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1949: Massillon 38, Youngstown South 13

November 11, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Beat Youngstown South 38-13 Before 11,166
Massillon Gridders sharpen Their Claws For Canton McKinley

By LUTHER EMERY

BEAT McKINLEY!

These words were more important to Massillonians today than the fact that their Washington high school Tigers trimmed Youngstown South 38-13 Friday evening in a not too good an exhibition of football before 11,166 fans.

BEAT McKINLEY!

You will see these words wherever you go the next week as the fuse is ignited to a hysterical bombshell that Massillon citizens will explode in an all out effort to whip the Bulldogs from McKinley high next Saturday afternoon in Canton’s Fawcett stadium.

The BEAT McKINLEY drive began Friday evening just as soon as the whistle ended the Tiger Youngstown South game, as students unfurled BEAT McKINLEY banners before the Massillon band while cheerleaders led the crowd in a pep rally.

Some folks thought the fans wouldn’t stay for it after the game was once over, but they remained and apparently loved it.

But the Tigers must play better ball next Saturday afternoon than they did last night if they hope to BEAT McKINLEY!

They sputtered around too much both offensively and defensively for a team of championship caliber.

Maybe Bulldogs were dancing around in their minds, or maybe they just hadn’t taken South seriously, but whatever it was they were dull compared with a week ago when they whaled Toledo Waite 59-19.

As has been the case so many times this season, they got into a hole at the start and had to come from behind to win as South scored the first touchdown of the game early in the second period.

In fact, even though the Tigers looked the stronger of the two at all times, there were moments in the third quarter after South had scored its second touchdown that had Massillon fans, worrying, lest some fluke upset the applecart.
* * *
ONE CAN readily understand why the local team wasn’t in the proper mental mood, knowing that its Youngstown opponent had lost four games and that the traditional clash with the McKinley Bulldogs was only another week away.

Fortunately, however, the Tigers had touchdowns to spare and came out of the contest as Coach Chuck Mather had hoped, without any serious injuries to first stringers.

One member of the squad, however, Rudy Grunder, sustained a fracture of the right leg on the opening kickoff when blocked as he started down the field after booting the ball. The Massillon city hospital reported his condition as good today.

Break away runs for touchdowns produced most of the Tigers’ points, while forward passes gained most of South’s yardage and placed the ball in position for touchdowns.

In fact the Tigers’ pass defense failed to show a whole lot of improvement as the visitors completed 10 of 20 throws for 162 yards. The local team completed five of 12 for 101 yards.
* * *
SOUTH TWICE was able to drive four-fifths the distance of the field for touchdowns which brings to 12 the number of touchdowns scored against the locals in their last five games.

While the Tigers were outnumbered in first downs 17-11, they on the other hand rolled up 374 yards on the ground to South’s 144.

Yards were hard to get, particularly early in the game when the visitors held the Tigers scoreless the first quarter. The two South ends, Pete Popovich and James Oliver were hard to move, and the latter moved the best target for Tailback Ernest Brantley, who passed from the single wing offense.

Dick Jacobs, Tiger co-captain, had a big night, getting four touchdowns, two on long runs, one on a 36-yard pass and a fourth on a short plunge. Irvin Crable and Fred Grier each scored for the Tigers on some fancy open field running.

Although Mather used 30 players, the first stringers played a major portion of the contest, and not until the Tigers scored their final touchdown were the ranks completely filled with substitutes.

Clarence Johnson and Jerry Krisher, both of whom have been on the injured list, played only a small portion of the game. Johnson tried a few passes and Krisher warmed up for a few plays. Neither aggravated their injuries.
* * *
SOUTH registered its first touchdown on the second play of the second quarter after an
80-yard march. David Delfino took it over from one yard out, but Dyke Hall missed the try for the extra point.

The Tigers tied it up when they took the following kickoff and went over in six plays, a
36-yard pass, Don James to Dick Jacobs, completing the march. Jerry Krisher missed the try for the extra point.

The locals scored twice again in the period, Crable running 54 yards around right end for one, with Dick Shine removing the last obstacle from his path with a pretty block. Jacobs went over from the one-yard line for the other with only 37 seconds of the half remaining to be played after Crable and Joe Gleason had covered a South fumble on the South 33.

Crable brought the second half kickoff back to the 37 and on the first play Jacobs exploded through right tackle and went 63 yards to score. Krisher kicked this point that made it
25-6. It only took 37 seconds to get this touchdown.

The visitors staged another 80-yard march and aided largely by two passes from Brantley to Oliver, one for 29 yards and the other for 28, took the oval to the four yard line where Lingar Humphrey banged it over the goal for six points. Joe Byrdy added another from placement which gave the visitors’ 13.
* * *
JACOBS scored his fourth touchdown of the game in the fourth period after the Tigers had stopped a South offensive flurry on their own 35. It only took two plays to go the 65, Crable carrying on the first one to the visitors’ 40 and Jacobs going the rest of the way.

Ready Freddy Grier came through with the last six points. He and Russell in two nice runs, moved the ball to the visitors’ 25 where Grier wiggled through left tackle to score. This time Krisher kicked the extra point which proved to be the last of the game.

South was still blazing away for a touchdown as the gun sounded and had the ball on a first down on the Tiger 12-yard line.

The victory was Massillon’s eighth in nine games and the defeat was South’s fifth in nine. The 38 points exceeded by 18 the number scored by any other opponent of the Youngstown school.

MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, GLEASON, Studer, W. Brenner, B. Brenner, Houston.
TACKLES – STANFORD, SCHUMACHER, Gibson, Duke, Krisher, Tunning
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACH, Laps, Grunder, Turkal.
CENTERS – PATT, Vliet, Martin.
QUARTERBACKS – JAMES, Francisco.
HALFBACKS – GRIER, JACOBS, Johnson, Waikem, Russell, Lane.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, Howe.

YOUNGSTOWN SOUTH
ENDS – OLIVER, POPOVICH, McBride.
TACKLES – LAMARCO, GOIST, Nadrich.
GUARDS – CUNNINGHAM, DANESSA, Sobnosky.
CENTER – GEORGE.
QUARTERBACK – STAWARSKI.
HALFBACKS – BRANTLEY, BYRDY, Rosso, Cain, Hall.
FULLBACKS – DELFINO, Humphrey.

Score by periods:
Massillon 0 18 7 13 38
South 0 6 7 0 13

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Crable; Jacobs 4; Grier.
South – Delfino; Humphrey.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Krisher 2 (placekicks).
South – Byrdy (placekick).

Referee – Grubbs.
Umpire – Rainsberger.
Head Linesman – Hamill.
Field Judge – Smith.

Statistics Of The Game
Mass. South
First downs 11 17
Passes attempted 12 20
Passes completed 5 10
Had passes intercepted 0 0
Yards gained passing 101 162
Yards gained rushing 374 144
Total yards gained 475 306
Yards lost 28 17
Net yards gained 447 289
Times punted 2 5
Average punt (yards) 37 32
Punts returned by (yards) 10 18
Times kicked off 7 3
Average kickoff (yards) 52 50
Kickoffs returned (yards) 86 84
Fumbles 0 4
Lost ball on fumbles 0 1
Times penalized 9 4
Yards penalized 52 20

History

1949: Massillon 59, Toledo Waite 19

November 4, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tiger Ball Carriers Race To 59-19 Victory Over Waite

Long Runs Sparked By Good Blocking Blast Visiting Toledo Team

By LUTHER EMERY

Shifting their offense into high gear, the Washington high school Tigers blasted Toledo Waite 59-19 before 12,993 fans in Tiger stadium Friday evening and in so doing.
Scored 19 more points than all of Waite’s previous seven opponents combined could tally and,
Rolled up a record total for the Waite-Massillon six-game series.

The game definitely showed the Tigers were clicking again, for no previous opponent had scored more than 12 points against the Indians’ acclaimed defense, which until last night had yielded but 40 points this season.

Long runs were the rule, rather than the exception, with all of the Tigers’ three
break-away men, Dick Jacobs, Irvin Crable, and Clarence Johnson, going the distance, and substitute Freddie Grier getting in his lick with a 57-yard explosion for the final points of the game.

Having scored nine touchdowns and gained 520 yards from scrimmage the Tigers can crow plenty about their offense. But they can still feel concerned about their defense, which was penetrated by Waite for 19 points, the most the Indians have tallied in five weeks.

The defense was an improvement over last week, but still can stand improvement if it is to stop the hard running of Canton’s Louis Mariano and passing of the Bulldogs’ John Rogers. Waite rolled up 216 yards from scrimmage, 131 by passing and 85 by carrying the ball.

The Massillon ball carriers had a big night and can thank some good work by their line and a lot of fancy downfield blocking for their long touchdown dashes. A pretty block is a fine a piece of football execution to watch as the sidestepping of a hula-hipped ball carrier, and there were plenty of them thrown last night.

In face the downfield blocking was just about the best of the year. The boys were always on the alert for somebody to hit and were able to get position on their opponents most of the time.

Few expected the Tigers to roll up as large a score, particularly in view of the 27-6 walloping handed Alliance by the Indians and the fine showing made by them against Canton McKinley which only defeated the Toledo team 7-0.
* * *
LAST NIGHT, however, the Tigers were definitely ON and were out to convince any skeptics about their ability as a football team.

