TIGERS BEAT BULLDOGS 20-6 TO RETAIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CANTON GIVES LOCAL TEAM HARDEST GAME
Bulldogs Threaten Upset By Scoring One Touchdown And coming Close To Another; Slusser And Gillom Shine For Massillon
By LUTHER EMERY
A fighting band of red and black grid warriors played their hearts out at beautiful Fawcett stadium, Canton, Saturday afternoon but bowed 20-6 before the lightning thrusts of the Washington high Tiger.
The victory kept the state championship and the Stark county title in Massillon a fifth straight year and extended the Tiger winning streak begun in 1937 to 23 games. Hardest Fought Game Since 1935 While 22,000 fans filled every inch of the stadium and sat on the slope at the northwest end, the Tiger and Bulldog elevens waged their hottest duel since the terrific game of 1935 when a 6-0 victory started the string of five straight triumphs the Tigers have recorded against their Canton opponents.
Keyed with a new spirit and equipped with a new double wing-back offense, the Bulldogs tackled and blocked as they never did before this season and played a brand of football that would have sent them into the game an undefeated team.
It’s tradition that the underdog plays over his head and the favorite tightens up in a Massillon-Canton game and that was what took place Saturday. The Bulldogs were over their heads compared with past performances this season, but perhaps they were only playing the brand of ball of which they were really capable to producing. Canton Changes Strategy They adopted a first half strategy of consuming as much time in the huddle as possible to purposely delay the game with the hope of keeping down the score and possibly capitalizing on a break.
But when George Slusser crossed the Bulldog goal from the one-yard line in the second quarter and tossed a 21-yard pass to Tom James for another the Bulldogs, trailing 13-0, changed their strategy at halftime and came out to shoot the works in a do-or-die attempt to win.
Massillon fans who had eased back in their seats at the start of the third period feeling perfectly secure on a 13-point lead, were struck speechless when like a bolt out of the sky, Andy Marantides, game little Canton halfback, shot a 20-yard pass to halfback Matt Brown, who caught the ball over George Slusser’s head and ran another 21 yards for a touchdown.
What was apprehension became downright fear for Massillon fans when the Bulldogs came right back with another rush in which officials and the Bulldog backs carried the ball to the Tiger 15-yard line. Here the local eleven held for downs, thanks to a great job of pass defense work by Halfbacks Bob Foster, who batted down what looked like another perfect touchdown pass from Marantides to Brown.
Taking the ball on their own 15-yard line, the Tigers roared back with a drive to their own 49. There the Massillon linemen blasted a big hole in the Bulldog forward wall and on the slickest play of the day and a consistent ground gainer, Slusser took the ball from Bill Zimmerman on a fake spin and ran 51 yards for a touchdown. He cut hard to his right as he crossed the line of scrimmage and circled Bill Goodman, the McKinley safety man.
The touchdown eased the tension of Massillon fans, but the Bulldogs were not yet beaten. They wouldn’t quit as so many teams have done in the face of the Tiger charge, but came back fighting with another touchdown bid that would have reached the two yard line had not Halfback Goodman stepped out of bounds on the 30. It was the last scoring threat of either team and the game ended with the Tigers moving forward with the ball in midfield. Tigers Had Drive When Needed The statistics which favor Canton in first downs and Massillon in yards gained from scrimmage show little difference in both teams. Yet that little difference amounted to a big difference – the Tigers could get yards when needed, while the Bulldogs as in so many games the past season, moved the ball between the 20-yard lines but lacked the drive to put it over.
With a few ifs Canton might have gotten a tie out of it. Had not Foster been alert and timed his leap to a split second to knock down Marantides’ pass to Brown on the two-yard line, the Bulldogs would have had another touchdown. And they might have scored a third, had not Goodman walked the sideline in the last period after taking a pass from Marantides.
It was in the air that Canton gained most of its distance and what yards it made on the ground were gained around the Tiger ends.
Coach Johnny Reed gave his team a new double wing back offense for the game, hoping to spread the Tiger defense with the extra wing back and run fast breaking plays through the center of the Massillon line.
John Swezey, Red Henderson, Gil Pedrotty and Jim Russell, rose to the occasion, however and bottled up the Bulldog backs, while Horace Gillom, playing his greatest high school game, backed up the line with tremendous power. Swezey was particularly outstanding and the Tiger coaches were loud in their praise of his work after the game. Slusser Best Runner Offensively, Slusser, was the shining light for the Tigers. He gained more ground than any other player on the field, carrying the ball 22 times for an average of 7.2 yards, scoring two touchdowns and tossing the pass to Tom James for the third.
James and Foster also played good ball and because of his all around judgment Saturday, James will be first choice at calling signals next year. Foster gave an outstanding exhibition of pass defense work and was in on many a tackle.
Gillom’s punting was on a par with his great defensive play. He averaged 40.6 yards from scrimmage on his punts and kicked one ball 60 yards on the fly.
The Tigers had a series of plays with Gillom carrying the ball. They tried one on the second play after the kickoff, but when Horace fumbled when tackled, it was decided to play safe and continue the ball carrying to boys who were accustomed to lugging the leather.
Big Nick Rotz was outstanding on the Canton line. He was almost too strong for end Ray Getz to handle. Marantides was outstanding in the Bulldog backfield, doing most of the running and all of the punting and passing.
Still Champions Massillon Pos. Canton Getz LE Ryman Pedrotty LT Reale Russell LG Mack Martin C Haines Henderson RG Sirk Swezey RT Rotz Gillom RE Dugger Foster QB Chabek Slusser LH Marantides James RH Goodman Zimmerman FB Brown
Score by periods: Massillon 0 13 7 0 20 Canton 0 6 0 0 6
TIGERS OVERPOWER BULLDOGS 19-6 TO CLAIM STATE TITLE STATE HONORS GO TO MASSILLON GRIDDERS THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR Orange and Black Surprises Canton Foe With New Offense Especially Prepared for a Slippery Gridiron; Wins by Decisive Margin
By LUTHER EMERY
The Washington high Tigers today laid claim to their third successive state scholastic football championship. Out of the thunderous ovation that greeted their 19-6 triumph over Canton McKinley Saturday afternoon on Lehman field, Canton came recognition. They had soundly trounced the undefeated team that would have been crowned with the mythical title had it beaten the Tiger.
But the Tiger was not to be beaten Saturday. It clawed and fought with cunning as it had never done this season and backed up a stubborn Bulldog over an icy gridiron for three touchdowns.
Once the Bulldog struck and like a surprise air-raid in the night, caught the Tiger off its guard and scored a touchdown while the latter was feasting on six easily earned points. That was in the first period.
From there on the Tiger played heads-up football and after an even first half, unleashed its power to score touchdowns in the third and fourth period and leave no doubt as to it being the better team on the field.
Overflow Crowd Sees Rout of Bulldog An overflow crowd of between 12,000 and 13,000 strictly partisan fans, shivered and shouted as the two 175-pound lines smashed each other on a slippery field. The Massillon trenchmen hit the harder and the quicker and tore apart the Canton forwards for All-Ohio Bobby Glass and Red Snyder, the new found hero, to romp through. Give the line credit. Its play was superb. Messrs. Fred Toles, Gus Peters, Bill MacMichael, Earl Martin, Lynn Houston, Junior Anderson and Don Snavely, were in the thick of the battle every minute. They held the Bulldog running attack to a net gain of 51 yards and drove back the Canton linemen when on the offense.
It was the last game for Anderson, Peters, Snavely and Glass and the victory was a grand diploma for each.
Snavely’s defensive work was superb. In the face of a severe and almost constant roughing, he made tackle after tackle to stop the charges of the Canton backs. Once he had to take time out because of an injured knee, but he shook out the kink and continued in the game was did every other Massillon player from the opening whistle to the finish. It was the second straight that the Tigers had played through an entire game without a single substitution.
33 Points against Canton As for Glass, he had an honor that few other Massillon backs can claim, that of scoring on Canton in three successive years. He did it in 1935 when the Tigers won 6-0. He pushed two over in 1936 and Saturday he scored two more. In addition he kicked four points from placement. Thirty-three points against Canton in three years – that is his record.
But it was not all Glass in a ball carrying way Saturday as it had been so many times this season. The Tigers uncovered a new ball carrier in Snyder, that likable red head from the west side who is ready to try his hand at anything.
Red blocked all last year and all this year until a week ago when he carried the ball for the first time against Barberton.
He ran right over his interference then and fans shook their heads uncertainly. Not Saturday, Red was on his way like a streak of lightning and when his interference clogged he circled it and kept going. He carried the ball 31 times for an average of 4.3 yards on each play and in this average, even out shown Glass who in 32 attempts averaged 3.7 yards.
Bill Zimmerman who had confined his work of the afternoon to blocking, lugged the leather only once, in next to the last play of the game. He did not gain, but it mattered naught; he had turned in a great job of blocking as did Sammy Doroslov, the blocking quarterback.
Tigers Superior The Massillon gridders were superior in every department with the exception of forward passing and punting. They out rushed the Bulldogs 252 yards to 51 yards and they made 13 first downs to Canton’s eight. The Bulldogs on the other hand, gained 152 yards from passing which included the touchdown pass of 70 yards and Charles Rotar averaged 47 yards on his punts compared with Bob Glass’ 34 yards. Rotar, however did virtually all of his punting with the wind at his back and kept the ball in the center of the field, while Glass punted only once with the wind and on virtually every occasion kicked it out of bounds. Because Glass hoisted the ball out of bounds, Rotar as safety man was able to return his punts only a total of 10 yards, while Snyder returned Rotar’s punts 40 yards. While in the business of heaping praise on the Massillon team, the performance of one Canton ball carrier, Tip Lockard, should not be overlooked. Carrying the ball seven times, he gained 33 yards for an average of 4.7 yards, the best average of any ball carrier on the field.
Lockard, by the way, formerly lived in Massillon.
Did the Tiger coaching staff outsmart John Reed and crew?
That practice behind closed gates here last week meant on thing – a new offense. Yes, Massillon had worked on defense but Coach Paul Brown had also equipped his team with a new offense, a series of sharp cutback plays directed both inside and outside of tackle, especially useful on a muddy field. The theory behind it all was to get the Bulldogs moving one way, then suddenly dash the opposite direction, figuring the Bulldogs in their surprise would be caught flat footed in the mud and would not be able to shift back in time to stop the ball carrier. The theory worked time and again.
Score Touchdown Early The new offense revealed itself the first time the Tigers came into possession of the ball and they marched 40 yards for a touchdown, Glass going over. Canton came right back with a dazzling pass, Biasella to Roman for 70 yards and a touchdown, and it looked like a great offensive game was in the making.
Better defensive play and great punting by Glass and Rotar staved off any further scoring the rest of the half. The Tiger power could not be denied, however, and two drives in the last two periods, one of 61 yards and another of 29 sealed the verdict. Glass and Snyder carried the ball over and Glass placekicked the extra point after the last touchdown.
It was the fourth time in five years that the winning team had scored three touchdowns. Canton made three in defeating the Tigers in1932, 1933 and 1934 and Massillon scored three last year.
The game was played in a flurry of snow. It was fluttering over the field when the two teams lined up for the opening kickoff. Snavely had won the toss and elected to defend the west goal.
Canton received. Glass toe dug heavily into the leather, the ball rode and the wind and the game was on. Lockard only came back to the 11-yard line. The Bulldogs made a daring play as Biasella tossed a pass that was grounded. Fearing a fumble, Rotar dropped back and booted the ball to his own 40 where it was grounded without return.
Tigers Score The Massillon steamroller began moving. Revealing a new offense consisting of sharp cut-back plays, Snyder and Glass ripped through the Bulldog line. On the very first play the red head rammed through for 14 yards and a first down on the 26. Glass smashed through for one yard; then nine. Snyder lost a yard but Glass hammered hard on fourth down and got his first down on the 12-yard stripe. Snyder picked up two, Glass got two more and then on his old pet lugged the leather straight down the alley for eight yards and a touchdown. A yawning hole was opened up for him and he went over with yards to spare. It was the same play Heine Krier used to score on the Bulldogs in 1934. Glass made one on it in 1935 too. His attempted kick for the extra point went wild.
Feasting on the six points, the Tigers were caught asleep immediately after the next kickoff to Lockard who got back to near the 30. A sleeper was trotted out to the opposite side of the field to catch a pass. The attention of the Massillon backfield was directed toward him and at the very instant the Bulldogs snapped the ball, Roman headed straight down the sideline, got by Doroslov who slipped as he stepped backward to block the pass. Roman caught the ball, cut sharply across the field and with fine interference scampered 60 yards for a touchdown. A sigh of relief was heard from the Massillon rooters when Fife’s attempted kick was wide of the posts.
With the score tied 6-6 the teams battled furiously the remainder of the period and throughout the second quarter.
Once the Tigers hammered down to the 15-yard line, but Kark broke through and tossed Glass for a five-yard loss to end the threat. It was the closest either team was able to get the remainder of the half. Rotar’s booming punts keeping the Tigers in safe territory throughout the second period.
Launch 61-yard Drive The second time the Tigers got their hands on the ball in the third period they launched a 61-yard drive from their 39-yard line. Roughing of Snavely seemed to fire the Massillon team to the attack. Glass circled his right end for eight yards and Snyder picked up 11 more for a first down on the Canton 42. Glass hit for five and Snyder picked up seven for another first down on the 30. They took turns hammering Canton’s right tackle for four yards and Glass smashed for a first down on the 18.
Snyder ran hard and wide around his left end and got way down to the five-yard line but he slipped out of bounds on the 12. He smashed through to the eight and a first down by inches.
The going was hard from there and it seemed like the Bulldogs might stem the attack when they held Glass and Snyder to six yards in three downs. They massed their defense in the center probably expecting another thrust at the line, but Snyder had one play in the bag he had not used and he brought it out at the right time. His line shifted to the left and the backs to the right and Glass running hard, circled wide around in his right end, nearly the width of the field to cross the Canton goal. The pass from center rolled on the ground and the attempt for the extra point failed.
Fred Toles who waited until Saturday to play his best game of the season and only his second as left end and defensive right halfback, paved the way for the Tigers third and last touchdown.
It was early in the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs, making a desperate bid to catch up, flung a pass from their 27. Toles left his feet to snare the ball before it could get to the receiver and got clear back to the 19-yard line before being put down.
Snyder rammed for four and Glass carried to within a foot of a first down. They were looking for Glass to make that extra foot but instead Snyder took the ball and smashed straight through to the three-yard line in two attempts he went over for a touchdown and this time Glass sent a perfect kick between the bars.
On the following kickoff the Bulldogs made their longest sustained march of the day. Starting from their 20 after Glass had booted the ball out of the end zone, they tossed passes which mixed in with an occasional good gain by Lockard and Jack Barthel, carried the ball to a first down on the 16-yard line.
Motley grounded a pass behind the goal. Barthel failed to gain and the second pass in the series was intercepted behind the goal. It gave the Tigers the ball on their own 20.
On the first play Glass broke loose for the longest run of the day from scrimmage, a dash of 26 yards. The Tigers failed to make a second first down however and Canton took the ball on its 44 only to lose it when Biasella’s pass hit an ineligible receiver. The game ended with the Tigers still holding the ball.
Into the dressing rooms the two teams rushed, the Tigers beaming with victory, but white from the cold and fatigue of a hard game. They slapped each other on the back and got slapped by several close friends who poured into the dressing room after them. It was their third straight victory over McKinley. It enabled them to lay claim to their third straight Ohio championship. It was their third straight Stark county title and it was equal to eye for an eye revenge for the three straight defeats the Bulldogs had handed them back in 1932-34.
Someone stepped up with the remark, “Nice game, Fred, I knew you had it in you.”
“Yes, Freddy, why didn’t you turn that loose long ago?” said Wyatt.
But before Freddy could answer, Charley piped up, “Because I told him so; didn’t I, Freddy? Didn’t I tell you to hold everything until today?”
Freddy looked around to see if anyone was looking and nodded, yes.
Charley expects to finish school this year and would like to go away off somewhere and play football. He admitted he would like to have old Mike Byelene tossing the ball to him. “All I had to do was say, ‘Charley, jump,’ and Mike always had the ball there for me.” Mike is on the freshman eleven at Purdue.
The game was the last the two schools will play in Lehmans’ stadium. Canton expects to have its new stadium completed by next year. With the addition of temporary seats it will accommodate nearly twice the crowd that attended Saturday’s game.
A TASK WELL DONE, TIGERS! MASSILLON Pos. CANTON TOLES LE ROTAR PETERS LT KAMP MacMICHAEL LG RYAN MARTIN C FIFE HOUSTON RG MOTLEY ANDERSON RT KARK SNAVELY RE ROMAN DOROSLOV QB BIASELLA SNYDER LH BARTHEL ZIMMERMAN RH FEHN GLASS FB LACKARD
Score by periods: MASSILLON 6 0 6 7 19 CANTON 6 0 0 0 6
Substitutions: Canton – Long, e; Miller, c; Robertson, t.
Touchdowns: Massillon – Glass 2; Snyder. Canton – Roman.
Points after touchdown: Massillon – Glass (placekick).
