Tag: <span>Harry Hazlett</span>

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1915: Massillon 6, Canton Central 7

ORANGE AND BLACK MET FIRST DEFEAT OF SEASON SATURDAY; CANTON WINNING BIG BATTLE

Shorn of its visions of champion hip honors stands the orange and black clad eleven of Massillon high school today. For Saturday Canton – the local school’s arch foe – in the most amazing and unexpected turn of events ever witnessed in a gridiron struggle, defeated the prize aggregation of Massillon high 7 to 6, in the annual grid fracas on the driving park field. It was Massillon’s first defeat.

The deciding play of the game which meant victory for the determined red and black warriors from the east end city came with such abrupt suddenness that it fairly took the breath away from the some odd 3,000 fans who witnessed the season’s classic.

Canton’s touchdown came in the second quarter after Massillon, by a series of brilliant end runs, had advanced the ball from midfield to Canton’s seven yard line. It was second down with but two feet to go for another first down. Then came the play which gave Canton its chance to score. Instead of trying to pierce Canton’s line or skirt its ends, Massillon attempted a forward pass which was blocked, the ball falling into the hands of Right End Negley, of Canton, who raced 88 yards to the goal line, making the first points scored against the local team this fall. Fisher kicked goal.

Canton rooters went wild for a few minutes while Massillon followers sadly watched the spoiling of the brilliant record made by the orange and black. Here and there could be seen girls using handkerchiefs.

Today Negley is Canton’s hero. He is the man who beat Massillon. Transformed from a second string end to a star by that wonderful run, the Canton end is the most popular student in Canton high school today. Canton rooters celebrated the victory by a big demonstration in the east end city Saturday evening.

Massillon scored its touchdown in the third quarter on a forward pass from McLaughlin to Bischoff, who received the ball behind the goal line. McLaughlin tried for a goal from a difficult angle and missed, thereby giving Canton its one point margin. The east enders’ victory gave them the scholastic championship of Stark County because they scored victories over both Alliance and Massillon.

Canton’s victory was one of a decidedly fluky character. Had a play other than a forward pass been called at this stage of the game, the orange and black might have kept its goal line uncrossed and walloped the invading foe.

Canton never threatened Massillon’s goal while in possession of the ball. Play during the greater part of the struggle was entirely within Canton’s territory but the local team lacked the punch to shove the ball over the goal line. Massillon made nine first downs to Canton’s four, and used the forward pass to better advantage than its opponents.

Massillon was a heavy favorite before the game started and was picked to win. While the orange and black played hard, it was keyed up too strongly and its attack lacked some of the force which has marked its play all season. The players were excited and were putting every ounce of power into the struggle.

Massillon paid strict attention to Abe Fisher, Canton’s star, and bottled the east ender so effectually that he made few gains. Massillon’s backfield, McLaughlin, Roderick, Zorger and Hollinger, made most of the local team’s gains while the line outplayed its opponents.

A SAD ENDING
Massillon – 6. Pos. Canton – 7

Harrold le Smith

Johnson le McAnney

E. Stultz lg Ray

Bischoff c Mitchell

Graybill rg Bow

H. Stultz rt Valzer

Houriet (c) re Negley

Hollinger qb Shaffer

Zorger lhb Fisher (c)

McLaughlin rhb Leininger

Roderick fb Sapsford
Touchdowns – Negley, Bischoff
Goals after touchdowns – Fisher

Substitutions: Canton – Swartz for Bow, Oliger for Ray, Guest for Leininger, Melbourne for Sapsford.

Referee – Snyder, of Harvard
Umpire – Plott, of Otterbein
Head linesman – Elliott, of Otterbein
Timers – Hammersmith, of Michigan, Brown of Western Reserve

Time of quarters – 12-1/2 minutes.