They did it the hard way, too, spotting Waite a touchdown in the first two minutes of play and coming right back to pour three over the Indians’ goal before the first period expired.

It was just a question of points from there on in and had the Tigers not fooled around with some passes in the second period they probably would have put a couple more TD’s in the cooler.

The 59-19 score, however, avenges the 40-6 whipping handed the local eleven here in 1946, the previous high total of the Tiger-Waite series which now stands 5-1 in Massillon’s favor.

In re-arranging his defense for last night’s contest, Mather moved Dick Shine in from the secondary to back up the line and put Freddie Grier back in the secondary. Dick did a capable piece of work for his first night as a line backer. He’s the type of spirited boy who can do a lot to keep the other boys on their toes.

The Tigers’ strength as in the team’s running attack. Only three of 13 passes were completed and though one of the passes provided one touchdown and paved the way for another, the aerial game as a whole was not effective. Three Massillon passes were intercepted by Waite and the locals showed some improvement in their pass defense by gathering in four of Waite’s throws.

Waite did not use its ace halfback, Bob Owens, who was the team’s sparkplug in early season games. Owens, in fact, is out for the season, according to Coach Pauly who has decided not to chance aggravating an injured leg of Owens.

Last night’s Waite team was new from top to bottom from that which started against the Tigers last year. The Indians have a lot of youngsters in their lineup and will be stronger next season.

Both teams escaped serious injuries. All three of the Tigers ace runners, Johnson, Crable and Jacobs, were touched up, but examination revealed only bruises. Coach Mather used 28 players in the game, most of them coming in during the fourth period.
* * *
EVERYONE in the house was a bit uneasy after the opening kickoff when Waite took the ball on its own 25 and went 75 yards in six plays for a touchdown. A 40-yard toss, Jim Zieroff to Eddie Turner on the first play of the game, took the ball into Tiger territory and a 19-yard peg to Paul Van Camp produced the touchdown. Doug Thompson kicked the extra point and the Indians led 7-0.

Massillon fans breathed easier two minutes later, however when the Tigers required but three plays after the kickoff to move the ball from their 27 to the goal line. A 43-yard run by Dick Jacobs fell 23 yards short of a touchdown but “Ace” Crable took it over on the next play, the first of three touchdowns he scored in the opening period. A 36-yard run produced the second and Crable knifed through for two yards and a third after a 33-yard pass from Don James to Jacobs placed the ball on the two-yard line.
Thus the first quarter ended 21-7 and the second period wasn’t very old until James tossed a 34-yard pass to Jacobs who took the ball out of the arms of a Waite player and scampered for six points.

Waite demonstrated its grit on the next kickoff by marching the ball back from its 16-yard line to the Tiger goal. A Zieroff to Thompson pass good for 34 yards was the longest contribution to the drive and the pair also made up the last seven yards when Thompson took a peg behind the Tiger goal.

It looked as though the half would end 27-13 until Johnson was turned loose around his left end for a 60-yard jaunt in the closing minutes of the second period. That brought the half-time score to 33-13.

The Tigers got off to a bad start in the third period when Van Camp covered Dick Jacobs’ fumble a kickoff on the 28. This time the Indians took the ball over without the use of their missing weapons, Thompson going over standing up from six-yards out.
* * *
THE TIGERS then went to work putting on a 68-yard march of their own that did not end until Johnson went over from the two-yard line for six points. He scored again in the period, going around left end for the last two after a 42-yard march in which a 23-yard run by Crable was the feature play.

Crable came through with the most sensational run of the night on the first play of the fourth quarter when he pulled down Zieroff’s pass on his own 40, headed for the east sideline and then reversed his field to run 60 yards for the points. All told he probably ran at least 100 yards.

The Tigers didn’t score again until the last four minutes of the game when Grier, substitute fullback, exploded through the center of the Waite line and went 57 yards for a touchdown. Rudy Grunder, a substitute was called in to placekick the extra point and got his first mark as a Tiger.

In High Gear
MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, GLEASON, Studer, Grunder, Brenner.
TACKLES – KRISHER, SCHUMACHER, Stanford, Gibson
Tunning, Kalleker.
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACH, Laps, Houston.
CENTERS – PATT, Vliet, Martin.
QUARTERBACKS – JAMES, Close.
HALFBACKS – JACOBS, JOHNSON, Waikem, Lane, Russell, Woolbert.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, Grier.

TOLEDO WAITE
ENDS – DAVIS, TURNER, Romano, Lasater, Winebrenner.
TACKLES – WALTON, BUMBERA, Pocse, Cummings.
GUARDS – CONTOS, CARNICOM, Ahumada, Carter.
CENTERS – GUNNER, oung, Tschirrett, Raitz.
QUARTERBACKS –STERGER, Lammie.
HALFBACKS – ZIEROFF, VAN CAMP, Hrabovsky, Sutphin.
FULLBACKS – THOMPSON, Knitz.

Score by periods
Massillon 21 12 12 14 59
Waite 7 6 6 0 19

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Crable 4; Johnson 3; Jacobs; Grier.
Waite – Van Camp; Thompson.

Points after touchdowns:
Massillon – Johnson 4; Grunder (placekicks).
Waite – Thompson (placekicks).

Referee – Tehan.
Umpire – Skibbie.
Head Linesman – Russ.
Field Judge – Reinhold.

Statistics
Mass. Waite
First downs 11 11
Passes attempted 13 27
Passes completed 3 12
Had passes intercepted 3 4
Yards gained passing 78 131
Yards gained rushing 442 85
Total yards gained 520 216
Yards lost 15 27
Net yards gained 505 189
Times punted 2 8
Average punt (yards) 36 31
Yards punts returned by 40 15
Times kicked off 10 4
Yards kickoffs returned by 72 144
Fumbles 1 5
Lost ball on fumbles 1 1
Times penalized 13 3
Yards penalized 75 35

History

1949: Massillon 35, Warren Harding 19

October 28, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Have Rugged Time Beating Inspired Panthers
Trap Plays And Passes Worry Massillon Team, As Panthers Hit Peak

By LUTHER EMERY

The Washington high school football team struggled through a 35-19 victory over Warren Harding high before 10,000 fans in Warren Friday evening, and Coach Chuck Mather is wondering what has become of his defense.

The Panthers battled the Tigers on even terms the first half which ended 14-12 (Massillon having the two-point margin) and played toe to toe with the locals throughout much of the last two periods.

It was the second week in a row the Tigers had been called upon to face a team that had been keyed up to its highest pitch of the season, and whereas they lost their engagement with Mansfield 16-12 a week ago, they were equal to the occasion last night.

It was an offensive battle from start to finish with Warren scoring more points on the Tigers than it registered in its last five games combined and winning applause from the fans for its efforts. In fact many Warren folk considered the score a moral victory for Warren, though a 35-19 licking is still a bit on the decisive side.

The Tigers’ offense was for the most part, good enough. They gained 498 yards from scrimmage including 121 with the use of the forward pass, and yet Warren, through its own offensive ability was able to control the ball for long periods of the game.

Had the local team’s defense been on a par with its offense there’s no telling how many touchdowns the local backs would have poured over the Warren goal.

As it was, the Tigers were vulnerable to trap plays up the middle and to forward passes, Warren making 15 first downs, and completing 10 of 17 throws for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Ball carriers gained 225 yards which gave the Panthers a total of 319 yards gained. That’s too many for a good defense.
* * *
THE TIGERS had worked considerably on defense too the past week which made the locals’ showing in that department all the more disappointing.

Of course the team’s two heaviest boys, Jim Reichenbach and Glenn Tunning were missing from the forward wall, and they are a couple of pretty hard obstacles for the opposition to move around. Reichenbach was used on a couple of offensive plays, long enough, unfortunately to get his injured ankle touched up a bit, while Tunning was sidelined for the entire game.

The Tiger offense even had difficulty getting going early in the ball game when Warren which had scouted the local team thoroughly, confronted it with what amounted to an eight-man line. Line backers were apt to jump into the five-man forward wall at any spot, throwing up an unorthodox defense when they did and when they didn’t they played off the hips of their buddies. They gambled that their eight forward men could stop the Tigers’ running attack and at the same time break through fast enough to smear Don James before he could get the ball away on pass plays.

It worked for awhile but eventually proved Warren’s undoing for the Tigers wised up to themselves, used a statue of liberty play to discourage the rushing tactics of the Panther ends and tossed some passes that found their mark for long gains. With a bit of the eager beaver taken out of Warren, the locals’ offense began to click and would have gained more points had the Massillon defense been able to stop Warren’s offense more consistently and get the ball for the Tiger backs to play with.
* * *
IT WAS the kind of game that causes fans to fill stadiums during the fall and the Warren spectators in particular were delighted with the spirit of their team which they had seen go down to five previous consecutive defeats after winning its opening game from Collinwood by a point, 14-13.

Though last night’s loss was the sixth in a row for the Panthers their followers were not at all downhearted and along with their coach Chuck Riffle, declared it by far the best showing of the season.

And the Panthers’ play was good enough to make more than one Massillon fan tremble, though some how or other, even when leading by only two points, local spectators as a whole felt the Tigers were superior enough to come through in the second half.