Referee – Reese. Umpire – Finsterwald. Head Linesman – Graf. Field Judge – Jenkins.
Game Statistics Mass. Can. First downs rushing 13 2 First downs passing 0 5 Total first downs 13 8 Yards gained rushing 265 61 Yards lost rushing 13 10 Net gain rushing 252 51 Yards gained passing 0 152 Total yards gained 252 203 Passes attempted 1 15 Passes completed 0 7 Passes incomplete 1 6 Passes intercepted 0 2 Times penalized 1 3 Yards penalized 5 35 Times punted 5 6 Average punt 35 47 Returned punts (yards) 40 10 Times kicked off 4 2 Yards kickoff returned 19 36 Fumbles committed 2 1 Fumbles recovered 2 1
Ball Carriers Statistics Player Times Gained Lost Av. Snyder 31 131 1 4.3 Glass 32 131 12 3.7 Zimmerman 1 0 0 0 Lockard 7 33 0 4.7 Barthel 10 21 2 1.9 Fehn 4 7 8 -.2
TIGERS BEAT BULLDOGS FOR OHIO SCHOLASTIC TITLE Stands Well Filled At Noon For Scholastic Grid Classic
CANTON REPOSITORY AND THE CANTON DAILY NEWS CANTON, OHIO, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1936
“How Many Of Those Massillon Boys Will Be Back Next Year?” Asks Coach Reed After Game
SEVERAL thousand persons were in their seats by noon and every available place was taken more than 30 minutes before game time. Scores of fans who had no tickets watched the game from a high bank south of the stadium and two daring boys braved the icy wind to see action from the upper limbs of a tree.
The crowd drew a record number of newspaper, radio and motion picture men who overflowed the regular press box and filled a new press box on the roof of the west stands. In addition to Canton and Massillon reporters there were representatives of all papers in Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, Coshocton and Wheeling.
Taking the field at the half, Canton band members formed the outline of a Bulldog’s head on the turf. At a signal from the drum major each musician scattered white paper clippings at his feet, leaving a picture that survived second half play.
In spite of numerous warning signs, a few fans considered the Canton-Massillon game an occasion for alcoholic celebration. There was much banter and one or two little encounters, but on the whole the crowd was orderly.
Not counting obvious comments about the probable winner, the greatest question before the game started was, “Do you think it’s going to rain?”
Some thought it would remain clear, some thought it would rain and others voted for snow. All were right, for a light rain which began in the second quarter turned to snow at the half and stopped completely before the third period opened.
Ohio’s greatest scholastic football game brought to an end one of the greatest strings of consecutive victories ever credited to a coach. The defeat was Coach Johnny Reed’s first in 45 games played during the last five seasons. He won 35 straight at North Braddock, Pa., before coming to Canton and getting nine more.
To Coach Paul Brown of Massillon the victory meant retaining the mythical state championship and boosting the record of successive wins to 20.
As soon as the classic ended Saturday afternoon Coach Reed began thinking of next season. One of his first questions to newspaper men was, “How many of those boys will be playing for Massillon again next year?”
Massillon barely missed getting two more touchdowns. In the second quarter Byelene’s long pass to Gillom would have been a score had Gillom held on to the ball. In the fourth period Anderson ran wide around his left end and was forced out of bounds on the one yard line, sliding diagonally into the end zone.
Rain and snow whipped by a stiff northwest wind failed to chill the enthusiasm of rival rooters. Massillon cheerleaders cooked up a special cheer for the occasion. It went something like this: “California, Oregon, Arizona cactus; We play Canton Just for practice.”
Don Scott, Canton quarterback who injured his collarbone in the Alliance game last week, was in the game just long enough to say he played. He entered the game halfway through the final quarter and protested vigorously when Coach Reed ordered him out one play later. Reed wanted him to play but couldn’t take any chance of serious injury.
Spectators at Canton – Massillon games are good natured. They need to be to keep their poise when ushers, as happened yesterday, blandly tell them the seats they bought are occupied by someone else. In the east stands no aisles were provided; every inch of space was occupied.
A serious tragedy was imminent after the game when thousands of persons tried to leave the field through gates, which besides being too small to accommodate the exodus were blocked by wooden railings. The railings finally were torn down.
In the fourth quarter when it finally became plain to even the most hopeful McKinley fans that this wasn’t their team’s day, a disconsolate bettor in Sect. K turned around and hospitably invited one and all to come to see him any time during the next two weeks. “I’ll be staying inside,” he promised, then added, “and it’ll be beans on the table for Thanksgiving.”
Urchins did a thriving business underneath the east stands picking up pillows, pocketbooks and automobile robes. No, Horatio Alger, they didn’t give them back to their owners, not unless the owner happened to get there first.
To the gentleman who tired to persuade everyone to sit down – “so all of us can see better” – and ended up by standing on tiptoe to see anything at all: It’s still a good idea.
GLASS TALLIES 15 POINTS FOR STATE CHAMPS Leads Tigers to Decisive Victory Over Bulldogs and Grid Title
By Alex Zirin (Plain Dealer Staff Correspondent)
MASSILLON, O., Nov. 21 – Trampling their foes into the frozen sod with a magnificent display of balance and power, the raging Tigers of Massillon Washington High School today retained the mythical Ohio scholastic football championship.
Outplaying Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs at every turn, outfighting and outwitting them, the Tigers triumphed, 21 to 0, before a colorful throng of 21,000 spectators.
Canton never had a chance and again it was Massillon’s turn to howl. The celebration started as the final gun popped and promised to last until the wee hours of the morning.
Tenth in Row It was the tenth straight triumph of the year for the Tigers, who haven’t lost, incidentally, since they bowed to Canton in 1934. They closed with the amazing total of 443 points to fourteen for their foes.
Playing the role of the hero for the second straight year was stocky Bob Glass, who represents a coach’s dream of a fullback. Glass scored the touchdown that stopped the Bulldogs last year, 6 to 0. Today he ran wild, scoring two touchdowns and kicking three extra points.
Perfectly conditioned, despite the bear stories of injuries, Massillon opened and finished with the same eleven players. Canton, on the other hand, took a decisive beating and the Bulldogs were glad to settle for only three touchdowns. Glass scored his first tally in the second period on a 39-yard dash. The blocking that aided him was perfect. He went over again in the fourth period, after battering his way down to the 3.
Byelene Races 45 Yards Mike Byelene, captain and passer deluxe, crashed into the scoring column in the fourth period when he grabbed Pete Fiore’s desperate pass and raced 45 yards unmolested down the sidelines. All three of Glass’ placement attempts were high boots that split the uprights. Some lucky fan made off with a football, refusing to throw it back after Bob’s second extra point. The cops tried to spot the fortunate gent but drew only a copious round of Bronx cheers for their efforts.
Incidentally, the police had their hands full all day. The first Massillon touchdown was the signal for an outburst of fist fights all over the stands. Feeling was intense. Officials stopped a battle between players before any punches could be tossed. Every seat was occupied and hundreds were forced to stand, their teeth chattering as a bitter wind accompanied by snow swept over the field.
Canton’s rooters were bitterly disappointed at the showing of their favorites. They simply couldn’t understand it. There is only one explanation Massillon had a vastly superior team this year. The Bulldogs showed none of the class expected of them. They, too, entered the fray with a record of nine straight triumphs over a slightly better grade of opponents. However, it was again proved that past performances mean nothing when these two aggregations come together.
Tigers Start Early The Tigers were hot from the opening kickoff. Taking a poor punt on their own 40, they swept to the 22 before being stopped on downs. In this drive, Glass’ running and Byelene’s pass to Charley Anderson featured.
Two downs convinced Canton that the Massillon line was plenty tough and Jim Snyder got off a great punt to avert danger. But it was not long before Edgar Herring, a fleet halfback and Glass were again knocking at Canton’s goal door. This advance ended when Anderson narrowly missed Byelene’s pass. Massillon claimed interference, but it was not allowed. Again Canton tried the line and again had to punt.
Massillon had the ball on the McKinley 45 when period ended. On the first play Glass made the first down on the 48. Herring lost a yard but Byelene made 8. That set the stage for Glass. He burst through right guard, reversed his field and crossed the line standing up. The last man in his way, Barthel, was taken out by Warren Wyatt’s great block.
Fans Go Wild The stands trembled as the Massillon rooters broke loose. It required the combined efforts of the police, reserves, coaches and subs to keep the more boisterous fans off the field. Twice more in the period the Tigers threatened, only to lose the ball on downs each time.
Canton changed tactics in third period, but its passes failed to click. Meanwhile Massillon refused to take any chances, playing careful running football.
The Tigers opened up again in the final period. Byelene whirled around left end for 5. Glass made 2 at center and then ripped through right guard for a first down on the 23, Herring scooted around end for 8 yards and the Massillon rooters were yelling for a touchdown. A fumble by Glass lost 5 yards, but Anderson made a leaping catch of Byelene’s pass a foot away from the sidelines on the 9-yard marker. But there the Canton line tightened and the Bulldogs finally got the ball on their 2. Snyder backed up to the boundary fence but was rushed and his punt went out only to the 16.
Glass Plows Over There was no stopping Glass this time. In three crashes he went to the 3 and from there he whipped over right guard for his second touchdown.
Naturally Canton could do only one thing when it got the ball and that was to pass. But Massillon’s defense was too alert and when Byelene intercepted Fiore’s throw, there wasn’t a Bulldog within yards of him. He eased up and almost walked across the goal line. Save for one run of 40 yards by Ballos, the Bulldogs were stopped almost cold from scrimmage.
Anderson, who was supposed to be so badly hurt that he would never play again and Don Snavely, nephew of the former Shaw High coach, Jack Snavely, were outstanding on the line.
It can’t be said that Canton ever stopped trying but that wasn’t enough.
CANTON POS. MASSILLON J. Snyder LE Gillom Angelo LT J. Anderson Fife LG Wyatt Rice C Snavely Motley RG J. Miller Vierdo RT Peters Rotar RE E. Anderson Kamp Q Byelene Ballos LH Herring Barthel RH V. Snyder Fiore F Glass
Massillon 0 7 0 14 21
Substitutions: Canton – Long, re; Mould, re; Scott, re; Simon, c.
Touchdowns: Massillon – Glass 2; Byelene.
Points after touchdown: Massillon – Glass 3 (placements).
Referee – David Rees. Head Linesman – C.J. Graf. Umpire – W. Finsterwald. Field Judge – Verlin Jenkins.
Time of periods: 12 minutes.
Massillon Whips Canton Tigers Snare 20th Straight Glass Celebrates Birthday By Getting 15 Points
By HENRY ANDREWS (Times-Press Staff Correspondent)
MASSILLON, Nov. 21 – Somewhere in these United States there may be a better scholastic football team than Massillon High.
But the 18,500 persons who wedged themselves into Massillon Field this afternoon will doubt it. For they saw the “perfect team” on parade as Massillon marched to a 21-0 triumph over Canton McKinley in their clash for the state scholastic football title.
Win 20th Straight Primed and geared for action, this Massillon eleven rolled up 15 first downs and 21 points to carve out its 20th straight victory. The Tigers cut down opposing tacklers with buzz-saw efficiency.
They were stubborn on defense, permitting Canton to get beyond the mid-field stripe but once and then in the final 10 seconds of playing. This was a Canton team, mind you, that had tallied 379 points in winning nine straight games this season.
Celebrates Birthday Robert Lloyd Glass, Tigers fullback and the young gent who tallied the lone touchdown that beat Canton 6-0, in 1935, mounted to the heights again today as he scored 15 points – two touchdowns and three extra points.
Glass, who was celebrating his 19th birthday anniversary today, scored the Tigers’ first two touchdowns.
His first came early in the second period when he tucked the leather under his arm and pounded over his own right tackle for 38 yards with a horde of blockers clearing the path. Once into the clear, Glass had only Jack Barthel, Canton back, to pass for a touchdown. Barthel never had a chance as Guard Warren Wyatt of the Tigers cut him down with a scythe-like block.
Glass – But Not Fragile! The 170-pound Tiger fullback, an iron man if ever there was one, scored again in the final period after five successive line plunges. He started from the Canton 16, where Massillon got the ball on a poor punt by Canton’s Jim Snyder.
Over center he went for five yards. He made one more at the same spot and then five at left tackle for a first down on the Canton five. Getting the ball for the fourth successive time, he carried it to the two-yard line. Then on the next play, he found a mile-wide hole at center and crossed the goal standing up.
Michael Byelene, Massillon quarterback who whips passes a la Carl Hubbell, accounted for the Tigers’ final score when he intercepted Carl Fiore’s pass and ran 35 yards for a touchdown, out-maneuvering Fiore in his run for the marker.
Iron Man Act Coach Paul Brown of Massillon used the iron man act today, not substituting once. He didn’t need to. Each player more than filled his job. There were no individual stars, lest it be Glass, but even Glass had to have good blocking to do what he did. He got it.
Canton, on the other hand, was crippled by the loss of the 205-pound Don Scott, who entered the game for but one play and then was mercifully substituted by Coach John Reed. The youngster, suffering from a fractured collarbone, had no license in the bruising fray. His loss was felt keenly by Canton. Even with Scott and all the king’s horses and the king’s men, Canton would never have stopped Massillon today.
The defeat was a personal blow to Coach Reed, who succeeded Jimmy Aiken at Canton this season. Reed-coached elevens had won 44 straight games up until today when the former North Braddock, Pa., mentor’s record was snapped.
Canton Out Played Throughout Canton made but a net yardage of 38 yards from scrimmage and was held to three first downs.
Only time the Bulldogs eleven got beyond the midfield stripe was in the last 10 seconds when Barthel carried a Massillon kickoff to the Tigers’ 40 before being pushed out of bounds as the game ended.
Glass was Massillon’s outstanding ground-gainer, picking up 120 yards in 30 attempts – an average of four yards per try. Edgar Herring, Massillon’s fleet halfback, who played throughout the game although he was carried off the field at Barberton just a week ago with an injured ankle, gained 60 yards in 18 attempts.
Massillon Pos. Canton Gillom le Snyder J. Anderson lt Angelo Wyatt lg Fife Snavely c Rice Miller rg Motley Peters rt Vierdo C. Anderson re Rotar Byelene (C) qb Kamp Herring lh Ballos V. Snyder rh Barthel Glass fb Fiore
Score by periods: Massillon 0 7 0 14 21
Touchdowns: Massillon – Glass 2; Byelene.
Extra Points: Massillon – Glass 3 (all placements).
Referee – Rees (Dennison). Umpire – Finsterwald (O.S.U.). Head Linesman – Gray (Ohio State). Field Judge – Jenkins (Akron).
GAME FIGURES Canton-Massillon statistics Massillon Can. First downs 14 3 Yards gained, scrimmage 238 69 Yards lost, scrimmage 38 31 Net yards, scrimmage 200 38 Plays from scrimmage 61 24 Passes attempted 15 7 Passes completed 6 1 Passes intercepted by 2 1 Yards gained, passes 93 13 Fumbles 2 2 Opponent’s fumbles Recovered by 1 0 Yards lost, penalties 15 0 Average of punts 45 42 Yards gained, returned punts 57 12
TIGERS RETAIN OHIO SCHOLASTIC HONORS BY LACING BULLDOGS Record Crowd Of 21,000 Fans Watches Massillon Win Easily Over Traditional Rivals SMASHING ATTACK SURPRISES CANTON McKinley Eleven Loses First Game Of Season; Glass Stars For Winners, Scoring Twice
By JACK MAXWELL
A truly great Tiger football machine representing Washington high of Massillon rose to the occasion on its home field Saturday, completely outplaying the Bulldogs of Canton McKinley while winning 21-0 and repeating as scholastic champions of Ohio, defending the title taken from the Canton school last year.
The contest was witnessed by a throng of 21,000, largest in the history of football relations between the two schools.
The game opened on a dry field but leaden skies fulfilled their promise late in the first half and rain, followed by sleet, made playing conditions more difficult for the remainder of the encounter.
The Massillon conquest stretched the winning streak of Paul Brown’s machine to 20 straight victories, as the Tigers have not been defeated since McKinley turned the trick in the finale of 1934, in which the setup was identically the same as that of yesterday’s duel. The result in that year was just the reverse however, as the Bulldogs emerged from that battle on the long end of a 21-6 score which gave them a leading claim to the state title for that season.
Canton Hold Series Edge The Tiger win yesterday also brought the Massillon total to 16 for the inter-city series which started in 1894, Canton having been victorious 22 times with three games resulting in ties.
The defeat broke a winning streak for Coach Johnny Reed, who took over the Canton reins for the first time this fall. His string had reached 44 consecutive games with the Bulldog victory over Alliance a week earlier. Despite the loss yesterday, the McKinley season record of nine wins and one defeat definitely establishes Coach Reed as a success in his inaugural campaign in Canton.
