Part 3 – Running Backs in the Massillon Tiger Football Hall of Fame – The Early Years
The Tiger Football Hall of Fame recognizes those individuals that have made contributions to the Tiger football program, whether it be a player, coach, band director or just an individual who has been influential in a positive way. Inductees are honored in the WHS Sports Hall with plaques that display the inductees’ contributions. As of 2022, a total of 105 members have been inducted.
This entry is Part 3 of a series that presents the inductees by playing position and features running backs that competed in the 1940s and before.
Seven Massillon running backs have gained Hall of Fame distinction during this period, including Stanfield Wells, Edwin “Dutch” Hill, Henry “Heine” Krier, Ed Molinski, Bob Glass, Tommy James and Fred “Pokey” Blunt. There are a few other running backs in the Hall that not listed, as these players were inducted either through another playing position or as a coach.
Stanfield Wells (1906-08)
Not a lot is known about Stanfield Wells’ time at Massillon, other than he played one year for the Tigers, at left halfback and teamed with his twin brother, Guy, who was on the line. That, after the family had moved in from far away South Dakota. The team was not stellar, finishing 1-5. But after Massillon he played collegiately for the University of Michigan (1909-11) and then professionally for the Akron Indians, the Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Heralds.
“Stanfield Wells was Massillon’s first All-American. He was a fine man, big fellow, played a little pro ball. I went up to Michigan to meet him. He was overjoyed. He got to talking and asking about some of the Massillon people he graduated with. He went back in his bedroom and came out with his Massillonian in his hand. He asked me about quite a number of ones who were in there.” – Luther Emery, The Independent (Ref. Massillon Memories, by Scott Shook).
In 1994 he was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Edwin “Dutch” Hill (1922)
Dutch Hill
Dutch Hill moved to Massillon for his senior year after aging out at Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. And he made an immediate impact for the Tigers, as a 6’-0”, 190 lb. fullback, passer and punter, scoring at least one touchdown in every game. For the season he tallied 33 TDs and helped lead his team to a 10-0 record and a state championship under legendary head coach Dave Stewart.
Eight touchdowns came against Akron North in a 94-0 victory, leading one sports reporter to write, “The big fullback gained from five to ten yards with six or eight Akron players hanging onto him, trying desperately to down him. Other times he bowled the entire Akron team over like a ball knocks over pins on a bowling alley and then would dash away for a touchdown leaving a trail of fallen Akron warriors in his wake.” Dutch also scored three of the four touchdowns in a 24-0 victory over Canton McKinley.
“He was a big star,” said Bud Houghton, former Massillon player and head coach. “He was just a big burly guy. Kind of had a swaggering walk. He normally plowed over everybody.”
“He was a powerhouse,” said classmate Tom McConnaughy. “He would take the ball and plow through the other team, knocking them right and left.”
Following the season he was named All-State. His high school football career over, Hill left behind the following Tiger records:
Most touchdowns rushing in a game (8)
Most points scored in a game (48)
Most touchdowns scored in a game (8)
Most touchdowns scored rushing in a season (33)
Most touchdowns scored in a season (34)
Second most points scored in a season (204)
Later he was named as Massillon’s All-Time First Team Fullback and in 2006 was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Henry “Heine” Krier (1932-34)
Henry Krier played running back during Coach Paul Brown’s first three seasons at Massillon. In 1933 the team finished 8-2, with Krier contributing 12 touchdowns, 11 rushing and one via an interception return. He also kicked 17 points after touchdown.
In his senior year the 174 lb. back scored 21 rushing touchdowns and accounted for 22 PATs, totaling 148 points to lead the team in that category. Seven TDs came against Youngstown South and three each were tallied against Alliance and Akron West. Although the team finished 9-1, it was the third straight loss to McKinley and Krier was never able to enjoy a win in that rivalry.
Nevertheless, he was named 1st Team All-Ohio and left his mark in the record book:
Second most rushing touchdowns in a single game (7)
Second most points scored in a single game (45)
Ed Molinski (1933-35)
Ed Molinski served several positions for Coach Paul Brown, who was in his earlier years at Massillon. During his 3-year career as a Tiger, Molinski’s team compiled a 27-3 record and were named both state and national champions during his senior year.
Molinski stood 5’-10” and weighed 182 lbs. and he spent his first two years at guard and linebacker. In his senior year he was moved to quarterback, which at that time was the lead blocker for the running backs in Coach Brown’s system. But it might not have happened since, as he was also a pretty good boxer, his father feared injury on the gridiron. Only, Brown saw it differently and persuaded the father to relent. So, he continued to box in the off-season and became the Ohio state heavyweight Golden Gloves champion.
