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1941: Massillon 32, Canton McKinley 0

November 22, 1941June 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

DEFEAT CANTON BY 32-0 SCORE

Bulldogs Speared With Passes As Tigers Record New Margin of Victory Over Ancient Foe And Boost Record to 43 Games Without Defeat

By Luther Emery

Orchids to Bud Houghton and his Washington high Tigers.

The team that didn’t have a chance at the start of the season is still champion of Ohio, and you can write it in the records—seven consecutive state titles—undefeated in 43 games.

While 25,000 fans blinked with amazement the Tigers blasted their way to the seventh title in Fawcett stadium, Canton, Saturday afternoon, to knock Canton McKinley out of the picture with a 32-0 triumph, the largest margin of points on record for a Massillon team in a game with Canton.

Passes Baffle Bulldogs

Stunned by the suddenness of an unexpected aerial assault, the Bulldogs were never able to recover long enough to organize a protection against the Massillon air forces.

They had concentrated on stopping the Tigers by land and sea as evidenced by their refusal of the tarpaulin, but their gamble that Massillon could not use the air, backfired and the strategy went out with the exhaust.

Tiger coaches had anticipated it. They knew in their own hearts that the Massillon passing attack had not looked good all year, so they set out the past two weeks to improve it, did, and when the bulldogs tossed an eight-man line against them on the first play, and crowded the three-man secondary against it, the Tigers had the necessary weapons to fight with.

Passes Did It

Tail-backs Bob Graber and Dick Adams, just rared back and let fly, and far out in the Bulldog secondary, the receivers bobbed up to haul in the ball with little or no interference.

It was Graber to Fred Blunt for 37 yards and a near touchdown; Graber to Keve Bray for 12; Graber to Blunt for 36 and a touchdown; Adams to Bray for 32; Graber to Joe De Mando for 44; Adams to Bray for 34; Graber to Bray for 49; Adams to Fred Cardinal for 22; and Adams to Tom Jasinski for five.

There you have the list that shows the potency of the Tiger attack, nine completed passes in 17 attempts for one direct touchdown and 271 yards. While passes only accounted directly for one touchdown, they set up all the others and might have produced two more scores, had not the receivers lost their balance after working themselves in the clear in tremendous efforts to catch the ball.

That is one-half of the passing game.

The other half is the defense set-up by Houghton and his staff to stop the Bulldogs in the air. The Massillon coaches, using a 6-3-2 defense instead of their usual seven diamond, guarded the secondary carefully. They were willing to give the Bulldogs from two to three yards on the line as long as they could prevent any long shots. The strategy was successful. Canton hurled 27 passes but only completed 10, and only one of the 10 gained any great distance. Four passes were intercepted. The Bulldogs did gain considerable yardage on the ground, but only once did they get within scoring distance, that effort coming in the last minute when they lost the ball on downs on the nine-yard line.

The Tigers were in the pink. Smartly quarterbacked from the opening minute to the final gun; they surveyed their opponents’ weaknesses, and struck at the opportune moment.

Sweeps Bring Touchdowns

They showed no mercy with a vicious running attack once passes had placed them in a position to score, and in powerful sweeps, Keve Bray, John Hill, Joe De Mando, and Fred Cardinal would lead Graber, Blunt, and Adams to touchdowns. One by one, you could see the Bulldog ends and secondary chopped down as Tiger blockers cleared the way for their ball carrier.

Sweeps were the only weapon the Massillonians had on hand. The Bulldogs had so thoroughly concentrated on the off-tackle and spinner plays, that Capt. Fred Blunt, Chuck Holt, and Bob Graber found it next to impossible to move. Blunt, who has been the big ground gainer all season, was virtually stopped all afternoon, but he did get loose for one of the touchdown sweeps.

The Tigers, in their new defensive setup, prepared especially for this game, found Tom Harris, but Bulldog fullback, the hardest of the Canton ball carriers to bring down. Canton built its whole attack around him. He carried the leather 19 times and tossed most of the 27 passes. A spinner with Dominick carrying the ball was the red and black’s best ground gainer.

The Bulldogs used three different defenses going from an eight to a seven to a six-man line, but the Tigers outguessed them most of the way and tossed passes when the secondary was least protected.

You will be looking for heroes, but you need not hunt. Take all 11 of them into your arms. The linemen from tip to tip played fine football and every member of the backfield put in his contribution.

Bray’s Greatest Game

Don’t overlook Keve Bray; who played his greatest game; and don’t forget little Dave Miller, the 140-pounder who went in when Bob Wallace came out with an injury. The way he submarined when the Canton power drives were turned loose through center was terrific. Only a stout heart could do it. That’s it! That was Houghton’s first comment after being carried to the dressing room by his players. “They were a great bunch of goys. They fought their hearts out this afternoon.”

They did. They carried out the promise made by Capt. Blunt as he dashed out of the pre-game huddle and ran to the Massillon bench while his teammates took their positions on the field. “Don’t worry coach, we’re going to lick them this afternoon. We’ll win this one for you,” he said, and how!

Wow!

How the Massillon passes clicked. Fans who had seen the Tiger aerial game sputter all season couldn’t believe their eyes. All efforts to jam in the Tiger backs and receivers and keep them from getting into the open, failed, and you must give the linemen, Don Fuchs, Vernon Weisgarber, Karl Paulik, and Bob Wallace, plenty of credit for keeping the Canton linemen from sifting through while Graber and Adams picked out their receivers. The latter had plenty of time to throw, something they have lacked all year, and they tossed the ball as though they were shooting a rifle. And the receivers held on to it.

There was no dropping the pigskin. Everything that was close was caught and in most instances the receivers were beyond the secondary when they took the leather.

Because the passes were completed for long gains, the first down total is not commensurate with the 32 points. Each team made 11. Yardage gained tells the story better, 431 to 109.

The Tigers gained 189 yards on the ground and lost 29 for a net total of 160. Leading ground gainer for the Tigers was Dick Adams who gained 113 of the 189 yards himself. He made the longest run of the game, 59 yards and was hauled down from behind. He raced 26 yards for a touchdown on another occasion.

Great Punting Exhibition

And while you are still thinking in terms of heroes, don’t overlook the tremendous punting of Graber, especially the 51-yard boot from his nine-yard line that took the Tigers out of a hole early in the third quarter. Graber actually was behind his goal line when he kicked the ball. It soared 60 yards over the McKinley secondary.

The average of 43 yards per punt would be a compliment to any college kicker.

The Tigers scored in all but the third period. They got their first touchdown in the middle of the opening quarter, as you would expect by now – through passes, two of them in a row, a 12-yarder to Bray and a 36 yard toss to Blunt, who raced across the goal with no one near him. Graber was the thrower.

They scored two touchdowns in the second period. A 44-yard peg from Graber to De Mando took the ball to the Canton 15. Big Joe could have made the rest of the distance had he not lost his balance reaching out to catch the ball. He stumbled along for 10 yards before he finally went down in a heap. But it only took one play to get the remaining 15. Bray, Hill, and Cardinal blasted the right flank of the Bulldogs to pieces as Graber swept his end for the score.

Dick Adams’ 34-yard pass to Bray, set the stage for the third with a first down on the nine-yard line. And again Adams circled the right end for the touchdown while his teammates threw everything but the goal posts at Canton tacklers to clear each and every one out of Dick’s path.

Tigers Score Two More

The fourth touchdown came early in the fourth quarter after Canton had had a bit of an edge in the third period. A 49-yard peg from Graber to Bray produced a first down. The Tigers powered their way the rest of the distance through the most determined resistance put up by the Bulldogs all afternoon. Chuck Holt smashed his way for a first down on the one-yard line, but he couldn’t get it over in three attempts and came up fighting once when everyone piled on. It was left to Capt. Blunt to score and with everyone expecting another smash by Holt, Blunt circled his left end behind the same great blocking that had accompanied Graber and Adams and crossed the Bulldog goal.

The extra point that had previously been missed through two kicks from placements and an attempt to carry the ball, was made good this time by Graber who hammered his way through right guard.

The final Massillon score followed two completed passes, a 22-yarder from Adams to Cardinal, and a five-yard toss to Jasinski that took the ball to the 26-yard line. There Adams struck through a hole at right tackle opened by De Mando, Blunt, and Cardinal and behind fine blocking led by Hill and Holt, stepped 26-yards to the promised land. Holt went over for the 32nd and final point of the game.

The Bulldogs got on the march twice, once at the end of the first half, and once at the end of the game.

In their first half effort they moved the moved the ball from their 35 to the 18 where the gun ended play with fourth down coming up and a foot needed for a first down. Passes gained 19 of the yards.

At the end of the game they marched the kickoff back from their 36 and aided by a 38—yard pass, Tom Harris to Pickard, planted the ball on the 12-yard line for a first down. Four plays only gained three yards from there on, however and the leather was lost on the nine-yard line.

The game was officiated better than any we have seen this season including Big Ten contests. Dr. David Reese and his officials kept the contest moving, called only two penalties both against Massillon for being in motion. Canton took five yards on the one but refused the other penalty and accepted the down.

The game brought to a close the first year of Houghton as coach, and he did what none at the start of the season expected him to do, retain the state title for Massillon a seventh straight year.

Others may claim it. Martins Ferry, Mansfield, Toledo Libbey, but none has beaten the champ and if they analyze the record, they will join in the admission that Massillon is still on top.

Never before has a Massillon team beaten McKinley by as many points as Houghton and his Tigers rolled up on Saturday. Last year’s previous margin of 28 points was topped by four. Canton still has the high score for the series, however, a 43-0 walloping handed the Massillon team in 1907. The Bulldogs likewise have an edge in the series that began way back in 1894, but the Tiger team has whittled it down to a game now. Canton has won 22. Massillon 21 and three have ended in tie scores.

You could go on and on writing about the game, but why use all the metaphors this year. Seven of the 11 starters will be back next season. None was seriously injured.

Still Champions

Massillon McKinley
Bray LE Parks
Paulik LT Parshall
B. Wallace LG Zimmer
Fuchs C Cook
Hill RG Schuster
Weisgarber RT Smith
De Mando RE Pickard
Cardinal QB Williams
Graber LH Dominick
Blunt RH J. Harris
Holt FB T. Harris

Score by periods
Massillon 6 12 0 14 – 32

Substitutions – Massillon: Willmot, rg; Adams, lh;
Miller, lg; Power, qb; Edwards, rt; Dolmos,lt; Stout,c;
Gibson, fb; Jasinski, re; Robinson, le; White, rh;
Armour, le.
McKinley: Haverstock, le; Jordan, rt; Lombardi, lt;
Coulas, rt; Wernet, c; Simms, rh.

Touchdowns – Blunt 2, Graber, Adams 2.

Points after touchdown – Graber, Holt (carried)

Referee – David Reese (Dayton)
Umpire – Earl Gross (New Philadelphia)
Headlineman – A.B. Long (New Philadelphia)
Field Judge – Titus Lobach (Akron)

Boosters Have Open Meeting

Do you want to celebrate Saturday’s 32-0 triumph over Canton McKinley high school?

Then turn out at Washington high school tonight, Booster member or not, and let off steam. The club is holding an open meeting tonight to give every Massillon citizen, men and women, boys and girls, an opportunity to celebrate. The program starts at 7:30 p.m.

MASSILLON’S TIGERS turned Ohio’s most famous high school football rivalry into a shambles Saturday afternoon when they handed Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs a pitiless
32-0 larruping before 20,000 not too astonished customers at Canton’s Fawcett stadium.

The defeat was the seventh straight the Bulldogs have absorbed at the hands of their deadliest rivals. McKinley last whipped the Tigers in 1934 and recently they haven’t even been able to make it close in this traditional battle.

The triumph yesterday merely continued the amazing saga that is Massillon’s. The Tigers now have gone through 43 successive games without tasting defeat, their last setback having come at the hands of New Castle, PA., in 1937.

