1904: Massillon 5 Canton Central 12

MASSILLON HIGH
DEFEATED AGAIN
Canton Team Too Heavy for the Locals
SCORE WAS TWELVE TO FIVE

The Massillon Team Lacked Ginger in the Second Half,
Allowing the Canton Boys to Score Easily
Game was a Clean One

Yesterday afternoon at the new park Massillon met defeat for the second time this season at the hands of Canton High, the score standing 12 to 5.  The Canton team made a touchdown in each half, the local team making their score early in the second.

The game was not called until about 4 o’clock.  Captain Kennedy, of Canton, won the toss and chose to receive at the south goal, there being a strong wind from the south.  Albright made a beautiful kick against the wind, Kennedy receiving the ball at about the thirty yard line and was downed before advancing more than five yards.  The Canton men began to batter the light Massillon line and went around end for substantial gains, Schaeffer, the Canton right tackle, being especially conspicuous in gains.  The opposing team seemed to have things their own way for a long while, until the fifteen yard line was reached.  Here the Canton team was forced to put forth every effort to realize a goal and it looked as if they would lose on downs, but finally they reached the goal line.  It was an easy goal and was kicked.

Canton now kicked to Massillon, Albright receiving.  The home team went through the heavy Canton line and made good steady gains, the hurdling of Albright being the most spectacular feature.  The end runs attempted by Massillon resulted in a loss, and straight bucks were carried out.  A fumble was made about this time which resulted in Canton’s receiving the ball.  A few gains were made by the opposition but they again lost the ball.  Albright now made a good heady play, as well as one of the most beautiful punts seen on a Massillon gridiron this season.  The punt was made at the forty-five yard line and for sixty yards it sailed down the field going across Canton’s goal line.  The ball was now kicked from the twenty-five yard line to Massillon who advanced it to the fifteen yard line and here lost the ball.  Canton carried it toward their goal but time for the first half was now called.

At the beginning of the second half Canton kicked to Massillon, McFarren receiving the ball and making a good gain to the thirty yard line.  Steady gains on line bucks were made by the Massillon boys.  Kirchhofer, the plucky Massillon fullback, now showed his true form, worming himself through the line for good gains at all times, his one gain of five yards being one of the longest made by the home team during the game.  Albright’s hurdles were here brought to the front again and his end runs netted good gains.  The Massillon team steadily worked itself from the thirty-five yard line to the ten yard line on good straight football.

The Canton team here braced up and Massillon had to work its hardest but finally by massing the men Albright was pushed and pulled through for the first touchdown Massillon High has made on Canton for many a day.  This touchdown was made at the southeast corner of the field and the punt, which was so successful for the Tigers last Saturday, was tried but Hollander failed to heel the ball.

Canton now kicked off to Massillon, Burkhart receiving.  Canton soon received the ball and the Massillon team apparently lost heart and allowed the Canton team to make gains of fifteen and twenty yards at a down, Wenger carrying the ball across goal and again goal was kicked, the score standing 12 to 5.  Massillon now received the kickoff and Burkhart made the proper play under the circumstances, punting to the thirty yard line.  A few gains were made by Canton when time was called.  Everybody seemed fairly well satisfied with the game, although the allowing of Canton’s second touchdown was entirely unnecessary.

The line-up was:

Canton                   Position            Massillon
Gould                         LE                Smith, Hollander
Hershey                     LT                Jones
Haylor                       LG                Stoner, Kaylor
Gibson                        C                 Tucker
Brown                       RG               Ratchford
Shaffer                       RT                Kaylor, Smith
Clarke                        RE                Merwin
Kennedy                    QB               McFarren
Knox                         LH                Albright
Vliet                           FB                Kirchhofer, capt.
Holl, capt.                  RH               Burkhart

Linesman, McCallum and Bast.

The work of all the boys was entirely satisfactory, the backs playing fine ball and the linemen laid down before the heavy Canton line, holding them whenever possible.  Ratchford played an unusually good game and Tucker played all over Gibson.  Merwin, Smith and Hollander put up a fine game; Merwin getting the ball on fumbles in a twinkle.  Jones and Stoner put up a stiff game.  The game was an unusually clean one, no quarrelsome spirit being in evidence.