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1914: Massillon 3, Canton Central 0

ORANGE AND BLACKS DOWNS CANTON, 3 – 0
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM SNATCHES VICTORY AS BIG GAME ENDS

For a period of forty-three and one-half minutes, Saturday afternoon, warriors of Massillon and Canton high schools indulged in one of the most brilliant gridiron battles ever witnessed by fans in this vicinity on the field at League Park, Canton. For 43y minutes, 1,500 wildly shouting enthusiastic fans stood and shivered in the near zero weather and yelled themselves hoarse at the fierce attempts of each team to score. During the same period the two old rivals – the orange and black and the red and black – battled unable to make a point, although each had been within striking distance of the opponents’ goal line.
HOW GAME WAS WON
Time was going fast; only half a minute of play remained. Massillon had the ball on Canton’s 4-yard line. Time was taken out to get the crowd off the field. When play was resumed, quarterback Hollinger, of the orange and black, called fullback Henrich around left end. He was thrown for a loss of two yards by a vicious Canton tackler, but the ball had been placed directly in front of the Canton goal posts. Fifteen seconds to play. People were leaving the park in droves, nothing but a scoreless tie was expected to be the outcome of the big battle between the ancient rivals. Then it happened. Hollinger motioned for right tackle, Eckstein to attempt a goal from placement. Standing on Canton’s 16-yard line, the big tackle waited for the pass from center Spuhler. Time was nearly up; those who had stuck to see the finish were in a frenzy lest the timer’s whistle blow before the kick could be made. Hollinger motioned for the ball, there was a thud as Eckstein’s toe met the pigskin and in the early shades of evening the ball sailed across the bars and Massillon high had triumphed over its foe and evened up the count.
HOURIET’S PLAY BRILLIANT
Eckstein’s kick won the game, the greatest victory of the season and the championship of Stark county for the orange and black, but to Houriet, right end, should be given the credit for snatching victory from the very jaws of defeat. Soon after the fourth quarter had started, Canton, after making an attempt to gain by the forward pass, was forced to punt. The ball rolled out of bounds on Massillon’s 11-yard line. Henrich went through the line for four yards. On the next play Hollinger fumbled the pigskin and center Griffith, of Canton, fell on it on Massillon’s 16-yard line. At this point, Snyder, captain of the red and black squad, who had received a broken collar bone three weeks ago, was rushed into the fray in a last supreme effort to register a victory. A forward pass from Snyder to Shafer placed the oval on Massillon’s five-yard line. A touchdown seemed a certainty. A line play was broken by Theis. The next play resulted in an attempted forward pass. Snyder shot the ball straight at the Canton end. It was almost in his hands when Houriet rushed in, grabbed the ball and raced 62 yards down the field, towards Massillon’s goal before being downed. The quick action of the brilliant wing man had saved the game for the orange and black.

Steady line plunging with R. Smith and Henrich carrying the ball, made two fast downs for Massillon and placed the ball in position for the placekick made by Eckstein.

It was a brilliant culmination of a brilliant football season. It will be a victory that will secure a prominent place in Massillon high school’s history and students Saturday evening celebrated the event by bonfires and parades.
TWO PLAYERS HURT
Two accidents marred the contest. Cholly, Canton’s brilliant pivot man, received a fractured shoulder in the second period and had to retire. Harrold, right end for Massillon high, sustained a broken collar bone in the same period when he tackled a Canton man.

Hope sank in the breasts of Canton rooters when Cholly was forced to quit the field. This player had been practically the whole Canton team during the early stages of the contest. He had been carrying the ball for big gains. Massillon stock rose a full 100 percent when Moyer was substituted for Cholly.
SMITH THE STAR
Reports from Canton before the game were to the effect that the red and black was going to stop Capt. Smith, the little demon of the orange and black squad.

For 44 minutes they tried and then – failed. The white headed leader of Massillon high closed his gridiron career Saturday afternoon in a blaze of glory. He tackled fiercely and more than one Canton player now has lots of respect for this stocky individual. When carrying the ball he was like a locomotive. On the first play of the game he tore through left tackle for 30 yards. He never failed to gain and ripped off several big gains.
STARS OF THE GAME
Every man was a star Saturday. They all played hard. Every player was in the game to win and the result was that the contest fairly glowed with brilliant line plunges, end runs and tackles.