For William “Bud” Houghton the decisive Massillon triumph meant a great season in his first year as Paul Brown’s successor. The youthful Tiger mentor took a green eleven at the start of the current campaign and wielded it into a machine that won nine of 10 games. Mansfield tied the Tigers, 6-6, although badly outplayed by Massillon.

Yesterdays’ game was decided in the air, for on the ground, the Bulldog line showed up surprisingly strong.

But McKinley had no semblance of defense against the passes of Bob Graber and Dick Adams. The two Massillon passers had all the time they needed to get set and their receivers found no trouble at all in eluding the McKinley secondary defense.

The Tigers pitched 17 passes and completed 10 of them for the amazing total of 266 yards. To appreciate just how helpless the Bulldogs actually were against the Massillon passes, one had to see the game. Mere words won’t describe it.

On the ground, the Tigers had far too much speed for their rivals. The crisp, deadly blocking which has always marked Massillon play was still there, especially on two of the touchdown gallops.

McKinley equaled the Tigers in rolling up first downs, each team making 11, but still the Bulldogs failed to make a serious threat. McKinley outgained the Bengals rushing, 187 yards to 128 and completed eight of 24 passes for 69 yards.

McKinley put itself in a hole right at the start when its two safety-men played far too shallow on a punt by the Tiger’s Bob Graber. The boot went over their heads with the Bulldogs finally winding up on their seven-yard line.

MASSILLON VS. CANTON
Mass. Can.
First downs 11 11
First downs rushing 4 7
First downs passing 7 3
First down penalties 0 1
Net yards rushing 128 187
Yards gained passing 266 69
Total yards gained 394 256
Passes attempted 17 24
Passes completed 10 8
Passes intercepted by 2 3
Number of punts 5 8
Average of punts 43 31
Number of kickoffs 5 3
Fumbles by 2 1
Opponents’ fumbles recovered 1 1
Yards lost by penalties 5 0

History

1941: Massillon 39, Youngstown East 12

November 15, 1941June 10, 2017
by Eric Smith

Tigers Top Orientals In 8th Win

By Jim Allerdice
Repository Staff Write

MASSILLON – Capitalizing on four pass interceptions and a fumble, the Massillon Tigers defeated a rangy Youngstown East team 39-12 before 9,000 fans Saturday in their last 1941 appearance in Tiger stadium.

The big East team proved to be no breather for the Tigers, scoring more points and making more first downs than any Massillon opponent to date. Coach Bud Houghton kept his first team in the game until late in the final period to insure the eighth victory of the season.

The Youngstown team could get nowhere playing straight football but in the second quarter resorted to a passing attack which netted them 131 yards and both their touchdowns. Dunlevy heaved most of East’s 25 passes with Lou Gabriel doing some effective receiving.

The Tiger line again proved its worth by stopping the Oriental ball carriers cold while their own backs were able to pick up 319 yards. Blunt provided the most spectacular run of the day when he streaked wide around his own left end 64 yards for the third touchdown early in the second quarter.

Adams Scores Opener.

Bob Graber, a junior, played one of his best games, intercepting two passes to set the stage for touchdowns and scoring another himself. Chuck Holt, another junior back, was the first quarter hero, covering a fumble on the second play of the game to provide the break for the first Tiger touchdown. He also intercepted one of Dunlevy’s passes a few minutes later and twisted 29 yards for the second score.

As had been their custom the Tigers wasted no time in scoring. Holt recovered Wayland’s fumble on the East 24 and six plays brought the ball to the two from where Dick Adams took it through right tackle for six points. His kick for the extra point was no good.

Holt’s touchdown came shortly afterward when be intercepted a pass on the East 29 and went over. Adams converted.

Blunt Runs 64 Yards.

Massillon scored again early in the second quarter when Graber intercepted an Oriental pass on his own 36. On the next play Blunt swept end for his 64 yard run and Massillon’s 19th point. Holt made the extra point.

A moment later Graber intercepted another pass. Holt carried to the East 19 and a pass, Graber to Cardinal, took it to the one, where Cardinal hurdled the line for the score. Holt’s kick was no good.

The first Youngstown touchdown came as a result of a drive from their own 35. A pass, Dunlevy to Gabriel, was good for 24 yards and another pass to Gabriel in the march.

The Orientals showed their respect for the Tiger line by not trying to buck their way the remaining four yards. Instead they tried four passes, all of which were grounded, and Massillon took the ball.

East got it back a moment later, however, by covering Blunt’s fumble on the 12-yard line. This time the visitors were not denied. Dunlevy threw a perfect strike to Vicarel, who fell over the goal after catching the ball. Wayland was thrown back trying to carry the ball over for the extra point.

Neither team threatened seriously until the last half-minute of the fourth quarter, when Adams intercepted an East pass on the 39-yard line. The ball was moved up to the 30 where Adams threw over the secondary to Junior White, who caught it in the end zone. The game ended as soon as the Tigers completed their try for the extra point, Adams kicking it over.

The Tigers had the edge in statistics, making 12 first downs to East’s nine and gaining the net total of 343 yards to East’s 148. East made 131 of its net yards on forward passes, while the Tigers made 48.

The locals attempted nine passes and completed two while East tried 25 and worked 10 of them.

Robinson Gets In

The game marked the appearance of Herman Robinson, veteran left end, for the first time this season. He played the last couple of minutes but still favored the injured knee that has kept him on the bench all season.

Enough for the East-Massillon game. The fans have forgotten it already anyway. They are thinking of the tilt at Canton Saturday and so are the Tigers.

They will work out behind closed doors this week with all spectators barred from the field. The Massillon boys emerged from the East game without suffering any injuries, and John Hill, right guard, a contact man on practically every play will be O.K. for the McKinley game. He has been kept out of the last two games because of an injured leg, but it is strong as ever now.

The coaches broke up the squad into groups Sunday and each took a hike as a limbering up process. Serious workout for Saturday’s encounter will begin tonight.

It will be the 46th meeting between the teams since 1894. Canton has won 22 games, Massillon 20, and three have resulted in tie scores. The Tigers have won the last six encounters, a streak that started in 1935 after three years of domination by McKinley.

As the teams go into their final week of practice, the game looks like a tossup, despite the better showing made by the Tigers against two of four common opponents.

Both Tied Mansfield

Both teams tied Mansfield, Canton playing a scoreless tie, Massillon battling to a 6-6 score. The Tigers defeated Steubenville 58-0, Canton won 58-8. The Tigers defeated Warren 21-0, Canton lost to Warren 13-7, with breaks and blocking punts playing an important part in both games. The Tigers defeated Alliance 46-6, when the latter virtually quit in the second half, while Canton edged Alliance 18-13.

The game looks like a tossup despite the latter two scores, because scores frequently have meant so little in past Massillon-Canton game performances.

The Tigers looked like winners by half a dozen touchdowns two years ago, but they were glad to settle for a 20-6 triumph. Last year they trailed up to the last two minutes of the half when a well executed pass put them ahead 7-6. They eventually won 34-6, by routing the Bulldogs the last quarter.

Last year’s 34 points were the most made by either team since Canton whipped Massillon 45-0 back in 1907. In all the years of rivalry, the victor has on but six occasions scored more than 21 points.

Each team has had five opponents cross its goal this season. Six touchdowns have passed over the Tiger payoff stripe, while Bulldog opponents have scored 10 touchdowns on them.

Five of the six touchdowns chalked up against Massillon were scored on passes. Only once was the ball run across, that coming on the return of a kickoff in the Marblehead, Mass., game. Canton has scored 268 points for the season to its opponents’ 66 points, while the Tigers have scored 282 points to their opponents’ 32.

Following is a record of Massillon-Canton rivalry since 1894 and the scores this year:

Year Massillon Canton
1894 6 16
1894 8 12
1895 0 6
1899 3 19
1899 4 9
1903 0 5
1903 0 8
1904 0 18
1905 5 12
1906 0 24
1906 0 28
1907 0 0
1907 0 45
1908 0 17
1908 12 6
1909 11 6
1909 8 2
1912 0 19
1913 13 13
1914 3 0
1915 6 7
1916 16 9
1917 7 6
1919 21 0
1920 0 14
1921 13 12
1922 24 0
1923 9 0
1924 6 0
1925 3 6
1926 0 0
1927 0 13
1928 0 7
1929 31 6
1930 14 6
1931 20 6
1932 0 19
1933 0 21
1934 6 21
1935 6 0
1936 21 0
1937 19 6
1938 12 0
1939 20 6
1940 34 6

Massillon won 20
Three ties
Canton won 22

Canton Record
McKinley 62, Timken 0
McKinley 26, Akron South 0
McKinley 26, Champaign, Ill. 6
McKinley 7, Warren 13
McKinley 59, John Adams 0
McKinley 18, Alliance 13
McKinley 58, Steubenville 6
McKinley 0, Mansfield 0
McKinley 12, Oak Park 28

Massillon Record
Massillon 6, Weirton, W.Va. 0
Massillon 28, Marblehead, Mass. 6
Massillon 39, Cathedral Latin 0
Massillon 46, Alliance 6
Massillon 58, Steubenville 0
Massillon 6, Mansfield 6
Massillon 21, Warren 6
Massillon 39, Toledo Waite 7
Massillon 39, Youngstown East 13

History

1941: Massillon 39, Toledo Waite 7

November 8, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

BENGALS CLAW INDIANS 39-7

Toledo Gains Early Lead With Forward Passing Attack, But Fast Massillon Backs Get It Back and Send Score Soaring

By Luther Emery

Ten thousand fans were still thawing out today after shivering and stomping their feet through four periods of near-freezing temperatures at Tiger Stadium, Friday evening, while their Washington high football team was handing Toledo Waite a 39-7 beating to stretch the Massillon undefeated streak to 41 games.

If you have thawed out, you might chance continuing on with this story, but if you are still chilly, turn away from the cold facts or you will start shaking all over again.

Still a Remarkable Crowd

What a difference in the weather last night when compared with that of the Toledo Waite game of 1940, and what a difference in the crowd. And yet last night’s turnout was almost as remarkable.

A year ago, 22,000 fans sat through a driving rain and 5,000 more peered through the fences because they couldn’t get tickets to see a game that had been ballyhooed for eight months, a grudge battle with undefeated rivals for the 1939 state title pitting their perfect records against each other.

The Tigers won that game 28-0 and are still undefeated. But Waite came to Massillon last night with three victories in seven games including losses in its last two starts, and yet 10,000 persons stuck their chins out and took a worse beating from the weatherman than the Toledo football team received at the claws of the Tiger.

A high wind, and near-freezing temperatures made it downright cold, but the fans, most of them, stuck it out to the last despite the fact that the result was a settled issue by the middle of the third period.

Waite Pulls a Thriller

It was an inspired Waite team that met Massillon last night, eleven Indians who fought tooth and nail the first half to ambush the Tigers, score a touchdown the first period and uphold the beat traditions of Maumee gladiators with a courageous display of defense that staved off two Tiger scoring threats in the second period and left Massillon holding the slim edge of 12-7 at halftime.

The game was in no sense secure when the third period got underway, but with the mercury flirting with the low 30’s it didn’t take the Tigers long to put it on ice in the third quarter with two rapid fire touchdowns.

It was a game filed with the spectacular, long runs, and passes, what many fans like and stayed to see.

It stated off faster than the 35-mile an hour gale that howled through the stands and made the light poles sway. Ere four minutes had expired, each team had shoved over a touchdown and fans were wondering what next was coming off.

It took just three plays for the Tigers to get their’s. Junior White got off to a flying start by returning the kickoff 41 yards to the Waite 37, then slipping to the 21 on the next play, from which Dick Adams’ twisted his way for the touchdown.

That was that and Massillon fans leaned back in their seats waiting for the kill, but they themselves were about to be scalped as the Indians took the kickoff and charged back with three rapid-fire passes, two over the line and into the flat that brought a first down on the five-yard line. There Bob Albright rared back and pegged the ball straight over the line to Harry Wright who took his footsies off the ground for a moment to make the catch. When Dick Jensen kicked the extra point, the Tigers found themselves trailing for the second time this year.