Their feelings were justified for the Massillon gridders shoved over two quick touchdowns to ice the game.

Coach Chuck Mather gave Ray Lane and Don Studer a chance to work with the first offensive team at the start of the game, though Clarence Johnson and Don Slicker whom they succeeded, saw lots of action.
* * *
EVEN though he did lose the ball twice on fumbles, Johnson also exhibited the kind of running he is capable of when he bulled and twisted his way to 78 yards and the Tigers’ last touchdown of the game.

Dick Jacobs scored three times for the local gridders and Irvin Crable once. Dick’s first was a 75-yard sprint for the opening points of the game, and he had one called back even earlier when he went 81 yards after catching a pass from Don James, only to step out of bounds on Warren’s 49-yard line. Crable also got away to one long run, a 50-yard jaunt in which he was tackled from behind on the one-yard line. It went for naught when Johnson lost the ball on a fumble on the next play.

It was evident from the start that the Tigers were not up against any easy mark, as Warren marched the kickoff back for two first downs before punting. On the locals’ first series of plays James tossed to Jacobs who went 81 yards for the distance but got a toe out of bounds on the Warren 49 as he did a tight-wire walk up the sideline.

Warren got the ball back by covering a Massillon fumble on the Tiger 47 and carried it to the 19-yard line where the locals took over on downs. Crable made six but James was thrown for an 11-yard loss trying to pass. It did not discourage him, however, for with the Warren ends crashing, he called for a statue to Jacobs which the latter took and went 75 yards for the first score. Jerry Krisher kicked the extra point as he did all five attempts last night.
* * *
THE GAME changed to an offensive battle as the two teams marched three times to touchdowns on successive kickoffs.

Warren started the first drive after getting the kickoff on its 33. With Paul Smith and Lionel Reed making yardage on trap plays, Dennis Pardee reeled off a deep reverse that took Warren into Tiger territory. The Panthers continued to trap the locals with Smith eventually planting the ball on the 12. Two plays advanced it eight yards from where Reed circled his right end for the six points.

The Tigers roared back with the next kickoff from the 25. Johnson carrying the ball into Warren territory on his first run of the evening. He tried a long pass that was just settling into the finger tips of Don Slicker in the end zone, when the latter staggered and fell. It made no difference, however, for Crable took the ball to the 21 and Jacobs went around the right end for six points.

There were few minutes left when the Tigers kicked off, but enough for Warren to score a touchdown. Reed trapped his way to the 50 when Robison tossed to Smith for nine yards and the latter rammed through to a first on the 30. With seconds left, Robison fired the ball to Ed Zofko, who caught it just as the gun sounded, to bring the score to 14-12 at the half.

The Tigers started off in the third period as though they meant business when Crable broke through to the one-yard line, where Johnson lost the ball on a fumble. But this time the Massillon defense did not have any holes in it and Pardee was forced to punt, the ball rolling out on the Warren 24. It took two plays to get a touchdown, Crable going forward for 11 yards and Jacobs the rest of the distance.
* * *
THE TIGERS covered a Warren fumble on the series that followed the kickoff, Jerry Krisher pouncing on the pigskin on his own 37. On the first play, Crable went to a first down on the Warren 27, Johnson moved it up to the 17 and Jacobs went around right end for the points.

That brought the score to 28-12 and there it stood until with three minutes of the game remaining, Robison fired a pass to Zofko for three yards and the Panthers’ third touchdown. It climaxed a 77-yard march featuring a 13-yard fourth-down screen pass that put the ball on the 20, and another 20-yarder, Robison to Paul Willoughby that put the leather on the five. John George, who had missed his two previous attempts for points, kicked this one to pull Warren within nine points of the Tigers, 28-19.

It didn’t take the locals long to get another of their own. On the second play after the kickoff Johnson on a reverse was turned loose around his left end for 78 yards. He did some good hard running and twisting to free himself and was accorded some good blocking. These were the final points of the game.

The Tigers blocked well last night. Once Ronald Patt knocked himself out and a Warren tackler with a pretty block that set Crable loose on his lone touchdown.

The Tiger tackling was as poor as the blocking was good. There were many good, hard socks, but too many tacklers slid off their opponents.

The lineup and summary:

MASSILLON
ENDS – STUDER, GLEASON, Slicker.
TACKLES – KRISHER, SCHUMACHER, Duke, Gibson, Standford.
GUARDS – LAPS, SHINE, Reichenbach, Houston.
CENTERS – PATT, Vliet.
QUARTERBACK – JAMES.
HALFBACKS – LANE, JACOBS, Johnson, Waikem.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, Russell, Grier.

WARREN
ENDS – GLOVER, ZOFKO.
TACKLES – ZOBA, BOB JAMES, Hovance.
GUARDS – DE CAPITO, SMUKE, Swoke, Salvato, George.
CENTERS – BILL JAMES, Ylisela.
QUARTERBACK – ROBISON.
HALFBACKS – L. REED, PARDEE, Allard, Willoughby.
FULLBACKS – SMITH, Hooks.

Score by periods:
Massillon 7 7 14 7 35
Warren 0 12 0 7 19

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Jacobs 3; Johnson; Crable.
Warren – Reed; Zofko 2.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Krisher 5 (placekicks).
Warren – George (placekick).

Referee – Lobach.
Umpire – Gross.
Head Linesman – Sweeney.
Field Judge – Lindsay.

History

1949: Massillon 12, Mansfield 16

October 21, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Inspired Mansfield Team Upsets Tiger Gridders 16-12
Massillon’s String Of Victories Snapped At 10 Consecutive Games

By LUTHER EMERY

Augie Morningstar was the toast of Mansfield today and rightfully so, for his Mansfield Tygers scored their first victory in 14 years over the Washington high Tigers here Friday evening before a nose counted crowd of 19,773 spectators.

The defeat dashed Massillon’s hopes for an undefeated season, left the state championship up in the air for a wide open scramble, and snapped the local team’s own victory streak at 10 consecutive games.

It does not mean the Tigers are completely out of the championship race. All of the state’s major teams with the exception of Canton McKinley have suffered one setback, and most teams still have four games yet to play.

It does mean that the Massillon gridders to attain any recognition whatsoever, must dig in as they did after their only loss last year to Alliance and clean up on the rest of the slate.

“It does you good to lose once in a while,” said Massillon Coach Chuck Mather after the game, though the look of disappointment on his face told that he wanted to win it the worst kind of way. “Losing makes you appreciate winning, all the more. We will start all over again,” he said.

The Tiger coach had nothing but praise for Morningstar’s Tygers and said they rewarded their fans for the support and spirit accorded them the past week.

That spirit was reflected in the general play of the visiting team, which beat the Tiger line to the charge a greater part of the evening and who did most everything right.

The play of the local eleven was considerably different. It lost the ball three times on fumbles, one placing Mansfield in position for its first touchdown and the other two coming in the clutch in the fourth quarter with Mansfield ahead and only minutes left in play. A 15-yard penalty for clipping when Mansfield was trailing 12-7 which set the locals back to Mansfield’s eight didn’t help matters either.

In fact, this particular play was the turning point of the game, for the next time the visitors got the ball they drove and passed their way to the game winning touchdown.

On the other hand, Mansfield had a good chance to go ahead in the third quarter when a Tyger secondary man dropped a Massillon pass with a clear field ahead of him. The ball was in his hands and he had nothing to do but run but he failed to hang on to it.
* * *
MANSFIELD scored the first points of the game early in the first quarter, when A.C. Jenkins, power running fullback, bulled his way through for the last yard on a 26-yard march that began when Walter Maurer covered Clarence Johnson’s fumble.

The Tigers took the following kickoff, were well on their way to six points when the period ended and got them on the first play of the second quarter when Ace Crable circled his right end for the last 12 yards on a pitch-out. It was a drive of 65 yards.

The locals scored the next time they got the ball too, when Mansfield fumbled in midfield while attempting to punt on fourth down. It took only three plays to go the 50 yards, Crable reeling off 15, Johnson 26 and Jacobs the last nine. Both of Jerry Krisher’s attempted placekicks went wide of the uprights while Mansfield made good on both of its extra points.

Leading by 12-7, at half-time, there were few in the stands but who thought Mansfield would win the game if it could score the next touchdown. It did.
* * *
THE TIGERS made two bids to score before Mansfield struck. Immediately after the kickoff the locals drove to what would have been a first down on the 16-yard line, but a
15-yard penalty for clipping spoiled the effort and they eventually surrendered the ball on the 19. Their next bid took them to the eight but a clipping penalty nullified the gain and put them clear back on their own 31 from which they were forced to punt.

Mansfield saw it was time to strike and strike it did. Getting the ball on their own 37, the visitors opened the fourth period with a devastating passing attack. Don Cline hurled the ball to Jack Bargahiser for 23 yards and a first on the Tiger 40. Esker Jordon gained three and Cline flipped another to Ed Demyan for a first down on the Tiger 22. Tucker made seven yards on two tries and on third down, Cline found his mark in Bargahiser behind the Tiger goal and hit him for six points.

