1924: Massillon 37, Warren Harding 0
HIGH ELEVEN BURIES WARREN 37 TO 0 IN ANNUAL FRACAS
STEWART’S BOYS SHOW POWERFUL OFFENSIVE DRIVE
Eleven wearers of the orange and black of Washington high school took their stations on the Central Steel Athletic field Saturday afternoon. And an equal number of gridders of the South Mill street institution, playing not as individuals but as a machine with the power of a massive steam roller, rushed, charged and attacked until another rival had been mown down and forced to succumb to the prowess of the orange and black.
That eleven which fell before the onslaught of the youthful Tigers was not a weakling in Ohio scholastic football circles, but the well drilled Warren outfit. Against the reputed fast and dashing attack of the Trumbull county gridders the orange and black emerged 37 to 0 victors, the most decisive defeat administered to Coach Sidney Jones’ eleven since 1922 when Massillon’s undefeated eleven ran rough shod over it.
Following closely in the footsteps of their versatile captain, Bill Edwards, the orange and black outplayed and outsmarted the visitors in every department; in skirting the ends, in passing, in crashing the line, on both offense and defense. Everything the red and white class warriors attempted the orange and black did better, in fact did better by that outstanding margin of 37 points.
From the time that Referee Stevenson blew his whistle for the initial kickoff it was evident that Coach David B. Stewart’s eleven was not to be denied and that the orange and black was well on the road toward removing another stumbling block to a most successful
season – blemished only by a forfeited game handed to Youngstown South in the steel town when the local athletic mentor withdrew his team from the field after tainted and biased officiating.
Youngstown South and Rayen high, also of the steel town, were two other elevens to hang defeats on the Trumbull county school, but neither of the victories was as decisive or by as large a score as that piled up here Saturday. South was the first to dent the Warren record, registering a 25 to 13 victory at Youngstown in a game in which the officiating, according to reports, was almost on a par in regards to biasness as that between Massillon and South. Rayen was winner by a 13 to 0 score, but even with the score in favor of the Mahoning county team, Warren played the better football but the breaks were against it.
Even though the orange and black won by a lopsided score it was not without battle, because the Warren gridders, cheered on by a delegation of about 700 followers, 350 of whom, including the Warren high school band, made the trip in a special train and the others in automobiles, gave fight for every inch of ground gained by the orange and black.
But rather dissatisfied with the manner in which his team had defeated New Philadelphia by a 20 to 7 score, and in anticipation of a hard battle with the Warrenites, Coach Stewart had sent his squad through a series of hard practices during the past week and the results were forthcoming. The wearer of the orange and black moleskins performed far better than at any time this season.
On offense the forward wall of the locals opened large gaps in the Warren line for the line charges of the orange and black. Off tackle plays and end runs went off with better snap, the carrier of the oval being afforded far better interference and protection than that given at the Tuscarawas county seat a week ago. Only in its aerial attack did the local eleven fall behind in its showing of a week ago, but two passes out of 10 being completed for a total gain of 46 yards.
The fact that Warren was white-washed is sufficient to say of the defense of the locals. In the personage of Zahnow, Warren has one of the fastest and flashiest halfbacks in that section of the state while Horner and McKee are two dependable line plungers and the former is an accurate hurler of the forward pass, but none of the trip shone to advantage as may be ascertained from the fact that but three first downs during the entire 60 minutes of strife were registered by Warren, one coming on a forward pass and the other when Mckee broke loose for gains of 12 and 13 yards.
That Massillon possessed driving power is shown by the fact that 15 times was the 10-yard chain moved with the orange and black in possession of the ball. Three of these first downs came in the first period, five in the second, four in the third and two in the final.
Captain Bill Edwards continued to stand as the tower of orange and black strength. In addition to kicking a field goal from the 25-yard line, four goals after touchdowns, the East Greenville lad encountered a new duty, that of punting and it must be said his kicking was equal to his play in other departments. He played the same bang-up defensive game that is characteristic of him, while on offensive any play through center was good for a decided gain for Bill had an opening there big enough to drive a truck through.
But the orange and black leader had 10 others closely following him and the play of King, the colored halfback, was most outstanding. He skirted the ends with an abundance of speed and his smashes at the line were with the force of a pile driver. Twice he plunged through the line across the goal for sets of counters. As has marked his play in previous game, his running of interference was excellent and on no occasions did he fail to get his man out of the play.
A poor punt paved the way for Massillon’s first touchdown shortly after the game started. Baker was called back by the visitors’ pilot to punt, but the oval rolled off the side of his shoe to the opposite side of the field where W. Price covered on the 35-yard line for Massillon. A series of line plunges brought two first downs and placed the ball on the three-yard line. Borza was held and King advanced the ball to the half- yard line. On the next play the dusky back plowed his way through for a touchdown and Edwards kicked goal.
In possession of the oval on the 39-yard line, King heaved a pass into the waiting arms of Jimmy Price, who raced 27 yards to the two-yard line before being downed. On the next play Kammer pile drove through for the only set of counters in the second period. Edwards missed goal.