“I told Eddie, ‘If you make good at Massillon I’ll write to Elmer Layden at Notre Dame and recommend you.” I didn’t hear a word from Eddie from then on, until the practice the Friday night before the game with Canton McKinley. Eddied saw me standing on the sidelines and came over and said, ‘You know you told my family if I made good you’d write a letter to Notre Dame.’ I said, ‘Yes, I remember that.’ He said, ‘Well, do you think I made good?” I said, ‘I think you did, now I’ll write that letter.’ Layden wrote back and said he’d send some alumni. Sure enough some alumni came down and talked to him, but they didn’t come to any kind of an agreement. Eddie looked all around and finally landed at Tennessee, where he was All-American.” – Luther Emery, The Independent (Ref. Massillon Memories, by Scott Shook).
“Massillon is where it all started,” said the now Doctor Edward Molinski. Talking with the great Massillon sportswriter Luther Emery, Molinski went on to say, “If you guys hadn’t persuaded dad to let me play football, I probably would be walking the streets with holes in my shoes.” (The Emery Wheel, Massillon Evening Independent, 1963)
In 1964 Molinski was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Bob Glass (1935-37)
Bob Glass
Bob Glass was one of the best running backs to roam the gridiron for Massillon. Standing about 5’-10” and weighing around 200 pounds, Glass was a rare combination of speed and power. Equally adept at smashing the middle of the line, running slants or streaking around the end, Massillon foes for three years were always confronted with the difficult task of setting up a defense that would hold Glass in check. Unquestionably, Glass was one of the best ball carriers in Ohio scholastic history.
In addition to his superb ball carrying ability, Glass performed the other duties of the triple threat back – passing and kicking. He handled all the punting, kick-offs and extra points and did an outstanding job in each department. His poorest specialty was as a passer, although here he was still better than average, as he did most of the throwing during the 1937 season. On defense, he alternated at end and halfback.
During his 3-year varsity career from 1935-37 he scored 47 rushing touchdowns, helping his team compile a record of 28-1-1 and capturing three state championships and two national championships. He was also team captain during his senior year and All-Ohio in each of his three years.
“Bob Glass, I’ll grant you, broke every rule that Paul Brown ever made. I saw him smoke, drink beer. But he was a just a fun-loving guy who didn’t give a shit. He was one of those ‘Go to Hell’ guys who loved to have a helluva good time. But he could play football. Had that been a lesser player, Brown would have had him out of there a long time ago.” – Earl “Ick” Martin, Massillon player (Ref. Massillon Memories, by Scott Shook).
Record book:
Second most career rushing touchdowns (47)
Second most career points (343)
Third most career touchdowns (47)
After Massillon, Glass played for Tulane University, receiving Honorable Mention All-American. In 2008 he was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Tommy James (1938-40)
Tommy James never lost a game during his three years at Massillon, with his teams going 30-0 and winning the state title each year. They also won two national titles. All under Head Coach Paul Brown.
In his junior season, Tommy recorded ten touchdowns and had the distinction of scoring the first TD in the new Tiger Stadium. The points came against Cleveland Cathedral Latin, which owned a 17-game winning streak, and propelled the Tigers to a 64-0 victory. James also threw the first touchdown pass in the new arena, a 50-yard completion to Horace Gillom. His team punctuated the season by christening newly opened Canton Fawcett stadium with a 20-6 victory over Canton McKinley. For his effort, Tommy was named 2nd Team All-County.
In his senior season, James added to his responsibilities by throwing most of the passes. He was both the leading rusher (13 TDs) and the leading passer (10 TDs) in a season that included three rushing touchdowns against Erie East, Pennsylvania, and three passing touchdowns against Warren Harding. “My senior year I was the tailback (left half) in the old single wing,” he said. “You handled the ball more, called the signals, did the passing. The right half was Ray Getz.” – Jim Thomas, Canton Repository, February 2, 2003.
Following the season he was named 1st Team All-Ohio. His next stop was Ohio State, followed by the Cleveland Browns. In 1994 he was inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions.
Fred “Pokey” Blunt (1939-41)
Pokey Blunt was able to experience three state championships and two national champions enroute to a 29-0-1 overall record. He scored nine touchdowns during his junior year, including three against Cleveland Cathedral Latin in a 39-0 victory.
In his senior year Blunt tallied 13 times. His best performance came against 8-3 Alliance when the team captain crossed the goal line three times, helping his team to a 46-6 romp. After the season, Blunt was named 1st Team All-Ohio.
Paul Brown had high praise for the speedy running back. “I often wondered whether my Ohio State team that first year, which lost one game, 14-7 to Northwestern, could have beaten our ’40 team here in Massillon. Our ’40 team was much faster. Ohio State would be bigger. I coached both teams. Blunt was the most deceiving fella, tremendous jet speed. If I compared him to the guy who was playing for me at Ohio State it would have been no contest as far as being a long shot running back was concerned. It’s a thing that’s crossed my mind more than once.” – Paul E. Brown, Massillon and Ohio State Coach (Ref. Massillon Memories, by Scott Shook).