The Tigers took the kickoff and although Crable was stopped without a return, he almost got away on a left end sweep the next play and ran to his 47 before being downed. Mansfield braced and held for downs, however. So did the Tigers and with time fleeting they gained the ball in midfield. Jacobs fumbled on the first play and the alert Maurer pounced on the ball to regain it for Mansfield. Again the Tigers held but when Mansfield punted, Crable fumbled the ball as he attempted to pick it up with the hope of getting away and Demyan covered on the Tiger 14-yard line.

The game was all but over then. Mansfield played it smart, taking as much time as possible on each play while the seconds were ticked away. The Tigers eventually gained the ball on downs on their own seven, but when Don James dropped back behind his goal to hurl one desperate pass, he couldn’t find a receiver and when he tried to run, was swarmed over by Mansfield players and downed behind his goal for a safety and two points.

The Tigers booted the following free kick only four yards with the hope of recovering but Mansfield took over and the gamed ended two plays later.
* * *
THEREIN you have the touchdown plays which led to the Tigers’ first loss of the season and Mansfield’s first victory in 14 years of competition with Massillon teams. The locals have won 10, and three games have ended in tie scores.

It was the third time since 1937 that Mansfield has played the role of spoiler to end Tiger victory streaks, and on two previous occasions, just as last night, came into the game as the underdog.

Russell Murphy’s 1937 team gained a 6-6 tie to end an undefeated string of 21 in a row when Paul Brown was coach here. The 1941 team coached by Paul Snyder put a kink in a chain of 38 straight victories with a 6-6 tie against a team coached by Bud Houghton. Mansfield muffed opportunities by missing the points after touchdown. Last night it did not miss.
* * *
THE TIGERS kept Tucker, Ohio’s fastest high school back pretty well bottled up, but had trouble stopping Jenkins and Jordon who swept through center on a fake lateral that looked much like one introduced by the Forty-Niners in the All-American conference two years ago.

Inability to stop Cline’s passing in the fourth quarter, however, led to the locals’ downfall. Second guessing the Tigers’ offense, it appears that after scoring their second touchdown in the second period they would have done better to have continued carrying the ball instead of tossing passes for they had Mansfield on the run at this stage of the game.

The game was a hard fought contest with players of both teams showing the effects of the contest. Morningstar feared his star guard Tom Weaver may have sustained a fractured hand.

Jacobs, Jim Reichenbach and Crable were shaken up considerably, as was Ronald Patt. Crable, a marked man, played a whale of a game under these conditions. Injuries hampered Jacobs throughout the last half and Reichenbach got in for only a few plays because of an injured leg.

Statistically the teams were about even.

First downs were the same, each, but the Tigers had an edge in net yards gained, 239 to Mansfield’s 197. But they still pay off on points.

One For Augie

MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, GLEASON, Studer.
TACKLES – KRISHER, DUKE, Schumacher, Tunning, Stanford.
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACH, Laps.
CENTERS – PATT, Turkal, Vliet.
QUARTERBACK – JAMES.
HALFBACKS – JACOBS, JOHNSON, Waikem, Lane.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, Grier.

MANSFIELD
ENDS – DEMYAN, BARGAHISER.
TACKLES – WEAVER, BUSCH, Wise.
GUARDS – MILLER, TIPPER, Lindsay.
CENTER – MAURER.
QUARTERBACKS – CLINE, Marchant.
HALFBACKS — BRICKER, TUCKER, Jordon.
FULLBACK – JENKINS.

Score by periods:
Mansfield 7 0 0 9 16
Massillon 0 12 0 0 12

Touchdowns:
Mansfield – Jenkins; Bargahiser.
Massillon – Crable; Jacobs.

Points after touchdown:
Mansfield – Tipper 2 (placekicks)

Safety – Mansfield

Referee – Lobach.
Umpire – Rupp.
Head Linesman – Shill.
Field Judge – Dunton.

Statistics Of The Game
Mass. Mansf.
First downs 11 11
Passes attempted 10 9
Passes completed 3 4
Had passes intercepted 1 1
Yards gained passing 47 69
Yards gained rushing 205 138
Total yards gained 252 227
Yards lost 13 30
Net yards gained 239 197
Times punted 1 2
Average punt (yards) 30 42
Yards punts returned by 13 0
Kickoffs 4 3
Average kick 29 35
Yards kickoffs returned 22 15
Fumbles 4 1
Lost ball on fumbles 3 0
Times penalized 3 6
Yards penalized 35 50

History

1949: Massillon 48, Alliance 14

October 13, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Beat Alliance 48-14 Before 15,604
Massillon Gridders Superior On Ground, Weak On Pass Defense

By LUTHER EMERY

That a good running attack is still superior to a good aerial barrage was demonstrated before 15,604 touchdown thirsty football fans in Tiger stadium Friday evening when the Washington high school Tigers downed the Alliance Aviators 48-14 in a game that was closer than the score indicates.

The victory avenged a 14-0 defeat sustained at the hands of Alliance last year, the only blemish on the 1948 schedule. It was the fifth of the year and the 10th in a row for the local team.

It was a hard fought contest with players of both sides bruising each other as evidenced in the locker rooms after the game.

The Tigers came out with one casualty, Don James, who sustained a possible separation in the left shoulder, which may bench him for a period. Ronald Patt rammed a tooth almost through his lip, but the injury was not of the type that should keep him out of uniform.

Hard, clean football, you can call it, and while Tiger backs got away for a number of long runs, the major credit should go to the line and in particular to Jim Reichenbach, junior guard, who played a whale of a game and who had the wind knocked out of him on one occasion doing it.
* * *
THE LINE ripped apart the Alliance forward wall to get the Tiger backs away to touchdown runs and did a pretty good job of stopping the Aviator backs.

But don’t be surprised if future Tiger opponents try to shell the locals with footballs. Alliance found a weakness in the Massillon pass defense tossed the ball twice for touchdowns and gained 196 yards in that matter.

Not every team, however, will have a thrower like John Borton, the cool Aviator junior quarterback who took his time picking his receivers, was accorded good protection and hit the bull’s-eye on virtually every occasion.

That Borton did not complete more than 14 passes out of 31 attempts can be attributed principally to inability of his receivers to hang on to the ball. On at least six occasions, Alliance boys dropped passes right in their arms which would have been good for yards.

But the Tigers’ running attack was superior to the Alliance running attack and therein is the reason for the Aviators’ defeat.

Ace Crable’s crazy legs propelled him to three long touchdown dashes of 31 yards, 28 yards and 38 yards respectively. Clarence Johnson carried over for two touchdowns, Dick Jacobs for one and Crable passed to Don Slicker for 41 yards and another.

Long plays for touchdowns do not figure as first downs, which is the reason Alliance outdid the locals in this department of the statistics, 18 to 11. But the Tigers had the most net yards gained from scrimmage, 401 to Alliance’s 152.
* * *
AS EXPECTED, the Tigers found Alliance to be the toughest opponent they have met this season and as a result Coach Mather played his first team the greater part of the game. Only 26 local players saw action as compared with the three or more teams that have been competing in previous games.

Fumbles hurt the Alliance cause, three costing them the ball and one giving the Tigers a first down on the six-yard line, and eventually leading to their third touchdown.

Coach Chuck Mather was quite elated with the victory, but warned his players after the game that next Friday they have Mansfield to play here, a team that beat Alliance 28-14. Last night’s game and victory was his first in the northern Ohio Scholastic conference, which began operations this year.

While Tiger ball carriers were frequently stopped, they likewise often got away to sizeable gains, particularly on end sweeps where the blockers threw everything but the goal posts at their opponents.

In fact one of the finest runs of the evening, though not for a long gain, went for naught when a Tiger player was charged with clipping. The Massillon fans booed the decision lustily for they thought it a clean block, the last of a series that had set Crable free when he reversed his field after being bottled up, and kept him from being thrown for a terrific loss.
* * *
THE GAME was not very old until you could see which was the better team. The Tigers were out-charging the Alliance linemen. The local team received, gained 25 yards on an exchange of punts when Jacobs kicked beautifully 50 yards to the six-yard line where the ball rolled dead. Alliance’s return kick went out on its 31, and on the very first play Crable broke through for a touchdown and Krisher kicked the seventh point.

A 65-yard drive after getting the ball on a punt produced the locals’ second touchdown, Johnson nosing it over from the one foot line and Krisher again booting the extra point. Score 14-0.

The Tigers grabbed their third score in the first minute of the second period when the Aviators’ Dolly Gray fumbled the ball and Patt recovered on the Alliance six. It took four downs to get it over, Jacobs finally diving the ball across and Krisher’s kick going wide of the uprights. Score 20-0.

Trailing 20 points, the Alliance aerial circus appeared and aided by some good running on the part of Larry Shells and Gray, took the ball to the six-yard line where on fourth down Borton tossed to Shells for six points and then kicked the seventh himself. Score 20-7.
* * *
THE HALF was in its last minute before the Tigers could again score. They marched the ball 85 yards to the three where with time running out they didn’t take time to huddle on third down but went straight into the T and banged over the goal with Johnson lugging the leather across and Krisher again kicking the extra point. Score 27-7.

The third period was an even scrap with the Tigers scoring the only touchdown of the quarter after stopping a determined Alliance drive on the nine. Jacobs’ 19-yard run and tow long passes, a Jonson to Joe Gleason heave of 32 yards and a Crable to Don Slicker toss of 41 yards concluded a 91-yard drive. Again Krisher kicked the extra point. Score 34-7.