The Bulldogs put up a game fight in defeat, but simply were opposed by a better ball club yesterday. A perusal of the statistics discloses that the Tigers had a wide margin of superiority in every department except punting, piling up 14 first downs to McKinley’s 3 and gaining 291 yards from scrimmage to 35. The greatest disappointment in the fracas from the standpoint of the followers was the manner in which their team’s line was out-charged and out-fought by the Massillon front wall. Except for very brief flashes of form, the Red and Black running attack, which had rolled over everything in its way in previous tilts this season, did not function, largely through the failure of the linemen to clear even the semblance of a path for their ball-toters.
The Tigers completely upset pre-game dope by the manner in which they accounted for the greater part of their yardage. It was expected that they would rely chiefly upon their aerial game, since they had scored the majority of their touchdowns this season on passes. On the contrary, however, their victory yesterday was almost entirely the result of one of the most powerful ground attacks seen on an Ohio scholastic gridiron in recent years. None of the scores was made directly on aerials, although Mike Byelene, captain and ace tosser, connected on six heaves, four of which were snagged by Charles Anderson, star wingman of Coach Brown’s aggregation.
Glass Repeats As Star The same Massillon performer who was the hero of the Tiger 6-0 defeat of the Bulldogs here last season proved their nemesis again yesterday. The boy in question, Fullback Bob Glass, unquestionably gave the outstanding exhibition of the contest. He scored the two touchdowns, the first of which came on a scintillating 37 yard run in the second quarter, placekicked all three extra points and was the spearhead of the Massillon attack throughout, seeming to be practically unstoppable on his thrusts through the McKinley line. In addition to his offensive activities, he also starred at right end on defense and on several occasions threw Bulldog ball carriers for losses.
Edgar Herring fleet halfback who had led the Tiger offense in their previous conquests, was stopped more effectively yesterday than he had been at any time before, but he eluded tacklers for nice gains several times. As aforementioned, Mike Byelene threw all of his team’s passes directed the machine well and threatened to get away around end at various junctures.
The entire Massillon line gave a colossal imitation of a stone wall on defense and gave the backs wide openings on many occasions. Don Snavely and Warren Wyatt were the standouts. Snavely played alert ball in backing up the line and put Canton in the hole when he covered Barthel’s fumble of a punt on the McKinley 11 yard line in the second period. Wyatt played in the Red and Black backfield a great part of the afternoon and spilled Carl Fiore when he went back to pass on two consecutive plays. Charley Anderson also put up his usual high type of ball at right end.
With their line infinitely superior, the Tigers were dominant from start to finish and only the determined defense of the Bulldogs inside of their 20 yard line prevented a complete rout. Time after time they staved off drives which deemed certain to produce touchdowns. In sharp contrast, McKinley never was in Massillon territory until Jack Barthel returned a kickoff 70 yards to the Tiger 20 on the final play.
After the opening kickoff, the Tigers started a drive which advanced them into scoring territory for the first time. Although the opening quarter, as was the entire contest, was played in Bulldog territory, Coach Brown’s combine failed to score.
After McKinley had held for downs on two occasions late in the first period, the Tigers crashed through with their first tally when there was apparently no danger. With the ball on the 37 yards stripe, Glass charged through right tackle, and with the aid of some beautiful blocking by his teammates, raced over for the touchdown.
The Reedmen came out following the halftime intermission apparently inspired with a new spirit and began to dig in and make the Tigers work much harder for their gains. Massillon’s powerhouse continued to function steadily, however, although the Bulldogs repelled all scoring threats in the period.
Early in the final quarter Glass’ plunges and a pass from Byelene to Anderson put the ball on the 1 yard stripe but McKinley gamely stopped the advance and took the ball on downs.
The Bulldogs’ escape from danger was short-lived, though, for Snyder got off his only poor kick of the contest at this point, as it went out of bounds on his own 16. Glass made the tally on five plunges, most of them off right tackle.
With the closing minutes of the game ticking away, McKinley then resorted to a desperate aerial attack in an effort to stave off defeat, but two passes were incomplete and Mike Byelene intercepted a third after an exchange of punts and dashed 32 yards for the final touchdown.
Barthel’s previously recounted return of the following kickoff ended the game.
No McKinley back could rightly be called an offensive star, as the opportunities for ball carrying brilliance were extremely limited.
Capt. Pete Ballos and Jack Barthel made the only two-substantial gains garnered by the Bulldog running attack. Ballos getting away for a 35 yard jaunt in the waning minutes of the first half and Barthel running the last kickoff 70 yards just before the final gun boomed for the offensive highlight of the contest from a Canton viewpoint.
Ballos, closing a scholastic gridiron career which has been one of the most brilliant in McKinley high history, battled every inch of the way yesterday and exhorted his teammates to do likewise throughout the encounter. He came up fast from his defensive post time after time to smear Tiger backs who had got through the first line of defense and played his heart out even after Massillon had apparently clinched the victory.
Carl Fiore, subbing for the injured Don Scott played a good defensive game, especially against the high-touted Washington passing attack.
Scott, regular Canton field general who incurred a fractured collarbone in making a touchdown against Alliance last week but who was expected to see extended action yesterday, took part in only one play of the tilt. Coach Reed decided before the game that Scott’s injury was too serious to warrant his performing and came to the conclusion that it would be better to weaken his team’s effectiveness than to risk permanent injury to his big quarterback and perhaps prevent a promising collegiate gridiron career. Reed’s insertion of Scott for a few brief seconds yesterday was a thoughtful gesture on the mentor’s part to give the boy the satisfaction of seeing service in his last game at McKinley.
Although Scott’s presence in the lineup undoubtedly would have caused his mates to make a better showing, both on offense and defense, it cannot fairly be said that his participation would have changed the result. The Massillon margin of superiority was so clearly evident that the ability of one player could not possibly have made the difference between victory and defeat.
The three Bulldog linemen who fought the hardest were also players making their final appearance in a Red and Black uniform, Chuck Rice, Jim Snyder and Joe Angelo. Rice climaxed a season of brilliant defensive work by backing up the front wall in stellar fashion. Snyder divided his time on defense between halfback and end and performed well at both posts. Although opportunities for flashing the particular ability for which he has become famous were few, that is his prowess for snagging passes, he starred yesterday in punting, a department which he was handling for the first time. His brilliant booting in the first half got the Bulldogs out of a bad situation time after time and he averaged 40 yards on eight kicks, one of which traveled 55 yards.
Angelo was the main bulwark in the middle of the line and had a hand in practically every play. Although Joe’s work has never been flashy throughout his two year high school football career, he has always been a dependable performer and yesterday he stood out when some of his teammates failed to reach their usual standard.
Too Much Glass McKINEY Pos. MASSILLON J. Snyder LE Gillom Angelo LT J. Anderson Fife LG Wyatt Rice C Snavely Motley RG J. Miller Virdo RT Peters Rotar RE C. Anderson Fiore QB Byelene Ballos LH Herring Barthel RH Snyder Kamp FB Glass
TIGERS BEAT BULLDOGS TO WIN STATE TITLE MASSILLON TEAM ENDS UNDEFEATED SEASON BY TAMING OLD RIVAL 6-0
Bob Glass Plunges Over Canton Goal From Three-yard Line in Third Period To Score Only Touchdown of the Game; 12,000 See Battle
By LUTHER EMERY
The Tigers are champions! Champions of Stark County! Champions of Ohio! Only two teams can challenge their title, Steubenville and Sandusky. Both have refused post season games. The Tigers are champions.
The role of David and Goliath was re-enacted Saturday afternoon before 12,000 fans who crowded Lehman stadium, Canton to the corners, when the Tiger eleven, picked from an enrollment of 1,100 rose up and slew the Canton Bulldogs selected from a school of 5,000.
Waited Four Years for Victory Four years, Massillon fans had waited for that moment and when fullback Bob Glass, in the third quarter, poked his 176 pounds through the Bulldog line for the one and only touchdown of the game, pandemonium broke loose in the Tiger stands and a shout went up that could be heard miles away. A disappoint sigh followed a moment later when Jake Gillom was hit hard in an unsuccessful left end sweep for the extra point, but it mattered not in the end, for those six points were sufficient to beat Canton and victory was what Massillon fans had been waiting for.
They swarmed out of the bleachers at the end of the game, kept their hands on the horn button the eight-mile stretch to Massillon, fell in behind the Tiger band as it marched down Lincoln Way and shouted and blew horns again with delight as the band marched round and round the public square.
Their Tigers were champions. The county championship was their first in 11 years. The undefeated season was their first since 1922 and it was their first state championship in 13 years.
It was the 14th knot the Tigers had tied to the Bulldog’s tail since 1909, five more than Canton and most pleasing of all it conquered the jinx Lehman field has been to Massillon teams. Never before had a Massillon eleven won on that gridiron.
Game Hard Fought It was a battle from start to finish, the Tigers glorious in victory, the Bulldogs gallant in defeat.
Old grads scratched their heads afterward and wondered if the scrap had ever been duplicated. It was a vicious game, charged with an undercurrent of bitter rivalry that electrified teams and spectators.
Never did the Bulldogs play as they did Saturday. Oak Park and Steubenville beat Canton, but Oak Park and Steubenville didn’t play the same team the Tigers defeated Saturday. It was a fighting eleven super charged with the pointing of Coach Jimmy Aiken and the latter at the conclusion of the game, heaped words of praise on his boys. “They even surprised me,” he said, “I never saw them fight that way before.”
Cold figures even game the Bulldogs an edge in offense. They made more first downs, gained more yards from scrimmage and staged the longest sustained drive, 75 yards, but the Tigers, playing a conservative game, braced when the Bulldogs ripped into dangerous territory and repulsed both of its attempts to score.
The eight-man line did it. Massillon fans booed when Coach Brown yanked his second stringers and put in his first string men to stop New Philadelphia’s goal line thrust two weeks ago. He did it for experimental purposes with an eight-man line. It turned back New Philadelphia and it beat Canton Saturday, turning the Bulldogs back twice, once on the seven yard line and once on the three-yard stripe.
Tigers Capitalize on Break Favored to win by two or three touchdowns, the Massillon eleven took no chances with the slippery ball and treacherous field. Denied a touchdown in the opening minutes of play when Jake Gillom was downed two inches from the goal the Massillon team capitalized on its second break of t he game early in the third period when Charley Anderson, alert and steady, pounced on Sabin’s fumble on the 21-yard line. Jake lugged the leather around right end for three yards and Dutton drove through for two at left tackle. Then the ball was given to Glass. It was only the fifth time in the game that he had been given the pigskin.
He plowed through for five yards and a first down on the Canton 11. Again Glass took it and this time went four yards forward to the seven-yard line. Dutton hit his left tackle for two and it was third down with the ball on the five-yard line and four yards needed for a first down. Glass was the logical choice and he bored at the Canton line again and put the ball on the three-yard line; fourth down, three yards to go for a touchdown and the Canton secondary hugging the line of scrimmage.
What to do was Quarterback Howard Dutton’s problem. He had faced the same problem earlier in the game and thought he would cross the Bulldogs up by sending Gillom through right tackle. The strategy had failed. He decided to shoot Glass through the center once more on a power play and called upon every man to give that extra energy necessary for this one big push. It was a perfect play. Glass’ line charged and the Tiger ball carrier pumped his feet into the ground and drove his way over the goal by a foot.
Jake Gillom was tackled viciously as he unsuccessfully tried to sweep left end for the extra point.
In the lead by a slim six points and nearly half the ball game yet to be played, the Tigers remembered the counseling of their coaches who told how a great undefeated Massillon team in 1915 was whipped 7-6 by Canton on an intercepted forward pass.
A conservative game was ordered by General Dutton, as he scrapped his forward pass which has been 50 percent of the Massillon offense this season.
Canton Scares Fans Relying on a running attack, the Massillon eleven set about to successfully protect its lead, but not without one big scare that carried the Bulldogs to the seven-yard line.
It was toward the close of the third period that Canton got a break somewhat similar to that which paved the way for the Massillon touchdown.
Stopped on their own 40-yard line when Pete Ballos in an almost super human effort dove over Eddie Molinski and tackled Charley Anderson for a two-yard loss just when it appeared Charley would get loose, the Tigers were forced to punt. Big Don Scott smashed through and threw himself at the ball just as it left Dutton’s toe. He blocked the kick and pounced on the ball, back on the Tiger 25-yard line. It was McKinley’s big moment and it appeared the Bulldogs would make the most of it when Bill Adams passed to Jack Young for a first down on the Tiger six-yard line.
Tigers Check Advance Massillon went into its eight-man line. Sabin whirled off tackle but failed to gain. Adams tried to circle left end but he too was stopped without gain. Here the period ended and the crowd at the west-end of the field which got more breaks than both teams together for most of the play was in that section of the lot, had a chance to see the Bulldogs’ make their last desperate onslaught.
Sabin tried to carry again, but this time the Massillon eleven moved in on him and set him down for a one-yard loss. It was evident that McKinley could not gain through the Tiger line. A pass was the only thing left, for it was fourth down. Risoliti faded back and threw toward the left corner. Two Tigers were there to bat down the ball, but Schultz slipped, the ball hit the ground and the Bulldogs’ last thrust was repelled.
The Tigers took possession of the ball and hammered their way to three consecutive first downs and would have had another had not a 15-yard penalty for holding stopped the effort. In that last march, Dutton again demonstrated his generalship. The ball was on the 28-yard line, it was fourth down and a yard to go. To control the ball and consume time was his bet. He couldn’t afford to punt and give Canton the ball furthermore the kick might be blocked. He gambled and taking no chances, carried the leather himself, right through left tackle to a first down.
Two long runs by Ballos and Sabin put Canton in the ball game again and brought the pigskin to the 30-yard line where the Bulldogs went into a spread formation and Risoliti passed to Scott to the 15-yard line, but Canton was offside on the play and punted on fourth down. The Tigers drove back from their 20-yard line and were traveling past midfield at the final gun.
Players Exhausted After such desperate goal line stands and smashing offensives, it was no wonder that the teams at the end moved somewhat in slow motion like the fatigued boxer who can hardly lift his arms dangling at his sides. It was no wonder that Ed “Echo” Herring, who entered the game in the last two minutes nearly got away twice and it was no wonder that when the final gun released the tension and brought relaxation that several players of both teams crawled up the steps to their dressing rooms on hands and knees, completely exhausted from their efforts.
That is why the game ranks with the greatest Canton-Massillon games ever played – a swift moving panorama filled with hard football capably officiated and dramatic in excitement and color.
Massillon won because it had the better team, not as superior Saturday as many Tiger fans had wagered, but still good enough to beat the Bulldogs who in one afternoon had climbed to super heights.
Massillon won because it had the stronger defensive team and because it had the punch when it needed it. The breaks were even, but the Tigers capitalized on theirs while the Bulldogs failed.
While statistics show the Bulldogs made more yards from scrimmage and more first downs than the Tigers, the conservative game of the local eleven checked its own offense. Only three passes were attempted. Two were completed for gains of seven and two yards while one was batted down.
Canton used a shovel pass to success and gained 33 yards. Two passes were intercepted and six others batted down or grounded.
Tigers Get Kickoff That both teams were in there to hand out punishment was evident from the start. Capt. August Morningstar won the toss and elected to receive, defending the east goal.
Adams kicked to Anderson, who headed up the alley but was tackled in a big pile up on the 29-yard line after a 19-yard return. Gillom made five at center. Glass hit for four and Gillom made it first down on the 42-yard line. Dutton picked up two yards and Gillom on a delayed buck only got one. Gillom barely picked up a scant three on a right end sweep and Dutton kicked a beauty out of bounds on the 14-yard line.
Ballos plunged for two yards, but when he tried to go through Buggs he was stopped without gain. Risolitie dropped back to punt and Don Voss broke through, blocked the ball and recovered it on the Canton nine-yard line. Dutton failed to gain on a spinner, but Gillom got five yards on a right end sweep. Dutton carried the ball to the one yard line and it was fourth down and a yard to go. Dutton decided to send Gillom to the right. Jake ran hard but the Bulldogs ganged him at the goal line. At first Referee Dave Reese raised his hands to signal a touchdown, but Head Linesman, Hummon said that the ball did not go over and when the pile was uncovered the nose of the sphere was two inches short of the chalk line.
That bolstered McKinley and temporarily upset the Tigers and the red and black got a break a moment later when Gillom fumbled Risoliti’s punt and Sabin recovered on the Canton 34-yard line. Massillon took time out. Ballos made four at left tackle and Sabin four at right tackle. Ballos plunged for a first down on his own 47. Adams made a yard at left tackle and Sabin three at right end. Third down and six to go and Gillom intercepted Adams’ pass on the 38. Gillom made three at center, but lost a yard at right end. Dutton lost two at right end. Dutton punted to Sabin, who slipped and fell after catching the ball on the 16-yard line.
Ballos made one-half yard at center. Morningstar charged through and put Ballos down for a three-yard loss as the quarter ended with the ball on the 13-yard line.
Second Period Risoliti kicked, Sabin downing the ball on the Canton 41-yard line. Gillom passed to Dutton for seven yards. Glass made a yard at center and Dutton bucked for a first down on the Canton 31-yard line. Scott knocked down Dutton’s pass intended for Anderson who was 10 yards in the clear. The pass, was short. Glass failed to gain. Gillom made six at right end. Fourth down and four to go and Gillom missed a first down by a yard on the 22-yard line and Canton took the ball.