Parade to 33rd Straight Victory After Scored Upon First Time This Season
By Alex Zirin
MASSILLON, O., Nov. 16 – They still have the nation’s best scholastic football team living here, as Canton McKinley must reluctantly admit.
Massillon Washington’s Tigers, a dream come true, today added another glowing chapter to the remarkable gridiron history of the city.
Smashing the Bulldogs, 34-6, in their 45th meeting, the Tigers recorded their 33rd straight victory.
It was their tenth and final triumph of the season and brought a sixth consecutive Ohio championship.
Also, it was the sixth victory in a row over the Bulldogs, who haven’t won since 1934, and nine seniors closed their schoolboy careers with the distinction of never having been in a losing game.
Not since October of 1937, when New Castle, Pa., turned the trick, have the Tigers suffered a defeat.
A howling crowd of 22,000 – at least – sat through bitter cold to pay tribute to Paul Brown’s splendid machine.
Not even the presence and advice of Jim Thorpe, Mr. Football himself, could help the Bulldogs today.
They were in the game during the first half, but were helpless before the blocking might of the Tigers in the final periods.
Thorpe, hero of the great Canton Bulldogs in 1915-21, was almost unnoticed.
The Bulldogs held a 6-0 lead for a few minutes in the second period after having become the first team to cross the Tigers’ line since the 1939 Canton team turned the trick.
Athie Garrison, McKinley’s splendid back, scored on a 33-yard gallop to boast his scoring total for the season to 152. He leads the state.
But a great play by Tom James and Horace Gillom soon tied the score and, when Ray Getz booted the first of four extra points, the Tigers left the field at half time holding a 7-6 advantage, and they weren’t bothered after that.
Gillom added another spectacular touchdown in the second half, and he was joined by Getz, James and Herman Robinson.
Two touchdowns came in each the third and fourth periods.
The first part of the opening period was fairly even, but the Tigers drove to the Canton 27 shortly before the gun. They lost the ball on downs at that point, but recovered on the 33 when Garrison fumbled and Gordon Appleby recovered.
But, on the third play of the second period, a maneuver went haywire and a wild pass from the Massillon center was captured by Frank Reale on the McKinley 37.
Matt Brown, Tom Harris and Garrison worked to the 33 and then came the touchdown.
Breaking over his left end, Garrison cut back, picked up the interference that formed in a few seconds and ran over the line unmolested.
Neal Rubin came in to try for the point, but his effort was low.
The tying touchdown was the thriller of all thrillers.
With first down on their 45, the Tigers decided on a pass.
Aerial Blitzkrieg
Fading back to his 35, James fired a tremendous forward to his right. Gillom, leaping over the head of Brown on the Canton 25, tipped the ball with one hand, caught it with the other, stiff-armed Brown, broke loose from Ed Snyder and hot-footed down the sidelines for the score. Getz booted the placement and the Bulldogs, although they wouldn’t show it, were licked.
Some 30 seconds later, Gillom almost scored again. He intercepted a Harris pass on the Canton 45 and reached the 14 before a side block and his own momentum drove him to his knees just as the gun sounded.
Gillom’s tremendous second half kickoff forced the Bulldogs into a hole. Garriosn returned deep from his end zone out to his 20. Canton couldn’t gain and James returned the ensuing punt 10 yards to the Canton 30.
In five plays Massillon had its second touchdown. The honor this time went to James, who had alternated with Blunt in bringing the ball to the 3. Getz was accurate and the toll was 14-6.
More Razzle Dazzle
Eighteen plays later, Massillon countered again. The break this time was a blocked punt by Russell that Blunt recovered on the Canton 43. James, Getz, and Blunt used straight football plays to come to the 17 and then the Tigers shot the works.
Getz lateraled to James, who lateraled to Blunt, who lateralted to Robinson, who fired a forward pass to Gillom, standing alone in the end zone.
Getz kicked and the score was 21-6.
Gillom’s mighty catch of a James’ pass sparked the next touchdown, in the fourth period. This time, a spread formation, featuring a triple lateral, brought the ball to the 9, from where Getz ran left end for a touchdown. Getz again was right and it was 28-6.
James’ 61-yard rush though center enabled the scoring of the last touchdown. Robinson climaxed the show by taking a pass away from three Canton guards on the 8 and cutting over the line. Getz finally missed ,but who cared?
There was one big difference between the teams. That was blocking.