Alliance was well on its way to its second touchdown when the quarter ended however and on the third play of the period which incidentally was fourth down, Borton caught the locals flatfooted with a pass into the deep flat to Gray who raced over for the six points. Borton booted the seventh. Score 34-14.

The Tigers retaliated with two quick touchdowns. Don Slicker brought the kickoff back to his 45 and only two plays were required to score. Johnson reeled off 27 and Crable went the remaining distance. Krisher placekicked the following point. Score 41-14.

The Tigers kicked off to the Aviators and two plays later Gray fumbled and Massillon recovered on the Alliance 43. James was tossed for a 14-yard loss trying to pass but he got all of it and more back on a pitch to Gleason. Crable streaked through for the last 38. Score 48-14.

Thrice thereafter Alliance worked the ball deep into Tiger territory, losing it on the 15 when Dick Shine intercepted Borton’s pass and again on the nine where Ernie Russell intercepted another pass. They were the only passes intercepted by the Tigers all evening. The game ended with Alliance completing a long forward and again knocking inside the 15.

Sweet Revenge

MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, GLEASON, Studer, Houston.
TACKLES – KRISHER, SCHUMACHER, Duke, Stanford, Gibson, Tunning,
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACK, Laps, Grunder.
CENTERS – PATT, Turkal, Vliet.
QUARTERBACKS – JAMES, Close.
HALFBACKS – JACOBS, JOHNSON, Waikem, Lane, Russell.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, Grier.

ALLIANCE
ENDS – SHELLS, KINTZ, Proctor, Slates, Alles.
TACKLES – SCHLOSSER, JACK, Ciatu, (unreadable), Groat.
GUARDS – YOUNG, G. NICHOLSON.
CENTERS – FOGOROS.
QUARTERBACKS – BORTON.
HALFBACKS – H. NICHOLSON, CARROLL, Anderson, Reynolds.
FULLBACKS – GRAY.

Score by periods:
Massillon 14 13 7 14 48
Alliance 0 7 0 7 14

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Crable 3; Johnson 2; Jacobs; Slicker.
Alliance – Shells; Gray.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Krisher 6 (placekicks).
Alliance – Borton 2 (placekicking).

Referee – Gross.
Umpire – Russ.
Field Judge – Hamill.
Head Linesman – O. Williams.

Statistics Of The Game
MASS. ALL.
First downs 11 18
Passes attempted 6 31
Passes completed 4 14
Had passes intercepted 0 2
Yards gained passing 106 196
Yards gained rushing 328 152
Total yards gained 434 348
Yards lost 33 36
Net yards gained 401 312
Times punted 5 4
Average punt (yards) 37 27
Yards punts returned 20 21
Times kicked off 8 3
Average kickoff (yards) 47 42
Yards kickoffs returned 53 116
Times penalized 6 3
Yards penalized 40 15
Fumbles 3 4
Lost ball on fumbles 1 3

History

1949: Massillon 63, Steubenville 0

October 7, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Roll Over Steubenville 63-0
Long Runs, Dazzling Passes Feature Locals’ Fourth Victory Of Year

By LUTHER EMERY

The Washington high school Tiger bared its fangs at Steubenville Friday evening and the Big Red football team was clawed 63-0 under the most potent attack unleashed by the Massillon team this season.

As a result, Massillon Coach Chuck Mather was a rather unpopular fellow today in the place he once called home. Steubenville fans from their booing in the stands accused him of trying to run up a score, though he used 36 players in the game, experimented with passes throughout the third period and played a second, third and part of a fourth team the last quarter.

It was the 13th game of the present Massillon – Steubenville series, which began in 1937, and the Tigers 12th victory. The 1945 game ended in a tie score. Prior to 1937, Steubenville won twice, in 1930 and 1931.

For the greater part of the first period of last night’s game it appeared that a spirited but lighter Steubenville team might make a game out of it as the Big Red drove to a first down on the Tiger 15-yard line , but when the locals braced, stopped the threat and scored a touchdown, the spark began to disappear and left completely after the second TD.

After the second touchdown it was just a question how large the score would be and by the end of the half it had already mounted to 35-0.
* * *
MATHER used his second team on defense throughout the last two periods, while his first team did offensive duty the third period but experimented with passes which also scored touchdowns and when the second team finally took over the offense, in the fourth quarter, it maneuvered to the final points of the game.

The Tigers ran and passed for the distance last night which will account for their being short in only one department of the statistics – first downs. They only made nine to Steubenville’s 11, but you do not count touchdown runs of 40 and 50 yards as first downs. They show up in the yardage where the locals were overwhelmingly superior, gaining 180 by passing and 399 by rushing for a total of 579. They lost but 11, giving them a net offense from scrimmage of 568 yards to Steubenville’s net of 188 yards.

Seldom has a Massillon team flashed on offense like that seen last night, and best of all, not one player but every member of the backfield had a hand in it. Ace Crable went 33 yards for one of his two touchdowns; Clarence Johnson ran 44 and 33 yards for his two and threw a 57-yard pass to Don Slicker for another; Dick Jacobs scooted 57 yards for one of a pair and Don James fired a long one to Joe Gleason good for 56 yards and a set of points. The final score coming with every position filled by a member of the second team was turned in by Freddie Waikem on a 15-yard right end jaunt on a double handoff.
* * *
AS THOUGH sensational runs and passes were not enough, the locals also set what probably was a record for kicking points after touchdown by ganging nine in a row without a miss through the uprights. Jerry Krisher booted seven and Clarence Johnson two.

Maybe it was only a coincidence but the kickers for the first time were using a tape made famous by Lou (The Toe) Groza, specialty kicker of the Cleveland Browns. They got it Thursday, practiced one evening and came through with out a miss last night.

It was too bad Ray Hoyman, former Tiger football player and head coach of the Big Red had to be the victim of the Tigers’ sharpest attack of the year. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

The Steubenville folk didn’t like it too well either. Every time the Massillon first team took over on offense the second half, a hoot went up from the stands. But Chuck had some pass plays he wanted his varsity to try out against competition for future games and it was unfortunate for Ray that they worked.
* * *
IT WAS HIS intention to do some experimenting the second half, which ordinarily slows down a game, but last night the Tigers were on, and everything they tried seemed to work, while the Big Red after a fast start, ran into a series of disheartening fumbles that gave the Tigers the ball six times.

That’s the kind of a game it was – the limit on everything. A team ordinarily recovers some of its fumbles, but not for the Big Red last night. It lost the ball on every bobble.

The Tigers escaped with only the injury, Jerry Krisher sustaining a bruised hip, which did not appear serious. Richard Davison, Steubenville tackle, was carried off the field on a stretcher, but an examination in the dressing room revealed that he had only received a painful shoulder separation which should not keep him out more than a couple of weeks.

Mather was pleased with the improved showing of his forward pass weapon which hasn’t been too potent this year. The percentage of completions wasn’t too good, five of 15, but that was more than made up in the 180 yards gained.

Steubenville presented a sharp running attack to start the evening with its twin halfbacks, Larry and Parry Jeter and Freshman Fullback Bennie Bunch, shoving the Tigers back on their heels.
* * *
THE BIG RED likewise stopped the local team the first time it got the gall when Bunch intercepted Don James’ pass.

It was different the next time the pigskin changed hands, however. Dick Jacobs ran 62 yards to a touchdown but the ball was called back and the Tigers penalized 15 yards for Johnson’s needless clip. On the next play Johnson made up for it by lashing out around his left end in a 44-yard dash to pay dirt.

The quarter ended without further scoring, but the Tigers made it 14-0 early in the second period when Krisher covered Harry Thompson’s fumble on the Big Red 33-yard line. On the first play Crable scooted around his right end, twisting away from several groups of tacklers, for the six points.

An intercepted pass by Dick Shine who ran the ball back to his 43-yard line set the stage for the third touchdown, which came three plays later with Jacobs running beautifully for 57 yards and the score mounted to 21-0.

A fumble by Larry Jeter on the first play after the following kickoff was covered by Waikem on the Big Red 36. The Tigers maneuvered to a first down on the 13 and Crable on fourth down carried seven yards across the goal. That and the extra point swelled the total to 28-0.
* * *
THE SCORE mounted to 35-0 when the Tigers got the ball on their own 35 through a punt, lugged it to the Big Red 33 where Johnson shot through left tackle on a quick opener for the remaining distance.

Mather decided to experiment the second half and that he did. The Big Red kicked to Johnson who got back to his 43 and on the first play he started out as through to run his left end, cut back and when he was just about to be surrounded, fired a long pass up the field that Slicker took on the dead run and went over. The ….(line is unreadable)…air. Johnson throwing it five yards behind the line of scrimmage and Slicker gathering it in on the 15.

Steubenville again gave the ball to the Tigers on a fumble covered by Bob Howe on the 29. James’ pass to Jacobs put it on the three-yard line and three plays later, Jacobs went around right end to score and bring the total up to 49-0.

Another fumble by Larry Jeter, covered by Craig Kelly on the Tiger 44, got things in motion for the eighth touchdown of the game. It only took one play to get it, James tossed to Gleason for the remaining yards.