Sabin found a big hole at right tackle and wormed through to a first down on his 38-yard line. Adams made five at left tackle and Ballos four at center. Adams got through for a first down on his own 49. Sabin made a yard. Risoliti’s pass to Ballos was grounded. The Tigers took time out. A shovel pass to Sabin gained a first down on the Massillon 40-yard line. Adams failed to gain. Sabin got through right tackle again for a first down on the Tiger 29-yard line. Ballos made four yards and the Tigers were penalized 15 yards when Molinski roughed Ballos on the play. It gave Canton a first down on the 12-yard line. Sabin hit right tackle for two yards. Sabin broke through the same spot for six yards and put the ball on the four-yard line. The Bulldogs needed but two yards for a first down and had two chances left. Ballos hit the line but failed to gain. He got barely a yard the next time and the Tigers took the ball on their own three-yard line.
Dutton kicked back to Sabin who carried from the Tiger 43 to the 32-yard line. Ballos made three at center. The Bulldogs tried a pass, but Canton was offside and a Massillon player interfered with the receiver. Risoliti tried to pass again but the ball was grounded. Sabin made five at tackle and Adams attempting to plunge for a first down was stopped with a one-yard gain.
The Tigers took the ball on their own 22-yard line. Dutton made two yards at right end. Glass picked up three. Gillom made a yard and there the half ended with the ball on the Massillon 28-yard line, fourth down coming up.
Third Period Glass kicked off to Sabin who fumbled but recovered on his 13. Ballos made four yards at right guard. Sabin swept right end for three yards. Sabin was given the ball again but he fumbled and Anderson and Buggs hopped on the pigskin on the Canton 21-yard line.
Gillom whirled around right end for three yards. Dutton made two at left tackle. Glass went through for five yards and a first down on the Canton 11. Glass plunged through left tackle for four. Dutton hit the same spot for two. Glass put the ball on the three-yard line. Glass went over for the touchdown. Gillom failed to make the extra point on a wide end sweep. Score: Massillon 6; Canton 0.
Glass kicked off to Adams who caught the ball on the 21 and brought it back to his 29-yard line. Ballos made three at left tackle. Ballos picked up two at right tackle. A shovel pass, Risoliti to Sabin netted a first down on the Canton 45. Ballos hit center for two yards. Morningstar batted down Risoliti’s pass and nearly intercepted. Adams lost a yard at left end. Risoliti kicked to Gillom who returned six yards to his own 32. Dutton made eight yards at left end. Anderson on an end around play was thrown for a two-yard loss by Ballos in a remarkable tackle. Glass got two yards at center. Scott blocked Dutton’s pass and recovered on the Tigers’ 25-yard line.
Sabin failed to gain at right tackle. Ballos drove through for five yards. Ballos failed to gain; Adams passed to Young for a first down on the six-yard line. Sabin failed to gain and Adams running from a triple reverse was stopped without gain as the third period ended with the ball still on the six-yard line.
Fourth Period It was third down and goal to gain. Sabin coming around the right side of his line was tossed with a one-yard loss, being hit hard by Buggs. Risoliti’s pass to Schultz hit the ground and it was Massillon’s ball on the seven-yard line.
For the only time during the game, Molinski hit center for three yards. Gillom picked up two and Glass rammed through left tackle for a first down on the 18-yard line. Dutton ran over Held for four yards and Glass followed the big Tiger lineman through for two more. Dutton hit to his right for three yards and it was fourth down with a yard to go. Gambling, Dutton carried again and easily made his yardage, a first down on the 29. Anderson picked up eight on a reverse around right end. Glass plunged behind Woods for three yards and a first down on the 40. Dutton barely missed a first down on a left end reverse. Gillom drove past midfield but the ball was called back and the Tigers penalized 15 yards for holding. It put the ball on the Massillon 37-yard line. Dutton made two yards. When Gillom failed to gain, Dutton wisely kicked out on the Canton 37.
Ballos was 15 yards to the Tigers 48. Sabin raced through for 13 more and first down on the Massillon 35. He was tackled by Glass, Sabin failed to gain and a check of time showed five minutes left to play. Adams made five yards on a shovel pass taking the ball to the 30-yard line. Canton tried a spread formation and a pass was completed to Scott who had hopped into the secondary, but Canton was offside on the play and was penalized five yards. Risoliti’s pass was grounded. Risoliti got off a pretty punt that went over the Tiger goal line by a couple of inches and Massillon took the ball on its own 20.
Herring substituting for Gillom, made one at right guard. Dutton made five at left tackle and Glass three more. Dutton kicked out on the Canton 40. Canton attempted a spread formation. Risoliti’s pass to Schultz was grounded. Sabin made five at right end. On the third down, old Jim McDew dropped back with Schultz and ended Canton’s hopes by intercepting Risoliti’s pass intended for the Bulldog left end. Herring made two yards and then raced around left end for seven more. Glass plunged for a first down on the Canton 44 as the ball game ended.
It would be difficult to pick an outstanding star on the Massillon team. The line from Capt. Morningstar on one end to Anderson on the other played a great game, while the backfield struck when a big push meant points.
Ballos A Great Player Pete Ballos was the outstanding performer offensively and defensively for the Bulldogs. Little Ray Sabin, played a fine game at halfback, gained many yards, but unfortunately his fumble in the third period was costly.
Both coaches relied on their first stringers to carry on. Coach Aiken didn’t make a substitution, while Coach Brown made two. He sent Mike Byelene in for one play in the second period when he took Dutton out to give him advice and he put Herring in Gillom’s place in the last two minutes of play when the first string halfback was exhausted.
There were no injuries on either team, something unusual for a Massillon-Canton game. Though hard played, it was cleanly contested with but few exceptions. Massillon was penalized twice for 30 yards; Canton once for five yards.
The game definitely closed the season for the Tigers. They will not play a post season game. The Massillon eleven had received an offer of $5,000 to meet New Castle at Youngstown, but the game fell through. Akron North’s championship ambitions having been blasted by Toledo Devilibiss Saturday, only two logical post season game contenders remain, Steubenville and Sandusky, and neither will play.
Quiet Saturday Night It was quiet in Massillon Saturday night. Students and townspeople trod the streets looking for a celebration but there was none to be found.
The only celebration was that staged by the Tiger band after the game when the young musicians climbed out their buses at the top of Lincoln Way East hill and marched through the business district, stopping at Lincoln Way and Erie to drill.
The football team dressed in Canton and returned to Massillon to have dinner at the Silver Maples. Exhaustion did not check the boys’ appetites and they were a happy bunch of fellows. Capt. August Morningstar lost no time getting to Referee Reese after the game. He wanted the ball and got it. He turned it over to Coach Brown who carried it around all evening like a pet poodle. The ball will be lettered and placed among the souvenirs.
The Washington high band staged a colorful drill before the game and at the intermission. The young women drum majors carried large bouquets of yellow mums, the gift of Kester Bros. The Canton band likewise gave a fine exhibition.
Among the spectators was B.F. Fairless, president of the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation who came from New York for the game.
There was a scuffle in front of the Canton bench late in the game that few Massillon fans could see. Jim McDew tackled Sabin hard and tossed him into the lap of Coach Aiken. Aiken shoved McDew off, rather roughly, the Massillon player throught and he and Anderson cocked their fists, but before anything came out of it other Tiger players pulled back their teammates and no blows were struck. It was only an outgrowth of the great tension of the game.
Massillon fans, unaccustomed to the Canton bleachers dropped many blankets on the ground. The McKinley management, however, had made provision for such instances and had men ready to pick up all fallen blankets and place them in a room in the Lehman school. At the end of the game, there must have been 100 in the pile. Blankets were returned as rapidly as identified.
The game will be played and replayed tonight at the Tiger Booster club meeting in the Washington high school. It probably will be the biggest meeting of the year. Plans also will be discussed for the annual football banquet Dec. 11 at the Republic Steel office building. Noble Kizer, Purdue coach will speak.
The Tigers Rule Massillon Pos. Canton Anderson RE Schultz Held RT Scott McDew RG Angelo Voss C Rice Woods LG Virdo Buggs LT Wortman Morningstar LE Young Dutton QB Risoliti Gillom LH Sabin Molinski RH Adams Glass FB Ballos
Referee – Dr. David Reese (Denison). Umpire – C.J. Graf (Ohio State). Head Linesman – J. M. Hummon (Wittenberg).
Game Statistics McKin. Mass. First downs, rushing 10 8 First downs, passing 1 0 First downs, penalties 1 0 Yards gained, rushing 151 143 Yards gained, passing 13 6 Yards lost 5 8 Yards gained, total 159 141 Passes attempted 9 2 Passes completed 1 2 Passes incomplete 6 1 Passes intercepted by 0 2 Punts 6 6 Punts, average yards 33 33 Punts blocked by 1 1 Punts returned by 11 10 Fumbles 1 1 Own fumbles recovered 0 0 Opp. Fumbles recovered 1 1 Kickoffs 1 2 Kickoffs, average yards 50 43 Kickoffs returned 11 20 Penalties 5 30
First Undefeated Season For Tigers Since 1922
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sports Editor
Undefeated in 10 games, with a record of 483 points to their credit and only 13 scored against them, the Tigers of Washington high school today can lay claim to the scholastic football championship of Ohio. Few there are, who will dispute their right to be recognized as the best school boy gridiron aggregation within the borders of the buckeye state.
The crowning achievement to the most successful football season Washington high school has had since way back in 1922 came last Saturday afternoon at Lehman stadium, Canton, when the rampaging Tiger, hungry for just one more victory, smacked down its perennial enemy, the Bulldogs of Canton McKinley, 6 to 0, in one of the greatest scholastic contests ever witnessed by the 12,000 shouting fans who packed every available inch of space in the Canton enclosure and the hundreds of others who hung from windows in buildings, tree tops and telephone poles in the immediate vicinity of the battle ground.
When husky Bob Glass, 185-pound Massillon fullback, cracked through the center of the Canton line late in the third quarter and drove across the goal line for the touchdown that eventually brought victory to the orange and black he brought joy to the hearts of thousands of local fans who were in the stands and despair to the thousands of Canton supporters who had prayed and hoped that their beloved Bulldogs would be good enough to come through with another victory over the old enemy.
Won 10 Straight In 1922 Way back in 1922 a team of mighty Tigers, coached by David D. Stewart, now football tutor at Sharon, Pa., high school, roamed the scholastic gridirons of Ohio sweeping aside all opposition to travel undefeated through a 10 game schedule, winding up with a magnificent 24 to 0 conquest of Canton.
From 1922 until this fall Washington high has had some prosperous years on the gridiron and some that were quite lean but not until 1935 was it able to turn loose another football juggernaut able to sweep everything before it and finish unbeaten and untied.
For three years, prior to this fall, it bowed in defeat before the devastating attack of powerful Canton McKinley machines.
But this year Massillon came back into its own. A dashing gallant and courageous band of youthful gridiron giants stormed the heights to glory. When they started their campaign back in September they were aiming for an undefeated season but more than anything else they wanted to defeat Canton.
Every day on the practice field and in every game they played prior to last Saturday that thought was uppermost in their minds. “Beat Canton!” That was their goal and they achieved it. Now they are contest.
The young man who last Saturday watched the machine that he and two able assistants had fashioned through hours of hard work, crash through to its greatest triumph, was a football pupil under the coach who gave Massillon its undefeated team in 1922.
“Kids” Come Through That young man was Paul Brown, who has completed his fourth year as football tutor of the youthful Tigers and who Saturday saw the “kids” score their first victory over Canton since Jimmy Aiken was brought to the east end city from Toledo to pull Canton McKinley out of the football mire.
The game Saturday was the 25th in the series between the ancient scholastic rivals since 1909. Of those 25 battles 14 have been Massillon victories, nine have gone to Canton and two ended in ties.
Prior to Saturday Canton had won three straight times. The last beating a Tiger team administered to a Bulldog outfit was in 1931 by a 20 to 6 count, being the third in a row for Massillon. But from then on until this fall, McKinley reigned supreme, winning 19 to 0 in 1932, 21 to 0 in 1933 and 21 to 6 in 1934.
But the reign of the Bulldog was snapped Saturday and to Massillon at least, the 1935 Tigers of Washington high are the scholastic champions of Ohio.
The victory over Canton was a fitting climax to a brilliant season but it was not achieved without a struggle – a desperate struggle all the way in which individual brilliance and equally brilliant team play on the part of both aggregations made it one of the games that long will be remembered.
Thrills Aplenty Three great goal line stands, one by Canton and two by Massillon provided the great outpouring of fans with enough thrills to last them until another football season rolls around.
It was a break of the game that decided the issue in Massillon’s favor. A fumble by Sabin of Canton on McKinley’s 22-yard line paved the way for the Tiger touchdown march.
Earlier in the first quarter the battling Bulldogs stopped the Tigers inches away from the goal but this time the orange and black was not to be denied and steadily it marched toward the Canton goal never to be halted until Bob Glass plunged through for the points.
Canton fans probably will gain some measure of solace from the fact that a fumble paved the way for Massillon’s victory. But it was Massillon’s hard, clean tackling and the alert manner in which every member of the local team followed the ball that made it possible for the local lads to pave the way for that break and then cash in on it for all that it was worth.
Such breaks occur in every football game but they mean nothing to a team unless it has the punch necessary to put the ball back on an opponent’s goal line. The Tigers had that punch and that’s why they won.
Twice Canton was inside Massillon’s 10-yard line. Once it got there through a march that came after blocking a Massillon punt. The other time it reached scoring territory by a brilliant and steady 72-yard march down the field but neither time was Canton able to cash in on its opportunity. When disaster threatened those Tigers just dug their cleats a bit deeper into the frozen turf and tossed back the Bulldogs with ferocious charges and deadly tackling.
Massillon fans expected the Bulldogs to put up a sturdy battle and they were not disappointed. In fact the Bulldogs played their greatest game of the season. Followers of the sport who had seen Canton in action before last Saturday declared the Bulldogs Aiken trotted out against the Tigers played better football than at any time during the campaign.
Inspired Canton Team That was to be expected. Aiken, one of the shrewdest high school coaches in the state, knew how to prime his boys for the Massillon conflict and it was an inspired team that trotted out to meet the rough riding boys from Massillon. The 11 Canton boys who started the game were in there at the finish, not one substitution being made for the red and black. Massillon made three. Byelene was sent in for Dutton just as the second quarter needed but after the first play in the third the clever Massillon quarterback was rushed back into the fray. Near the end of the game Herring replaced Jake Gillom.
A few Massillon fans; probably, may be a bit disappointed because the Tigers did not win by a larger score. Days before the game some of he more enthusiastic Massillon supporters were predicting a local victory by two, three, four and even more touchdowns.
But in making their predictions they didn’t take into consideration this one important fact: never attempt to predict a Massillon-Canton game on the basis of what the two teams have done prior to that all-important contest. It just can’t be done with any degree of accuracy.
Massillon won – and that is all that is necessary. One of the greatest Tiger teams in local history conquered a worthy, hard fighting foe, an enemy that resisted stubbornly to the last and one that had its moments of greatness.
The Tigers received their stiffest test of the season Saturday – and they came through. Victory is the thing. Points are secondary. A triumph by six points is just as sweet as one by 20 or 30.
The Tigers conquered their old rival. They finished their season undefeated. They are as good, if not better than any high school football team in the state.
All the glory that comes to an undefeated team belongs to those stalwart lads and their coach, Paul Brown and his assistants, C. Widdoes and Hugh McGranahan.
CANTON McKINLEY TRIMS WASHINGTON HIGH 21-6 TO WIN STATE GRID TITLE BULLDOGS’ SECOND HALF ATTACK SINKS RIDDLED TIGER TEAM
By LUTHER EMERY
Washington high’s hope for an undefeated season and state championship, that rose in a crescendo of nine straight victories, faded under an avalanche of red and black Saturday afternoon when Canton McKinley climbed to the pinnacle of fame by defeating the Tigers 21-6.
Twenty-thousand fans looked on from bleachers that circled the entire field. It was the largest crowd ever assembled to witness a sports event in Stark county and the first half produced two periods of the finest football every played on a gridiron.
Two Touchdowns in Five Minutes It was an offensive battle from the opening kickoff and twice in the first five minutes the ball was carried across the goal. McKinley received and never stopped in a relentless march until it had scored the first seven points of the season on the Tigers.
Credit: CantonMcKinley.com
What would Massillon do when scored on – fold up? It was uppermost in the mind of everyone of the 20,000 and the Tigers answer was a march of 64 yards from the kickoff to the McKinley goal. Massillon missed the extra point when Hank Krier was bottled up trying to carry it across and the score stood 7-6 throughout the remainder of the period and the first half.
The same offensive battle might have been staged in the second half were it not for a series of bad breaks that wrecked both offense and defense of the Tigers, causing a breaking down of morale and a necessary shift in the defensive setup that could not cope with the powerful attack of Jimmy Aiken and his Canton Bulldogs, who romped on to two more touchdowns.