Sends Blunt In

None was more concerned than Coach Bud Houghton, for he shoved his ailing captain, Fred Blunt, into the game and the fur began to fly. It that’s the way colds effect Blunt, it might be a good idea to blow a few bacteria his way every week. All he did was grab the ball on his 44-yard line, and head for left end with Joe De Mando thundering along in front to block out the last tackler, while “Pokey” did the whole 56 yards in one stretch. It wasn’t too encouraging yet, when Adams failed to carry the extra point across, for no one knew when Waite might connect again with its passes and take the lead.

For some reason or other, however, the Indians tossed a couple away and quit throwing. The Tigers apparently solved the attack and set up a defense for it. Not another pass did Waite complete after its touchdown. In fact but five more were attempted.

The Indians had hard luck handling the ball. They lost it four times on fumbles, and on three of the occasions the Tigers were quick to seize the break and capitalize on it.

That is not saying that Massillon did not deserve the victory. It was faster and more powerful. Had Waite hung on to the ball a little better however, and gotten away good fourth down punts, the Tigers would have had to have traveled a greater distance to get to the promised land, and consequently the score might not have been as large.

One of these fumbles gave the local gridders a scoring opportunity in the second period when they covered a Waite muff on the 28-yard line.

Here the Indians demonstrated their pluck and only yielded two yards on a pass and three running plays.

Here’s Real Stone Wall

But that was only a sample of what they could do defensively. It wasn’t long after that a brilliant 31-yard run by Blunt helped to get the ball to a first down on the Waite five-yard line. Here the Indians came through with a goal line stand that had Massillon fans worried at the half for they gave the Tigers but two yards on four running plays and took the ball away from them on the three-yard line.

The Indians must have played themselves out doing it however for along came the third period and with Chuck Holt as the spearhead of the drive, the Tigers marched from where they got the kickoff on the 18 to the Waite 16-yard line where Holt tore through the left side of the Waite line to score. This time Adams kicked the extra point and Massillon went to the front 19-7. And it was 25-7 shortly afterward when Holt broke through left guard again and dashed 51 yards for a touchdown. The Tigers had gotten the ball on a fumble just before Holt’s sprint. Vernon Weisgarber covered Bauman’s muff.

Another muff in the same period, this one by Jim Lamoreaux, right halfback, was covered by George Dolmos, substitue tackle, and set the locals in motion for a successful march. Holt plunged for a first down on the 15-yard line and Adams’ well thrown pass was snared in the end zone by Joe De Mando for the touchdown. Adams kicked goal and it was 32-7.

De Mando covered a fumble by Beauman on the 32-yard line in the fourth quarter to ring up points again. White and Holt hugged the ball to the seven from where Graber took it over for six points and repeated on the attempt for the extra point.

That’s all the scoring there was.

Only twice did Waite work the ball into Tiger territory, once on its successful touchdown series and again in the last minute of the fourth period when Albright ran some 27 yards to reach the Massillon 40.

That the Indians were thoroughly outplayed, is clearly shown by the statistics, 14 first downs to eight and a net total of 402 yards from ball carrying to 70 yards.

Coach Houghton started a backfield with only one regular, Chuck Holt. As the game moved into the clutch, however, the regulars one by one began to recuperate and take their places on the field. Fred Cardinal, Blunt, and Graber, all saw service, but John Hill, and Don Armour are still on the sidelines with injuries.

The game was Massillon’s last night attraction of the season, Youngstown East will play here next Saturday afternoon.

Good First Half

Massillon Waite
Bray LE V. Smith
Paulik LT Jensen
Wallace LG Schick
Fuchs C Kives
Kanney RG Saam
Weisgarber RT Oatley
De Mando RE Wright
Power QB Links
Adams LH Lamoreaux
White RH Albright
Holt FB Bauman

Score by periods:
Massillon 12 0 20 7 – 39
Waite 7 0 0 0 – 7

Substitutions – Massillon: Blunt, rh; Cardinal, qb; Dolmos, lt; Miller, lg; Jasinski, re; Willmott, le; Gibson, fb; Graber, lh; Stout, c;
Waite: Collins, le; Atwood, qb; Raether, re; Cannon,lh; Milks, lg.

Touchdowns – Blunt, Adams, Holy 2, De Mando, Graber, Wright.

Points after touchdown – Adams 2 (placekicks),
Graber (carried), Jensen (placekick).

Referee – Gross
Umpire – Boone
Headlinesman – Bachman
Field judge – Long

History

1941: Massillon 21, Warren Harding 0

November 1, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

BLOCKED PUNTS WIN HARD GAME

Massillon Gridders Score Touchdowns In First Second and Fourth Periods To Win Important Game Before 10,000 Rain-Soaked Fans

By Luther Emery

The films are undeveloped and so is the Warren football team when it comes to matching the skill of the Washington high Tigers. They went over the Hill on a muddy road to a 21-0 victory Friday evening before 10,000 rain soaked, thrill choked fans in Warren Harding stadium and thereby surmounted one of the big obstacles in their bid for a seventh consecutive state championship.

It was Massillon’s 40th game without a defeat, and it was earned the hard way – by making breaks and taking full advantage of them. It was Warren’s first loss of the season.

Warren Had Drive and Power

Playing on a slippery field that after a few minutes made it practically impossible to identify players unless you could pick them out from their positions, the Tigers found themselves pitted against a spirited Warren team that had drive and power.

Don’t take anything away from Pierre Hill’s Presidents. In the rain and mud, they looked the best eleven the Tiger have faced this season and they were out to win.

Both teams had their minds set on victory. So high were they keyed that they literally jumped at each other the first quarter, leaping offside so often that the officials twice had to call them together and urge the captains to take it just a little easier to so as not to delay the game.

A Thrilling Game

To the folks who sat at home and followed the game by radio and special wire it must have been a thriller; to the fans whose faces were washed with rain all evening it was a killer-diller.

The boys played for keeps on both sides, but there was none of the episode of flying fists that so many fans had anticipated.

In fact fans who didn’t get tickets, were probably only too glad to stay home, while those who did, were so drenched and cooled off by the rain that they kept their hands in their pockets. There was no reason for anything otherwise and more grumbling was heard among Warren general admission patrons who paid 83 cents to stand ankle deep in mud at the ends of the field, than was voiced by anyone else.

It was a football game from start to finish, just as so many other Massillon-Warren games have been. The Tigers looked the smoother team and had more speed, but they couldn’t use it on the sloppy gridiron, fumbled frequently and had a hard time moving their heavier opponents who ganged them on the line of scrimmage because they knew a wet ball made passing practically prohibitive.

It was more of a game than the score would indicate. Only twice all evening did the Tigers actually carry the ball over the middle stripe – they got it in Warren territory on other occasions, through three blocked punts and punt exchanges. Likewise they were in the hold the greater part of the second period with their backs twice against the goal as a result of fumbles.

Tigers Seize Opportunities

The difference in the two teams was that the Tigers took advantage of their scoring opportunities while Warren lacked the power to shove across a touchdown and on one occasion showed poor judgment in accepting a penalty when a decline would have left them in possession of the ball on Massillon’s one and one half yard line.

Two blocked punts and a brilliant 80-yard run by Capt. Fred Blunt produced the Tigers three touchdowns.

The game was only a few minutes old when on the first exchange of punts, big Joe De Mando got his carcass in front of Charley Scarpaci’s punt on the 80-yard line and blocked the ball so hard that it bounded across the goal line. De Mando dove for the ball lost it, but Karl Paulik stretched himself across the leather for the touchdown. As offside penalty on the attempted point for touchdown put the ball on the one yard line where Chuck Holt banged through for the extra point.

The Tigers were fighting hard to hold their seven-point lead and Bob Graber had twice punted them out of danger when Fred Blunt suddenly electrified the fans with the feature touchdown run of the evening, midway in the second period that saw him shake himself loose from Don Byrnes, who almost nailed him for a five-yard loss, he ran 80 yards up the sidelines behind fine blocking, without another hand being laid on him. This time Graber rammed the extra point over to make the score 14-0.

The thrills weren’t over with yet, for the Tigers developed a bad case of butterfingers and Warren recovered two fumbles on the nine and 10-yard lines. Both times the vaunted Tiger line bristled like a Halloween cat and smashed the attempts of the Presidents to legislate a touchdown.

They were helped by a bit of poor judgment on Warren’s part on the second effort when Capt. Scarpaci preferred a second down on the five yard-line to a third down on the yard and a half line. He wound up by losing the ball, and it was Warren’s last serious bid.

Blocked Punt Again

A blocked punt by Bob Wallace in the fourth quarter that Massillon recovered on the Warren 16-yard line paved the way for the last touchdown. Blunt ripped around his left wing for eight yards and hit a man for a first on the three-yard line. Graber turned loose a power play at right tackle and carried the ball himself for the touchdown. He struck for the extra point.

That in brief describes the scoring plays but it only touches on the performance of a few of the players. Though mud and rain games usually result in two teams locking themselves in a grunt and groan match in the middle of the field, nothing of the sort took place last night and there were thrills every minute.

Never will you see a better punting duel than that put up in the second period between Scarpaci and Graber and there wasn’t a Massillon fan who wouldn’t have taken his shirt off his back and given it to Graber were it not for the fact that Graber had no need for two wet shirts.

Once Scarpaci punted dead to the one-yard line. The Tigers were battling to hold a seven-point lead then, and the seven looked small enough. In the fact of a hard charging Warren line, Graber fell back into the end zone and kicked the ball out to the 45-yard line where Larry Larson scooped it up and came back to the 34. The Tigers held, and Scarpaci again pointed his toe at the coffin corner and angled the ball out on the two-yard line. Once, more Graber dropped back and sent the ball spiraling from behind his goal to the 45-yard line, this time with no return. The next time Scarpaci kicked into the end zone, the Tigers got the ball on their 20, and Blunt came though for his 80-yard touchdown dash. After having seen their team in such deep trouble its no wonder the Massillon fans went nearly hysterical and drank large portions of raindrops as they shouted in glee.

Then there followed the brilliant goal line stands by the Tiger forward wall in which every man from one flank to the other had to do his everlasting best.

In Trouble Often

It seemed as though the local team would never get out of trouble. The first setback came when Blunt fumbled a none too good pass on the 33-yard line and the ball rolled back to the nine where Bill Lahto recovered for Warren. Tony Marcarello and Mike Georges wound up two attempts with exactly nothing gained and Don Armour and Blunt batted down passes behind the goal on the third and fourth downs to take possession of the ball.

Less than a minute remained to play, and the Tigers elected to carry the ball and not make any effort to gain ground, hoping to stall out the half. On the second play, however, Dallas Power, who was sent in as a substitute, lost control of the greased pigskin and Frank Superak recovered for Warren on the 10-yard line.

Scarpaci’s pass was grounded but Marcarello ran hard to the one and one-half yard line. Massillon was offside on the play, and Scarpaci took the penalty in preference to the ball which left him possession of the leather on the five-yard line. He picked up one yard at right tackle, but the Tiger linesmen stopped Marcarello in his tracks and knocked down his pass on fourth down. The half ended one play later.

For the most part, play in the third quarter was confined to the back yard of each team. Late in the period, however, Graber made a brilliant 25-yard return of Scarpaci’s punt to lug the leather past midfield to the Warren 38. Here the Presidents held, and for some reason or other the Tigers tried to run for seven yards on fourth down, and lost the ball on the Warren 43. Then it was the President’s turn to invade Tiger territory and they came over the midfield stripe to the Massillon 41, where Wallace broke through and partially blocked Scarpaci’s kick to take the ball on the Massillon 24.

At the outset of the fourth quarter the Tigers threatened when Blunt intercepted one of the eight passes attempted by Warren and raced from his 45 to the Warren 25. He fumbled on second down, Georges recovered for Warren to end the threat.

It’s Wallace again

On the following sequence of plays, Wallace broke through to block Scarpaci’s punt and set the stage for the Tigers third and final touchdown.