The Tiger second and third teams played the entire fourth quarter and scored one touchdown with Waikem carrying over from the 15 after he, Lane and Glenn Tunning had advanced the ball on a march of 65 yards.

Power To Spare
MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, GLEASON, Studer, W. Brenner, Houston, Corbett, Murray.
TACKLES – KRISHER, SCHUMACHER, Stanford, M. Roderick, Duke, Gibson.
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACH, Laps, Kelly, Gibson.
CENTERS – PATT, Turkal, Vliet, Martin.
QUARTERBACKS – JAMES, Close, Francisco.
HALFBACKS – JOHNSON, JACOBS, Waikem, Lane, B. Brenner, Tunning, Russell, Woolbert.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, F. Grier, R. Grier, Howe.

STEUBENVILLE
ENDS – WASHINGTON, JONES.
TACKLES – DAVISON, LINN, Yohn, Ruggieri.
GUARDS – CHURCHWELL, BODO, Morrow.
CENTERS – WELLS, Henderson.
QUARTERBACKS – LELLI, Beattle.
HALFBACKS – L. JETER, P. JETER, Thompson, Brokaw, Lawson.
FULLBACKS – BUNCH.

Score by periods:
Massillon 7 28 21 7 63

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Johnson 2; Crable 2; Jacobs 2; Slicker; Gleason; Waikem.

Points after touchdowns:
Massillon – Krisher 7; Johnson 2 (placekicks).

Referee – Gross.
Umpire – C.W. Rupp.
Head Linesman – Schill.
Field Judge – Long.

Statistics
Mass. Steub.
First downs 9 11
Passes attempted 15 9
Passes completed 5 3
Had passes intercepted 2 1
Yards gained passing 180 57
Yards gained rushing 399 174
Total yards gained 579 231
Yards lost 11 43
Net yards gained 568 183
Times kicked off 10 1
Average kickoff 44 37
Yards kickoffs returned 20 170
Times punted 2 5
Average punt 38 29
Yards punts returned 0 13
Times penalized 8 2
Yards penalized 60 20
Times fumbled 2 6
Lost ball on fumbles 1 6

History

1949: Massillon 34, Barberton 6

September 30, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Beat Barberton 34-6
Crowd of 22,576 Sees Massillon Cop Verdict In Rough Football Game

By LUTHER EMERY

The Washington high school Tigers trimmed Barberton 34-6 Friday evening in the Akron Rubber Bowl and are happy that game is behind them.

A crowd of 22,576 fans saw some excellent football and some of the sloppiest that could possibly be played, as the Massillon gridders out fumbled but also outscored their Barberton opponents. It was the Tigers’ third victory and Barberton’s first loss of the season.

“I’m glad I got out of that one as well as I did,” said Massillon’s coach, Chuck Mather, as he hastily checked members of his squad after the game. “I don’t like to play that brand of football. It’s so easy for somebody to get hurt.”

Mather was referring to the piling on in scrimmages that increased in intensity as the game progressed. A survey of the team, showed plenty of combat scars, but only one injury that might prove a bit serious.

Co-Captain, Dick Jacobs, shifty halfback, sustained a painful charley horse that might keep him on the bench for a week or more.

There were other minor injuries, worst of which was an injured foot sustained by Freddie Waikem, substitute halfback, who was limping badly after the game.

Waikem was taken to the Massillon city hospital and was released after being treated for a cut on the right leg.
* * *
TO GIVE you a blow by blow account would require more space than has been allotted to this story, for there was considerable punching in the pile-ups, much of it hard to see, although considerable bumping took place in the open.

Jerry Krisher and a Barberton player had a personal duel on every kickoff until Jerry lowered the boom at the start of the second half and took some of the gusto out of his opponent. But the flare-up that could have reached serious proportions, occurred in the third period when Ace Crable and a Barberton tackler, got into a mix-up after Crable was tossed out of bounds on a 40-yard run.

As Crable and the Barberton player began mixing it, several other players squared off. In a flash the player benches were emptied, and irate fans raced across the field. But cooler heads prevailed, and the officials, who were a bit tardy arriving on the scene, grabbed the first two Massillon players they came across, namely Ronald Patt and Don Slicker and ejected them from the game. The original offenders were permitted to continue in the game and no Barberton player was put out of the contest. After the game Crable swore he was “out of his head” and couldn’t remember what had happened.
* * *
THE FLARE-UPS of tempers caused the players to battle each other more from a standpoint of desire than football technique the rest of the way which helps to account for the low brand of ball put out by both teams in the second half of the contest.

The Tigers, for instance, were guilty of 12 fumbles, losing the ball on six occasions while Barberton fumbled five times and lost it twice.

Loose ball handling was responsible for some of it – hard tackling more so.

One-half of the points of the game were scored before many thousands of fans, caught in traffics jams, were able to work their way into the stadium as the Tigers blasted the Magics apart in the first period.

Three bolts of lighting took all Magic out of the Magicians as Jacobs raced 54 yards for a touchdown, Crable 60 for another and Clarence Johnson 18 for a third.
* * *
THE GAME was only one minute and 27 seconds old when Jacobs crossed the Magics goal on the third play from scrimmage and only five minutes had expired when Crable fumbled a Barberton punt on his 40, picked up the ball and then did a fancy bit of running into the Promised Land.

Johnson’s touchdown came late in the period on a drive of 72 yards.

Fans who missed the quarter thus missed most of Massillon’s fancy Dan stuff. From there on points were harder to get as Barberton played the role of Tiger tamer at times.

The locals scored touchdowns in each of the second and third periods, but couldn’t get the ball over in the fourth.

Their second period touchdown came with only two seconds of the half remaining. Johnson going over from the two-yard line after a 77-yard march.

Substitute Halfback Waikem scored the Tigers’ final points late in the third period when he went over from the five after a march of 41 yards.

Barberton, which managed to get the ball in Tiger territory once in each period, put it over the goal on the first play of the fourth when Fullback Bob Stimac passed to End Dick Fletcher behind the goal line for the Magics’ six points of the game.

The Tigers were suckers for the pass, for their secondary was operating only a few feet behind the line of scrimmage.
* * *
BARBERTON’S rushing ends who flanked what amounted to an eight-man line with its backer-uppers playing against the forward wall, continually bothered the Tigers’ offense. The line made it difficult for local linemen to carry out their offensive assignments and the fast charging Magic ends had Quarterback Don James in misery all evening. He was rushed every time he tried to pass and as a result his percentage of completions, three out of 12, was low.

Normally, a good passing attack is the best threat against an eight-man line, but the Tigers couldn’t harness the air last night.

Their three completions gained 71 yards, only a fraction of their total offense which produced 416 yards, 345 from ball carrying.

Barberton gained 81 yards by completing six passes in 22 attempts, and 124 yards carrying the ball, for an offensive total of 205 yards gained. First downs were 16 to eight in the Tigers’ favor.

While the Tiger first team did not play as a unit to any great extent, Mather used groups of first stringers as a nucleus around which to give substitutes an opportunity to gain experience. All told, 31 local players got into the game, or two short of three teams.

Barberton didn’t substitute as freely, though Coach Ferrall kept alternating several members of his squad on offense and defense.

The Magics presented a fancy stepping back in Charlie Mitchell, who gained most of their yards from scrimmage. He knocked himself out tackling Jacobs when the latter was returning a punt in the third period. He played with an injured thumb which was aggravated in the collision with the Tiger halfback. It was this tackle that sidelined Dick with a charley horse.

Jim Schumacher was the Tigers’ first casualty. He suffered a case of indigestion.

The summary:
MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, STUDER, Gleason, B. Brenner, Houston, W. Brenner.
TACKLES – KRISHER, SCHUMACHER, Tunning, Stanford, Roderick, Gibson.
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACH, Lapps, Grunder, Vliet.
CENTERS – PATT, Dowd, Turkal.
QUARTERBACKS – JAMES, Close, Francisco.
HALFBACKS – JOHNSON, JACOBS, Russell, Lane, Waikem.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, F. Grier, Howe.

BARBERTON
ENDS – HARRIS, FLETCHER.
TACKLES – YODER, OFKY, Zalar, Ketnik, Murphy.
GUARDS – JACOBS, KREIDER, Balash
CENTER –PETERMAN, Bell.
QUARTERBACKS – KRIZAY, Andreyka.
HALFBACKS – MITCHELL, GWINN, Miller, Deem.
FULLBACK – STIMAC.

Score by periods:
Massillon 20 7 7 0 34
Barberton 0 0 0 6 6

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Jacobs; Crable; Johnson 3; Waikem.
Barberton – Fletcher.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Krisher 4 (placekicks).

Referee – Joe Merbita (Carnegie Tech).
Umpire – Ray Scherrer (Muskingum).
Head Linesman – Horace Rainsberger (Mt. Union).
Field Judge – Bob Oldfather (Heidelberg).

