1907: Massillon 15 Navarre 0

HOW CRUEL OF THEM TO DO IT.
Just Like Embezzling Confectionary from Infants.

NAVARRE HIGH DIED FIGHTING.
MASSILLON   15     NAVARRE   0

Massillon High School Won
Against Children and Cripples
Muddy Field Kept Down the Score

It almost seemed like a shame to take the money.  Had it not been for the present financial stringency they probably wouldn’t have taken it.  When the Massillon high school football team took one good look at the Navarre bunch, that claimed to be a football team, it went over behind the goal posts and had a good laugh, collectively and individually.  It was such a horrible cinch.  To say that Navarre was outweighed would be expressing it mildly.  It was over whelmed.  Strangest of all, the center, Hodgson, had a wooden leg which did not seem to affect his playing qualities in the least, except that he could not be counted on for any long end runs.  When he planted his wooden stump in the mud of the gridiron it was no easy matter for the Massillon line to smash through his position.

Not-with-standing the fact that Navarre was greatly outweighed the team played a fast, plucky game against many odds.  Of course the score was rather low 15 to 0, but then the condition of the field must be held accountable for this, as the Massillon players were unable to work off any of their fast trick plays and on account of the slippery condition of the gridiron numerous fumbles were made on each side.

Considering the threatening aspect of the heavens, a remarkably large crowd witnessed the game.  Navarre was there in force and it was reported that business was practically suspended in the hamlet to the south in order to witness this history changing contest.  As soon as they beheld the giants of the Massillon high school team, a look of despair crept into the face of the fair Navarre rooteresses but they kept on cheering until the whistle blew.  This being the last high school game in the city, crowds of high school students turned out and a large number of Massillon’s business men were in evidence.  Excellent police protection was afforded and the crowd was kept behind the side lines at all times.

A ludicrous sight occurred during the second half.  Navarre had attempted to punt but had fumbled the ball and Wells dashing through, fell on the ball.  While he was sprawled out at full length, the ball was knocked from his hands and another man crawling from his back, attempted to capture the elusive pigskin.  This made two men, one after the other stretched at full length.  And still the pigskin rolled until there were four men sprawled at full length one after the other, forming a human path down the field.  The ball was finally captured by Massillon.

Grinnell, seeming rather ashamed to do it, kicked off to Navarre at 3:35 o’clock and the runner was downed in his tracks.  An attempt at a forward pass by Navarre was caught by Wagner who carried the ball nearly to the goal line.  Massillon plugged the line steadily until Captain Grinnell was forced over for the first touchdown.  He also kicked an easy goal.  Score, 6 to 0.

Again Grinnell sent the ball far down the field into Navarre territory and again was the runner downed without gaining a yard.  Things seemed to go Navarre’s way for a time and they advanced the ball about 20 yards.  Then Massillon took charge of the ball and sent Wagner around the left end for 30 yards while Navarre stared in amaze and the score was 11 to 0.  Grinnell tried for goal but the ball bounced back from the cross bars.  The half was now ended.

On the kick off in the second half, Captain Grinnell carried the ball back to the 55-yard line, stepping cautiously among the Navarre children as though he was afraid of tramping one of them under foot.  Both teams failed to work the forward pass with any degree of success, mainly on account of the muddy condition of the grounds.  Many fumbles were made also.  Near the end of the second half, Captain Grinnell scored the last four points by kicking a difficult goal from the field from the 20-yard line.  Navarre narrowly prevented Massillon from scoring again near the end of the half.  Massillon was then playing rather listlessly and fumbled the ball when it was on Navarre’s three yard line.  Dropping behind the goal line, Navarre’s full back punted the ball out of danger to the center of the field.  The half soon ended.

The teams lined up as follows:

Massillon – 15                  Pos.    Navarre – 0
Hammersmith le          Allander
Herzog           lt             Fisher
Carr               lg        Cincinnat
Blantz             c         Hodgson
Erb                rg          Fedrisse
Baer               rt     Zintsmaster
Wells             re         Weidman (capt.)
K. Miller      qb        Roderick
Wagner          lh        M. Miller
Grinnell (capt.)                     rh             Define
W. Miller       fb         D. Miller

Touchdowns:  Massillon – Wagner; Grinnell.

Goal kicked:  Massillon – Grinnell.

Field goal:  Massillon – Grinnell.

Time of halves:   15 minutes.

Umpire and referee, alternating – Miller and Weiner.
Timer – Hall.
Head Linesman – Graze.
Linesmen – Sonnhalter and Holston.

Attendance:  200