Statistically, the difference between the two teams wasn’t as great as the 21 points. Were it not for Blunt’s 80-yard dash, the number of yards gained from scrimmage would have been almost the same. The Tigers gained a net total of 167 to Warren’s net total of 81. Each team made three first downs, a penalty helping Warren to one of its trio.

Neither team tried a whole lot in the way of passing. Warren tossed eight and completed one for a loss of two yards, while Massillon’s two passing attempts were unsuccessful.

Warren held on to the ball far better than the Tigers and as a result did not get itself into difficulty because of fumbles. The Tigers had seven bobbles and lost the ball four times, while Warren had but one fumble and recovered.

With the exception of Don Armour, the Massillon gridders emerged from the game in good condition. He injured a knee early in the fourth quarter after having played a good defensive game. The extent of the injury could not be determined last night but it appears as though it might be serious.

Many Massillon fans are of the opinion that the Tigers would have run away with Warren on a dry field. Hazarding a guess at such a score would be second guessing and it must be remembered that a wet field also hampered the Warren offense, especially in the department of forward passing.

Warren packed a good wallop in its power plays and usually had men ahead of the ball carrier.

Joe De Mando who entered the game with a severe cold was brought home and placed in the city hospital, just to make certain that he would receive careful attention.

Well, the films will be mailed back to Warren again. The two rolls of movie film taken from Warren scouts when they attended the Cathedral Latin game here last month will be returned to Warren shortly.

The films were given back to Warren 10 days ago, but Warren mailed them back to Massillon again. L.F. Kemp principal of Washington high has them in his possession but will return them shortly.

Sweet Victory

Massillon Pos. Warren
Bray LE Georges
Paulik LT Superak
Wallace LG Byrnes
Fuchs C Kujala
Hill RG Kelson
Weisgarber RT M. Graham
De Mando RE Lehto
Cardinal QB McKinney
Graber LH Larson
Blunt RH Scarpaci
Holt FB Marcarello

Scores by period.
Massillon 7 7 0 7 – 21

Substitutions – Massillon: Adams, lh, White, rh; Dolmos, rt; Miller, lg; Armour, le; Kanney, rg; Jasinski, lt.
Warren: Palchik, le; Meholik, lt; Slak, rg; Ludwick, le.

Touchdowns – Paulik, Blunt, Graber

Points after touchdown – Holt three plunges

Referee – Brubaker
Umpire – Lobach
Headlinesman – Richardson
Field Judge – Allison

History

1941: Massillon 6, Mansfield 6

October 24, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

22,000 FANS SEE THRILLING GAME

Tigers Prove Themselves Better Team in Midfield, But Mansfield Defense Is Tough Inside the 25-Yard Line

By Luther Emery

All good things must come to an end and they did at Tiger Stadium Friday evening when an inspired Mansfield high school team beat the statistics to tie the Washington high school Tigers 6-6 and thereby halt the Massillon consecutive victory streak at 38 games.

It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, for the score could just was well read 7-6 either way, but neither team could make the extra point. So Mansfield for the second time in seven seasons puts an end to the Massillon streak with a tie score.

Ended Streak in 1937

The Tygers stopped a 21-game string in 1937 with a 6-6 tie and still have the distinction of being the only Ohio high school team to successfully tie a Massillon eleven since Canton McKinley twisted the Bengal’s tail in the finale of the 1934 season.

Twenty-two thousand fans and 3,000 others who mounted the hilltops after being turned away at the gate, saw each team score its touchdown in the second quarter, Mansfield first, then Massillon. They too, saw an infuriated Mansfield team hurl back threat after threat in the last half to maintain the tie with brilliant goal line stands.

Massillon hammered in Mansfield territory throughout the entire second half, losing the ball once on the 17-yard line, again on the nine, again on the one, again on the 29, again on the 24, and still again on the 22. Once in the second quarter the ball was surrendered on the Mansfield 16.

The Tigers moved easily enough in midfield, but once inside the 25-yard line, it was like banging into a stone wall. Two big ends, Joe Romano and Bob Winbigler, and a hard tackling secondary led by Bill Doolittle made life miserable for Massillon ball carriers, when they tried to gain ground in pay dirt.

Statistics and Points Differ

The local team complied an impressive quantity of yardage, 273 yards to Mansfield’s 58 and 16 and first downs to one, but statistics tell one story and points another. The Tigers offensive efforts were confined principally to territory between the 20-yard lines. They were stopped all but once by the withering Mansfield defense when they got inside the 10, and although it seemed as though they would just have to score a second time, they didn’t.

Mansfield too found the Massillon defense hard to penetrate. Only once did the Tygers work the ball into Tiger territory, but they got it there two other times on breaks. They could still be hammering away without denting the forward wall, but they called the right play at the right time in the second period and a screen pass, from Ken Krupp to Bill Doolittle that caught the Massillon line completely off guard, was good for 27 yards and a touchdown. Even then Bob Graber might have successfully made the tackle, had he not run over an official and thereby got blocked out of the play.

When the ball was snapped to Krupp, the Mansfield linemen moved forward, then stepped aside and allowed the Tiger linemen to charge through. Doolittle caught the pass only a few feet past the line of scrimmage, cut sharply to his right and headed down the sidelines with practically no one to stop him.

Doolittle tired to placekick the extra point and by a few scant feet the Tigers missed defeat. The ball was bar high, but too far to the right.

The Tigers charged back with a grim determination that made Massillon hearts swell with pride. Graber returned Duke Weber’s kickoff to his 37, and in three plays he and Holt took the leather to midfield. Fred Blunt on a deep weak side reverse raced to the 31-yard line and Holt smashed to another first on the 19 in three plays.

Adams Scores

A three-yard loss on a sweep by Adams was nullified when he tossed a pass to Joe
De Mando for a first down on the nine-yard line. A five-yard penalty against Mansfield for offside advanced the ball to the four-yard line when Adams on the first play circled the right end for the touchdown. He too, tried to kick the extra point from placement but he topped the ball and it bounded under the uprights.

That’s all the scoring there was. Mansfield never threatened in the second half, and only once worked the ball into Tiger territory when Doolittle on a bootleg play, took the leather to the Massillon 45 for a gain of 10 yards and the visitors’ only first down of the evening. A pass interception ended the threat the very next play and the Tigers charged back with their final effort of the game that netted three first downs and took the ball to the 22 where a 15-yard penalty for intentionally grounding a pass ended any further hopes for victory. Mansfield wasted the last minute, consuming as many seconds as possible to keep the Tigers from getting another shot at the goal.

It just wasn’t a Massillon night and though Mansfield did not win the game, visiting fans took the score with the same enthusiasm as a victory and celebrated long into the morning.

The Tigers seem to like to get themselves into a hole at the start.

A poor pass from center on fourth down when Adams dropped back to punt gave Mansfield the ball on the Massillon five-yard line the second minute of play. Here the Tiger forward wall rose up with all of its might and the visitors were pushed back 10 yards to the 15 where Massillon took the ball on downs.

Clipping Penalty Helps Visitors

The teams exchanged punts, and Vernon Weisgarber broke through to smear one of the Mansfield efforts and gain Massillon the ball on the 25-yard line. The visitors stopped the threat on the 16 and when they punted out safely, a Massillon player clipped a Mansfield tackler before Graber could pick up the punt and the ball was given to Mansfield on the Tiger 27-yard line, the point where the clipping occurred. Doolittle tried a pass that failed, and then came the successful screen pass that produced the Mansfield touchdown and put the Tigers’ behind for the first time this season.

Mansfield prepared to attempt a field goal after the Tigers had tied the score at 6-6, but never was able to get into position for it. Prior to the game, a member of the visiting team spent his entire warm-up session practicing field goal kicking, and he got quite a few between the uprights.

Now and then you see a team defeated where the statistics were so overwhelmingly in its favor. That could easily have occurred last night. Seldom will a team outplay another by such a wide margin offensively and still salvage nothing more than a tie score.

The Tigers gained 250 yards by rushing to Mansfield’s 56 and lost 24 for a net total of 226 to Mansfield’s net total of 31. Forty-seven yards were gained by Massillon with the forward pass, through six completions in 12 attempts, while Mansfield completed none but its touchdown pass in seven attempts. The Tigers average 51 yards in punts to Mansfield’s 42 yards and had an edge in the kickoffs.

Scouted Thoroughly

It was evident the visitors had the Tigers thoroughly scouted. Their line was strong enough to permit good protection for the secondary and they apparently did not fear any reverses to the weak side. When the Tigers shifted to the left, Mansfield over shifted to stop the long dashes by Blunt and were fairly successful in doing so. Only a couple of times did he get away for substantial gains, the longest of these coming on a deep weak side reverse, a
19-yard run, when the Tigers were staging their only successful touchdown march.

Mansfield’s ace, Lightning Jones, didn’t do anything at all. He carried the ball but four times, lost 12 yards and gained three, for a net loss of nine yards for his evening’s work.

The nearest the Massillon team came to scoring a second time was in the third period when they took the leather 69 yards to the one yard line, where Adams was thrown for a loss when the whole Tyger team jammed up to stop his smash at right tackle.

Massillon looked impressive when they came out for the second half and marched the kickoff back to the Mansfield 17 before losing it on downs by a yard, but as has been said before in this writing, the goal line punch that would puncture the Mansfield defense just couldn’t be found.

Because of the record rolled up by Tiger teams the last four years, one almost loses sight of a couple of things the Tigers can be proud of. While Mansfield is rejoicing over tieing Massillon, the Tigers can boast being the first team to cross the Mansfield goal this season, as well as write a new record in the books for themselves – 39 consecutive games without a defeat more than 10 years ago. The Mansfield record, however, included several tie scores.

The tie score will serve to take a great amount of pressure off the Tigers who have been struggling to weld more links in the victory chain. They can start all over next week – and Warren should be an excellent place to do it.

Start All Over

Massillon Pos Mansfield
Armour LE Romano
Dolmos LT Arlin
Wallace LG Weber
Fuchs C Dietzel
Hill RG K. Smith
Weisgarber RT Butler
De Mando RE Winbigler
Cardinal QB Doolittle
Adams LH Krupp
Blunt RH Jones
Holt FB A. Brandt

Score by periods.

Massillon 0 6 0 0 – 6
Mansfield 0 6 0 0 – 6

Substitutions
Massillon: Graber, lh; White, rh; Jasinski, le.
Mansfield: Timmons, lg; Coudon, lh; Frankel, lh.

Touchdowns – Doolittle, Adams.

Referee – Jenkins.
Umpire – Wallace.
Headlinesman – Howell.
Field judge – Lobach.

History

1941: Massillon 58, Steubenville Wells 0

October 17, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

LINEMEN AGAIN REVEAL POWER

Tear Steubenville Wall Apart As Backfield Men Dance To Long Runs; First Team Plays But Two Periods

By Luther Emery

A powerful Tiger offense that never punted and only once failed to score when it came into possession of the ball, rolled the Big Red Wave of Steubenville back into the Ohio river last night 58-0, before 8,000 amazed fans.

Polished to a keen edge, doing everything right, nothing noticeably wrong, the Massillon juggernaut scored at least two touchdowns in every quarter, despite the fact that the first, second, and third teams were used in the game.

32 Points First Half

The first stringers rolled up 32 points the first half and then retired to allow the second and third teams to carry on. The second eleven scored 13 points in each of the third and fourth periods before retiring in favor of an all-sophomore team that did not score but had the ball on the Big Red 15-yard line when the game ended.

It isn’t often you see a football game where one team never punts, but that’s what happened in Steubenville last night. Not once did the Tiger eleven have to kick the ball, and it only lost it once on downs, that the result of a fumble on fourth down when the third team was in operation. And that was the only time they failed to make a touchdown when they came into possession of the ball.

It was a sad night for Mel Knowlton, who left Massillon last Spring to take over the coaching job at Steubenville. He had the same offense, several kinds of defenses, but lacked the personnel that made up the Massillon team.