Statistics
Mass. Barb.
First downs 16 8
Passes attempted 12 22
Passes completed 3 6
Had passes intercepted 0 1
Yards gained passing 71 81
Yards gained rushing 345 124
Total yards gained 416 205
Yards lost 22 21
Net yards gained 394 84
Times punted 1 5
Average punt (yards) 26 41
Returned punts (yards) 114 0
Times kicked off 6 2
Average kickoff (yards) 54 45
Returned kickoffs (yards) 10 112
Times fumbled 12 5
Lost ball on fumbles 6 2
Times penalized 12 3
Yards penalized 70 25

History

1949: Massillon 60, Canton Lincoln 0

September 23, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Defeat Canton Lincoln 60-0
40 Massillon Players Given Opportunity To Compete In Grid Game

By LUTHER EMERY

Displaying power to spare, the Tigers of Washington high school slapped Canton Lincoln down 60-0 in Tiger Stadium Friday evening and there’s scarcely a person among the crowd of 11,366 but who would tell you that the score could have been much higher had Coach Chuck Mather wanted it to be.

The Tigers combined a hard running attack with improved passing to roll up their sixth victory over Lincoln in seven games, and score more points than were made in the 1947 and 1948 games combined.

The Lions, who have yet to beat the local team, managed to hold the Tigers to a scoreless tie in 1945 when they had the best eleven in the history of the school and one that earned a share of the state championship.

It didn’t take the Massillon juggernaut long to get rolling last night, and after scoring twice in the first period on a forward pass, Don James to Don Slicker, and a 27-yard run by Dick Jacobs it was evident that a lot of substitutes were going to get an opportunity to play a lot of football.

They did.

Coach Mather didn’t clean off the bench, for his sophomores have a game today here with the Warren reserves, but he did give 40 boys an opportunity to get a taste of the leather and that is a lot of substituting.
* * *
THE TIGERS’ 60 points are reflected in the statistics where they made 16 first downs and gained 556 yards, 394 by carrying the ball and 162 by use of the forward pass.

Possessing a weight advantage, the Massillon gridders hit hard, blocked well, and scored almost at will. They kept Lincoln in its own backyard, save for one occasion when the Lions drove to the Tiger 25-yard line only to lose the ball when John Francisco, Massillon’s sophomore quarterback, covered Jack LeBeau’s fumble.

Chuck Mather was well pleased with the performance of his players, but wouldn’t commit himself as to whether he considers this year’s team better than that of last year. “We’ll wait until Nov. 19 to answer that,” he said.
He had a lot to be thankful for too. None of his players was injured seriously. Clarence Johnson was touched up a bit on the hip, but went back in for a few plays after being pulled because of the injury. He only played a few minutes of the game, however.

Lincoln players escaped serious injury too. They carried Guard Waldo Cross off the field on a stretcher when he complained of his back hurting him, but examination by a physician revealed that it was only a bruise and not serious.
* * *
IN GIVING his younger players an opportunity to perform, Mather found several boys who showed they had it in the clutch. Freddie Waikem, substitute halfback, ran hard with the leather as did Glenn, “The Tank”, Tunning. Jim Corbett, fourth string end, showed he knew how to catch a forward pass.

The substitutes, in fact, rammed over three of the touchdowns and the regulars got the other six.

While Lincoln was unable to make much of a contest out of the game, the fans got their money’s worth watching Massillon’s offensive efforts, for the Tigers did most everything – scored on long runs, tossed short and long passes and pulled the old Statue of Liberty play out of the bag for six points.

It was possibly the best executed play of the game, Dick Jacobs taking the ball off the palm of Quarterback Don James and racing 34 yards to score. Longest pass of the game was a 42-yard Big Bertha, Clarence Johnson to Don Slicker that actually traveled 52 yards through the air, considering that Johnson was 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball.
* * *
THE TIGERS punted but once all evening, Freddie Close getting off a nice kick good for 54 yards, the only time the locals had their backs far enough to the wall to force them to boot the ball.

Mather started Ray Lane at fullback in place of Crable because the Ace was tardy for an afternoon meeting of the squad. Lane played good ball on both offense and defense and scored one of the Tigers’ touchdowns.

In fact six different players shared in the scoring, which speaks well for the team. Slicker, Jacobs, Crable, Waikem, Ernie Russell and Jerry Krisher all got points. Krisher made his six on kicks from placement after touchdowns.

The Tigers scored the first two times they got the ball. Lincoln through winning the toss, elected to kickoff and Clarence Johnson lugged the leather back 11 yards to his 38. Penalties fizzled the Massillon attack until interference was ruled on a James-Joe Gleason pass that produced a first down on the locals’ 47. Lane and Jacobs went to work and moved the ball to the 26 where James rifled it to Slicker for the first points of the game.

The second touchdown came three minutes later when Lincoln, held for three downs, punted out its own 38. Crable moved the ball up 11 yards and on the next play Jacobs went the remaining 26 around right end.
* * *
THE LIONS stopped the Tigers next time the locals got the ball, but Crable wheeled over for six points on the third play of the second quarter, with a dash of 46 yards. Lincoln received the kickoff, punted out on the Tiger 30, and on the first play from scrimmage, Crable scampered for 70 yards and another TD.

Mather sent in his substitutes after that and the first time they got the ball they marched it 52 yards with Waikem taking it over form the seven after he and Tunning had lugged it most of the way.

That ended the touchdown parade for the first half.

The Lincoln goal was crossed three times in the third period with the Tigers marching the kickoff back from their 30 to pay dirt. The payoff was a 15-yard run by Crable, but the ball was placed in position for the score on Johnson’s 42-yard throw to Slicker.

Recovery of a Lincoln fumble on the Tiger 43 by Chuck Vliet, paved the way for the next points in two plays. Crable tossed to Slicker for a first down on the Lincoln 34 and Jacobs went the rest of the way on a Statue handoff from James.

With the lineup replenished with substitutes, the Tigers again forced Lincoln to punt the ball going out on the Lions’ 31. Lane scampered 26 to the four-yard line and went over for the score.
* * *
WITH THIRD and fourth stringers being rushed into the game, the locals scored but once in the final period. Jerry Howe set the substitutes in motion when he pounced on a Lion fumble on the latter’s 24-yard line. Two plays later Ernie Russell was traveling 18 yards for the last points of the game.

The score was more than twice as great as any previous victory the Tigers had registered over a Lincoln team in the seven games played between the two schools. The largest previous score was the ……unreadable…..Lions in 1946. Last year the Tigers won 25-0.

Mather will meet with his coaches Sunday to plan the strategy to be followed next week in preparing for the game with Barberton to be played Friday in the Akron Rubber Bowl. Barberton beat Akron South 27-12 last night and South a week ago measured Mansfield 34-27.

The lineups and summaries:

MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, GLEASON, Studer, W. Brenner, Corbett, Houston, Murray, B. Brenner.
TACKLES – KRISHER, SCHUMACHER, Stanford, Roderick, Gibson, Duke, Kalleker, Shilling.
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACH, Kracker, G. Howe, Laps, Grunder, Turkal.
CENTERS – PATT, Dowd, Martin, Vliet.
QUARTERBACKS – JAMES, Close, Francisco.
HALFBACKS – JACOBS, JOHNSON, Waikem, Russell, Tunning.
FULLBACKS – LANE, Crable, R. Howe, F. Grier, Stoner.

LINCOLN
ENDS – HALTER, BUSH, Bleahu.
TACKLES – BACHTEL, GROETZ, Malloy.
GUARDS – DRUNKENBROD, CROSS, Flick, Malhiero, Rich.
CENTER – CAIRNS.
QUARTERBACKS – LeBEAU, Boldt.
HALFBACKS – SCHOEPPNER, DUELL, Dugoli, Greenwald.
FULLBACK – CORY.

Score by periods:
Massillon 14 20 20 6 60

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Slicker; Jacobs 2; Crable 3; Waikem; Russell; Lane.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Krisher 6 (placekicks).

Referee – McPhee.
Umpire – Boone.
Head Linesman – Gross.
Field Judge – Jenkins.

Statistics Of The Game
Mass. Lincoln
First downs 16 7
Passes attempted 17 11
Passes completed 7 1
Had passes intercepted 4 1
Yards gained passing 162 22
Yards gained rushing 394 118
Total yards gained 556 140
Yards lost 15 22
Times kicked off 9 2
Average kickoff (yards) 49 34
Returned kickoffs 9yards) 11 138
Times penalized 10 1
Yards penalized 60 5
Times fumbled 2 5
Lost ball on fumble 0 4

History

1949: Massillon 40, Cleveland Cathedral Latin 6

September 16, 1949June 28, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Open Season With 40-6 Victory Over Latin
Massillon Team Displays Ability In Registering Win Before 13,257 Fans

By KEN HARTWICK

Any team that can score six touchdowns in 21 plays is all right with Massillon football fans so local grid enthusiasts should be and undoubtedly are well satisfied with Coach Charles Mather’s 1949 Tiger varsity which did just that at Tiger stadium Friday night in defeating a respectable Cleveland Cathedral Latin eleven by a 40-6 score in its season’s debut.

Displaying an ability common with the great Tiger teams of the past to explode for long touchdowns on almost any offensive thrust, the new Orange and Black eleven last night before 13,257 fans drove to two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters and one in each of the two concluding periods while allowing the visitors to tally their lone marker in the third stanza.

On a basis of its play in its first game of the season, the 1949 Tiger team isn’t going to be content to do its gaining a few yards at a time but is going for the distance on every attempt.

Certainly, that is indicated by the fact that only one of last night’s six touchdown plays was for less than 13 yards and that one short gain, a one-yard smash by Clarence Johnson for touchdown No. 6 late in the third quarter, was preceded by two end runs which totaled 36 yards.