In the third period after Baker had punted to Price who was downed on the 36-yard line, King made 18 yards and a pretty run around end. Kammer made seven yards in two plunges and Price five on a double pass and it was first down on the four-yard line. Warren held Kammer twice, but wilted under the driving of King and another set of counters went up for Massillon. Edwards added the extra point.
Hise got into the scoring column early in the fourth period when Hunter attempted a pass from his own 16-yard line. Hise intercepted the heave and easily raced across the line. Edwards booted goal. A few minutes later Grant recovered a Warren fumble on the
22-yard line and after Warren held for three downs, Edwards dropped back and booted a goal from placement.
An intercepted pass by Brown paved the way for the final touchdown. Catching the ball in midfield Brown made a return of 25 yards before being downed. A short pass, Grant to Leroy, netted a first down and placed the ball within the 10-yard zone from where Kammer registered his second set of markers. Edwards kicked goal.
Warren had three occasions to score but in none did it have the punch. In the second period Sennes standing on the three-yard line, muffed a throw from Horner and Warren lost the ball on downs to Massillon. Again in the third period an opportunity went amiss. Price’s punt was blocked and Sennes covered for Warren on the 20-yard line. Three plunges at the Massillon line netted six yards, while a short pass from Horner to Zahnow failed to complete a first down by inches.
The third period offered another chance when two first downs, one coming on a 12-yard off tackle run by McKee, brought the oval to the nine-yard line but the chances went glimmering for Zahnow fumbled on the next play and Weidman recovered for Massillon.
So Long, Warren!
Massillon – 37 Pos. Warren – 0
W. Price LE C. Polena
McCarthy LT Baker
Hise LG Braunberns
Edwards C Davis
Halco RG Thompson
Weidman RT Billings
Thomas RE Sennes
J. Price Q Hunter
King LH Horner
P. Smith RH Zahnow
Borza F McKee
Score by periods:
Massillon 7 6 7 17 37
Substitutions:
Massillon – Kammer for Borza, Grant for P. Smith, Gump for W. Price, Agler for Thomas, Define for J. Price, Brughs for Weidman, J. Smith for Hise, J. Price for Define, Borza for Grant, Grant for Borza, Hise for J. Smith, Weidman for Brughs, Leroy for King, Brown for J. Price, Agler for Thomas, Spencer for Weidman, Fulton for Gump.
Warren – Consider for Braunberns, Braunberns for Consider, Shaw for Horner, Consider for Braunberns, Beach for Thompson, Shaw for Davis, Yont for Shaw, L. Polena for C. Polena.
Touchdowns – King 2, Kammer 2, Hise.
Goal from field – Edwards.
Points after touchdown – Edwards 4.
Referee – Stevenson, Kent.
Umpire – Michaels, Akron.
Head Linesman – Shaeffer, Akron.
Time of periods – 15 minutes.
Putting A Damper
On Warren’s Hopes for Victory
FIRST PERIOD
Baker kicked off to J. Price who returned the ball 15 yards to the 20-yard line. J. Price made one around left end and King five around the opposite side. King plunged for six and a first down. Zahnow threw J. Price for a two-yard loss. Warren smothered King’s end run and Massillon lost two more. Smith punted the ball over the head of Warren’s safety man and the ball rolled over the goal line for a total distance of 70 yards. It was Warren’s ball on the 20-yard line.
McCarthy held Zahnow to a one-yard gain. Horner made five around right end after which Baker punted to J. Price on Massillon’s 45-yard line. King hit the line for two. Borza was thrown by Sennes for an 11 yard loss. Smith punted out of bounds on Warren’s 42-yard line. On the first play Thompson was offside and Warren received a five-yard penalty. Horner was held but on a double pass Zahnow made six around right end. Baker’s punt skidded off the side of his foot and W. Price covered the ball on Warren’s 35-yard line.
J. Price hit left tackle for three and King plunged for eight and a first down. Four line plunges by King and Borza netted 11-yards and another first down. Borza hammered the line for five and J. Price went around left end for seven and another first down. The ball was on the eight yard line. Warren stopped Borza but King crashed through the line to the half-yard line from where he carried the ball across on the next plunge. Edwards kicked goal.
Score: Massillon 7, Warren 0.
King made a 27-yard return of Baker’s kickoff to the 30-yard line. J. Price was held but on the next play he made three through center. Smith punted 40 yards to Hunter on his own 38-yard line. After Horner lost a yard, Baker kicked to J. Price who fumbled, Edwards covering the ball for Massillon on his own 20-yard line. King hit off right tackle for five and Borza gained 14 around right end as the period ended. It was Massillon’s ball on its own 39-yard line.
Score: Massillon 7, Warren 0.
SECOND PERIOD
Kammer replaced Borza. In three plunges Kammer made seven yards, after which Smith punted. Edwards downed the ball on Warren’s 19-yard line but on the play McCarthy was offside and Massillon received a five-yard penalty Smith again punted, Thomas downing Hunter on the 24-yard line. Horner lost one and Zahnow made four around left end. Baker booted to Smith on the 45-yard line. J. Price made nine off left tackle. Kammer was held but on his second try made three for a first down. King hurled a 12-yard pass to
J. Price who ran to the two-yard line before being downed. It was a total gain of 39 yards. On the first play Kammer crossed the line. Edwards try for goal failed.
