Tag: <span>Hap Fugate</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1909: Massillon 11 Canton Central 6

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MASSILLON HIGH
DEFEATED CANTON
Fast Enders Downed by the Score of 11 to 6.

IN LINE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Massillon Scored Twice on High Class Football,
Canton Once by Good Fortune
Locals Out-classed Home Team in Every Department of Game.

In fifty minutes of fast and brilliant play the Massillon high school football  team trampled in the dust the championship aspirations of the team representing the Canton school, and for the third consecutive time asserted Massillon’s superiority over the east enders, who have grown supercilious in the conceit that they hold by divine right an athletic precedence over the local school.  The game, bitterly contested every inch of the way, places Massillon in a position to claim the championship of this section of the state.  Canton, which has been defeated twice by Massillon, defeated Rayen, of Youngstown, which in turn defeated Akron.  In order to decide the issue conclusively Rayen must take up Massillon’s gauntlet.  Although Akron tied Massillon, a defeat of Rayen would put Akron out of the race and leave Massillon undisputed title to the championship.

“Poor Massillon!” remarked a Canton paper in large headlines Saturday morning, and in the article which followed the local school was given about as much chance of existing against Coach Hazlett’s much touted protégés as a fried snowball in June.  It didn’t take Canton long to realize that it was really a football game when Massillon led off with one of Coach Fugate’s smashing, crashing series of silent signals which carried the ball for first downs; the first crack out of the box.  During the rest of the contest Massillon out-weighed and out-played its opponents in every department of the game.  In brief, Massillon’s two touchdowns were made on straight football, the first by Sonnhalter, who carried the ball over after bucking it fourteen wards in four straight downs; and the second by Wells after a run of twenty-five yards; while Canton scored on luck by having Gauchatt fall on the ball after Lothamer had blocked one of Blackburn’s punts.  Blackburn kicked the second goal after Clay had caught the put out.  Kahler kicked Canton’s only goal.

Massillon might easily have blanked Canton by a larger score had not the feelings of Umpire McFarren been so susceptible to injury.  Massillon high never had a bunch of kickers and this season it has stood all decisions on plays good and bad, without a kick, but there is a limit to human endurance and this was reached when McFarren, losing all self control, flew into a rage and displayed a despicable degree of petit officiousness by putting Leahy, Massillon’s center, out of the game for alleged slugging; not in the game, but in an argument; not of a Canton player, but of McFarren himself.  While settling a decision on a play Leahy stepped up to McFarren and tapping him on the shoulder, started to explain his part of it.  McFarren turned in a rage, “Out of the game for yours,” he shouted, “you can’t slug me.”  Massillon had no recourse and Leahy was forced to leave.  Without a sub-center McConnell was sent in to do the best he could.  Massillon has no charge to make against any other decision, good or bad.

The fact that the game was practically all Massillon from start to finish does not detract from the fact that Canton put up a game and plucky fight against greater weight and skill.  McCoy was Canton’s particular star.  He fought like a tiger from the time the whistle blew until he was carried from the field completely played out.  In him lay Canton’s one hope and when he was smothered Massillon had nothing to fear.  He ran with remarkable speed and skill, but was no match for Massillon’s defense.  Carrying the ball most of the time he received a lion’s share of Massillon’s terrific tackles.  Kaylor replaced him at quarter, and was in turn replaced at full by Blanchard.  Kaylor played a good game both at full and quarter, and Howells and Lash on the end blocked the Massillon interference in a manner which was not at all agreeable to the visitors.

Canton’s interference although a stiff proposition at times, had little show against Massillon’s terrific plunges and bucks.  All that the linemen could not clear away the backfield smashed a hole through.  Canton’s ends were tough problems on regular plays, but were easily drawn in on tricks.  Massillon’s offense consisted chiefly of tricks and plays from shifted formations so that Canton was up in the air most of the time in a vain effort to follow the ball.  Canton had some chance against straight football, when it was tried, but there was little hope against Coach Fugate’s foolers.  The forward pass was worked several times successfully by Massillon.

Massillon’s defense was practically impregnable.  It is true Canton made her downs several times but not within striking distance of the goal.  When ever Canton came anywhere near Massillon’s sacred goal the Massillon team would take a mighty brace and throw it for three consecutive losses.  This great fighting spirit has pulled Massillon out of several bad holes this season.  Erb at left tackle, with the trusty Heyman at guard, held the hefty Lefkovitz and the Canton’s right wing in good order.  Wagner and Clay on the other wing, held Canton’s left with ease.  Atwater at quarter ran the team to victory on a well mixed up assortment of tricks and shifts which kept the opponents in the air.  Ellis played a great defensive game at right end and Miller on left and gained several times around the opposite end on Massillon’s trick double pass.  Leahy played his usual brilliant game at center both on offense and defense until forced to leave.  McConnell played a hard game in his strange position at center.

Massillon’s three hundred rooters greatly outnumbered the Canton section and in the fine points of the rooting game drowned them completely out.  Massillon will play Oberlin Academy on the high school grounds next Saturday.