To score their first touchdown the Tigers moved 45 yards in exactly two plays and on their next drive to the Latin goal line they traveled 72 yards in seven thrusts.

Then came the prize play of the session, a 68-yard return of a punt by Irvin Crable, and shortly thereafter the crowd was thrilled by one of the neatest aerial advances of the contest, a pass from Don James to Dick Jacobs good for 42 yards and the marker which, after Jerry Krisher made his second successful kick of the evening, gave the home team a 26-0 edge at the half.
* * *
JOHNSON’S one-yard plunge through the center of the Latin line ended a drive of 45 yards which required seven plays and to wind things up the Tigers in the concluding period moved 38 yards in three thrusts with Crable being broken lose for the last 27 yards.

Almost the only satisfaction the Latin players got out of the game was the fact that they scored against the Tiger first stringers even though the marker was set up against substitutes.
With all the Tiger starters on the bench, the Latins late in the third stanza started a drive which advanced the ball from their own 16 to the Massillon 19 in six plays.

At that point the first stringers went back into the game and one the very first play against them Quarterback Pete Ghirla shot a short pass to Fullback John Nieser who outraced several potential tacklers on a run around left end and scampered over for the visitors’ lone touchdown.

Dick Shine hit Nieser as he reached the goal line but both fell into the end zone and it was a touchdown for Latin.
* * *
UNFORTUNATELY the prettiest play of the game and possibly of the entire season will never go into the record books because it was nullified by a penalty.

It was a pass by Johnson to Don Slicker which traveled 55 yards in the air, from the Massillon 15 to the Latin 30, before Slicker pulled in the ball, tucked it under his arm and carried it over.

All that went for naught, however, because the play was called back and the Tigers penalized 15 yards for holding.

The way the Tigers started the first time they gained possession of the ball a lot of fans undoubtedly figured they were going to see a replica of last year’s Massillon-Latin game in which the Orange and Black gridders scored four touchdowns in five plays from scrimmage in the first quarter.

Latin’s initial offensive bid netted a total of five yards in three plays so Left Half Tom Marko punted with Crable receiving on his own 47 and moving to the Latin 45.

The ball was handed to Johnson on the first play and he raced far around left end and straight down the sideline to the Latin 13 before being stopped. He shook off several potential tacklers but finally was grounded by three opponents.
* * *
DICK JACOBS was the ball carrier on the next play and he went right into the Latin line, found himself a hole and moved goal ward. He was hit as he went over and the ball rolled away but right there to fall on it was Don Studer and fall on it he did, thereby receiving credit for the touchdown. Krisher’s kick was unsuccessful so it was Massillon 6, Latin 0.

Any similarity between last night’s game and that of a year ago ended for the time being a short line later as the Tigers suffered a short-lived case of fumbleitis which twice lost them the ball fairly deep in their own territory.

Those two fumbles gave Latin a pair of golden scoring opportunities to take advantage of them. The first time Nieser was hit so hard that he lost seven yards and fumbled himself and the next time, after the visitors went through the right side of the Massillon line to move from the Tiger 31 to the 12, Nieser again was tossed for a loss after which Ghirla tried a southpaw pass into the end zone which was incomplete with the Tigers taking over on their own 18.

It was from that point that they moved to their second touchdown with the drive featuring a 31-yard run by Jacobs and a couple of (rest of paragraph missing)
* * *
TO START THE second period Quarterback Don Buynak shot a pass to Nieser which was good for 30 yards and that apparently made the Tigers somewhat peeved because on the next three plays Ronald Patt, Johnson, Ray Lane and Jim Schumacher tossed the Latin ball carriers for successive losses totaling 17 yards and one of those plays was a successful pass which, believe it or not, lost three yards.

The worst, however, from a Latin standpoint was still to come and it came as Marko punted to Crable on his own 32. The fleet-footed Tiger fullback started down the west sideline at full speed and he didn’t stop until he was over the goal line.

Joe Gleason deserves an assist on that touchdown because he came to Crable’s rescue as he appeared to be boxed in one the Latin 25 and sent two enemy players sprawling with a mighty block which left nothing but thin air between Irvin and pay dirt. Krisher’s kick was blocked and the score stood at 19-0.

Shortly thereafter came the Johnson to Slicker pass which didn’t count and only seconds were left in the half when Massillon took the ball on downs on the Latin 42.

Apparently figuring that there wasn’t much time to be lost, James dropped back on the first play and lofted the ball to Jacobs who took it on the 15 and went over unmolested. Krisher’s kick made the score 26-0 and 17 seconds later the half ended.
* * *
THE OPENING kick of the second half was taken by Crable on his own 10 and returned to the Latin 45 from where the Tigers drove to their next touchdown. They didn’t do so good on their first few plays but with the ball on the Latin 37 Johnson sped around left end to the 14, on the next play Crable went around the other end and was run out on the one-yard line, and then Johnson cracked the center of the Latin line for the marker. Krisher’s boot was good and the Tigers led by 33-0.

An exchange of punts with the Tigers seconds in the game resulted in Latin getting the ball on its own 16 from where the visitors drove for their touchdown, the important plays being a pass from Ghirla to Nieser good for an even 50 yards and an aerial from Ghirla to Sub Right Half Bill Tighe good for 13.

That latter play put the ball on the Massillon 19 and after an incompleted pass the Tiger first stringers went back into the game only to have Ghirla toss to Nieser for the touchdown play.

The final touchdown was scored about midway in the final period Crable setting it up by returning a Latin punt from midfield to the visitors’ 38.

Crable gained six yards around end, Jacobs carried to a first down on the 27 and then Crable moved quickly through the Latin line, cut sharply to the left and went the distance. Krisher’s kick made the Tiger total an even 40.

During the remaining time a couple of losses put Latin back on its own 10-from where Ghirla punted to Ernest Russell who returned from the Cleveland team’s 45 to the 22. A couple of offside penalties stopped a scoring bid by the Tigers and Left Half Steve Horvath finally intercepted a pass by Fred Close just before the game ended.
* * *
COACH MATHER was pleased by the Tigers’ victory and was particularly happy about the hard playing of his gridders but, “we still have a lot of rough edges to smooth out.”

The fact that the Tigers registered only nine first downs isn’t particularly surprising because most of the ground they gained was on long advances and, of course, all their long touchdown runs didn’t count in the first down total. At that, they got four more first downs than their opponents.

A gross yardage of 292 and a loss of 36 yards gave the Tigers a net of 256 yards. A fast charging Tiger line and exceptionally good work by the players backing up the line limited Latin to a gross of 166 yards and a net of 101.

Although they didn’t do much in the way of passing except for that one James to Jacobs touchdown aerial, the Tigers showed potentialities of developing a devastating passing attack with several boys able to toss the ball through the air with the greatest of ease.

The Orange and Black gridders blocked and tackled well with some of their blocks and tackles being so vicious that the spectators cringed in sympathy for the Latin boys on the receiving end.

All in all, the playing of the Tigers foretold of greater things to come in the future as the Massillon team goes up against opponents which likely will be somewhat tougher than was the Latin eleven.

The summary:
MASSILLON
ENDS – SLICKER, STUDER, Gleason, Brenner, Houston.
TACKLES – KRISHER, SCHUMACHER, Takacs, Roderick Gibson,
Duke, Stanford.
GUARDS – SHINE, REICHENBACH, Laps, Grunder, Turkal.
CENTERS – PATT, Dowd, Vilet.
QUARTERBACKS – JAMES, Close.
HALFBACKS – JACOBS, JOHNSON, Lane, Russell, Waikem, Tunning.
FULLBACKS – CRABLE, Howe, Grier.

LATIN
ENDS – LANGOWSKI, VOSMIK, Kusa, Meglen.
TACKLES – KOREN, CLARK, Gravette, Kant.
GUARDS – HOFFERT, SCHUERGER, Presutio, Novak.
CENTERS – PINTO, Donnelly.
QUARTERBACKS – BUYNAK, Ghirla.
HALFBACKS – MARKO, TIGHE, Engeman, Horvath, Fink, Tighe.
FULLBACKS – NIESER, Cuilli.

Score by quarters:
Massillon 13 26 33 40
Latin 0 0 6 6

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Studer; Jacobs 2; Crable 2; Johnson.
Latin – Nieser.

Points after touchdown:
Massillon – Krisher 4 (kicks).

Referee – McPhee (Youngstown).
Umpire – Williams (Youngstown).
Head Linesman – Hamill (Weirton, W. Va.)
Field Judge – Morbito (Kent).

Statistics
Massillon Latin
First downs 9 5
Passes attempted 7 18
Passes completed 1 7
Had passes intercepted 2 2
Yards gained passing 42 116
Yards gained rushing 250 50
Total yards gained 292 166
Yards lost 36 65
Net yards gained 256 101
Punts 4 7
Punts blocked 0 1
Average punts (yards) 46 32
Average punt returns (yards) 22 12
Kickoffs 7 2
Average kickoffs (yards) 48 23
Average kickoff returns (yards) 21 17
Penalties 8 4
Yards penalized 60 30
Fumbles 4 4
Lost ball on fumbles 2 1

Tag: <span>C.J. Johnson</span>