Score: Massillon 13, Warren 0.
Baker kicked off to Smith who was downed on the 21-yard line. King hit for six and Kammer hit for an equal number of yards in two plunges. It was a first down. J. Price made five. Warren covered Kammer’s fumble on the 41-yard line. McKee went around Massillon’s right end for 12 yards for Warren’s first first down of the game. Horner and McKee made four yards. On an attempted pass Massillon’s line charged Horner so fast his pass went out of bounds. An apparent touchdown for Warren went glimmering when Sennes let a pass from Horner trickle through his hands on the three-yard line. It was Massillon’s ball on the 26-yard line.
Price made four and King two. Six yards off tackle by price gave Massillon a first down. On a bad pass from center, Massillon lost 10. Grant made five after which Price punted to Warren’s 38-yard line. Hunter made two and Horner was held to no gain on a double pass. Price returned Baker’s punt 10 yards to the 45-yard line. King was held and a pass failed. Kammer made one and Price punted out of bounds on Warren’s five-yard line. Horner kicked to Grant on the 30-yard line. Define replaced J. Price. An attempted pass was grounded. Define lost 13 yards when he muffed the pass from center as the period ended.
Score: Massillon 13, Warren 0.
THIRD PERIOD
J. Price returned the kickoff to the 25-yard line. Borza and Price gained three and a pass was incomplete. Price’s punt was blocked, Sennes covering for Warren on the 20 yard line. McKee hit the line for thee and Zahnow gained three in two attempts. A pass Horner to Zahnow was completed but Warren lost the ball on downs by a few scant inches. After Price was held Edwards punted to midfield. The left side of Massillon’s line smothered Hunter for a one-yard loss. Horner shot a pass to Zahnow which netted 12 yards and a first down.
Another pass was grounded. Another Horner-Zahnow pass was good for six. Horner gained three around right end. McKee broke through for a 12-yard gain and it was Warren’s ball with goal to gain on the nine-yard line.
Coach Stewart sent Hise and Weidman into the fray, replacing J. Smith and Brughs. On the first play Weidman recovered Zahnow’s fumble and Warren’s hopes of scoring were obliterated. Kammer plunged for one and Edwards again booted to midfield. A pass failed but on the next attempt Zahnow snatched the oval out of the air for a nine yard gain. Edwards covered Horner’s fumble.
Price made nine around left end. Horner was injured on the play and carried from the field. He was replaced by Shaw. Kammer made two and a first down. Grant gained two. A forward was incomplete. Edwards booted out of bounds on the five-yard line. After two passes had failed, Hunter kicked to Price on the 30-yard line. King spurted around left end for 18 yards. Kammer made three and Price added five on a double pass. Kammer plunged for four, carrying the ball to the four-yard line. It was first down. Two tries by Kammer netted but a yard and a half. On the next play King shot through the line for a touchdown. Edwards kicked goal.
Score: Massillon 20, Warren 0.
Edwards’ kickoff went over the goal line and it was Warren’s ball on the 10-yard line. A pass to C. Polena was good for six yards. Two more passes failed and Baker kicked to Kammer in midfield as the period ended.
Score: Massillon 20, Warren 0.
FOURTH PERIOD
Price lost three and Edwards kicked to Hunter on the 20-yard line. Hunter was thrown for a three-yard loss and on the next play Hise intercepted a pass and romped across the goal line. Edwards kicked goal.
Score: Massillon 27, Warren 0.
Edwards again kicked over the goal line, Warren taking the ball on the 20-yard line. Zahnow lost four on a double pass and Kammer returned Hunter’s punt nine yards to the 40-yard line. Kammer made three. A pass failed. Grant was good for six yards. Hunter fumbled Edwards’ punt and Grant covered for Massillon on the 22-yard line. Two plunges by Price and Kammer gave Massillon a first down on the 12-yard line. In two tries Kammer made three. On the next play Hunter intercepted a pass on the three-yard line. Hunter punted, Kammer returning the kick 11 yards to the 19-yard line. Three plays netted but a yard and Edwards dropped back to the 25-yard line from where he booted a field goal.
Score: Massillon 30, Warren 0.
Warren was offside on the kickoff and was penalized five yards. On the next kickoff Gump was downed on the 29-yard line. Warren held for three downs and Edwards punted to Warren’s 45-yard line. Brown who had replaced Price intercepted a pass in midfield and ran 25 yards before being brought to earth. Kammer made two. A second try for a forward, Grant to Leroy, was good for nine yards and a first down on the nine-yard line. Grant made two and Kammer plunged across for the final set of counters. Edwards kicked goal.
Score Massillon 37, Warren 0.
Baker kicked off to Edwards on the 28-yard line. Grant made three but Edwards was thrown for a two-yard loss. P. Smith went into the fray for Grant and punted to midfield. Massillon was given a 15-yard penalty for clipping on the play. A short Warren pass was good for no gain as the game ended.
Score: Massillon 37, Warren 0.