Couldn’t Stop Local Team

Knowlton felt badly about it all, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was Massillon’s night and the Tigers clawed the Big Red convincingly for their 38th consecutive victory and their fifth in a row over Steubenville.

The statistics were just as convincing as the points, 534 yards to Steubenville’s 51, and 23 first downs to Steubenville’s 2. Both of the Big Red first downs came as a result of penalties. Never were they able to penetrate the sturdy Tiger forward wall for 10 yards.

Once more it was the old story of a line that so completely outcharged its opponent that backs could run at will -–and they had a big evening. Pokey Blunt, Dick Adams, and Bob Graber all gained more than 90 yards each, while Junior White and Chuck Holt were not far behind. Blunt, Adams, Graber, and White each crossed the Big Red goal twice and even Fred Cardinal found the end of the rainbow when he scored on a quarterback
sneak – the first time he has carried the ball.

Even a drizzle of rain failed to check the scoring. In fact it gained impetus with the moisture that began dripping about the middle of the second period. At that it would be something new for the Tigers to play on a dry field. They have had rain their last three games. As expected, Knowlton had a fancy defense prescribed for throttling the Massillon speed. Massillon fans in past years had seen him direct his junior high elevens to upset victories through fancy conniving and spiriting of his team to unheard of heights. They had expected something in the unorthodox and found it a 5-3-1-2 defense with variations of 6-2-2-1 and 5-3-2-1. As the game progressed and the route continued, however, he changed to the more standard 7-1-2-1.

The way the Tiger offense functioned last night, none of the types of defense could stop it. The line hit with such ferocity that Big Red tacklers were grounded in the charge and had little opportunity to break up the interference. The blockers cut down the secondary viciously and scattered Big Red players over the field as though a machine gun had mown them down.

Many Long Runs

It was a night of long runs with Adams, Blunt, and Graber particularly having themselves a big evening. Longest of the runs was an 80-yarder by Adams, a return of a punt that didn’t count because the Big Red kicker was bumped over. Graber jaunted 55 yards after a pass interception to score, and Blunt, Carl Paulik, who has an injured shoulder, and replacing Dave Miller at left guard with Bob Wallace who has been coming along fast.

Though the Big Red looked in better condition and better coached that the disorganized teams of the past two years, it had nothing offensively to penetrate the Tiger attack, and only once was in possession of the ball in Tiger territory. That, too, was the result of the fourth down fumble by the third team that forfeited the ball to the Big Red on the Tiger
43-yard line.

Only five passes were thrown by Steubenville and three of these were intercepted by Massillon, one being turned into a touchdown.

None Seriously Hurt

A quick checkup of Massillon players after the game failed to reveal any serious injuries. Hill sustained a gash over the right eye that laid an egg on his forehead, while Cardinal was bumped hard on the leg in one scrimmage. None of the Steubenville boys was believed injured to any extent.

It didn’t take the Tigers long to show their superiority. They stopped Steubenville after the kickoff and got the ball on a punt on their own 49. It was Blunt, Holt, and Adams for three first downs in a row that ended with Blunt going through left tackle on a reverse for a touchdown. Adams kicked the extra point.

Stopped again after the kickoff Mastrioanni of the Big Red punted out on the Tiger 26. Five first downs that included a 10-yard pass from Graber to De Mando planted the ball on the six-yard line from which Blunt scored his second touchdown on a reverse. This time Holt tried to kick the extra point and missed.

The quarter ended with the score 13-0.

Early in the second period, another Big Red punt went out of bounds on the 46. Blunt reeled off 16 yards to go to the Big Red 30 and Adams took it in two plays to the eight-yard line. A reverse with Adams carrying the ball produced the touchdown. He also kicked goal for the 20th point.

The next drive began from the Massillon 30. Blunt and Graber bore the brunt of the ball carrying as they ripped off gains of 24, 23, and 10 yards. After Graber had planted the ball on the five-yard line, Cardinal plunged through on a sneak and came out of the pileup standing up. The point was missed and the score stood at 26-0.

Pass Starts Another

Junior White went into the game for Massillon and quickly intercepted Poole’s pass on his own 46. Graber fired to De Mando for 37 yards and a first down on the Big Red 17. Graber took it over in three plays. Holt missed a kick for the extra point and the half ended 32-0.

The Tigers received at the start of the third period. Two plays put the ball on the Big Red 47-yard line and Adams took it the rest of the way. He made the extra point attempt and the score was 39-0.

Having lost a touchdown on a penalty for roughing the kicker after Adams had danced his way 80 yards, the Tigers finally get the leather on the 33 and Adams ran it back to the 47. White reeled off eight and Adams tossed 27 yards to Jasinski for a first down on the eight-yard line. White went over for the touchdown. Adams missed the kick and the score was 43-0.

The fourth period opened with the ball on the Massillon 48-yard line. White overcame a
13-yard loss when Adams was thrown while trying to pass and carried the ball to the 34-yard line. Adams and Gibson took it to the 12-yard line and White went the rest of the way. Adams’ attempted kick was blocked.

The last touchdown came quick on the heels of White’s run, when Graber pulled in Poole’s pass on his 45-yard line and raced 55 yards to score. He kicked the 58th and final point.

Third stringers went in for Massillon and had the ball on the Big Red 15-yard line when the game ended.

One could hardly help but feel sorry for Knowlton as touchdown after touchdown sifted through his defense. He simply does not have the players this year. The eleven he started against the Tigers included but four players who won their letters last year and only one of the four approached being a regular.

Big Red fans as a whole, however, have shown a disposition of patience. They haven’t had a winning team for some five or six years, and they have confidence that Knowlton, if given time, will get them back into the headlines.

It’s The 38th

Massillon Pos. Steubenville
Armour LE King
Edwards LT Doggett
Bob Wallace LG Chadnock
Fuchs C Kopras
Hill RG B. Miller
Weisgarber RT Lashley
De Mando RE Kennedy
Cardinal QB Klein
Adams LH Poole
Blunt RH Mastrioanni
Holt FB Panagel

Score by periods:
Massillon 13 19 13 13 58
Steubenville 0 0 0 0 0

Substitutions
Massillon: Graber, Miller, White, Dolmos, Power, Stout, Kanney, Heakett, Bob Wallace, Gibson, Mastrianni, Jasinski, Willmot, Oberlin, Profant, Fulton, Barney, Wallace.
Steubenville: Cullins, Glassgow, Roush, White.

Touchdowns – Blunt 2, Adams 2, Graber 2, White 2, Cardinal.

Points after touchdown – Adams 3, Graber (placekicks)

Referee – Wallace.
Umpire – Fawcett.
Headlinesman – Cavanaugh.
Field judge – Walsh.

Statistics
Mass. Steub.
First downs 23 2
Yards gained rushing 451 51
Yards gained passing 75 0
Net yards gained 534 51
Passes attempted 7 5
Passes completed 6 2
Passes intercepted 6 3
Yards penalized 35 13

History

1941: Massillon 46, Alliance 6

October 10, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

LINEMEN SHOW GREAT COURAGE

Break Visitors’ Morale In First Period Goal Line Stand; None Expected So Large A Score

By Luther Emery

The heralded invasion of Alliance’s red and blue Aviators crashed in Tiger Stadium Friday evening and the explosion was still reverberating throughout Ohio today. Not only were the Wingmen downed, but they were grounded with a force that surprised even the most optimistic Massillon fan – 46-6.

When 20,000 fans leaned back amazed at the strength of the Massillon forward wall as it twice weathered goal line stands in the early minutes of the final quarter, they never believed that the game eventually would turn into a rout that at one time reached the fast pace of three points a minute.

Same Margin As Last Year

The Tigers were magnificent, and the margin of superiority over their stubborn foe of many years was exactly the same as last year – 40 points.

Who would have thought it when the first period ended in a scoreless tie, and the half only 6-0 in the Massillon eleven’s favor?

But the Tigers came out a new ball team in the second half, marching the kickoff right back 58 yards for a touchdown, and broke the spirit of the visiting team.

Aviators Quit

The Aviators appeared to quit then and there, and that is something new for a team coached by “Dutch” Hoppes. The loss of a couple of injured players, key men so to speak, may have started it, and there was little left in the way of opposition to the Tigers from there on in.

They shoved four more touchdowns over the Alliance goal in the third period, pushed two across in the fourth, and cleansed the bench of substitutes as all had an opportunity to play.

It was an improved Massillon team that chalked up the 37th consecutive victory for Tiger Town last night. The same hard blocking that featured the 39-0 defeat of Cathedral Latin high a week ago was there, and there were passes to help split the secondary and keep paths open for ball carriers. The forward pass was a potent weapon in Tiger hands for the first time this season, produced one touchdown, helped set the stage for another and produced 104 yards.

More remarkable than the increased offensive power was the defensive demonstration in the first few minutes that developed into one of the most courageous bits of line play ever seen here.

Twice the Tiger forwards threw back the visitors in the shadow of their goal posts, pushing them back from the four to the five-yard line on one occasion after they had had four downs to put it over.

You can hardly get an argument anywhere now but that this line is the best defensive high school line in years. All season it has been throwing opponents backward and seldom yielding an inch of ground. Why in 24 rushes at the Tiger forward wall last night, Alliance could gain but a net of 17 yards. You have John Hill, Joe De Mando, Dave Miller, Carl Paulik, Don Fuchs, and Vernon Weisgarber to thank for that, especially De Mando and Hill. Wonder how many times last night Alliance ball carriers wished Hill and De Mando had never learned to play football?

Toss Opponents Backward

The two boys tackled viciously and time and again crashed through to throw Alliance players for losses. They had a lot to do with limiting the visitors to five first downs, most of which were from passes and gave them the small net gain of 17 yards.

The same line also beat down the visitors offensively, blocking and cutting paths for Fred Blunt, Bob Graber, Dick Adams, Chuck Holt, and Junior White. It was through its efforts that the backs were able to roll up net gains of 418 yards from ball carrying.

Their only fault was inability to hold out the opposition in the early minutes of the game when two blocked punts by Earl Branfield put the Tigers’ in the hole. But their goal line stands made up for it all.

The Tigers were decidedly the better team the first two periods even though the 6-0 halftime score does not show it that way.

The blocked punts at the start got them in a hole and penalties at inopportune times also hurt. In fact, all but 30 second of the entire first quarter were played in Massillon territory, and it was not until three plays before the end of the period that Fred Blunt was turned loose on a brilliant 47-yard dash through left tackle that the orange and black managed to take the leather into the Aviator’s back yard.

That was the first flash of an offense that began reeling off yards as you would run clothes through a ringer.

Long Runs Feature

The Tigers didn’t get a touchdown on this attempt but they pushed it over the next time they laid their hands on the ball and followed with others that stabbed the Aviator line with lightning rapidity. Once Blunt raced 70 yards to score, again Junior White pranced 66 yards into the promised land and then there was a 20-yard touchdown pass hurled by Adams to Don Armour, who played himself a fine game.

None the less startling was the perfect peg from Alliance’s Dick McClure to Captain Joe Rogel, a 16-yard toss, for the Aviators only touchdown.

Alliance crossed up the Tiger secondary on that one. With only a yard to go, the second line of defense was expecting a line plunge. The long count in the Alliance huddle was a tip-off that something else was being cooked up, and Rogel got behind the defenders to make a good catch of McClure’s toss.

Aviators’ Offense Weak

The Aviators manufacture little in the way of offense. Their net gain of 17 yards describes their running attack, but they managed to pick up 89 additional yards on six completed passes.

The Aviators had a couple of light, but speedy backs in McClure and “Bud” Howell, but their linemen couldn’t turn them loose. McClure barely scales 140 pounds, and looks smaller than that in the dressing room.

“The only way to beat you fellows is to get faster boys,” was Coach Hoppes’ comment after the game. “I can’t figure it out – how a team that would hold an opponent to six points the first half could collapse so completely the second.

A lot of other fans couldn’t understand it either, but a survey of the visitors’ dressing room after the game was enough to show that the red and blue took a physical beating as well as a trimming in points. The boys appeared tired, despite their apparent good condition. None was believed seriously injured, though Harry Geltz, a substitute halfback, may have sustained a fractured rib.