The local team put up a bear of a game but the work of three players stands out prominently. Capt. Smith, Henrich and Houriet were the big cogs on the Massillon team. Henrich played his first game at fullback and showed oceans of football ability. He hit the line hard and punted well.

Massillon made seven first downs while Canton plowed through for eight. Play was pretty nearly even during the whole game. Several times each team started to rush the ball toward the goal line but lacked the power to keep up the pace.

Following is the line up and summary
Canton – 0 Pos. Massillon – 3
Shafer          le     Harrold
Sapsford      lt      Theis
Shellenberg lg     D. Snyder
Griffith          c     Spuhler
Volzer          rg    Graybill
Pontius        rt     Eckstein
Jackson      re     Houriet
Cholly         qb    Hollinger
Fisher         lh     R. Smith
Moyer         rh    Bunker
Marz           fb    Henrich

Substitutions:
Canton – Moyer for Cholly; Francis for Moyer; Snyder for Moyer; Moyer for Francis.
Massillon – H. Smith for Harrold; Zorger for H. Smithy.

Goals from placement:
Massillon – Eckstein.

Referee – Blythe (Mt. Union).
Umpire – Merwin – (Massillon).
Head Linesman – Snyder (Ohio State).

Time of periods – 12 and 10 minutes.

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1913: Massillon 13, Canton Central 13

ORANGE AND BLACK
HOLDS CANTON HIGH TO
A TIE
IN ANNUAL GAME
SATURDAY

In a game full of brilliant tackling and spectacular playing M.H.S., in the last game of the season, held its old rival Canton high to a tie score, 13 to 13, Saturday afternoon on the local grounds. All touchdowns were made by the use of the forward pass, both teams depended largely upon this method to gain. Canton excelled in the art of forward passing, working four straight forwards in the third quarter.
THE CROWD
Not since the old Tiger days has such a crowd of football fans been assembled as on Saturday afternoon. They were massed around the field five and six deep and were continually rooting and cheering the players.

Canton sent over a large delegation of rooters and with the high school band stationed on the south side of the field kept up a continual din through the game.

On the north side were the high school students and led by cheerleader, Kirk Baxter let out yell after yell through the entire contest. When Rifer shot the ball to Hollinger for the first touchdown after a few minutes of play bedlam broke loose and cheer after cheer rent the atmosphere.

Between halves the student body held a parade around the field and a Canton rooter wishing to enlarge his collection of pennants grabbed a banner from one student, a riot threatened, it was quickly broken up and the offender ordered out of town by Mayor Kaley.
THE DAY
The day was ideal for a football game, probably a little to warm for the players, but spectators were well satisfied. The grounds were in fine condition also.
THE GAME
Captain Cholly of the red and black won the toss and choose to defend the west goal. Kester kicked off, Cholly returning the ball 15 yards. Cholly went through the line for 6 yards. Cholly goes through left tackle for 6 more making first down. Massillon held and Canton punted,

Massillon’s ball on the 46 yard line, Kester goes through for 5, Rider makes 1 yard, Smith goes through left tackle for 30 yards. On the next play Rider shot the ball to Hollinger for the first touchdown. Kester kicked goal.

Massillon’s second touchdown came in the second quarter on a forward from Kester to Rogers who ran 20 yards for the score. Kester failed goal. On the next kickoff Canton started a steady march down the field, line plays and forward passes placed the ball on the one-yard line with four downs to make the required one yard; the orange and black line held and Canton was unable to cross the goal line.

Canton’s first touchdown came in the second quarter on a double pass from Cholly to Douds to Brown registered the first score for the red and black. Cholly missed goal.