MASSILLON CANTON WASHINGTON – 34 McKINLEY – 0
Robinson L.E. Chabek Henderson L.T. Reale Wallace L.G. K. Williams Appleby C Beck Russell R.G. Sirk Broglio R.T. Smith Gillom R.E. Pickard Kingham Q Snyder James L.H. Harris R. Getz R.H. Garrison Blunt F Brown
Canton 0 6 0 0 – 6 Massillon 0 7 14 13 – 34
Substitutions: Massillon – Pizzion, f; Cardinal, rg; White, lh; P. Getz, rg; Adams, rh; Hill, lg; Oliver, lt; Armour, le; Fuchs, c. Canton – Staudt, re; Winters, le; Rubin, re; Hooper, lh; Crider, lh; Pappas, lg; Conroy, lg; Parshall, lt; Chessler, rg; C. Williams, lg.
Massillon-Canton SATISTICS Massillon Canton First downs 14 9 Yards gained rushing 276 146 Yards gained passing 121 59 Yards lost, net 11 17 Passes attempted 6 19 Passes completed 4 7 Passes intercepted by 2 1 Yards lost on penalties 25 6
Tigers, Trailing For First Time This Year, Prove Title Claims
Take Advantage Of McKinley Defect To Score Touchdowns That Give Coach Brown His Greatest Team
BY HARRY YOCKEY Repository Sports Editor
A true champion is one that can overcome all conditions, and Massillon’s terrific Tigers were still perched on the Ohio scholastic football throne today because they proved to the complete satisfaction of 22,000 shivery fans that they had the spirit and ability to stage a comeback after being scored upon for the first time this season.
Looking at the picture from the Canton angle, a weakness that was evident throughout the season defeated the Bulldogs. They just couldn’t throttle Massillon’s aerial attack and that, along with the Tigers’ tricky offense, spelled the difference.
Even Paul Brown, coach of the Tigers, admitted he was worried just a little when Athie Garrison skirted left end for 32 yards and a touchdown. That fine bit of running by the Bulldog star, put the Tigers in a hole for the first time this season and gave Brown an opportunity to learn whether he was going to have the greatest team since he took over the Massillon reins in 1932.
Tigers Take Lead
The Tigers supplied the first part of the answer when Tom James, with the wind to his back, tossed a long aerial to Horace Gillom who went 25 yards for a touchdown with only 45 seconds of the first half remaining. When Ray Getz kicked the extra point he enabled the jubilant Tigers to leave the field with a one point lead.
If the Bulldogs had been playing more alert football, the Tigers probably would have gone scoreless in the first half and the psychological effect on Massillon may have made a great difference in the outcome.
Playing a safety position, Garrison, who must be credited with a note worthy performance, made the mistake of trying to intercept the ball instead of batting it down. The ball went through his fingers and into the hands of Gillom who packed it across the goal line. The play was obvious from the start as only a few seconds remained before the half time gun would have ended Massillon’s chances of scoring. If the McKinley backfield had been playing deeper it could have prevented completion of the pass or at least nailed Gillom before he could slip away.
Fail To Stop Play
Instead, the Bulldogs suffered a blow from which they were unable to recover throughout the last half. Forced to punt against the wind at the opening of the third period, the Bulldogs saw Massillon take the ball on its 30-yard line, plough through for a touchdown and kick the extra point.
That gave the Tigers a more comfortable margin but not a lead that was impossible for the Bulldogs to overcome. But the state champions for the sixth consecutive year resorted to another aerial play that McKinley should have broken up but didn’t. When Getz ran deep with the ball, two Bulldogs were close on his heels but failed to nail him before he had tossed the ball to Herman Robinson who quickly heaved it to Gillom. The latter made a beautiful catch in the end zone.
Incidentally, that particular play had been tried by Massillon on numerous occasions during the season but Saturday marked the first time it paid off.
Gillom again was on the receiving end of an aerial that gave Massillon a first down on the Canton 10 and paved the way for the third touchdown. Garrison was running beside the Massillon star when he caught the ball but was unable to knock the ball down and didn’t nail Gillom until he had registered a 29-yard gain. Getz took the ball across on the next play.
Watch Robinson Score
Failure of three McKinley backfield men to cut down Robinson on a pass play gave Massillon its last touchdown late in the third period. The Bulldogs hit Robinson as he took the ball from James and, thinking they had knocked him out of bounds, watched him run 10 more yards across the goal line to have the officials signal a touchdown that meant little as far as a victory was concerned.
Massillon completed only four passes, but three of them went for touchdowns and the other one paved the way. That, in a few words, is the story of the Canton-Massillon game of 1940.
The Tigers played championship ball against a team that refused to give up until the final gun. But the Bulldogs were playing a rival that Coach Brown after the game labeled as “the greatest team I’ve had the pleasure of coaching.”
The Tigers have been famous for their precision and they committed few mistakes yesterday despite conditions which made ball handling doubly hard. They tackled, blocked, ran and passed in a manner that leaves no question as to their championship ranking.
MASSILLON STORMS BACK AFTER CANTON CROSSES GOAL FIRST
By JACK MAXWELL
TIGER STADIUM, MASSILLON, Nov. 16 – Massillon’s famed Washington High Tigers laid undisputed claim to their sixth Ohio scholastic football championship here this afternoon by turning back their traditional rival, McKinley High school, before a record crowd of 22,000 fans.