An occasional limp was also noticeable in the Tiger dressing room. Don Fuchs, first string center, was among them. Bob Kanney, substitute guard, had a swollen eye, the result of a hard bump he received in the face late in the game.

Herman Robinson, one of two regulars left from last year, who suffered an injured knee the first day of practice, put on his uniform for the first time last night, but he will be unable to play for several weeks. The cast was only removed from the knee Friday.

Knowlton Sees Game

Mel Knowlton, who was an assistant Washington high coach for several weeks this spring before accepting the head job at Steubenville, had his entire staff in the stands to watch the game. “This years team is faster than that of last,” Mel contented after the game. “I don’t know what we can do to stop you next week.” The Tigers play at Steubenville next Friday.

The game had its freak plays, one of which you may not see again in 1,000 football games – a passer completing a pass to himself. It occurred in the second half. Bob Graber threw the ball, a bullet pass that struck an Alliance player and bounced right back into his arms for a four-yard loss.

Getting back to the game, the hair-raising first quarter created a need for better protection for the punter. The Tigers moved the ball well the first time they got it and were inches short of a first down in three attempts. They decided to punt rather than chance a mishap on their own 17, but they had the mishap just the same. The left side of the Alliance line came a busting through as Branfield blocked the ball. Massillon recovered but it was Alliance’s ball on the Tiger 37. Two five-yard penalties for offside gave Alliance a first down and Howell’s dash around left end produced another on the 35-yard line. The Tigers stopped the threat on the 18-yard line when Graber tried to punt out safely. Branfield crashed through again to block the ball and Alliance got it on the nine.

A five-yard penalty for offside on the next play put the leather just four yards short of the goal with four downs to make it in.

Here the Tigers again rose to the occasion just as they did against Weirton and Marblehead. “Red” Artino hit for a yard. McClure failed to gain at right tackle. De Mando broke through and tossed McClure for a three-yard loss and the threat ended when a pass was grounded behind the Tiger goal.

Dick Adams was sent in to punt for Massillon but he wasn’t needed. Blunt made nine, Holt plunged for a first down on the 20.

Holt and Blunt picked up seven more and Blunt shook himself loose for a dash to the Alliance 25-yard line. Though you wouldn’t have said so then, when you look over a play-by-play account of the game, it was the beginning of the end. An incomplete pass and a fumble ended the threat on the 25-yard line and McClure punted back to the Tiger 48.

Tigers Get Touchdown

This time the Massillon eleven was not to be denied. Blunt and Holt, running fast and hitting hard moved to the 15-yard line. Holt fumbled a reverse, but Adams scooped it off the ground and dashed to the 10-yard line before going down. Blunt circled left end for the touchdown. Adams’ attempted kick for the extra point failed.

Fumbles and penalties slowed the game the rest of the second quarter, a 15-yard verdict for holding nullifying a fine 20-yard run by Blunt.

The second half was nothing but a touchdown parade. It stated with a 38-yard march after the kickoff featured by Graber’s 20-yard pass to De Mando for a first down on the 10-yard line. It took Blunt only one play to smash through for the touchdown. Holt kicked the point.

Howell fumbled on the first play after the kickoff and Dave Miller was Johnny on the spot for Massillon on the Massillon 48. Blunt and Adams lugged the leather to a first down on the Alliance 23 and Adams tossed a beauty to Armour for the touchdown. Adam’s kick was wide.

Held after the next kickoff, McClure punted to the Massillon 34. On the very next play, White running heard and fast circled his left end for 66 yards and a touchdown. Not a hand touched him. Adams missed the kick and the score was 26-0.

Alliance Scores

Alliance connected on a 31-yard pass after the next kickoff to advance the ball to the Tigers’ 35-yard line. Hill tossed McClure for a 10-yard loss, but another well executed pass to Fritz and Artino’s plunge brought a first down on the Massillon 26. McClure passed to Branfield for nine yards and on fourth down tossed to Rogel for a touchdown. Branfield’s attempted kick for the extra point was blocked.

Alliance kicked off to Holt who came hard from the goal line to his own 30. On the first play Blunt came around the weak side on a reverse for a 70-yard touchdown dash. The try for the extra point was blocked and the score was 32-6.

Early in the fourth quarter, a 39-yard pass from Graber to De Mando put the ball on the five-yard line. Joe was sent over the goal on an end around play, but the ball was called back and the Tigers were penalized five. Graber took it over and Holt kicked the extra point that made it 39-6.

Holt pulled down an Alliance pass after the kickoff and ran the ball back from his 25 to the Alliance 48. Graber’s pass to Blunt brought a first on the 25. Holt and Graber took the ball to the one-yard line where Graber lugged it over and Holt kicked the extra point.

Second and third teams finished the game for Massillon, Adams, jitterbugging his way at one time to his eight-yard line only to be set back on a 15-yard clipping penalty. There was no further scoring.

Bombers Crash

Massillon Alliance
Armour LE Fritz
Paulik LT Andreannl
Miller LG Bard
Fuchs C Ruff
Hill RG Maniho
Weisgarber RT J. Habien
De Mando RE Branfield
Cardinal QB McClure
Graber LH Howell
Blunt RH J. Rogel
Holt FB Artino

Scores by periods
Massillon 0 6 26 14 – 46
Alliance 0 0 6 0 – 6

Substitutions: Massillon – Adams, lh; White, rh; R. Wallace; Oberlin; Edwards;
Frazer; Berger; Profant; Gibson; Stout; B. Wallace; Dolmos; Power; Kanney;
Willmot; Heskett; Bamberger; Williams.

Touchdowns – Blunt 3, Graber 2, White, Armour, Rogel.

Points after touchdown – Holt 3 (placekick), Adams (placekick).

Referee – Gross.
Umpire – Graff.
Field judge – Hudson.
Headlinesman — Boone

History

1941: Massillon 39, Cleveland Cathedral Latin 0

October 3, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

TIGERS FINE

FANS THRILL AT POWER OF LINE

Massillon Machine Put Into High Gear As It Splashes To 36th Straight Victory on Wet Gridiron

By Luther Emery

Blocking with the precision reminiscent of the best days of yore, the Washington high Tigers Friday evening removed Cathedral Latin from their path to the tune of 39-0 as they chalked up their 36th consecutive victory on a wet field before 11,221 fans.

The attendance was the smallest of the season, but was surprisingly good considering the rain and was indicative of how the stands would have bulged had good weather prevailed.

Tigers Show Power

It was a vicious, point thirsty Tiger that Coach Bud Houghton and his assistants trotted out on the soggy gridiron last night, and fans stood up and applauded loudly as the Massillon youngsters, blocked and tackled, handled the ball with better timing and clicked as they never before did this season.

This Massillon eleven is coming right along, fans said to themselves as they waded through the moisture on their way home from the game, and they were correct.

The Massillon eleven is improving, getting better in leaps and bounds, and that is a testimony not only to the coaches but to the players as well who are putting into practice on the gridiron what they learn during the week on the training field.

New Tiger Team

From the time the Tigers grabbed the kickoff and marched 49 yards to the Latin nine-yard line, it was evident that a new machine had been tuned up for the orange and black. Even though the first drive failed, and sputtered when a fumble three plays later gave Latin its only scoring opportunity on the Massillon 20-yard line, it was obvious that the Tigers were the better team.

They had the power, the force to roll back a seven and eight-man line tossed at them by Latin and their drive through the center of the visitors’ forward wall led by young Chuck Holt, looked like the plunges that Glenn Williams produced 10 years ago.

Holt apparently is the answer to Houghton’s offensive problem, for he is just the type of crusher that is needed at fullback, and Fred Blunt who prefers cutting his capers from the right halfback spot, did a good job of it there last night.

Holt stood out, because it was his first performance as a starter. There wasn’t a standout in reality for the other members of the backfield, Bob Graber and Fred Cardinal, and the linemen were in the game up to their neck, offensively as well as defensively, and the holes they ripped in the Lion’s den made it far easier for the ball carriers to gain ground than on previous nights when the blocking was a bit spotty.

The Tigers threw everything but the goal posts at their opponents on the sweeps and tacklers were felled as red woods are cut down out where the west ends.

The Massillon eleven was superior in every department of play last night and not only shoved six touchdowns over the Lion goal, three of them in the last quarter, but rolled up 16 first downs to Latin’s two and gained 402 yards rushing to Latin’s 34. Latin’s two first downs were made on completed forward passes, the only department in which the visitors held the edge in yards gained. They made 33 yards to the Tigers 18 but they only completed three of 12 passes to two of seven for Massillon.

Latin Gambles

From the start it was evident the Latin boys were out to gamble, and gamble they did when they threw the wet ball from behind their goal the first time they got their hands on the slippery leather. They had hoped to catch Massillon off guard and score a cheap touchdown, but it didn’t work.

The Lions time and again pitched from deep in their own territory and did their very best to make a game of it to the very end despite discouraging pass interceptions and blocked punts.

The game produced more than one thrill as Joe De Mando blocked one punt, Bob Kanney another, and Blunt, Graber, and Junior White got away to long touchdown jaunts. Then there were the fumbles that stopped both teams at intervals, a dribble by Graber that bobbed right back up into his arms, a loss by Dick Adams after a brilliant run that had him heading for the open field when the ball slipped out of his arms like a greased pig.

There might have been other touchdowns ,too, with a few ifs. Twice denied touchdowns in the last 30 seconds by the rules, the Tigers had the ball on the one-yard line with first down coming up when the game ended.

Only the Tiger passing game fell short last night but it was not a fair test, considering the wet field and slippery ball. If the passing improves next week at the same rate as the running attack, the orange and black will be in good position to play host to Alliance’s Aviators here next Friday in what undoubtedly will be their stiffest test of the season to date. Alliance defeated Akron St. Vincent’s last night 25-0.

Herb Eisle, the Latin coach, was very complimentary after the game and hurried to the Tiger dressing room just as soon as he had given his boys the once over and found none seriously hurt.

“You have another fine team here in Massillon,” he said. “We always learn a lot when we come here. Our boys do too. We go home, and we are pretty tough to lick thereafter.”

Ends 10 -Game Streak

Eisle isn’t certain how this year’s Latin team compares with that of last year’s eleven which took a 64-0 beating here. The 1940 team only lost one other ball game, and the Lions came here last night with a victory string that was severed at 10 games.

Two movie cameramen, reportedly from Warren, came to Massillon last night hoping to learn a lot too, but their identity was discovered after they had posed as being from Cathedral Latin, and their films were confiscated.

The Tigers had something for them all to look at last night – even though it was little more than straight football. The fancy stuff can come later and will now that the eleven has gained the confidence essential to a green team.

The local eleven looked like the orange crushers of state championship years as they pushed the Lions around the first period, and even though they failed to score, they were causing trouble all the time.

Their first successful drive began when Graber pulled down Dick Brown’s pass on his 41 and got back to the Lion 36. Two plays gained but three yards as the lion’s stiffened with eight men on the forward wall, so Graber appropriately tossed to Cardinal for a first on the 19. Holt and Blunt took two smacks at the line and moved the ball to the five-yard stripe. Graber knifed his way a yard short of the goal and Holt took it over. Holt tried to hurry his point after touchdown and kicked the ball low and to the side.

When a fumble stopped the next march on the 24-yard line, Joe De Mando went to work and blocked one of Frank Tercek’s punts to give the Tigers another chance from the 23. The half was nearly over. In fact the series began with only a minute and seconds remaining, but Adams managed to flip the ball to Holt on fourth down for a touchdown and he kicked the extra point that made it 13-0. The half ended on the kickoff, and there followed a blackout caused by a blown fuse that left both teams in the dark for 25 minutes before play could be resumed.

March Back With Kick

The third quarter saw Latin a beaten team. The visitors chose to kickoff and the Tigers launched a march from the 35 that ended with Blunt circling end for eight yards and a touchdown. Pokey had set up the touchdown with runs of 12 and 14 yards. Adams’ attempted kick was wide and left the score at 19-0.

