1904: Massillon 0 Canton Central 18

MASSILLON BOYS ARE DEFEATED
Lost to Canton by Score of 18 to 0
CANTON PLAYED TWO ELEVENS
As Soon as a Player Became Tired or was Injured
a Fresh Man was Substituted
Massillon Team Praised for its Fine Work

Friday afternoon, at Mahaffey park, Massillon again met defeat at the hands of Canton High.  The contest was a fine one, the home boys putting up a superb game, making many beautiful tackles and substantial gains.  This being Canton’s opening game, practically the entire squad was tried out, thus constantly putting in fresh men while the same Massillon eleven finished that entered the game.  Canton seemed to regard it as a special favor to Massillon to give them new players.  The score stood 18 to 0 at the end of the game, every touchdown being made in the first half.  In the last half Massillon held Canton down in great shape.  The game was called at 3:30 and was witnessed by a large crowd.

Canton kicked off to Massillon, McFarren receiving the ball and advancing it about fifteen yards, being downed near the thirty-five yard line.  Massillon failed to make the required gains and lost the ball.  Canton, hitting the line hard and making some good end runs, steadily advanced near the goal.  Knox, the left half for Canton, made the first touchdown after about ten minutes of play, Myers kicking goal.  On the next kick off Burkhart received the ball and reached the forty yard line.  Here there were some fierce scrimmages, Massillon losing the ball to Canton on downs.  Vleit, the opposing fullback, plowed through  the line and several end runs brought Canton to the twenty yard line.  Here Holl, Canton’s right half, managed to get through the line and shook McFarren off.  Kirchhofer made a flying tackle but failed to stop the man with the ball who scored the second touchdown of the game, Myers again kicking goal, the score now standing 12 to 0.  Albright secured the ball on the next kick off and was downed by Myers after a twenty yard run.  The home boys now tried line bucks making fine gains for a short time, but again lost the ball on downs.  Canton was held now and was penalized for an offside play, losing the ball.  Massillon tried hard but lost the ball on a fumble, but held the Cantons for downs, thus regaining the ball.  It was soon lost again, near their own goal, and Canton again went through the line, Holl making the third and last touchdown of the game.  Myers kicked goal.  Benedict, the home fullback, caught the ball on the kick off and made a good run.  Massillon now hit the ends hard and made fine and steady gains when time for the first half was called.  A number of the Canton players were laid out in this half, fresh men being substituted.  At the end of the half the teams again lined up, Albright securing the ball. After a few scrimmages Wener, the Canton right guard, went out of the game with an injured knee, Oner taking his place.  Canton took the ball and made a long run, McFarren finally tackling.  Massillon secured the ball on a fumble and steadily forged their way up the field the “backs over” formation going through in great style, but the ball was lost on a fumble.  Canton was now penalized for a trick that was noticeable throughout the game, the quarterback running with the ball, but failing to go the required five yards from where the ball was put in play when the man who should properly have taken the ball failed to get into place in time.  On the next down “Sugar” Gibson, Canton’s center, who seemed to have a knack of getting into trouble, was laid out for some time with a kick in the “wind.”  Canton was now held for downs, Massillon going rapidly through Canton’s line and around ends, but in turn lost on downs.  Canton tried end runs but these were spoiled by Smith and the star fullback, Benedict.  Canton lost the ball on a fumble and it was secured by Tucker who made a small gain when time was called, not a single touchdown having been made in the last half.

The lineup was as follows:
Canton                                  Pos.                              Massillon
Gould, Griflin                         L.E.                                    Smith
Dannemiller, Schaffer             L.T.                                    Jones
Hershey, Barnhart                 L.G.                                  Kaylor
Gibson                                Center                                Tucker
Wenger, Clark, Oner            R.G.                             Ratchford
Clark, Meyers                       R.E.                            Kirchhofer
Hall, Robb                            R.T.                                 Merwin
Brown, Hall                         R.H.B.                             Burkhart
Know                                 L.H.B.                               Albright
Vleit                                      F.B.                               Benedict

Dr. March, the Canton coach, complimented the Massillon players on their game, which was a good clean one.

The usual amount of “hot air” from the Canton bunch was in evidence, though no disputes took place.  Every Massillon player may be proud of the part he took in the game and the work of the backs, Benedict, Albright, McFarren and Burkhart, was most noteworthy.  The way they plowed up the line and formed interference called forth even the plaudits of Canton.  Smith and Kirchhofer broke up Canton’s interference in fine shape while Merwin and Jones were always ready to block Canton’s line bucks.  Kaylor and Ratchford at guard usually opened up holes when called upon and Tucker and “Sugar” Gibson at center battled royally for honors.  For Canton, Vleit, Knox, Myers and Clark played an especially good game.

The field was in poor condition, being laid off only in ten yard lines and two fishing poles and a rope doing service for goal.

The rooting propensities of Canton seem poorly developed, the Massillon crowd, though smaller in size, being able to give them pointers in this in even a losing game.  Professor Collier looked after the Massillon boy’s interests in a thorough manner, this fact being highly appreciated by the Massillon players and students.

The boys, meanwhile, will go through hard practice and on October 22 will try to hold the east end aggregation down in both halves as they did in yesterday’s last half.