ball, caught it and was downed on the one-yard line. Eckstein bucked the ball over for the touchdown. Goal was missed.

The remaining three points were made in the last quarter, near the close of the game, when Eckstein booted the ball over the bars from placement on the 20-yard line

At no time during the game did Akron South threaten Massillon’s goal and they never advanced the ball over Massillon’s 35-yard line. Massillon’s line played a great game Saturday and to use the expression of one of the local rooters who saw the contest, they opened holes in the Akron line big enough for an N.O.T. interurban car to go through sideways.

The team showed up mighty well Saturday. The players stopped the Akron team time after time and they only made first down once while Massillon was only forced to punt once.

Massillon’s little group of rooters numbering 25 out-rooted Akron South’s supporters who numbered nearly 200. The game was played in the newly finished stadium on Wooster Avenue.

Line up and summary
M.H.S. – 9 Pos. A.S.H. – 0
Harold LE Whalen
Theis LT Taylor
Snyder LG Wile
Spuhler C Possehl
Graybill RG Miller
Stultz RT Sisler
Houriet RE Stevens
Hollinger QB Welkar
Zorger LHB Pfahl
Eckstein FB Newfield (c)
R. Smith (c) RHB Munro

Score by quarters:
Massillon – first 0; second 6; third 0; fourth 3.

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Eckstein.

Goals from placement:
Massillon – Eckstein.

Referee – Smith (Akron).
Umpire – Jones.
Head Linesman – Boerner (Massillon).

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1913: Massillon 0, Akron South 3

▪SPORTS▪

AKRON SOUTH GIVES M.H.S.
ITS FIRST DEFEAT OF SEASON

Rubber City Team Exhibits a Peppery, Fighting Brand of Football
Local Team Out played by Opponents
and Fail to Score
RUDY STAR OF GAME

Captain of the Varsity Plays Brilliant Game
Akron Wins by Drop Kick in the Last Quarter
Massillon Outweighed

Akron South’s peppery, fighting team of pigskin chasers inflicted upon M.H.S. the first defeat of the season on the local grounds Saturday afternoon by the score of 3 to 0. Mansfield, Akron South’s fullback, dropped the ball over from the 30 yard line in the last quarter.

Akron outfought and out played Massillon during the whole game. The determination to win and the fighting spirit so characteristic of Massillon teams was entirely lacking in Saturday’s game. As individuals each member of the team played his hardest but the team work exhibited in earlier games was not in evidence. The fact that the local team was outweighed was no reason for the defeat. If any kind of football had been played the victory would have gone to the local team. A decided brace will have to be taken by the varsity if it wishes to defeat Akron Central next Saturday.

The fact that Akron won by only three points was due to the brilliant playing of Captain Rudy. The big back was practically the whole team on defense. The Akron backs found it easy to go through the line but they could not get past Rudy. Rudy was also the best ground gainer. In the first quarter he recovered a fumble and ran 40 yards before being tackled from behind. Kester, Smith and Rogers played strong games. Kester gave a good exhibition of punting, out kicking his opponent by 20 yards.

Newfield, Akron’s center, was largely responsible for the small gains made by the local team. He would break up the play before it was fairly started. Mansfield scored Akron’s points and was a good ground gainer.

Massillon’s line played a poor game, the opposing linemen getting the charge nearly every time. Fumbling was also a great factor in losing. Only one of Massillon’s forward passes were successful.

Following is the line up and summary
M.H.S. Pos. Akron
Rogers le Frick
Theis lt Duff
Paroz lg Fish
Spidle, Sphuler c Newfield
Graze, Houriet rg Tomkinson
Smith rt Sisler
Rider re Thornton
Hollinger qb Spangler
Rudy (c) rhb Astrup
McLaughlin lhb Welker (c)
Kester fb Mansfield

Drop kick:
Akron South – Mansfield.

Referee – Bast.
Umpire – Snavely.
Head Linesman – Yingling.

Time of quarters – 12 minutes.