Fumble Costly Break The first bad break that preceded the turning point in the game came when the Tigers, in possession of the ball for the second time of the afternoon, marched from their own 23-yard line to a first down on the Canton 22.
They had the Bulldogs on the run and it looked line a certain touchdown until D.C. McCants fumbled on a reverse and Dick Miller, McKinley end, pounced through and recovered the ball.
Canton lashed back with another ferocious drive that put Dutton out of the game, with two probably cracked ribs. He was hurt when he blocked out a Canton receiver just as Lohr intercepted Zazula’s pass. Interference was called and the pass was declared completed. McCoy was sent in to pass for McKinley, but Lohr was again on the job and pulled down a pass on the nine-yard line. Krier was carried off the field with a badly wrenched ankle on the first play hereafter.
Loss of Krier Weakens Team The Massillon ball carrier, ace scorer in Ohio who in the first quarter had increased his record for the season to 149 points with a 37-yard dash through the center of the Canton team, was ganged as he hit the line. Frigley jumped on his neck and underneath the pile Haas twisted the ankle that had been injured in practice earlier in the week.
Krier was out. His ankle puffed up as though inflated with air and he had to be carried by his teammates to the Massillon bench. That was the third bad break for the Tigers and with it went all hope for a Massillon victory. Up to that time Massillon looked the better team on both offense and defense.
Only close followers of the Tiger team know the importance of Krier to the Massillon lineup. First of all he is the punch of the backfield. That he displayed prior to his injury when only on one occasion did he fail to gain and statistics will show that his average gain until taken out was 11 yards, which passes the individual record of any other player on the field.
Important Defensive Man But Krier is just as important defensively. He plays a guard position on the line and has greater penetration than either Snavely or Molinski. He demonstrated that once in the second period when he broke through and sat Jim Huff on the grass for a 10-yard loss.
With Krier and Dutton on the bench, Coach Brow had to change his entire lineup. He sent Edgar Herring, a 127-pounded, in at halfback. His blocking power against a 200 pounder was nil. The biggest shakeup, however, had to be made defensively. Snavely went into the line, a position he played last year but had not attempted to play before Saturday. Lange was called in to back up the line in place of Snavely. Snavely does not have the penetrating power of Krier at guard and Lange is not the vicious tackler that Snavely is.
It was the turning point of the game. The half ended three plays later and the Tigers were licked in the dressing room when it became apparent to all that their inspiration and main cog, Hank Krier, would be unable to play any more. He sat on the bench throughout the last two periods but could not re-enter. He was taken to the city hospital after the game for an examination and X-ray pictures will be taken today. He is hobbling around on crutches.
Canton Superior Team Second Half It was all Canton the second half. The Tigers were never in the race the last two periods. They fought back but got nothing save a severe body beating that would cause any weak liver to give up the football forever, but not the Massillon Tigers. They battled to the end and in the last few minutes began handing back medicine they had been taught not to prescribe.
McKinley added 14 more points to its score over the weakened Massillon team and could have kept piling more on the heap had not the game ended when it did.
The Tigers experienced their first bad luck at the start when they lost the toss and had to kickoff to the Bulldogs. It paved the way for the first Canton touchdown and the first points scored on Massillon this year.
Krier got off a poor kick and Zazula returned to the 35-yard line. Huff made seven at right end and ran to a first down on the 50-yard line. Halter got three at left guard and Huff raced to another first down on the 33-yard stripe. Ballos made six at center and Halter a yard. McKinley was penalized five yards. Dutton nearly intercepted Zazula’s pass but fumbled. Huff almost thrown twice, got away for a dash to a first down on the 17-yard line. Halter took it to the eight-yard line and Massillon called for time. Halter went to the five-yard line. Two plays only netted the Bulldogs two yards but the Tigers were penalized for being offside giving Canton the ball on the one-yard line. Halter wiggled across the goal and Huff carried it over for the extra point. It was 7-0 Canton.
Tigers Strike Back Lange received the following kickoff and was downed on the 36-yard line. D.C. MCCants playing his best and last high school football game smashed through left tackle for six yards. Shertzer was unable to hold Dutton’s pass. Krier raced through to a first down on the Canton 46-yard line and the glee on the east side was throttled. Dutton passed too far for Shertzer to receive, but he smashed through left tackle for nine yards. Third down and two to go and Krier took the ball through center on a fake. A huge gap opened in the Canton line between none other than Lewis Young and Tut Allen, the giants of the McKinley team. Through it Krier raced, cut to his right and out sped the McKinley secondary, including 10-second Huff in a 37-yard run for a touchdown.
For a moment it was feared play would be called back but the violation was for Canton being offside and the touchdown was allowed. The Massillon fans thundered their approval, but their joy partially diminished when Krier was thrown in his tracks trying to run the extra point across.
Canton received but its offense was checked by the Tigers who took the ball on their 23-yard line and began another drive toward the Canton goal. They had the Bulldogs on the run, as Krier hit for 19, McCants three, Dutton four, McCants three, Krier one, Dutton nine, McCants six, Krier 1, McCants eight, Krier one and a first down on the McKinley 22-yard line. Then came the fumble and the Bulldogs charged back only to be stopped with Lohr’s interception of McCoy’s pass on the nine-yard line. There followed Krier’s injury, three plays a punt and intermission.
Bulldogs Score At Start of Third The Bulldogs duplicated their first kickoff performance by taking Morningstar’s boot at the start of the third period and marching 62 yards. Huff made four, Ballos five, Ballos one, Halter four, Huff three and a first down on the Tiger 35. Then came squatty Red Halter around left end behind a wave of Crimson interference that bowled everybody out of the way until someone nailed the red head on the Tigers’ four-yard line. It took McKinley three plays to get it over, Huff carrying it across on a right end sweep. Haas kicked goal. Canton 14, Massillon 6.
Canton had another chance when Lange fumbled the kickoff and Allen recovered on the Massillon 34. McKinley’s chances faded, however, when Referee Eddie Howells twice caught Haas holding and the Bulldogs were penalized 30 yards. The Tigers took the pigskin but unable to make their yardage, kicked to the Canton 30. The Bulldogs charged back to the Massillon 37 where they were stopped by the Tigers who again took possession of the ball. Halter quickly got it back for McKinley, however when he intercepted Dutton’s pass and ran it back to the Massillon 37.
Again Canton threatened but was stopped on the nine-yard line. Byelene tried to make a yard on fourth down but was nailed with inches to go and Canton got the sphere on the 15-yard stripe.
A five-yard penalty helped stop this threat on the 13-yard line. Dutton kicked back to his own 46 and again the Crimson surged forward. Halter in two attempts raced in to the Tiger 25. Huff went through for 14 yards to the 11. Halter made six. Huff four and Halter knifed through for the final touchdown. Haas kicked the 21st point.
There was nothing much to it thereafter. The Tigers tried to pass for a touchdown but Halter was always in the way and intercepted two in a row.
In the final minutes of play, Haas was put out of the game for slugging and Canton was penalized 25 yards.
Then McCants came into a pileup and was charged with unnecessary roughness and Massillon was penalized 15 yards. Only the gun saved further scrapes as the teams took their final fling at each other.
15 First Downs For Canton Statistics show Canton as making 19 first downs to seven for the Tigers. Neither team completed a forward pass, remarkable in view of the fact that passing has been a consistent ground gainer for both teams in past performances.
Canton gained 315 yards from scrimmage to the Tigers’ 143 yards but Massillon with Krier in the first half gained 126 yards to 123 for Canton and Canton in the first half lost seven yards from scrimmage while the Tigers didn’t lose a yard. Massillon was penalized three times for a total of 25 yards and Canton nine times for a loss of 85 yards.
Two of the McKinley penalties were for holding and one for Haas’ slugging of Lohr.
Massillon fans did a lot of talking Sunday. They were particularly concerned over noticeable holding and slugging in the McKinley line and the shouts of glee that went up from the east side of the field when Krier was carried off.
Canton’s joy at seeing Krier out of the game, maybe attributed to the high strung enthusiasm that causes one to yell first and think after. Massillon fans might have given the wild whoop had Huff been ganged. In any event it is not good sportsmanship.
As to the holding and slugging there was many a Massillon fan hoping some Tiger would cut loose with a left and right to the jaw and mid-section.
It raises an old question. Is it more advantageous to teach your linemen to hold and chance getting away with a large percentage of violations or is it better to play the game within the rules and avoid penalties.
Seven members of the starting Massillon eleven, played their last football for the Tigers Saturday. They were Wendell Lohr and Bob Shertzer, the ends; Don Wolfe, left tackle; Cloyd Snavely, right guard; D.C. McCants, fullback; Henry Krier, left halfback and Jack Lange the blocking halfbacks.
The other four will be back again next season. They are August Morningstar, center; Neri Buggs, right tackle; Eddie Molinski, left guard and Howard Dutton, quarterback. Mike Byelene, Jake Gillom and Edgar Herring the other trio to see service will be back next year.
Both Coach Brown and Coach Aiken, were concerned over the time of the first two periods. A check from the Massillon bench showed they were only of eight minutes duration instead of 12, and a review of the game, reveals that each team had the ball but three times in the entire first half. Massillon kicked to McKinley and it made a touchdown. McKinely kicked to Massillon and the Tigers made a touchdown. The Tigers kicked to McKinley and forced the Bulldogs to punt. Massillon carried back to the 22-yard line and fumbled and Canton was stopped with an interception on the nine-yard line. Three plays later the half ended.
Lineup and summary: Massillon Pos. Canton Shertzer LE Miller Wolfe LT Frigley Molinski LG Allen Morningstar C Young Snavely RG Wertman Buggs RT Haas Lohr RE Green Dutton QB Zazula Krier LH Huff Lange RH Halter McCants FB Ballos
Score by periods: Canton 7 0 7 7 21 Massillon 6 0 0 6 6
Substitutions: Massillon – Byelene, qb-lh; Herring, lh; Gillom, fb. Canton – McCoy, qb; Daniels, lh; Fryer, rg; Mentzer, g.
Touchdowns: Canton – Huff; Halter 2. Massillon – Krier.
Point after touchdown: Canton – Huff (carried); Haas 2 (placekick).
Referee – Howells. Umpire – Shafer. Head Linesman – Barrett. Field Judge – Smith
Game Is Still The Big Topic Police and City Officials Praise Spectators for Orderly Behavior; Seller of Alleged Bogus Tickets Under Arrest
With the gridiron classic staged by the Bulldogs of McKinley high school, Canton, and the orange and black Tigers of Washington high school, Saturday, still the principal topic of conversation in schools, city hall, stores and on street corners, police authorities and non-partisan fans today sung highly the praises of the general orderliness and conduct of the spectators’ before, during and after the contest.
True, there were some fights among the rabid fans liquor flasks were titled frequently, ticket scalpers were present selling bogus tickets and some confusion in the reserved seats sections was the result, but all in all Stark county’s greatest sports spectacle will go down in history as one of friendly rivalry in which the throng of 20,000 spectators was well and efficiently handled by Massillon police, state highway patrolmen, deputy sheriffs, Canton school zone police and members of Massillon Post, No. 221, American Legion.
Leo Sabroglia, of 1737 E. 19th Street, Cleveland, was arrested at the field by police after he is alleged to have sold three bogus tickets for $3 to Homer Arnold. He was jailed on a suspicion charge, but an affidavit charging him with obtaining money under false pretenses had been drawn up this morning by Prosecutor Lewis C. Wiggins. Signature of one of the city school authorities to the affidavit was awaited. He probably will be arraigned in municipal court this afternoon or tomorrow morning.
Police said Sabroglia was in possession of several bogus tickets and $6 when taken into custody. Several other persons were said by police to have been selling bogus tickets at the field but they were not apprehended.
Washington high school was broken into Saturday evening, a woman had her pocketbook stolen and a Canton man had his pocket picked at the game, police were told.
Belief was expressed today that two men who escaped guards stationed at the high school had broken into the school thinking possibly that proceeds of the game were in the board of education office.
Pocket Is Picked A window in the rear of the building was forced open. The pair was seen in a corridor approaching the board of education office. They escaped through a door they had opened when chased by guards. A crowbar and club were left behind by the men when they fled.
Charles E. Trew, of 1000 Arlington Street S.W., Canton, reported to police today that his pocket was picked of $46 while he watched the game. A pocketbook containing $6 and 10 dance tickets was snatched from Mrs. D.H. Volzer, of 1233 Cleveland Avenue N.W., as she was leaving the game.
While Homer Eicker, of R.D. 2; Bowdil, watched the game, his auto a 1928 Chevrolet sedan bearing license E46-741, was stolen from Edwin Avenue S.E. The car had not been recovered this morning.
Chief of Police Edward M. Ertle today expressed his appreciation of the conduct of the fans. Despite the intense rivalry, Massillon was quiet Saturday evening. Students and the older fans abided by the pleas of Mayor William Limbach and police for orderliness.
Chief Extends Thanks Thanks were extended by Chief Ertle to officers of the highway patrol for the efficient manner in which they directed traffic at important street intersections near the athletic field, the deputy sheriffs, Canton police, local patrolmen and legionnaires and all others who aided in handling the crowd.
Police of Massillon and Canton today were searching for a gang of hoodlums, believed to have been from Canton, who Friday evening severely beat Kenneth Greenfelder, 17, of 229 State Avenue N.E. and Earl Clifford of 606 Guy Street N.W. Washington high school students; abducted Greenfelder and took him about six miles from the city where they sheared off part of his hair with clippers before turning him lose.
It was said today several other Massillon boys were abducted by a Canton gang and submitted to hazing. No reports of the cases had been made directly to police, however.
A bunch of keys were found at the south end of the football field and turned over to Desk Sergeant Daniel Brady. The owner may secure them at police headquarters upon identification.
20,000 WATCH HIGH SCHOOL BOYS STAGE EPIC GRID CONTEST
By FRED J. BECKER Independent Sports Editor
The big game is over – but not forgotten. It will be the subject of discussion for many weeks to come.
Another chapter has been written into the history of Massillon-Canton athletic rivalry by a group of valiant young warriors, who if they seek knowledge of the beginning of this rivalry, must thumb the pages of history or learn about it from old timers.
Twenty thousand spectators, in a friendly holiday mood, saw this latest chapter of Massillon-Canton gridiron rivalry go into the page of history Saturday afternoon on Massillon field.
Twenty thousand fans saw the great Bulldogs of Canton McKinley high school plunge and dash their way through the great, but not quite great enough, Tigers of Washington high school for a 21 to 6 victory that brought to the Bulldogs recognition as Ohio scholastic champions and a string of 11 straight victories in 1934. It brought joy and rejoicing to all of Canton, particularly to Jimmy Aiken, McKinley coach and his intrepid gladiators. They stand out as the high school champions of Ohio, probably of the nation. They have a great team; they proved it in the heat of conflict against their oldest enemy.
In Massillon there is no rejoicing for the mighty Tigers lost the game they wanted to win more than any other on their schedule. It was their first defeat in 10 battles; the first time during the season they had seen an enemy march across their goal line. Certainly Massillon is sad but it took its beating standing up. No one can blame Paul Brown and his courageous Washington high lads if they were downhearted Saturday night but their heads were not bowed in humiliating defeat.
They gave the best they had, they went down fighting, they never gave up. They were conquered by a superior enemy, a foe that struck with the swiftness and deadliness of lighting. Even in defeat those orange and black clad lads came off the field with the praises of the multitude ringing in their rears. They had fought a good fight even in defeat and they deserve a lot of credit for it.
TWO COSTLY BREAKS HURT TIGERS Of course the game is over, Canton won a well deserved victory and a state championship that it merited, but one can not help but wonder just what the ultimate result of that great battle would have been had not the two most costly breaks in the contest gone against the youthful Tigers.
Had they not occurred the final outcome might not have been changed but no one can deny that Massillon was not the equal if not the superior of the vaunted Bulldog until those breaks popped into the picture to ruin what looked like a fine opportunity for Massillon to pull the Bulldog’s fans for the first time in three years.
Both those breaks came in the second quarter. The first occurred when D.C. McCants, powerful Negro fullback, fumbled the ball on Canton’s 26-yard line, the Bulldogs recovering and halting a Massillon march that seemed destined not to end until the Tigers had placed the ball back of Canton’s goal.
The second break came a few minutes later when Henry Krier, Massillon’s great halfback, plunged through the Canton line, went down under a mass of Bulldog tacklers and never came back again to take part in that game. A severely twisted ankle forced Krier to the sidelines and out of the combat. He had to be carried off the field. He was severely wrenched by Canton tackles as he went to the ground.
With the loss of Krier went Massillon’s chances for victory. The loss of this great star was a severe blow but it seems as if the deciding turn in the game came when McCants fumbled.
A fumble may occur at any time and fate picked upon McCants, who had been playing a whale of a game, to be its victim It was a tough break for the boy – not only for him but for the Massillon cause. But that is football.
FIRST HALF A SPECTACULAR BATTLE No more sensational game of football has ever been played anywhere than those stalwart teams unfolded before that huge crowd in the first half. It was as brilliant a spectacle of offensive performance as any one would want to witness.