The score was 34-6.
By winning Massillon stretched its amazing winning streak to 33 games and its consecutive victories over Canton to six. It was the first defeat of the season for the Bulldogs who had won eight games and tied one.
The victory also helped Massillon move a step nearer an even split with Canton on the 45 games in which the two schools have been matched. The score now stands: McKinley 22, Massillon 20 and three games tied.
At game time it was announced that the stands were filled to capacity and that the crowd would exceed 22,000.
Matthew Brown, fullback, was named acting captain for McKinley, Gillom and Getz, right end and right half respectively, were serving as co-captains for the Tigers.
McKinley won the toss and elected to defend the south goal.
In the initial kickoff Garrison booted the ball over the Tiger goal line and it was brought out to the 20. Advancing the ball seven yards in three tries Gillom punted on the fourth down. Brown fumbled but Garrison recovered on the McKinley 34.
Bulldogs Begin Drive
McKinley began to roll when Harris clicked off three yards around right end and Brown rammed 15 yards to a first down through right guard. An offside penalty on Massillon advanced the ball five more yards, four of which were erased when Garrison was brought down short of the line in an attempt at left end.
Brown picked up three at center. A pass, Harris to Garrison, accounted for 16 more yards. Massillon took the ball when Robinson intercepted a pass from Harris on the Massillon 16.
Massillon made it a first down on its own 30 with Blunt, James and Getz finding holes in the McKinley line. On the next play James cut through right tackle for another first down on the Massillon 48.
Blunt picked up nine yards in two tries through the line and then Getz skirted left end for a first down on the McKinley 39. A four-yard smash by James through left tackle and a six-yard drive through center by Blunt gave Massillon another first down on the Bulldog 29.
McKinley Line Stiffens
Here the McKinley stiffened and the rambling Tigers found it tough going. Blunt picked up two at center and then two more thrusts at the line were stopped. McKinley took the ball on the 29 when a pass, James to Gillom, was incomplete.
Brown picked up four at right end and then McKinley lost the ball on Garrison’s fumble, which was recovered by Appleby. Blunt hit center for two as the quarter ended.
SCORE: McKinley 0, Massillon 0.
Massillon picked up nine yards on two plunges by Getz and Blunt before McKinley took the ball on its own 37 when Reale covered a fumble by James.
Here McKinley started a scoring drive that was climaxed by a 32-yard run around left end by Garrison. Perfect blocking by his teammates plus ability to evade tacklers in the open enabled him to cross the goal line standing up. Rubin’s place kick for the extra point was low. Score: McKinley 6, Massillon o
Garrison’s kickoff was taken by Gillom who was brought down hard on the Massillon 27. On the next play Snyder intercepted a pass on the Massillon 44. Brown was stopped at center and then made two yards on a short pass from Harris.
A beautifully placed punt by Staudt who entered the game merely to kick, set Massillon back on its seven yard line after Garrison had dropped a long pass from Harris. Gillom, standing behind his own goal line, punted 54 yards to Garrison who returned to the Massillon 45. After two tries at the line by Garrison and Brown and a short pass, Harris to Brown, had yielded nine yards Garrison punted out on the Massillon 20.
James made it a first down on the Massillon 31 on a dash around right end and a slash through right tackle. Three more plays by James and Getz gave Massillon another first down on the Massillon 45.
Gillom Scores On Pass
On the next play James faded back and heaved a long pass which Gillom picked out of the hands of Garrison on the 25 and then rambled on across the goal line to score. The ball traveled 55 yards. Getz place kicked for the extra point. Score: McKinley 6, Massillon 7.
Garrison returned Gillom’s kickoff over the goal line to the McKinley 20. Garrison, Brown and Harris were dragged down for small losses before Harrison punted to James who returned to the McKinley 30. Blunt picked up eight around left end on a deep reverse and then James made it a first down on the McKinley 17 at right end.
Blunt rammed center and cut back to reach the McKinley 5. James went over to score through right tackle and Getz place kicked the extra point. Score: McKinley 6, Massillon 14.
Kick Over Goal Line
Gillom kicked over the goal line and McKinley took the ball on its 20. Two plays short of 10 yards by Garrison and an offside penalty on Massillon gave McKinley a first down on its punt. His kick was partially blocked by Russell and Massillon took the ball on the McKinley 43.
Here Massillon started another scoring drive with James, Getz and Blunt alternating on off tackle smashes and culminating with a dazzling end around pass from Getz to Robinson to Gillom for a touchdown. Getz place-kicked the extra point. Score: McKinley 6, Massillon 21.
Garrison returned Gillom’s kick to the 27 and Brown picked up a yard at right end as the quarter ended. Score: McKInley 6, Massillon 21.