On the kickoff, Rudy received the ball and sustained injuries which forced him to leave the game, Spidle taking his place. Rider captured a Canton forward and ran 50 yards as the half ended before being downed.

Massillon receives. A forward from Rider to Hollinger makes a gain of 50 yards, Canton blocked Rider’s attempt at a drop kick. The red and black working forward after forward made their second touchdown. A pass from Snyder to Jackson for 40 yards made the score. Cholly kicked goal. Score tie.

Both teams were now fighting desperately to score, the ball kept zig-zagging back and forth through the middle of the field. The red and black would work forward passes for big gains only to be held for downs by the fighting wearers of the orange and black. With a few minutes left to play, Kester recovers a blocked punt and with a five yard penalty for a Canton player being offside, the ball was placed on the one-yard line. With victory within their grasp, the orange and black were unable to cross Canton’s goal line. On an end run, Rider was thrown for a loss of 4 yards. Kester went through the line for 3 on the next play, he fumbled and a Canton player recovered. They immediately kicked out of danger. The quarter ended with the ball in the middle of the field.
THE PLAYERS
For the orange and black, Smith and Hollinger played the star games with Theis, Rogers and Kester close seconds. Smith at halfback tore through the Canton line for many big gains and played the best game of his career. Hollinger at right end stopped everything that came his way and gave a brilliant exhibition of hard and accurate tackling. Theis at tackle was too big an obstacle for the Canton backs to surmount and not a yard was made through him. Rogers at left end played a strong defensive game and scored one of the touchdowns. Kester, although not kicked the ball with his usual skill, easily out punted his rival; the Canton team being weak in the kicking department. Kester also hit the line well and made several long gains. The orange and black line played low and the red and black found it impossible to gain any ground through them. Houriet pitted against a man weighing 175 pounds, playing him off his feet.

The red and black excelled in the use of the forward pass, working it time and again for large gains.

Captain Cholly the brilliant captain of the Canton team was easily the star of the game. Had it not been for his great playing Canton would have been beaten by a large score. He entered the game with three damaged ribs and often had to be assisted to his feet after being downed. In returning punts he is in a class by himself, by his twisting and dodging, often bringing the ball back to where it was kicked from. He was forced to quit the game in the last quarter.

Following is the line up and summary
Massillon – 13 Pos. Canton –13
Rogers le Douds, Cook
Theis lt Hague
Houriet lg Pontius
Spuhler c Volzer
Paroz rg Wise
Rudy Capt –Spidle rt Van Vorhis
Hollinger re Jackson
Rider qb Snyder
McLaughlin, Vogt lh Zengler, Cook
Smith rh Cholly Capt.
Kester fb Brown

Touchdowns:
Massillon – Hollinger; Rogers.
Canton – Brown; Jackson.

Officials:
Referee – Snyder (Cleveland).
Umpire – Gibson (Mt. Union).
Head Lineman – Bast (Massillon).

Time of quarters: 15 and 12 minutes.

Massillon Tigers Black Letter Logo History

1912: Massillon 0, Canton Central 19

MASSILLON
DOWNED BY CANTON HIGH SCORE 19 TO 0
Locals Outplayed Throughout Game
MILLER AND RUDY STAR
Massillon’s Two Halfbacks Play Brilliant Game
Canton Line Always Held at Critical Moments
Both Teams Use Forward to Good Advantage.

In a hard played and interesting game, Canton high took Massillon high into camp Saturday afternoon by a score of 19 to 0. Although the local team displayed some of the dash and snap that was so evident in the Shaw high game something seemed to be lacking that gives a team vim and life.

However, the Massillon team played hard and gave Canton a mighty tussle but the local eleven were clearly outplayed. Massillon probably gained as many yards as her opponents until they got within 20 yards of the coveted line when they would be held for downs and the ball would change hands. The Massillon backfield put up the star game and pulled off many long gains but when the ball was worked near the Canton goal, the line would fail to hold and the man carrying the ball was often thrown back for a loss. Massillon excelled in open work and several spectacular forward passes were pulled off for gains of 20, 30 and 40 yards.