So swiftly did both teams strike that fans were left almost breathless as they attempted to take it all in. Canton received and starting from its 35-yard line marched right down the field with Jim Huff, lanky Negro ace and Red halter, slashing midget halfback driving back the Tigers with vicious thrusts off tackle and around the ends, a drive which did not stop until Halter knifed his way though the line for a touchdown, the first scored against Massillon this year.
It all happened in less than five minutes. But what followed was even more breath-taking. Massillon received. The Massillon receiver was downed on his 35-yard line. Then like the th5rusts of a rapier Krier and Howard Dutton cut into that Canton line. Krier made a first down. A Tiger pass failed. Dutton slashed for eight. Another Massillon pass failed to connect. And then Krier brought the fans to their feet in a mad burst of cheering as he dashed through the Canton line, shook off Bulldog tackers as if they were paper dummies, ran by the astonished and fleet Jim Huff as if he were standing still and raced unmolested across 38 yards of turf for a touchdown – a truly great feat.
Massillon failed to make the extra point but the Tigers were just coming into their own. A few minutes found them again in possession of the ball and once again they began cracking great gaping spaces in that Canton line as Krier, McCants and Dutton paraded steadily down the field toward the Canton goal.
Yard after yard they pushed back the Bulldogs until they had the ball on Canton’s 26. On one of the plays Shertzer was knocked out but gamely stuck to his post. Then McCants darted toward the left side of his line. He reached for the ball but it bounced out of his outstretched hands. It rolled along the ground as players of both teams dove for it. But Dick Miller, Canton left end, was head of them all and it was Canton’s ball.
That break gave the Bulldogs new courage and when Krier was hurt a few minutes later they were on their way, not to be stopped again.
Canton was not the best team on the field in the first half but it was by far the best in the second half when it scored the two deciding touchdowns.
Two splendid ball carriers had a lot to do with Canton’s victory. They were Huff and Halter. The Tigers found them harder to stop than tax collectors but great as Huff and Halter are they probably wouldn’t have gone far had it not been for the brilliant interference they had all afternoon.
Not detracting at all from their great performance but any halfback even a six-year-old boy, could have gained ground Saturday with the interference the Bulldogs threw up to protect their ball toters. It was beautiful to watch even though destructive to Massillon hopes. Few high school teams have ever possessed the interference Aiken developed for his Bulldog ball carriers.
CROWD ORDERLY, WELL HANDLED Although the crowd was the largest to ever witness an athletic event in Massillon or Canton, it was well handled and for that school authorities, police of Massillon, Canton, the state highway patrol and American Legion members deserve credit.
Every inch of space in the field was jammed with spectators. They started to come early and an hour before game time the park was loaded to the gunwales. Long lines of automobiles were parked all around the field for blocks in either direction. Sale of phoney tickets caused a slight stir early in the afternoon but this situation was soon remedied. Some people may not have gotten the seats they thought they bought but there were only a few instances of this.
It was a friendly crowd, too, in which a spirit of good feeling manifested itself throughout the afternoon. True there were one or two minor battles but these were quickly squelched by the strong arm of the law. A few fans, who had looked into the bottle that cheers, too frequently were evidenced but they were having a good time and so were the others who saw them. After the game the crowd left the field in an orderly manner. Traffic away from the field in some instances traveled slowly and an hour after the conclusion of the game cars were still packing the streets leading from the field and the highways out of town particularly to the east.
The city, however, quickly settled back into its normal routine. Restaurants were busy at noon and in the evening. But Saturday night passed without any serious disorder, a situation which was feared by many. There were no snake dances, no free for all battles, in fact two hours after the game no one would have thought Massillon had been host to the largest crowd in its history.
The day went off without anything unusual, other than the huge crowd and great football game.
WEATHER IDEAL FOR FOOTBALL Mother Nature furnished a perfect setting for the big day. It was cloudy in the morning but at noon the sun broke through and sent its rays earthward the remainder of the day. Ideal weather conditions existed. The air was snappy but not too cold to make it uncomfortable for spectators.
The crowd and field presented a colorful sight. Cheer leaders and bands of the two schools kept the vast throng entertained for two hours before the game. The bands of both schools drilled and played as they never have before and both were praised for their exhibitions.
Photographers, newspapermen and radio announcers were dashing here, there and everywhere. A Goodyear blimp soared over the field with a big banner with “Yea Tigers. Yea Bulldogs” streaming out behind.
Great cheers went up as the players came out on the field. Coaches and assistants first looked over the playing surface and then went back into the clubhouse to give last minute instructions to their warriors.
Canton was first on the field. Several minutes later the Tigers made their appearance. Photographers snapped pictures of the crowd, the cheer leaders, the mascots, the players, coaches and officials – in fact they were shooting right and left with reckless abandon.
The game was hard fought, at times it was rough. Earl Haas, Canton right tackle, finally was ejected by officials for his roughness. The cheer that came up from the Canton bleachers when Krier was carried off the field was not at all to the liking of many Massillon fans. To them it appeared a bit unsportsmanlike. Officials also were panned a bit for alleged laxness in enforcing penalties.
But those things are bound to happen in a rivalry such as Massillon and Canton have known for years.
From a Canton angle it was a perfect day in all respects. From a Massillon angle it was perfect except for one thing—the wrong team won but another year is coming.
CANTON WINS STARK GRID TITLE AS FORWARD PASSES DEFEAT TIGERS 21-0 MASSILLON UNABLE TO SOLVE BULLDOGS’ FINE AERIAL ATTACK
By LUTHER EMERY
A master passing attack that split the Tiger defense with its unerring accuracy carried the Canton Bulldogs through the air to a 21-0 victory over Washington high Saturday afternoon at Lehman field before a capacity crowd of 10,000 spectators.
In defeating the Tigers, the Bulldogs won their first Stark county title in years. From 1928 until 1932 they had not been able to beat either Massillon or Alliance. Canton was not emphasizing football.
Canton Now Stressing Football A year ago, however, Canton decided to stress athletics and with the appointment of Jimmy Aiken as coach began to build its football machine. It succeeded in defeating Massillon 19-0 but was deprived of a county title when beaten by Alliance.
Additional material was recruited for this year’s team and the Bulldogs blossomed out with the finest eleven that has represented Canton on the football field in 13 years. It won nine of its 10 games and Massillon and Alliance, Stark county’s two leading Class A teams were numbered among its victims.
Now that McKinley has finally won the Stark county title it seems destined to retain it for a long time and why shouldn’t it?
Canton Should Continue to Rule If Massillon, in addition to its own material, had Alliance, Barberton, Dover, New Philadelphia and Niles to choose from, it would have an even chance to defeat its own rival. The cities combined would have a population equal to that of Canton.
Sour grapes? Not exactly. It is a situation Massillon and Alliance will have to face year in and year out, for if McKinley continues to emphasize football at the present rate, an annual duplication of that which took place on Lehman field Saturday can be expected.
There will be an occasional off year when either Massillon or Alliance will wage a successful revolution but Canton with four times the talent to draw from should rule Stark county football in the future.
Massillon was simply outclassed Saturday as the Bulldogs set about to play their best game of the season. They did everything right and at the right time and played near perfect football. There wasn’t a bad punt. They fumbled but once and their great defense held the Tigers to one first down.
Passes Beat Tigers But had it not been for the great aerial attack of the Canton team, the game might have ended somewhere in the victory of a scoreless tie. That Massillon would not be able to score was clearly demonstrated from the start of the game to the final whistle, but it is a question if Canton could have scored without the aid of a forward pass in advancing the ball.
Accurate pegs helped put the Bulldogs in position for two of their three touchdown drives and nearly produced a fourth score when Huff stepped out of bounds on the one foot line after snaring a pass in the fourth period. It was fourth down with goal to go and so McKinley lost the ball.
The Tiger line put up a fine defensive game. It stopped Wilson Frye, McKinley’s ace ball carrier on most occasions and probably would have been even more successful had not the Bulldogs passing attack drawn the secondary back to a point where it was too many steps away from the line of scrimmage to be out of great value in backing up the forward wall.
Stop Touchdown Drives The line, however, made many a valiant stand during the afternoon when backed up to its goal posts. Three times it hurled back the Canton challenge, twice on the one foot line. However, the local forwards were out-charged by their heavier adversaries when on the offensive and this largely accounts for the Tigers inability to gain ground.
The Canton tackles and guards zoomed forth with the passing of the ball while the ends laid back and smeared the hard off tackle smashes which Massillon hoped would bring it victory.
Martin Gylog, who plays left end for McKinley on defense was in Henry Krier’s way all afternoon. Only once did Krier gain ground and that contributed to the Tigers only first down. Running from punt formation, he found a hole in the left side of the Canton line that yielded nine yards. McCants in two attempts made it a first down by plunging through center. Only two other gains of any consequence were made by Massillon players. Shrake on one occasion dashed through Canton’s right tackle for six yards while Dutton passed three yards to Lohr in the closing seconds of the game. Lohr fumbled after making the catch, however and Canton recovered as the gun ended the game. It was Massillon’s only completed pass in six attempts. Two passes were intercepted. Canton on the other hand completed nine passes in 18 attempts for a total gain of 146 yards.
Canton Scores Early Canton scored in the first six minutes of the game. Krier bounced the kickoff to Jurkovic who was downed on the 18-yard line after a three-yard return. Three plays advanced the ball six yards and there followed two exchanges of punts that left Canton in possession of the ball on Massillon’s 46-yard line. On the very first down, Jurkovic passed 27 yards to Halter who was downed on the 19-yard line. Frye crossed up the Tigers and ran his right end behind beautiful interference for a touchdown. Frye carried the ball across for the extra point.
The Bulldogs got the Tigers in another hole early in the second period when Haas recovered a fumble on the Massillon 27-yard line. The red and Black hammered to the eight-yard line but here its attack failed and McCants batted down Jurkovic’s pass in the end zone. The Tigers got the ball on their 20 and punted back to their 46 when they failed to gain. Again Jurkovic faded back and shot a 31-yard pass to Halter for a first down on the 15-yard line and once again the Tigers rallied and knocked down a pass in the end zone to end the threat. The local team secured the ball on the 20 and Frye immediately intercepted Krier’s pass on the 35. Jurkovic once more hurled the ball to Halter for a first down on the 16-yard line. Three running plays only gained two yards, but on the fourth down Jurkovic shot the ball to Huff who caught it on the goal line and fell over for a touchdown. Jurkovic placekicked the extra point and it was 14-0 in favor of Canton. The half ended with the ball in midfield.
McKinley scored its last touchdown in the third period after being thrown back once by a tight forward wall. Abdulla started it when he intercepted Shertzer’s pass on the Massillon 46-yard line. Here the red and black showed its best running attack. Abdulla made four yards, Frye 13 and Abdulla 19 more for a first down on the 10-yard line. Frye wormed through for six yards and then the Tigers braced. Halter got a yard, Abdulla two yards, but a shuttle pass to Abdulla failed to gain on fourth down and Massillon took the ball.
Krier was hurried on the punt and kicked back to the 19-yard line. Again Canton attacked. Frye made two yards and Abdulla was turned loose for a 14-yard sprint to the three-yard line. Halter placed the ball on the one-half yard line and Abdulla carried it over. Huff’s placekick produced the extra point.
Tigers Make Only First Down Following the next kickoff Massillon made its only first down of the afternoon. Shrake brought the ball back to his 44-yard line. Krier made nine yards through right tackle and McCants plunged for a first down on the Canton 44-yard line. It was the first time in the game that Massillon was able to work the ball into Canton territory. There the attack ended, for Canton took the ball when Massillon clipped while the ball was in the air on a punt and a near touchdown resulted shortly thereafter. A pass to Huff made it first down on the Massillon 31. Frye after losing four yards was turned loose around his right end for a dash to the Massillon four-yard line. He was knocked out by McCants on the play, but continued to play after being revived. Halter was tossed by McCants for a six-yard loss. Lohr knocked down Jurkovic’s pass and Frigley gained but three yards at center, so Jurkovic stepped back and fired another pass at Huff who caught the ball on the one-foot line but stepped out of bounds, thus failing to make a touchdown. It was fourth down with goal to goal. Massillon took the ball and there ended Canton’s last threat.
It was the last game for four Massillon players, Bob Shrake, Fred Heisler, Carl Porter and Willis Monroe. All performed nobly, especially Heisler and Porter who played fine defensive games.
Against Massillon’s one first down, Canton made 15, three in the first period, six in the second, four in the third and two in the fourth.
Canton had 12 men on the field most of the afternoon. When it wasn’t an extra substitute it was Jimmy Aiken. The latter kept a steady stream of new blood flowing into his lineup throughout the last half of the fourth quarter.
Though bands do not win football games, Massillon can have the satisfaction in knowing that its musical organization performed every bit as good as the Canton band Saturday.
Both bands drilled on the field before the game and between halves and Myron McKelvey, Tiger drum major had it all over the Canton leader.
Lineup and summary: McKinley Pos. Massillon Huff LE Lohr Wyandt LT Birkish Gylog LG Porter Shopbell C Monroe Allen RG Snavely Haas RT Buggs Lancaster RE Heisler Jurkovic QB Shertzer Frye LH Krier Halter RH Shrake Frigley FB McCants
FANS MAKE MERRY AS DOGS TRIUMPH 19-0 IN FOURTH QUARTER
By LUTHER EMERY
GIVEN their first opportunity to “rub it in”, in four years, Canton McKinley football fans continued to make merry today over their successful 19-0 conquest of Washington high before 4,000 fans on Massillon field, Saturday afternoon.
Wearing down the lighter Massillon team by its superior weight advantage, McKinley earned its victory in the fourth quarter when it outplayed the fighting Tigers for the first time in the game. True, McKinley had a 7-0 lead throughout the first three periods, but it was more the result of dame fortune than downright football ability that a blocked pass bounded into the hands of Jim Huff, McKinley end, allowing him to scamper 18 yards unmolested for a touchdown, in the first three minutes of the game.
Tigers In Great Defense Stands That gave Canton the jump on the Tigers and the seven points looked all the larger to Massillon players as well as fans as the teams battled furiously through the remainder of the period and the next two quarters with neither enjoying any material advantage.
The fourth quarter McKinley rally which resulted after three of Massillon’s best defensive men had been removed from the game because of exhaustion could not entirely eclipse the brilliant defensive exhibition displayed by the Tigers the first three periods of the game. During much of the second period and throughout the third quarter, the light Bengals not only stopped Canton’s crack offense dead, but frequently carried the game to the red and black. In the second and third periods they had a shade on the visiting Bulldogs, but their early efforts sapped their strength and the fourth period found them without sufficient vitality to continue to hold the red and black in check.
Then it was that Coach Brown was forced to remove two of his heaviest men, Willie Bray, end and Henry Krier, fullback, and then it was that McKinley began to ride to victory.
Canton Scores Twice Perhaps it was the sight alone of these two boys leaving the field that inspired the Bulldogs to new heights but whatever it was, the invaders began to click for the first time in the game and mowed down the Tigers for two touchdowns before the final gun ended hostilities with Canton the victor for the first time in four years, 19-0, and incidentally the largest score ever made by the red and black in a Massillon-Canton game.
The first touchdown of the fourth period came with lightning rapidity. In the closing minutes of the third period, Knowlton’s pass was intercepted on the Canton 40-yard line, Shipley and Frye managed to gain five yards between them before the period came to an end with the ball on Canton’s 45-yard stripe.
Massillon fans were not worried. Their team would easily force Canton to punt; but not this time. Shipley, who had lost more ground than he had gained, was suddenly turned loose around left end. Behind a wave of interference he moved out to the line of scrimmage. The end was brushed aside and he opened the throttle wide as he tore by the secondary and down the east side of the field toward the south goal. But little Andy Heben was on the 22-yard line as safety man and on the 22-yard line Shipley stopped, the victim of as pretty a tackle as you’ll ever see. It was the second time during the afternoon that the little safety man had prevented a touchdown and he nailed the Canton runner a third time before the end of the game.
Frye Scores With the ball on the 22-yard stripe, McKinley took on new life. Kopache hit for three yards and Frye picked up three more. A shovel pass gained a first down on the 12-yard line. Kopache, sent back into the game at the start of t he fourth period plunged for eight yards through the center of the line and Frye drove over for a touchdown on the next play. Birkish blocked Ondrejas’ attempted place kick with his nose and Canton was out in front 13-0.
The Tigers received and attempted to open up with an aerial attack but found every receiver covered, forcing Knowlton to punt on third down to Doll in midfield. Again Shipley swept the Massillon right flank and again was stopped by Heben on the 26-yard line. Aided by a five-yard penalty inflicted on Massillon for too many times out, the red and black carried the ball to the eight-yard line where the Tigers braced and recovered the pigskin on downs, but Heben’s punt against the stiff wind only traveled to the 35-yard line, leaving the red and black in position to score a third touchdown.
Kopache plunged for a first down on the 25-yard line and Shipley skirted left end for eight yards, leaving Kopache to plunge through for another first down by inches on the 15-yard line. Frye wormed his way through for three yards. Doll aimed a perfect pass to Shipley which would have meant a touchdown but the Canton player juggled the ball and it fell to the ground incomplete. Kopache with knees working like a trip hammer plowed through to the four-yard line for a first down. Frye made a yard and Kopache placed the ball within inches of the goal line, leaving it to Frye to take over for the touchdown. A swarm of Massillon players again blocked Ondrejas’ attempted placekick.