As the fourth quarter opened Harris passed to Garrison for eight. An offside penalty gave McKinley a first down on its 42. Two passes from Harris to Brown and Garrison gained six yards. Harris failed to gain and Staudt came in to punt out of bounds on the Massillon 30. James went back to pass and then elected to run for a first down on the Massillon 47. Blunt hit right guard for six.
James picked up eight yards at right tackle and then passed to Gillom for 29 yards and a first down on the McKinley 10. A 15-yard penalty put the ball back on the 25. On the next play James ran it up to the McKinley 10 and Getz skirted left end to score. Getz place kicked the extra point. Score: McKinley 6, Massillon 28.
McKinley made another scoring threat late in the fourth period when Staudt, called in for a punt, passed to Garrison who galloped 24 yards to the Massillon 27.
Massillon scored again in the closing minutes of play when Robinson took a pass from James on the McKinley 9 and went over for a touchdown. Getz failed to place kick.
M’KINLEY BOWS TO VAUNTED FOE IN SECOND HALF
Scores First Touchdown And Then Collapses; Massillon Denomination Complete
By JACK MAXWELL
Massillon’s mighty Tigers scaled new heights Saturday and today retained a domination of Ohio scholastic football that was almost incredible for its completeness.
Unleashing the full fury of a perfectly coordinated attack in the second half, the talented charges of Coach Paul Brown swept over a courageous but badly out classed McKinley High school team 34-6 at Tiger stadium in Massillon Saturday afternoon.
Accomplished before a capacity throng of 22,000 amid all the color that only a long and intense rivalry can produce, the triumph was a glorious one on so many counts that jubilant Massillon fans were consulting the records today to make sure they missed nothing in their prolonged celebration.
Unbeaten in 33 Games
The victory enabled the Tigers to clinch their sixth consecutive state championship, lengthened an amazing winning streak to 33 games, marked the sixth straight conquest of their most bitter rival and was the most decisive Canton defeat in the 45 contests of an inter city series that began in 1894.
Combining perfect timing, great blocking, deadly passing and spirited defensive play in a manner that was an eloquent tribute to the coaching genius of their mentor, the Tigers drew away with a four touchdown barrage in the second half after leading an aroused McKinley eleven on 7-6 at the intermission.
Although sub-freezing temperature and a chill wind made the role of spectator none too comfortable, the battle was fought under excellent playing conditions. A field that had been protected for nearly a week by a tarpaulin afforded secure footing and each team was able to use its full repertoire of plays.
Bulldogs Fight Stubbornly
Even though they suffered a setback of unforeseen proportions, the previously unbeaten Bulldogs of Coach Johnny Reed did nothing to disgrace the school or city, which they represented. On the contrary, they battled their hearts out from opening whistle to final gun, but their best simply wasn’t good enough. McKinley fought the Tigers on even terms for the entire first half, and scored the lone touchdown made against Massillon this season on a scintillating 31-yard gallop by Athie Garrison in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs received a disheartening blow with 30 seconds left in the first half when a long pass from Tom James to Horace Gillom clicked for 55 yards and a touchdown.
When Ray Getz converted on an accurate placement, the McKinley gridders trailed 7-6 when they went to the dressing room at the intermission instead of holding command.
In the face of a Massillon onslaught terrific in its intensity, the Bulldogs never were able to reveal their true form in the second half and were on the defensive most of the time.
Pass Defense Vulnerable
A faulty pass defense that had been the major McKinley weakness all season made the difference between an extremely close duel and a lopsided Massillon victory. The Tigers attempted only seven passes, but of their four completed ones three went for touchdowns and the other advanced the ball deep into Bulldog territory.
As always, deception and crushing blocking were the twin keys to Massillon success. McKinley stopped the Tigers’ straight running attack frequently, but each time the danger seemed past the Tigers pulled a tricky reverse, a wide sweep behind a wave of interference or a pass to continue their drive.
Worst previous Canton defeats in the ancient rivalry were 24-0 in 1922 and 31-6 in 1929. Otherwise three touchdowns were the largest margin of victory for Massillon. Canton triumphed 44-0 in 1907 to inflict the most crushing defeat of the series in which Canton still leads, 22 wins to 20. Three games ended in ties.
Gillom And James Star
Achievements of the Tigers have come through teamwork, and yesterday’s victory naturally was a group proposition.
Yet Horace Gillom, brilliant Negro end closing a star studded scholastic career, and diminutive Tom James, another senior, were the spark plugs of a powerful machine.
Gillom caught three passes, two for touchdowns, averaged 46 yards on two punts and made tackle after tackle. James directed the offense in fine style, threw all but one of the completed aerials and broke loose repeatedly in the second half, once on a 61-yard gallop. He finished as the leading ball carrier in the fray with an average of 9.2 yards.