Although the whole team played a good game several stood out as putting up the best work. Miller, the speedy Massillon captain, played his usual brilliant game, carrying the ball for good gains by his twisting, dodging and fleetness. Many times on the defense he nailed the runner in his tracks, cutting the gains. Rudy the dashing halfback, was in the game over his head and his terrific line smashes brought the spectators to their feet many times. He also handled several forward passes cleverly, gaining forty yards on one of them. Hollinger ran the team well, handled punts in great style and at one time, by a clean tackle, saved the Massillon team from being scored on another time. Kester played a hard game but was unable to do his best work on account of a charley horse and Stern, the speedy little end, was suffering from the same injury which greatly impaired his speed, but he put up a plucky game in spite of it.

In one respect Massillon was equal if not better than the Canton school. The Massillon rooters deserve much credit for their good work. Under the leadership of Henrich and Baxter they kept up a continual din until the very end of the game and never once did they stop rooting even though the score kept piling up against their team, they never allowed their support to fail. Nearly 500 local fans accompanied the team.
THEGAME
Canton received. Canton started up the field but Rider got possession of the ball on a fumble. Canton regained the ball in the same manner and started up the field, making first downs regularly. Hollinger brought down a Canton runner, cutting off a touchdown. Canton continued down the field and placed the ball on the one-foot line but the locals took a brace and held them for downs. Massillon punted out of danger. Miller intercepted a Canton forward and the Massillon team started to march up the field, but on the 30-yard line were held for downs and the ball went to Canton . Rider speared a Canton forward and the first quarter ended with the ball about in the middle of the field.

Stern got a pretty forward from Hollinger that netted 30 yards. On the next down Massillon lost the ball. Canton was forced to punt and after Massillon lost the ball on a fumble, Canton again punted. Massillon was held and punted. Soon after Canton scored their first touchdown when Cholley went through Massillon’s right wing and sprinted 68 yards. Flickinger missed goal. Score 6 to 0.

Massillon received and Rudy returned the ball 20 yards. After Hollinger got 20 yards on a forward the first half ended.
SECOND HALF
Canton kicked and Kester returned 15 yards. Massillon went about 30 yards and lost the ball on a fumble. Hollinger got a Canton forward and Rudy gained 30 yards on a forward from Hollinger. Massillon lost the ball on downs. Mooth raced forty yards on a forward pass before being downed. Luntz carried the ball to the six-inch line and on the next down he carried it over. Goal was missed. Score 12 to 0.

Massillon received. Rudy gained 40 yards on a pretty forward. Canton captured a Massillon forward but Rider recovered the ball on a fumble. The quarter ended with the ball in Massillon’s possession.

Canton worked the ball into Massillon territory but lost the ball on downs and Massillon kicked. Rudy got a Canton fumble but Massillon was held for downs and forced to punt. The punt was blocked and Wise grabbed the ball and went for a touchdown. Goal was kicked. Score 19 to 0. After several more minutes of play the game ended.

The lineup and summary
Canton Pos. Massillon
Mooth le Limbach
Wise lt Theis
Seyle lg Eckstein
Turner c Rider
Hague rg Baer
B. Gibson rt Becker
Flickinger re Stern
Cholley qb Hollinger
West (c) lhb Miller (c)
Wade rhb Rudy
Luntz fb Kester

Substitutions:
Canton – Brown for Wade; Jackson for Mooth.
Massillon – Johns for Sterns; Smith for Johns.

Touchdowns:
Canton – Cholley; Luntz; Wise.

Goal:
Canton – Flickinger.

Referee – Snyder (Harvard).
Umpire – Downs (Reserve).
Head Linesman – Erb (Canton).

Time of periods: Two 15 minutes; Two 12y minutes.

Timers: Coleman (Massillon).
Marshall (Canton).

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.