Canton Scores On Blocked Pass These were Canton’s earned touchdowns. The first seven points were scored only a few minutes after the start of the game. Canton made a break for itself the first time the Tigers gained possession of the ball when Heben’s punt was blocked by Huff and Miday recovered for McKinley on the Massillon 18-yard line. Frye in two attempts made a first down on the seven-yard line. Here the Tigers showed their courage just as they did time after time during the game by stopping the McKinley ball carriers and recovering the pigskin. A stiff wind was blowing, however and Heben, punting from the end zone found the ball stopped by the gale on the 17-yard line. Twice McKinley tried to gain but found itself pushed back two yards in the attempts. Then it was that doll stepped back and aimed a pass at Huff. The Massillon secondary was on the job, however and knocked the ball down, but Huff scooped it up before it could touch the ground and scampered along unmolested for a touchdown. Ondrejas placekicked the extra point. It was a lucky break for Canton and although it did not discourage the Tigers at the moment, its effect became disheartening the longer the game progressed.
Play was largely confined to what might be called no man’s land throughout the rest of the first period and the second quarter, but in the third period the Tigers backed Canton into its own territory and had much the better of the argument, scoring two first downs and stopping the McKinley offense dead. McKinley had the wind in its favor in the fourth period however and this helped the Bulldogs in their touchdown drives.
Massillon threatened but once, that in the first period when Monroe recovered a Canton fumble on the 25-yard line. A five-yard penalty for offside advanced the ball to the 20-yard stripe, but Massillon was offside on the next play and the ball was brought back. Forward passes failed and Knowlton’s punt rolled over the goal line and stopped a foot beyond the stripe.
McKinley Defense Strong The McKinley defense presented a stiff problem to the Massillon ball carriers; Huff, colored end, playing an exceptionally brilliant game for the red and black. Heben and Knowlton did most of the ball carrying. Knowlton getting away for 15 yards the longest run of the game from scrimmage for Massillon.
Wilson Frye rated himself a place on the All-County team by his fast cutting off-tackle slants. Only once did he get loose but Heben was on the job to cut him down before he could get a clear path to the goal. The heavy field slowed up his brilliance, but then again it also hampered the Tigers’ open play.
Canton presented a fine assortment of plays but found most of them stopped by the alert Massillon defense. Krier and Hoyman were on the job to turn back the spinner and off tackle thrusts while Bray stopped practically everything around his flank and more than once slipped over to help out Monore, tackle, who likewise was exhausted and taken from the game as the Canton attack got underway.
Schimke Plays Great Game Aside from Bray and Krier, there was another member of the Massillon squad whose defensive performance was worthy of note Saturday. Anyone who attended the game need not be told who this lineman was. It was Louis Schimke, 148-pound guard, who time and again worked his way through the McKinley line to nail the ball carrier for a loss. Schimke was exceptionally brilliant in the first half. In the second period he was blocked out more successfully, all because Jimmy Aiken, Canton coach, went after his linesmen with loud and vehement words during intermission for allowing the Massillon youngster to break up his plays before their deceptive methods could be executed.
All told Canton made 16 first downs to Massillon’s six. Each team made six first downs the first three periods, but McKinley reeled off the 10-yard distance 10 times in the last period while the Massillon gridders failed to gain a single time.
Massillon’s passing attack was stopped completely, six being grounded and three intercepted while McKinley completed three including two shovel passes for a total of 23 yards. Two were intercepted and another knocked down. Each team was set back 50 yards in penalties.
The crowd was probably the smallest to witness a Massillon-Canton game in years. Cold weather, heavy field and price of tickets were all advanced as reasons for the small attendance. Perhaps 4,000 saw the game, 3,500 in the field and 500 or more on the outside.
The mud prevented the bands from maneuvering on the field and they had to content themselves with music from the stands.
Line up and summary: Massillon Pos. Canton Lohr le Huff Birkish lt Miday Snavely lg Shopbell Hoyman c Ostergard Schimke rg Wildman Monroe rt Wyandt Bray re Ondrejas Knowlton qb Doll Heben lh Frye Schenke rh Shipley Krier fb Kopache
Powerful Offensive Defeats Canton McKinley High 20-6 TIGER GRIDDERS PLAY BRILLIANT FOOTBALL TO DEFEAT OLD RIVAL
By LUTHER EMERY
WASHINGTON high school submerged Canton McKinley in the mud and water of Lakeside stadium, Canton, Saturday afternoon and carried off a 20-6 victory in as convincing a triumph as was ever chalked up by a Massillon football team over a Canton rival.
There was no luck in the Massillon victory. In fact the majority of the breaks went to Canton, but the Tigers showing the hidden power that has been buried in them all season, were so far superior to the red and black that they easily overcame the shortage of breaks falling to their lot and scored three touchdowns in the last two periods to decisively defeat the red and black for the 11th time in the last 19 games. Canton has won two games, two have ended in ties.
Fumbles Keep Score From Being Larger McKinley, game as it was, can rejoice over nothing more than the satisfaction that it did not receive a worse beating. The Bulldog, tied securely in its kennel for another year, can scan the terrain of Lakeside stadium and that portion of the field around the north goal post and give thanks that it recovered three or four Massillon fumbles within the 25-yard line that halted prospective Tiger touchdown marches.
McKinley’s representative mascot with the battered nose while munching on its turkey day bones can also express delight that the referee’s whistle tooted when it did on a Canton fumble near the Massillon goal line else the red and black would have been whitewashed by the Tigers.
Yes, the breaks were against the Tigers and McKinley was fortunate that it scored on the local team, for the red and black fumbled on the 12-yard line and Williams recovered for Massillon. Though there was a diversity of opinion, Referee Shafer ruled that he had blown his whistle just as Doll fumbled the ball so Canton was given the pigskin at the point where Doll made his muff.
Dissention Cast To Winds Anyone who had not seen the Washington high eleven in action before Saturday afternoon would have thought the Tigers unbeatable, for personal animosities and jealousies which were largely responsible for the disastrous season, were forgotten for the day, and the players imbued with the spirit of rivalry which goes with any Canton-Massillon game went out and played the kind of football they should have produced in all of the other nine games this season.
The line charged as it had never charged before, opening large holes for the ball carriers, Clendening and Williams, and when the holes didn’t open these two Tiger backs sank their cleats into the mud and drove wedges of their own into the red and black forward wall. With hands taped and heads lowered the gridders were off with the snap of the ball and so vicious were their assaults that one-half of the McKinley team and maybe an even greater percentage was exhausted and so battered up that it had to be replaced with reserve material. And some of the subs likewise went down before the rush of the Massillon gridders.
The first half score of 6-0 might indicate to the non-spectators that Canton outplayed the orange and black in the first two periods, but the fact of the matter was that Canton never had a chance. The red and black might have had a slight advantage in the first period, but from then on it was nothing but a parade of mud spattered orange and black toward the Canton goal line.
The only red and black offense of the day was uncorked in the closing minutes of the first period when McKinley after recovering a Massillon fumble in the danger zone made three successive first downs that netted a touchdown. J. Doll took the ball over on a spinner from the eight-yard line. Only one more first down was chalked up by the Bulldogs, that coming in the second half with the assistance of a five-yard penalty inflicted on the orange and black for offside.
Tigers Launch Attack Canton’s touchdown instead of demoralizing the Tigers only served to bring out the best in the Massillon boys, for it was not until after the red and black had scored six points that the local gridders for the first time demonstrated the kind of football they could have played all season. They didn’t score in the second quarter but to the spectators it was a question of nothing more than how long the red and black could hold out against the Massillon attack and gain the breaks in the danger zone by recovering Massillon fumbles. Once the Tigers marched from their own 40-yard line to the Canton 25-yard line where Williams’ fumble was recovered by McKinley. After again gaining the ball on their own 40-yard line through a punt, they came right back to the Canton 25-yard line where another fumble was recovered by McKinley to end the threat. And once more before the half ended they worked the ball to the 18-yard line only to lose it on downs.
But fumbles couldn’t stop the Tigers when the second half opened up and they lost no time tying and taking the lead away from their Canton opponents. Williams returned the kickoff from the goal line to the 30-yard stripe. In two plays, Clendenign and Williams carried the ball to the Canton 45-yard line. Williams crashed through for a 12-yard gain to put the ball 33 yards from the goal. The going got a little harder but the orange and black kept plodding forward. Williams smashed for six yards, two yards and then a first down on the 16-yard line.
Clendening waded through on his next effort to the five-yard stripe. Canton took time out to talk it over but it was for naught for the Tigers were not to be stopped and “Horse” Williams was having a nightmare. On the next play over he went. He plunged across from the three-yard line for the extra point and Canton was beaten then and there.
Penalty Ends Threat Just a while later the orange and black again advanced to the 30-yard line where a bad pass from center was recovered by Canton. Failing to gain, McKinley attempted to punt out of danger but the Massillon guards broke through and blocked the kick, Adams recovering for Massillon on the 30-yard line. Three plays netted a first down on the 19-yard line but a 15-yard penalty on the Tigers ended their threat.
Kester by virtue of two nicely placed punts kept the ball in Canton territory until the Tigers could secure it in a dry spot that would enable them to launch another offensive drive. It was in the fourth quarter and the locals took a punt on the 33-yard line. In two plays Williams hammered his way to the 15-yard line and in three successive attempts gave the local team a first down on the three-yard line. Clendening put it on the one-yard line and then cracked through for a touchdown. Williams again plunged across for the extra point.
The last parade had its beginning on the Canton 44-yard stripe where the locals secured the ball on a punt. In two plays Williams was down to the 30. Clendening tore off six yards and Williams narrowed the distance by four more for a first down on the 20-yard line. Three plays netted a first down on the nine-yard line from whence Williams, Singer and Kester carried the ball to the one-yard line. Then to equalize the scoring, Kester was given the ball and he weaved through left tackle for the touchdown. Williams this time was stopped when he attempted to carry the ball over for the extra point.
Line Shows Drive While Williams and Clendening were the offensive stars of the day, the unseen and less flashy performances of the linemen made it possible for these backs to get loose. The Tigers for the most part found their success in straight football. The field was too heavy for their reverses and most of these plays failed to gain any ground. They only value was to diversity the attack.
While Canton made but four first downs one as a result of a penalty, the Tigers made the distance 21 times, an unusually large number of first downs for any football team and especially for a muddy field. But the Massillon gridders seem to like the mid. In fact, had they been forced to play on soggy gridirons all season their record might have a more impressive appearance. Their only other victory scored over Tiffin Junior Home was made on a muddy gridiron.
Only one forward pass was attempted Saturday, Canton trying an aerial heave in the closing minutes of the game. It was intercepted by Massillon.
The bands of the two schools gave the 4,000 spectators plenty of music but the drills they had practiced were saved for another year because of the muddy condition of the field. In this the Massillon band members were disappointed for they had rehearsed for the game last week as strenuously as the football team and were prepared to put on a pin wheel maneuver and an emblem drill.
The Canton girl boosters used red and orange cards form their position in the bleachers to make M’s and C’s as gestures of welcome to Massillon and Canton fans.
Summary: Massillon Pos. Canton Getz LE Pirolozzi Krug LT C. Sturrett Adams LG De Stefano Hoyman C Billings K. Monore RG Jones Price RT J. Sturrett Gump RE Ondrejas Singer QB Gift Knowlton LH Kopache Kester RH H. Wilson Williams FB J. Doll.
Score by periods: Massillon 0 0 7 13 20 Canton 6 0 0 0 6
Substitutions: Massillon – Clendening for Knowlton; Shrake for Gump; Brunker for Shrake; Buhecker for Singer; Heisler for Getz; Schott for Price; Getz for Heisler; Singer for Buhecker; Ripple for Monroe. Canton – R. Doll for J. Doll; Rowe for Jones; Scholl for J. Sturrett; Miller for De Stefano; Shopbell for Billings; Myers for Kopache; Gottsheck for C. Sturrett; Jones for Rowe; Reifer for Miller; J. Doll for R. Doll; Kovesci for Myers.
Touchdowns: Canton – Gift. Massillon – Williams; Clendening; Kester.
Point after touchdowns: Massillon – Williams 2 (carried).
MASSILLON HIGH RUNNING ATTACK CRUSHES McKINLEY 14-6 CLEVER TIGER BACKS CRACK BULLDOG LINE DURING FIRST HALF
Canton Miscues, However, Lead To Both Orange And Black Scores
PUPS TALLY IN FINAL QUARTER
Hartsel’s Accurate Passing Has Opponents Worried In Second Half
By CLAYTON G. HORN
THE Bulldogs of McKinley High school owned an excellent and impressive 1930 football record until they ran the gauntlet of county competition. Now it is merely good. Alliance erased the impressiveness of it eight days ago, but only yesterday Massillon reduced it to just a mere shadow of its former brilliance.
That’s just another way of breaking the sad news that football as it is played by those Washington High Tigers who yesterday romped to a 14 to 6 victory over McKinley is still a bit too tough and complicated a solution for the Bulldogs. It was too much for them last year, too, and primarily because it was delivered by that same three-pointed weapon – Jack Kester, Glenn Williams and Jack Clendening.
Those three Tiger backs romped up and down the Massillon athletic field yesterday, even as they did at Lakeside stadium one year ago. But their thrusts on this occasion were deadened somewhat more effectively than they were in 1929 but only because they were running headlong into a team that refused to die or even wilt in the very path of complete destruction.
Yes, that combination of the best ball-lugging machinery Massillon has claimed in many a gridiron moon was prancing in true anti-McKinley form. There was Williams shooting off tackle with a viciousness that is unique in scholastic circles, there was Kester punting like his foot was mad at the ball and riddling the Bulldog line to shreds with his delayed bucks and last but not least there was Clendening, the ebony flash, circling the ends with a vengeance that left nothing to be desired.
That stellar brand of straight football execution, coupled with just one aerial, gave the Tigers an advantage in the first half that was nothing short of amazing. It left the Bulldogs in the lurch for an offensive of their own and shoved them in the shadow of their own goal post on no less than five occasions two of which were productive.
While their efforts, both offensively and defensively, were almost negligent during the first two quarters, the men of Dwight Peabody, profiting by a good tongue lashing during the recess period, came out to put on exhibition an entirely different brand of ball. Massillon continued to threaten and on one occasion carried the ball over only to have it called back for an offside penalty, but its charges met with a more stubborn resistance and its defense was put to test for the first time during the fuss.
Even though Massillon clearly outplayed McKinley, as the 18 to 10 advantage in first downs will indicate, both Tiger touchdowns came as the result of fumbles deep in Canton territory. The first, midway in the initial quarter, saw Hartsel bobble on his own 29. Captain Willison recovered for the Orange and Black, and the march, which was soon to produce the first score of the game was on with the very next play.
Williams smashed off tackle for eight yards and after Clendening had failed, Kester made it a first down on McKinley’s 17. Kester hit center for four more and a pass, Clendening to Hess, the first Tiger aerial of the game, was good for the touchdown. Clendening’s place kick was good for the extra point. Peculiarly enough, this drive followed two others that failed within the McKinley 10, the first dying on the half-yard line and the second fading on the nine when a pass was incomplete.
The second touchdown followed a fumble by Plaver when he foolishly attempted to scoop up a punt on his own 23. Massillon recovered. Kester picked up seven yards on two line plays and then Williams broke loose to the 14. An offside penalty placed the ball on the nine-yard line. Kester clicked three on a delayed buck and Williams added two on a pair of off-tackle smashes. Clendening went over for the touchdown when he cut between end and tackle. McKinley was offside on the try for the extra point. Before the half had ended, the Tigers again carried the ball to the McKinley one-yard line only to have the gun cheat them out of another probable score.
The Bulldogs unleashed a heavy overhead bombardment at the outset of the third quarter and for a time seemed destined to march the length of the field. It so happened, however, that they were stopped on the Massillon 17-yard line when Hartsel, who had thrown the ball with deadly accuracy on no less than four occasions, was forced to run when he found no eligible pass receiver open.
McKinley launched its touchdown march from its own 30 late in the third period. A pass, Hartsel to Clark, was good for 20 yards just as the quarter ended. At the opening of the final heat, Hartsel circled right end for nine and Clark made it first down on Massillon’s 30. Hartsel smashed right tackle for five and a pass, Hartsel to Clark carried the ball to the 17. Hartsel picked up five more on a fake play and Dick Miller carried it to the six on two thrusts. On the third play, Hartsel carried it over. Bob Schreiber was rushed in to dropkick for the extra point but his effort was blocked.
In addition to Kester, Clendening and Williams, Hess and Willison played stellar ball for Massillon. For McKinley, Buddy Hartsel stood head and shoulders above the backfield performers and Duffy, DeStefano, George and Billings looked good on the line.