There was no further scoring in the period despite a 48-yard run by Holt from a pass interception and a 30-yard sprint by Blunt, but the fourth quarter was a dizzy one and had its reward in points.

Kanney got through to block Julius Suky’s punt, and De Mando scooped up the ball on the 15-yard line and raced over for the touchdown. Holt’s toe made it 26-0.

Another touchdown followed in a flash. Stopped in efforts to gain ground, Tercek kicked out on the 31-yard line and Graber in two plays, was over. Holt missed his try for point.

With an entirely new Tiger team in the game the ball came into Massillon’s possession on the Latin 37-yard line. T.Y. Gibson moved the ball up three yards and Junior White reeled off the remainder in a dash around left end. Just to add insult to injury, Adams circled the other flank for the extra point.

Same Old Tiger

Massillon Latin
Armour LE Tercek
Paulik LT Mahon
Miller LG Rigot
Fuchs C Mazurowski
Hill RG Daley
Weisgarber RT Phillips
De Mando RE Paltoni
Cardinal QB Dillon
Graber LH Brown
Blunt RH Cusineau
Holt FB Sukys

Score by periods:
Massillon 0 13 6 20 – 39

Substitutions – Massillon: Adams, qb; Wallace, g; Jasinski, e; Edwards, g; Gibson, hb; Stout, c; White, hb; Dolmos, t; Power, qb; Kanney, g; Willomt, t;
Latin: Winterich, hb; Liston, t; Krairis, g; Vegis, hb; Corey, hb.

Touchdowns – Holt 2, Graber, Blunt, White, De Mando

Points after touchdowns – Adams, Holt (placekicks), Adams (carried).

Referee – Jenkins
Umpire – Boon
Headlinesman – Brubaker
Field Judge – Graf

Tigers Score Easy Victory
By 39-0 Count

By Ivan Read

THE DELICATE wheels that make up the Massillon high scheme of football attack moved with precision of watchworks last night and the Tigers scored their 36th straight victory with an impressive 39-0 triumph over Cleveland Cathedral Latin at Massillon stadium.

A crowd of 11,220 rain-socked spectators watched the gallant Cleveland eleven, with a string of 12 consecutive wins, hold the powerful Massillon team in check for the first 12 minutes of play.

Then the Tigers roared into action in the second period and their well-timed blocking and deception produced glittering long runs and six touchdowns in the final 36 minutes.

For the first quarter the Clevelanders, clearly outmanned, put up a grim battle, holding the count even and threatening within 20 yards of the Massillon goal.

Three minutes after the second period opened Massillon pulled the throttle and from there on it was just a breeze.

Chuck “Zeke” Holt made the first touchdown over his right tackle from the three-yard mark.

A blocked kick late in the second quarter set the stage for another Tiger opportunity. Massillon, working against the clock, took to the air.

There were two minutes to play when Don Armour jumped on Bob Dillon’s fumble on the Latin 22. Two tosses from Dick Adams failed to hit the target, but finally one by the same boy to Holt paid for 22 yards and a touchdown just before the half ended.

Hardly had the echo of the opening whistle of the second half faded away when Fred “Pokey” Blunt, on a reverse that started on the 12-yard line, took the ball back to the other side and behind a wall of interferers, reversed his field and carried on to a touchdown.

The fourth Massillon tally was a gift. Julius Sukys, Latin fullback, trying to get away a quick kick, found the Tiger line smothering him. The ball popped into Joe Demando’s hands and from the 12-yard line he scored over the final white stripe.

Bob Graber produced the big thrill of the game when he dashed 23 yards through the entire Latin team for the fifth score.

The enthusiasm of the Massillon substitutes was evident when Coach Bud Houghton sent them into action late in the final quarter. A 60-yard procession with Junior White racing around left end for 27 yards and a touchdown gave Massillon its final points.

Massillon Pos. Cathedral Latin
Armour le Tercek
Paulik lt Mahon
Miller lg Rigot
Fuchs c Muzurowski
Hill rg Dailey
Weisgarber rt Phillips
Demando re Paltoni
Cardinal qb Dillon
Graber lh Brown
Blunt rh Cousinean
Holt f Sukys

Scoring by periods
Massillon 0 13 6 20 – 39
Latin 0 0 0 0 – 0

Touchdowns – Holt 2, Blune, Demando, Graber, White.
Try-for-point – Adams 2, Holt

Subtitutions: Massillon – Adams, f; Wallace, rg; Stout, c; Jasinski, re; White, rh; Powers, qb; Bray, re; Tongues, lt; Mastrianni, f; Oberlin, rh.
Latin – Krairis, rg; Regis, rg; Gorey, qb; Galfidi, lh; West, le; Reulbach, rt; Lansdown, rt.

Referee – Verlin Jenkins
Umpire – O.V. Boon
Head linesman – Carl Brubaker
Field judge – C.J. “Honus” Graf

History

1941: Massillon 28, Marblehead, MA 6

September 26, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

MARBLEHEAD VISITORS KEEP FANS ON EDGE

Passes Electrify Crowd, But 85 – Yard Return Of Kickoff For Touchdown Was Outstanding Thrill in 28-6 Massillon Victory

By Luther Emery

The magic of Marblehead, Mass., revealed itself to 17,864 cheering fans in Tiger Stadium Friday evening but it was not sufficient to keep the Washington high Tigers from extending their victory string to 35 consecutive games.

Showing an improved offense that at times flashed old time power, the Tiger gridders capitalized on breaks and alert second-half play to triumph 28-6 over the visiting Magicians.

Passes Fail to Score

Marblehead’s magic lay in its forward passes, but the offense backfired under an altered Massillon defense in the second half, and threatened but once.

Though always in front, the Tigers were near panicky at times in the first two quarters when the Magicians unwielded their throwing arms to toss bullseyes into the Massillon secondary for long gains. Fans edged forth on their seats with every pitch, expecting sooner or later for one to connect for a touchdown.

Once a tremendous effort from Herb Carey to Harry Odell, nearly set up six points, but the Magic player slipped as he headed for the Tiger goal with no one in the way to stop him, and fell on the 19-yeard line. The ball soared 53 yards though the air that time and the pass was exceeded only in high school circles in these parts by the mighty 55-yard shot Mike Byelene tossed at Niles in 1935. Mike, who is in the army now, was watching from the press box last night.

A blocked punt, a hard tackle and a smashing run of 23 yards produced two touchdowns and a safety and helped relieve the tension of Tiger fans as the score amounted to 14 points with only 55 seconds of the first half remaining.

Then the visitors shot the works and the Massillon fans couldn’t help but stand up and cheer at the brilliance of Herbie Carey, Magic fullback, who picked up a fumbled kickoff and raced through the whole Tiger team for 85 yards and a touchdown, to bring the score to 14-6.

Fans Uneasy At Half

It was the touchdown that kept everyone in the stands at half-time and held them there throughout most of the third period, for with dangerous runners like Carey and a passing show such as the Magicians put on, fans expected anything to happen any moment. And it was just about that fast, too.

The complexion of the game changed so rapidly you could hardly keep up with it. It seemed the visitors just had to score, but their passing attack fizzled when they got dangerous and usually ended with an interception by a Tiger player. The Massillonians had five of them last night, two stopping critical drives.

The interceptions were not just breaks. They were the result of a well planned defense concocted between halves by the Tiger coaches.

Where protection of the secondary was left to four men the first two periods, the ends began dropping back the last half to provide a six-man defense against passes. Even then, the Magicians managed to sneak one through now and then, but they waited too long to try to run with the ball against this weakened line. They tried it only twice the third period and gained four yards on one attempt and one yard on the second. In the fourth they carried it four times and averaged better than seven yards per attempt.

The Tigers had all the better of the statistics, with the exception of passing where they looked woefully weak. First downs were 13-8 in their favor. They gained 312 yards carrying the ball to the Magicians 40 and averaged 39.5 yards on their punts to 23.2 yards.

Magicians Better Passers

The passing was all in the Head’s favor. They completed nine for 163 yards, and had 10 grounded and five intercepted. The Tigers completed two for 24 yards, had one intercepted and 11 grounded.

Outshining the offense for the second straight game, the line played fine defensive ball. The Head could still be hammering it and still wouldn’t have a touchdown. Rarely could a visiting player get over the Massillon trench, which fought with backs to the goal with the same dogged determination as the Russians in their defense of Leningrad.

When two perfect passes carried the Magicians 30 yards to the Massillon three-yard line, the forward wall reinforced by one of the secondary withstood the thrusts of Herb Carey, the Head’s great fullback and captured the ball, after throwing the visitors backward two yards. Only by means of the forward pass could the Head advance, which is vividly shown in the statistics in that only 40 yards were gained by the visiting ball carriers.

The Massillon offense showed improvement too, even though it did sputter several times at critical moments. It was good for three perfect plays for touchdowns, two by Capt. Fred Blunt and the third by Bob Graber, and at intervals showed flashes of old time power.

One of the touchdowns came in the last minute while Coach Bud Houghton was testing his experiment of using Chuck Holt at fullback and Fred Blunt at right half-back. “Pokey” went 23 yards for it as he measured his tacklers, then turned on the steam to circle them.

The game had its casualties and may prove a costly one, for Kevie Bray, who held down most of the pass defense work the first half, was carried from the field with an injured leg in the middle of the last period.

Dave Larkin, giant Marblehead tackle, suffered a similar injury. He did not start the game because of an injury received in last week’s opening game at Marblehead, but entered as a substitute.

Graber’s Punting Helped

If there was any single individual piece of work that sparkled for the Tigers it was the punting of Graber. He really laid his foot to the leather last night and through two tremendous boots, punted the Tigers out of a second period hole and set the Head clear back to its own seven-yard line where Bob Kanney broke through to toss tantalizing Ed. Barry for a safety and two points for the Tigers.

They may not look precious to you now, but they were bit last night with Marblehead threatening to bomb the goal line every time it grabbed the ball.

The two points came on top of a first period touchdown that Dallas Power, subbing for Lawrence Cardinal, scored when he threw his body over the ball after Joe De Mando had blocked Barry’s punt. Graber set the stage for that one too when he angled the ball out of bounds inside the 10-yard line. Not wishing to take any chance on a fumble, the Head tried only one play, then sent Barry back to punt. De Mando eluded the blockers and hit the leather with a thud. No more did it go over the Head goal until Dallas took off in a power-dive that recovered the leather for a touchdown for Massillon. Adams couldn’t get the kick away and it was 6-0.

A 19-yard run by Graber had the Tigers knocking again after the next exchange but they lost the ball on the 13-yard line. A five-yard penalty and a 15-yard pass helped the Head advance the pigskin to midfield and here the Magicians put on a show. The ball was snapped to Carey, who faded back to pass but found himself hounded by two Tiger tacklers. He raced back 19 yards and finding he couldn’t elude them, rared back and fired the ball up the center of the field.

Dick Adams had come in from his safety position to look the situation over and by the time he discovered what was happening Harry Odell was streaking down the field behind him.

Stumbles In Open Field

The ball just kept on sailing and nestled into the arms of Odell who turned and raced for his goal, with no one to stop him. He must have mistaken the 20-yard stripe for a new white clothes line for he tripped and went down in a heap and away went six points for the Head. It’s hard telling what might have been the result had the visitors chalked up this score.

They succeeded in working another pass that took the leather to the three-yard line where the gallant stand of the Tigers has already been described. Two line bucks and a sweep netted the loss of two yards and a pass on the fourth down was grounded. You could see who the Head depended on in this series, for Carey handled the ball all four times.

Graber banged a beautiful punt from behind his goal to midfield and in another exchange along with a 31-yard dash by Dick Adams after a pass interception had the Head rocking back on its own seven-yard line. Kanney’s desperate tackle that sent Barry reeling behind his own goal for a safety and two points for Massillon followed.