The line-up and summary:

Massillon – 11                 Pos.               Canton – 6
Miller                                le                 Howells
Erb                                    lt                 Lothamer
Heyman                            lg                 Rippeth, Austin
Leahy, McConnell             c                 Bonar
Clay                                  rg                 Lefkovitz
Ellis                                   re                 Sweet, Lash
Atwater                            qb                McCoy, Kahler
Wells                                lh                 Price
Blackburn                         rh                 Steiner
Sonnhalter                         fb                 Kachler and Blanchard

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Sonnhalter; Wells.
Canton – Gauchatt.

Goals from touchdowns:
Massillon – Blackburn.
Canton – Kahler.

Punt out:
Massillon – Blackburn; Clay.

Referee and umpire, alternating – Wittmann and McFarren.
Head Linesman – Speck.
Linesman – Fugate, of Massillon.
Timer – Vogt, of Massillon.

Time of halves – 25 minutes.
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Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1909: Massillon 6 Canton Central 2

CANTON HIGH WAS DEFEATED
Orange and Black Victorious Saturday.
SCORE:   MASSILLON  6,  CANTON  2

Hard Fought Battle on the High School Grounds
Blackburn Picked Up Punt
and Ran Forty Yards for the Only Touchdown
Canton Scored a Safety.

After forty-five minutes of strenuous play on the high school grounds Saturday afternoon, between the Canton and Massillon high school football teams, for the second time in the memory of living man, the orange and black landed on top with the long end of a 6 to 2 score.  Although the game was at times ragged and loose on the part of both teams, at no time was there slowness or listlessness.  During the entire game both teams played to the limit of their strength and endurance, if not to the possibilities of their skill.  The battle was fast and furious from start to finish and all points scored either by Massillon or the east side suburb, were due to individual and not to team work.

All of Massillon’s six points are credited to Blackburn, who played right half for the local institution.  The only touchdown was made by him after a forty yard run through a clear field.  One of Heyman’s punts was blocked by Canton, and fell a short distance from where it was put in play.  The ball touched the ground first and bounded with several men of each team in pursuit.  Blackburn was the first on the ground and after fumbling once scooped the ball up and ran unhindered to the goal.  By kicking a perfect goal another point was added.

Canton’s points were made on a safety near the southeast corner of the field when Heyman, attempting a punt, was downed behind the line after missing a bad pass.  These were the only points scored against Massillon out of the first three games.

An unprecedented crowd of 1,500 banked the high school gridiron on four sides.  The large delegation from Canton displayed the red and black profusely, held forth on the south side of the field, while the north side was a band of orange and black, where Massillon’s rooting club, led by Raymond Bowers, made Rome howl with yells and songs from the referee’s whistle to the timekeeper’s whistle.

The final score is perhaps a good comparison of the two teams as they showed up in the game, but hardly of their real strength.  Massillon’s team did not come anywhere near the form displayed in the two former games.  The line which has here-to-fore held against anything was punctured time and again, both on offense and defense.  The team work in the back field was ragged and the interference loose.  Massillon was able but twice and for short spaces to gain consistently through the line, but worked two tricks time and again for large gains.  These were a fake punt and a double pass to end.

Canton, with a team of new men, was not particularly strong in any department, but played a plucky game from start to finish.  The lines of the two teams played the game about equally, but Canton was playing to the limit while Massillon was loafing on the job.  The same may be said of the backfield with the exception of McCay, at quarter, who was Canton’s particular star.  His speed in circling the ends was his great asset.  Aside from straight football Canton had but two plays.  One was a tandem play in which the fullback hit the opposite side of the line, and the other a forward pass.  Neither was successful at any time.

In the first half Massillon kept the ball in Canton’s territory, and once carried it within a few yards of the goal, only to lose it on a fumble.  In the second half, however, Canton braced up and Massillon’s goal was threatened several times.  Massillon’s line in turn braced up and held for downs, always punting out of danger.  It was near the goal that Canton tried her forward passes but they failed to materialize.  When Canton’s safety was made Massillon had regained the ball on downs on the five-yard line and was attempting to punt out.  After the safety the ball was kicked out from the twenty-five yard line and the game ended soon after with the ball in Massillon’s possession in the center of the field.

Following is the line-up:

Canton – 2                      Pos.               Massillon – 6
Lash                                  c                 Leahy
Howell, Repputh               lg                 Heyman
Austin, Bonner                  rg                 Zintsmaster
Lothamer                           rt                 Erb
Seftovitz                            rt                 Clay
Gauchot                            re                 Ellis
Kahler                               le                 Miller
McCoy                            qb                Atwater
Steiner                              lh                 Wells
Price                                 rh                 Blackburn
Blanchard                         fb                 Sonnhalter

Time of halves:  25 and 20 minutes.

Score at the end of first half – 0 – 0.

Touchdown:
Massillon – Blackburn.

Goal:
Massillon – Blackburn.

Safety:
Canton – Price downed Heyman.

Referee and umpire, alternating:
Wittmann, Massillon
Smith, Canton.

Head Linesman – Bast.

Timekeeper:
Merwin, Massillon.
Zazlett, Canton.