What’s Wrong Massillon Pos. Canton Getz LE Forsyth Willison LT George Worthington LG Neil Hoyman C Billings Monroe RG Jones Price RT Duffy Hess RE Smith Kester QB Hodnick Clendening LH Brinson Singer RH Hartsel Williams FB Plaver
Substitutions: McKinley – DeStefano for Neil; Clark for Plaver; Black for Jones; Miller for Brinson; R. Schreiber for Forsyth; Gottsheck for Black. Massillon – Bordner for Hess; Hess for Bordner; Foster for Hess; Bordner for Singer; Snodgrass for Monroe; Mudd for Worthington; Schott for Hoyman.
Referee – Howells (Sebring). Umpire – Schaeffer (Akron). Head Linesman – Barrett (Ohio State).
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1930
Sidelights On Saturday’s Battle
It takes a game with Canton McKinley to bring out the best in a Washington high school football team. That was demonstrated Saturday when the Tigers mopped up the gridiron with the Bulldogs, winning 14 to 6. Coach Elmer McGrew’s boys did everything just about right.
Their fighting spirit was magnificent. Their offensive attack was pretty to watch. The interference for the first time this season was well nigh perfect. The blocking and charging also were good. And the tackling – well ask the Canton ball carriers how effective that was. Great holes were torn into the Canton line by the hard charging Massillon forwards. On end runs the backs came around like a streak to take out Canton’s secondary defense and open holes for the ball lugger.
The kind of ability the Tigers displayed Saturday night have put a blemish on the record of Steubenville’s great team had it been in evidence three weeks ago.
The crowd Saturday was a typical Massillon-Canton gathering. The enthusiasm was there and the cheering was plentiful. But it was an orderly crowd. Ten policemen and a corps of firemen worked diligently to keep some of the more enthusiastic rooters off the field and for the most part succeeded. About 6,000 paid to see the game. Another thousand saw it from a knoll just south of the field.
On form of greeting among the youngsters Saturday was, “How did you get in?” indicating that probably more than one youthful Tiger rooter climbed over the fence when a policeman’s back was turned.
The day was ideal for football, just enough snap in the air. The wind was a bit strong but it did not interfere with the punting.
It certainly looked like a big game along the sidelines. A flock of reporters were busy dashing up and down the field getting all the dope. Then a radio broadcasting company sent out details of the game over the air. Several special telephone wires also were in operation and the cameramen were there with everything from a pea shooter to a motion picture outfit. Amplifiers carried details of the game to the crowd.
The opening ceremony was the raising of the Stars and Stripes to the top of the flag pole at the north end of the field. The crowd stood bareheaded as the flag was run up the pole and the massed bands of Canton and Massillon played the Star Spangled Banner.
Canton McKinley’s band was in natty uniforms of red and black coats and white trousers. Massillon’s band was in civilian dress. Both furnished lots of music.
Just before the game started the Canton band lined up in the center of the field
CRAFTY TIGER DRIVES BULLDOG BACK INTO KENNEL FOR ANOTHER SEASON POWERFUL OFFENSE CRUSHES McKINLEY UNDER 31-6 SCORE
By LUTHER EMERY
With the alertness and craftiness of the famous jungle cat the Washington high school Tiger sneaked through the traps that had been set for it at Canton Saturday afternoon, clawed the turf four times behind the Bulldog goal line and roared out of Lakeside stadium with a 31-6 victory, the greatest score that has ever been rolled up in a Canton-Massillon high school football clash.
The real Obie could not be captured like the paper Mache Tiger that was taken from the clubhouse last week and returned to the school Saturday. It would not be captured, and though 11 fighting Bulldogs tried every known bit of strategy to subdue the orange and black terror, the Tiger was still on the field as the sun began to sink in the west and the Bulldogs were cooped up in their kennel and the door locked for another season.
Fought With Vengeance “Canton – why did you steal Obie? It wouldn’t have been so bad – but you stole Obie.” Those words created a laugh in the stands when uttered by an enthusiastic Massillon fan, but they emphasized the spirit of vengeance with which the Massillon gridders split their traditional rivals asunder in the third and fourth periods Saturday afternoon.
Striking as swiftly as a tornado, the whirlwind offense found its golden gate in sight shortly after the start of the third period and swept through it to victory with a suddenness and power that not only shocked the Canton spectators but left the Massillon fans gasping.
An intercepted forward pass did it, and it changed defeat into victory so quickly that the morale of the McKinley players was broken and the fighting spirit lost.
Trailing 6-3 at the half, none but the Tigers and probably their coach were confident of victory when the teams took the field after the rest recess. A bit of hard luck gave Canton the ball on its 40-yard line. But just when Massillon fans were looking on with abated breath for fear McKinley would get away with another of these passes such as scored a touchdown in the second period, Blatz came out of no where to spear Hartsel’s wild heave and sprint 60 yards for a touchdown. All the Massillon tackle had to do was run and that he did and what McKinley players remained in his path were blocked out of the way by the orange and black interference that was mustered together quickly to produce the decisive score of the day. Clendening kicked the extra point from placement, and Canton was whipped. But the Tiger wasn’t through. It came back to score three more times in the fourth quarter on offensive drives that left no doubt as to which was the better team on the field.
Crafty And Alert The Tiger was alert Saturday, following the ball continually and getting nearly all the breaks. And it was crafty, deceiving the red and black defenders time and again with reverse and spinner plays executed through the good judgment of Quarterback John Kester. The deception of the Tiger attack was most plainly noticeable on the try for point on the last touchdown, when the entire McKinley team rushed to knock down an expected placekick while Williams waltzed through the line for the extra marker. Again the craftiness of the Tiger came to light when the star of the game won the game by not carrying the ball. “Watch Clendening”. Those two words were drilled into the red and black nightly for the past two weeks and the Bulldogs were so intent upon watching the orange and black shadow that they forgot that Massillon had three other ball carriers who could plunge for gains.
Used For Deception Realizing that Clendening, his star open field runner, would be trailed like a criminal Saturday, Coach Elmer McGrew built his running attack around Kester, Williams and Getz, and left Clendening to take carrying the ball on reverse and spinner plays. In the first half of the game Clendening carried the pigskin but a few times and being watched so closely gained only a few yards but when the red and black began to pay less attention to him in the latter part of the game, Kester gave him the ball and he got away for several nice runs, scoring one touchdown.
Backfield Worked Smoothly But Clendening was only one of a quartet of backs who performed like a machine, Saturday. Williams’ hard smashes left an impression every time he collided with the Canton line and Kester’s off tackle dashes cut the red and black line to pieces. Getz, playing his second game in the backfield, made several neat gains and played a great defensive game as did the entire Massillon line; Lewis, Williams and Houriet outstanding. But to Blatz goes the glory of turning the tide of battle and upsetting the spirit of the Canton team.
The Tigers were first to score. After passing up two opportunities in the first period, the orange and black, early in the second quarter got the ball on the 24-yard line as a result of a poor punt by Fehn. Kester immediately smacked left tackle for seven yards. Williams added two more and Getz made it first down on the 11-yard line. Clendening failed to gain more than two yards in three plunges and with the ball on the nine-yard line, the colored flash dropped back to the 20-yard stripe and with Kester holding the pigskin, applied his educated toe to the leather for a field goal, giving the orange and black three points.
McKinley Scores But the lead was short lived, for after the kickoff there was an exchange of punts, which would up with Kester getting a bad pass and juggling the ball which kept him from getting away his punt on the fourth down, McKinley gaining the leather on its 33-yard line. A four-yard plunge and a short pass gave the red and black a first down on the 23-yard line, and after Plaver had plunged for a two-yard gain, Hartsel stepped back and tossed a long pass to Smith who had slipped from his right end over to the left side of the field unnoticed to take the ball and scamper for a touchdown. Rich’s attempted kick was low.
That ended the scoring for the first half and Blatz’s sprint of the day in the early minutes of the third period has already been described. While the Tigers’ second touchdown was not scored until the fourth period it was in the making in the closing minutes of the third period. The drive started when the Tigers got the ball in midfield on a punt. A running attack carried the pigskin to the eight-yard line as the quarter ended. On the second play of the fourth period, Kester lugged the ball across, and Clendening kicked goal. Getting the ball in the center of the field the orange and blacks a few minutes later again hit their stride, rushing the leather to the 17-yard line where Rich, Canton end, was caught slugging and a 15-yard penalty was inflicted on the red and black. Williams went through for the touchdown and Clendening kicked goal. Hartsel fumbled the following kickoff and Houiet recovered on the 26-yard line. Clendening and Kester carried the ball to the one-yard line where Clendening took it across. Williams plunged over for the extra point.
Tigers Excel in Every Way The orange and black was superior in every department of play, making 17 first downs to Canton’s seven, and averaging 48 yards on punts to Canton’s 34 yards.
The Tigers completed on pass in five attempts for a gain of 20 yards. McKinley completed five passes in 18 attempts for a gain of 37 yards. Four passes were intercepted by the local team.
The crowd was small compared to the usual Massillon-Canton gathering, officials estimating the size at 5,000. The McKinley band which drilled gaily between halves when winning, left the field before the end of the game as did about half the red and black spectators.
Canton’s main threat was Hartsel and he played his head off during the day, being identified in three out of every four plays run off by the red and black. He was over worked to such an extent that he could barely stand on his feet at the end of the game. Mottice and Rich were the main defensive threats of the Canton gridders.
First Quarter Following the raising of the colors, McKinley which had won the toss, elected to receive at the south end of the field. Willison kicked off to Plaver who returned 13 yards to the 28-yard line. Hartsel failed to gain, and Lewis intercepted his pass on the next play on the 43-yard line. Clendening and Williams made seven yards. Fife, McKinley fullback, was hurt on the play and was replaced by Fehn. Williams went through for a first down on the 31-yard line. Kester struck for five yards and Canton was offside on the next play giving the Tigers another first down on the 22-yard line. Williams hit for three yards, but Kester failed to gain. Kester hit right tackle for four yards on the next play. On a fake placekick formation, Williams failed to make first down by less than a yard, Canton getting the ball on the 13-yard stripe. Hartsel hit for eight yards, but Fehn lost one. Hartsel moved the ball up two yards more and Fehn made it first down on the Canton 25-yard line. A trick lateral pass lost eight yards for Canton. When Hartsel could gain but a yard, Fehn punted to the Massillon 35-yard line where Rich downed the ball. Williams plunged for two yards but Getz lost the same amount. Kester punted back to the Canton 20-yard line. Houriet tossed Hensel for a four-yard loss. Getz covered Fehn’s fumble on the 20-yard line. Kester waded through for a 10-yard gain, but fumbled, McKinley recovering. Hartsel and Plaver made a first down in three plays on the 28-yard line. A reverse play failed but Hartsel slipped through his left guard for five yards. His pass was grounded and Fehn was called upon to punt. He booted the ball to the 45-yard line. Williams and Getz could gain but a yard and Kester returned the kick to the Canton 15-yard line.
Second Quarter Hartsel’s pass was grounded and Lewis was hurt on the play. Snodgrass replaced Willison and the latter went to center. Hartsel was stopped after a one-yard gain and Fehn got off a poor punt, the ball going out of bounds on the 24-yard line. Kester hit center for seven yards. Williams and Getz made it a first-down on the 11-yard line. Clendening made three yards in as many line plunges but standing on the 20-yard stripe, kicked a field goal from placement with Kester holding the ball, placing the Tigers in the lead, 3-0.
Willison kicked off to Ross who returned 25 yards to the 30-yard line. Schott was hut on the play and after making menacing threats at Pfister, continued in the game. Hartsel slipped through for a seven-yard gain at left tackle. On the next play he made a first down on the Canton 40. A Canton pass was grounded but Massillon was found guilty of being offside and was penalized five yards. A pass, Hartsel to Rich gained yard, while another pass lost two yards. A third pass was batted down. Kester returned Plaver’s punt from the 20 to the 37-yard line. Williams made a yard and Kester two yards. A flock of McKinley players broke through and blocked Kester’s punt, Canton recovering on the 33-yard line. Hartsel made four yards and Canton took time out. A short pass, Fehn to Hartsel gained six yards and a first down on the 23-yard line. Plaver made two yards and Hartsel passed 21 yards to Smith for a touchdown. The attempted kick was low. Score: Canton, 6; Massillon 3.
Two kickoffs for Canton went offside and the Tigers were given the ball on their own 40-yard line. A pass was incomplete, but Canton was penalized five yards for offside, Williams made the other five yards and a first down in two plunges in midfield. Kester got two yards Houriet stumbled as he was about to take Kester’s pass and the ball was grounded. Kester on a fake reverse play to Clendening ran 15 yards to the 35-yard line. Clendening lost three yards, and Getz’s pass was grounded. Kester made two yards and then punted out of bounds on the 10-yard line. Hartsel gained seven yards on two plays before the end of the period.
Third Quarter McKinley kicked to Williams who returned from his own 10-yard line to the 45-yard line. Clendening failed to catch a pass that would have resulted in a touchdown. Williams and Kester made seven yards and Kester punted over the goal line. Canton, however, was offside on the play and was penalized five yards.
This gave the Tigers a first down, but on the next play they were penalized 15 yards, taking the ball back to the locals 42-yard line. A pass to Clendening gained 20 yards. A second pass was grounded. Kester, trying to punt, was tossed for a loss of 15 yards when he juggled a high pass from center. Hartsel failed to gain, but on the next play, Blatz intercepted Hartsel’s pass and ran 60 yards for a touchdown. Clendening placekicked the extra point. Score: Massillon, 10; Canton, 6.
Willison kicked off to Ross who returned to the 30-yard line. Fehn could not gain and Plaver lost a yard. Clendening returned Plaver’s punt 15 yards to midfield. Kester and Clendening got eight yards and Kester punted over the goal. Hartsel and Fehn negotiated a first down on the local’s 37-yard line. Hartsel made a yard but on the next play his pass was grounded. Fehn could not gain so he punted out of bounds on the 50-yard line. Kester got seven yards in two off tackle plunges and Williams made it a first down on the 34-yard line. Williams hit for three, Getz three and then Williams on two more smashes at the line brought a first down 22 yards away from the Canton goal. Kester struck through tackle for four yards and McKinley took time out; Williams made three yards and Kester got away for a neat gain, plunging for a first down on the eight-yard line as the quarter ended.
Fourth Quarter Kester plunged to the one-yard line and took it over on the second play of the final period. Clendening placekicked the extra point. Score: Massillon, 17; Canton, 6.
Williams kicked off to Ross who returned 18 yards to the 28-yard line. Hartsel made two yards, but Williams pulled down Hartsel’s pass on the Canton 35-yard line. In three consecutive plays, Williams plunged for a first down on the 25-yard line. Clendening made a yard. Williams banged away for six but the locals were penalized five yards for being in motion. Clendening and Kester could get but six yards and the Tigers surrendered the ball on the 18-yard line. Plaver could not gain, and Hartsel lost five yards. Plaver lost two more yards, Fehn punted to midfield, Clendening fumbled, but Pfister recovered the ball. Massillon fumbled again, but Kester recovered after a five-yard loss. Canton was penalized five yards for being offside however, and Clendening on the next play broke away for a 15-yard run to the 35-yard line. Williams hit tackle for seven yards and Kester made it a first down on the 23-yard line. Williams hit for nine yards and Canton was penalized 15 more yards when Rich was caught using his hands too freely. With the ball on the two-yard line, Williams banged across for the touchdown, Clendening again kicked the extra point. Score: Massillon, 24; Canton, 6.
Willison kicked off to Hartsel who fumbled, Houriet recovering on the 26-yard line. Williams made a yard and Canton was penalized five yards for taking time out too frequently. Clendening made it a first down on the 17-yard line. Kester in two plunges made it first down on the eight-yard line and Clendening took the ball across in three plays. McKinley expecting another placekick rushed Clendening but Williams took the ball off tackle and walked through unmolested for the extra point.
McGrew then sent in his entire second team. Massillon kicked off to the 28-yard line. A pass gained 12 yards and a first down for the red and black on the 40-yard line. When passes failed to gain the Tigers took possession of the ball, Rice gaining a couple of yards as the game came to an end.
Line up and summary: Massillon Pos. McKinley Worthington LE Rich Willison LT Hinton Herman LG Niederhouser Lewis C Mottice Pfister RG Everett Blatz RT Schott Houriet RE Smith Kester QB Ross Clendening LH Plaver Getz RH Hartsel Williams FB Fife
Points after touchdown: Massillon – Clendening 3; Williams.
Substitutions: McKinley – Fehn for Fife; Crawford for Everett; Sleighter for Schott; Glaser for Crawford; Fife for Plaver; Benson for Sleighter; Davis for Mottice; R. Schreiber for Smith; E. Schreiber for Hartsel; Forsythe for Hinton. Massillon – Williams for Lewis; Snodgrass for Willison; Lewis for Willison; Willison for Snodgrass; Hoyman for Lewis; Knowlton for Kester; Price for Herman; Mudd for Williams; Snodgrass for Willison; Singer for Lewis; Spencer for Pfister; Hoagland for Willison; Rice for Clendening; Beck; Myers; Monroe; Roderick; Shankling.
Referee – Shaffer (Akron). Umpire – Morgan (Youngstown). Head Linesman – Barrett (Sebring).
History 