Fred Blunt carried the brunt of the offensive burden in the first half, and Ray Getz also reeled off several long runs in addition to scoring one touchdown and kicking four extra points in five tries. Jim Russell and Bill Wallace at the guards were defensive bulwarks and Herman Robinson, Gene Henderson, Gordon Appleby, Eli Broglio, and Dick Kingham all were superb. Only Blunt and Robinson return next year.
Garrison, Brown Sparkle
Heroic in defeat were Athie Garrison and Matthew Brown. Although watched closely by the Tigers, Garrison boosted his season scoring total to 152 points, drove with tremendous power and certainly must be labeled the greatest running back in McKinley history. He averaged 3.8 yards for 11 ball-carrying attempts.
Captain and field general, Brown was the heart and soul of the Bulldogs, both on offense and defense. He carried the ball 14 times for a 2.9 average, had a hand in most of the tackles and still was trying with might and main when the final seconds ticked away. Frank Reale, a rugged tackle; Ed Snyder, a sophomore quarterback, and Don Sirk, veteran guard, were other McKinley main stays.
McKinley forced the Tigers to punt after the opening kickoff and proceeded to institute a march that carried to the Massillon 16 before it was stopped by Robinson’s interception of Tom Harris’ pass.
Reale Recovers Fumble
On the third play of the second quarter, James fumbled and Reale covered for McKinley on his own 37. With a 14-yard pass from Harris to Brown as the big advance, the Bulldogs pushed to the Massillon 31. Garrison then sprinted around his left end, cut back behind deadly blocking and dashed for a touchdown. Neil Rubin’s place kick was low.
A few minutes later, James faded back from his own 45 and passed deep to Gillom, who was covered by Garrison. Garrison leaped to catch the ball but it slanted off his fingers into the hands of Gillom, who caught on the McKinley 25 and romped for a touchdown. Getz booted the conversion.
Massillon needed just four plays to stretch its lead in the first five minutes of the third period. James ran for 13 yards, Blunt for five and again for three, and James knifed through right tackle on a reverse to score. Getz’ place kick again split the up rights.
The third Tiger touchdown came after the Bulldogs had thrown back three running plays short of a first down on the McKinley 17, Robinson came around from left end, took the ball from Getz and started around the right end behind a wall of blockers. But he stopped short of the line, dropped back and shot a perfect pass in the end zone to Gillom, who made the catch unmolested.
A 29-yard pass from James to Gillom, and a 14-yard sprint by James that nullified a holding penalty set up the next touchdown early in the last quarter. Getz circled left end from the 10 for the tally and kicked the conversion.
After Garrison had twisted 24 yards on a screen pass to the Massillon 27, the Tigers braced and took the ball on their own 20. James smashed through right tackle and broke clear for 61 yards to the 19, where he was dragged down from behind by Garrison. Blunt and Getz were stopped, but Robinson took James’ pass away from three McKinley defenders near the sideline on the 9-yard stripe and went over for the last touchdown. Getz’ place kick was just a trifle wide. McKinley Pos. Massillon Chabek LE Robinson Reale LT Henderaon K. Williams LG Wallace Beck C Appleby Sirk RG Russell Smith RT Broglio Pickard RE Gillom Snyder QB Kingham Harris LH James Garrison RH Getz M. Brown FB Blunt
Substitutions for McKinley – Rubin, c; Staudt, e; Winters, e; Chessler, t; C. Williams, t: Pappask g; Conroy, g; Crider, hb; Hooper, hb; R. Brown, g; Parshall, t. For Massillon – Pizzino, fb; L. Cardinal, t; Oliver, t; F. Cardinal, g; Fuchs, c; Adams, hb; White, hb; Hill, g; Holt, qb; Bray, e; Demando, e.
Referee – Dave Reese, Dayton. Umpire – Verlin P. Jenkins, Akron. Head linesman – Earl D. Gross, New Philadelphia. Field judge – A.B. Long, Newark.
STATISTICS Mass. McK. First downs, rushing 13 5 First downs, passing 1 3 First downs, total 14 8 Yards gained, rushing 283 113 Yards gained, passing 123 78 Yards lost 25 18 Yards gained, net total 381 173 Passes attempted 7 21 Passes completed 4 10 Passes intercepted 2 1 Passes incompleted 2 9 Fumbles 1 3 Own fumbles covered 1 1 Own fumbles recovered 0 2 Penalties, yardage 30 0 Punts 2 6 Punts, average yardage 46 21.7
22,000 See Tigers Win State Toga
Bulldogs Collapse After Trailing By 7-6 Score At Half
By BOD EDDIOTT
MASSILLON, Nov., 16 – All the devastating power of Massillon high school’s brilliant football team exploded with every inch of its fury in the faces of Canton McKinley’s Bulldogs here today and the Tigers roared to an amazing 34-6 conquest in the 43rd renewal of Ohio’s bitterest scholastic grid fuel.