An exchange of punts and Marblehead was back at the Tiger front door again as three passes gained 53 yards but Carey fumbled and Blunt promptly covered the ball on the Tiger 19. Here the Massillon gridders launched their best offense of the evening. Adams nearly got away as he streaked on a reverse to the weak side for 26 yards. The march continued to the 23-yard line where with fourth down coming up and a yard to go Graber slashed through for 23 and six points. Adams missed the kick, but the score was 14-0 and Massillon fans had reason to suspect that Marblehead was ready to crack.

But they forgot to examine the names of the players – Sullivan, O’Dell, Carey, Kelley, Bardy and Barry. They forgot the Irish in that team, but they didn’t forget it for long, because it was on the following kickoff that Carey scooped up Shephard’s fumble and raced 85 yards for a touchdown that was the most electrifying offensive effort of the night. He missed his attempted kick for the extra point.

Twenty-two yards was as near as the visitors could get to the Tiger goal the second half, but the Massillon team looked better from the start of the third period and they marched the kickoff to the 12-yard line where they lost the leather on a fumble.

A muffed punt by Adams gave the Head a chance on the 22-yard line but Bray arose to the occasion to steal a pass and recover the ball. Toward the close of the quarter, he intercepted another of Carey’s passes on the visitors’ 44-yard line and in one play, Blunt went through for a touchdown on a fine bit of running. This time Adams kicked the extra point.

A drive of 40 yards through an apparently tiring Marblehead team, produced the Tigers last touchdown, Blunt dashing the last 23 from the right halfback position with 55 seconds to go and Adams kicking the extra point.

More Thrills

Massillon Marblehead
Bray LE O’Dell
Paulik LT Brady
Miller LG Bray
Fuchs C Hamilton
Kanney RG Hawkes
Weisgarber RT Remick
De Mando RE Kelley
Power QB Sullivan
Graber LH E. Berry
Adams RH Hammond
Blunt FB Carey

Score by Period
Massillon 6 8 7 7 28
Marblehead 0 6 0 0 6

Substitutions
Massillon: Cardinal, qb; Holt, fb; Yelic, rg; Stouf, c; Armour, le; White, lh.
Marblehead: Chapman, lh; Jordan, rt; Barry, qb; Riley, c; Larkin, rt; Hourihan, re;
Merrill, rg.

Touchdowns – Power, Graber, Blunt 2, Carey

Points after touchdown – Adams 2 (placekicks)

Safety – Massillon
Referee – Brubaker
Umpire – Graf
Headlinesman – Harlow
Field Judge – Lubach

History

1941: Massillon 6, Weirton, WV 0

September 19, 1941June 9, 2017
by Eric Smith

Blunt Registers Only Touchdown
19,500 Fans Pack Stands to See Massillon Capture 34th Straight Victory in Thrilling Football Show At Tiger Stadium

By Luther Emery

Washington high’s victory record of 33 consecutive games, hung in the balance at Tiger Stadium Friday evening while 19,512 fans gasped, but by the narrow margin of six points and six inches, the string was lengthened to 34 at the expense of Weirton, W.Va., and the Tigers congratulated themselves for escaping unscathed.

The six points represent a tremendous effort by the veteran Massillon fullback Fred Blunt when he carried the ball over the Weirton goal from the eight-yard line in the third quarter for the only touchdown of the game and Massillon’s only serious threat. The six inches represent the scant margin by which Weirton missed two touchdown passes in the last minute.

The Great Show

So the Tigers won 6-0, a thrill packed victory that was commensurate with the thrilling performance by the Weirton and Tiger bands that made your spine tingle with patriotism and love for a country in which people of all races and nationalities will rub elbows and rise as one in a salute to America.

You asked for them, and you are going to get them – close scores. There will be no parading out of the gates at the end of the half this year – there was none last night.

Right down to the last five seconds the teams battled and the result hung in the balance to the very last play. Massillon fans were glad to settle for six points, though Coach “Bud” Houghton and his staff had hoped to win by two or three touchdowns, even though they did truly respect the ability of the enemy.

Weirton Passes Just Miss the Mark

Twice in the last minute, once with five seconds remaining to be played, Weirton nearly scored touchdowns. With slightly better passing it would have succeeded, for its men sneaked beyond the Tiger secondary and there was nothing left to stop them.

But Kevie Bray, who played a fine defensive game all evening, leaped high in the air to pull down one of Guido De Veechis’ long passes. Six inches higher and he couldn’t possibly have reached it and it would have been an easy catch for Pete Zinaich, Weir quarterback. Again with only time left to run a play, a pass to Kraina was a bit short. Had he caught it, he too, would have crossed the goal.
It was the first time since the Washington high Tigers’ 6-0 defeat of Canton McKinley in 1935, that Massillon fans have been pulling for the timekeeper to shoot his gun.

Tiger football lovers have been accustomed to seeing the kill in the first quarter, and have turned out in record crowds despite their protests of large scores.

Things will be more interesting from a rivalry standpoint this season, judging from last night’s game, and the stands should be crowded most of the season, with neighbors and opponents bringing their dollars, hoping to be on hand when the Massillon record ends.

But this year’s Tiger team is going to take a lot of hammering before it ever goes down. Last night’s games was the first for 10 members of the starting lineup, and although there were noticeable weaknesses, they were not flaws but what can be corrected with more attention and experience.

There’s the making of a good team there and don’t sell them short. “We learned a lot tonight,” Coach Houghton said after the game, “and we will be out to change things around next week.”

Faults Easy To Correct

Most noticeable was the weakness of the secondary against passes, poor ball handling, partially accountable to uncertain passing from center, and jittery fingers.

The coaches should have no great difficulty overcoming all three and when they do – watch the score mount.

The ball handling caused frequent interruptions in the timing that were just sufficient to throw the offense off balance. Coach Houghton had seen it coming. He expressed the belief as early as Monday that his team was going a bit stale. Apparently it reached its peak a week ago and had been sliding backward since. “That one will do us all a lot of good,” he said.

The Tiger team was under more pressure last night than any eleven in the history of Massillon. It had a record to maintain, a record of 33 consecutive victories that had helped net six straight state championships. It had to perform before the largest opening night crowd in Tiger football history and 10 of the 11 men in uniform had never before started a game.

Teams Gunning for Them

The players knew too that with the loss of 10 of their 1940 starters and their entire coaching staff every team on the schedule would point to overthrow them. These conditions, too, may have been part of the cause for jittery fingers that lost the ball four times on fumbles and slowed the offense with bobbles before the ball carrier could pick up his blockers.

But the Tigers got by last night and beat a toughie, too. A team that lived up to the prediction of being one of the hardest marks on the schedule.

The Red Riders were high for the game. They tackled fiercely and hit hard, and on the admission of their own coach are a vastly improved ball team over that of last year. “We have spirit this year,” said Carl Hamill. “Of course we wanted to win badly and we nearly got our touchdown with those last minutes passes, but we don’t mind losing to you. I think both teams are good teams and are the kind that will improve as the season ages.”

The game produced what the Siegfried and Maginot lines were supposed to do in this second World War. It was a battle between two defensive bulwarks that would smear gains with counter attacks that frequently ended in net losses.

Good Defensive Team

The Tigers in all their championship years never looked better defensively than they did last night save for their forward pass defense. The line charged hard, tackled fiercely and held Weirton to a net gain of 24 yards for its 31 ball carrying attempts.

This line will absorb a lot of beating. It will be to the Tigers what a good pitcher is to a baseball team, and may be able to make up for the deficiencies of the offense.

Guido De Veechis was a good halfback. He was unable to play in the Tiger game last year because of injuries but was picked out at that time by Paul Brown in a scouting trip as the outstanding ball carrier on the Red Rider team. He ran hard and fast but was held to the low average of one yard per ball carrying attempt. Fans feared he might break loose at any moment, and he was just that dangerous, but the Tiger linemen never let him get away.

Weirton’s forward wall was almost as good. The Tigers gained more yards through it, a total of 126 in fact, but the Red Riders were on top of everything, were over-shifting to break up Tiger blocking assignments, were hopping seven men into the line most of the night and were high as a kite.

Weirton didn’t come to Massillon last night just to play a ball game and walk home with a sack full of dough. The Riders were here to win and they came closer to it than any team since New Castle last twisted the Bengal tail in the middle of the 1937 season. To be truthful it was the first time a Massillon team failed to score in the first half since the 1937 New Castle game.

It may have been smart football on the part of individual players but more than likely it was the result of careful planning by Coach Hamill, that the Red Riders appeared to know where the Tigers were moving all the time and what to do about it. The Massillon offense wasn’t new to them. They used virtually the same system themselves, and the fact that both teams were using the same plays may in some way account for the defensive work excelling their offensive efforts.

Bray Save the Day

To Bray, a lean junior assigned the task of backing up the line, goes credit for saving the ball game, for Massillon. Twice he leaped high to intercept Weirton passes within the shadow of his goal that had “touchdown” written all over them.

Early in the game he pulled down one of De Veechis’ passes on the 10-yard line. Had that one connected there’s no telling what the result might have been for it came on the Riders’ first series of plays.

Late in the game he made an even greater interception, after committing the unpardonable mistake of allowing the receiver to get behind him. Bray saved his skin with a leaping catch on the nine-yard line that would have been a sure-fire touchdown for Weirton.

Offensively neither team had anything to crow about. Weirton made three – touchdown bids, and the Tigers one.

The local team had the edge in punting and through two fine boots by Dick Adams, and a defense that seized the advantage, the Tigers worked themselves out of a hole they got into on a fumble by Bob Graber on the third play of the game.

It took a period and a half to do it, but a booming, 49 yarder grounded the pigskin back on the Weir 18-yard line and forced the Riders into their own back yard the rest of the half.

The Tigers never threatened the first half. In fact, if you want to know the cold truth, they only made one first down to Weirton’s three.

Massillon Offense Perks Up

In the second half it was a different story. The Tigers showed improvement from the start of the third period until their offense took on new strength. The blockers hit harder and a well-placed punt by Adams that went out of bounds on the Weir three-yard line put the Riders in a hole. J. Kraino punted out poorly to the 24, but Adams fumbled and Torchip flopped on the ball on his 24. R. Kraino fumbled on the next play, however, and the break this time went to Massillon with Chub Paulik covering the pigskin on the Weir 21. It set up the touchdown. White picked up two yards at left tackle. Adams passed over the goal, but in a second attempt tossed an accurate shot to Fred Cardinal who took the ball on the 15 and advanced to the eight for a first down.

With their backs to the goal, Weirton went into an eight-man line, three backing it up. The ball was snapped to Blunt, the Tigers charged, and right over right guard Pokey raced to pivot and whirl his way for the only touchdown of the game. Adams’ attempted kick for the extra point was blocked. Massillon fans would have felt a lot more comfortable in the closing stages of the game had the kick been successful, for the one point could have meant a lot had Weirton ever got over the Tiger goal.

The Tigers staged one other offensive effort in the last quarter, but only got to the 30-yeard line when Weirton braced and forced them to punt.

Next week the local eleven will face Marblehead, Mass., in Tiger stadium. Tickets for the game are now on sale at the high school ticket office. Marblehead opens its season this afternoon and two Tiger scouts, Jim Hollinger and Tom Evans, Lorin Andrews and Longfellow coaches, will be in the stands for the game.

A Close Shave

Massillon Pos. Weirton
Bray LE Torchip
Paulik LT
Miller LG
Fuchs C
Hill RG
Weisgarber RT
De Mando RE
Cardinal QB P. Zinaich
Graber LH De Vecchio
White RH J. Kraino
Blunt FB R. Kraino

Score by Periods
Massillon 0 0 6 0 – 6

Substitutions – Massillon Adams lb;
Weirton – Mest,?? g; Zgueski, e; E. Heaton, lb; Bouyoueas, qb; Garan, lb; and Haun, l.

Touchdown – Blunt

Referee – Slutz
Umpire – Gross
Head linesman – Schill
Field judge — Howell

Tag: <span>Pokey Blunt</span>