Massillon’s victory was expected, but nobody looked for the disaster, which struck McKinley after the half time intermission.
As a shivering but thrilled crowd of 22,000 fans watched the peerless Tigers riddle every semblance of a defense the Bulldogs possessed, the charges of Coach Paul Brown completed their greatest season.
The victory was Massillon’s 33rd in a row extending over a four-year period. It was their sixth straight conquest of the Bulldogs and gave them their sixth consecutive undisputed state championship.
Mere words won’t suffice to tell of Massillon’s second half outburst, which netted four touchdowns and turned what looked to be an even game into one of the worst routs in the long Canton-Massillon rivalry.
For those Bulldogs of Coach Johnny Reed were tough for two entire periods. In fact, to an unbiased observer, it looked as if McKinley was the better ball club for almost half the game.
Still Champions
Score by periods: Canton 0 6 0 0 – 6 Massillon 0 7 14 13 – 34
YOUNGSTOWN, O., Nov. 9 – Paul Brown’s classy Massillon Tigers struck with devastating force to pile up a 26-to-0 victory over a surprising East High eleven here today.
A crowd of 13,000, largest to witness a scholastic game here for the last decade, saw the Tigers stride four times for drives of 53, 5, 72 and 78 yards to gain its tallies in the first half-time intermission. It was Massillon’s 32nd straight and eighth of the season.
Ray Getz returned Diane’s opening kickoff to the Massillon 28 and the Tiger machine went into high gear, scoring in eight plays with Blunt going over from 3 yards out. Getz added the point from placement.
Gilllom kicked off to Fabian on the goal line and Fabian returned to the East 20. Two running plays and a pass gained nothing and Fabian punted to James on the Massillon 47.
Gillom Scores
On the first play James tossed a 40-yard pass to Gillom on the 20 and the lanky All-Ohio end skipped the remaining yards unmolested.
Getz missed the placement for the point.
Talmadge Jackson sparked his team to life with an 18-yard return of Gillom’s kickoff to the East 23. Al Pert reeled off an 18-yard run and Jackson added 5 to make it first down on the East 35. Jackson gained 3 more and Pert whisked off tackle for another first down on the East 44.
Jackson and Powis each gained 1 and East resorted to the aerial game but without success as Robinson intercepted Fabian’s pass on the Massillon 44 and again the Tigers went on the march.
Pass Fails
James reeled off a 12-yard jump for a first down on the East 42, Robinson sprinted 28 for another first down on the 14. Gillom lost 5 and Massillon was set back 15 yards for clipping. Robinson’s pass to Gillom was knocked down. James gained 7 in two tries and on fourth down his pass intended for Gillom fell incomplete in the end zone.
Pert went to a first down on the East 41 as the quarter ended. Two running plays netted 8 and Powis’ pass failed. Fabian kicked out of bounds on the Massillon 17. Here the Tigers marched 83 yards in 9 plays for their third score with Tom James cutting inside East’s left end for 52 yards.
The final Massillon tally came in the waning minutes of the second period. Taking the ball on its 22, Massillon needed but three plays to do the trick. James gained 3. Gillom passed to James for 17 and a first down on the East 42. James then passed to Getz on the 30 and Getz romped the remaining distance for the touchdown. Getz place kicked the point.
East seriously threatened the Tigers uncrossed goal line in the third period.
Taking the ball on their own 20, after Gillom’s kick went into the end zone, for an automatic touchback, East punched 66 yards down to the Massillon 14 before a last down fumble gave the Tigers the ball.
MASSILLON YOUNGSTOWN Gillom L.E. Lanzi Henderson L.T. Mestichelli Wallace L.G. Massacco Appleby C Hash Russell R.G. Direnzo Broglio R.T. Diane Robinson R.E. Laskin Kingham Q Fabian James L.H. Pert Getz R.H. Jackson Blunt F Powis
Massillon 13 13 0 0 – 26
Substitutions: Massillon – Armour, Demando, ends; Oliver, Weisgarber, tackles; Hill, L. Cardinal, guards; Fuchs, c; Adams, lh; White, rh; Pizzino, f; F. Cardinal, q. East – Kraayck, e; Pilusi, t; Ciolin, c; Andrews, q; Berger, rh; Delmark, lh; Wayland, f.
Touchdowns – Blunt, Gillom, James, Getz.
Points after touchdowns – Getz 2 (placements)
Statistics:
MASS. YOUNG. Yards gained rushing 214 104 Yards lost rushing 12 34 Yards gained passing 102 11 Net gain from scrimmage 304 81 First downs rushing 8 6 First downs passing 1 1 First downs penalties 1 1 Total first downs 10 8 Passes attempted 7 6 Passes completed 2 2 Opponents passes intercepted 2 1 Number of punts 3 7 Average distance of punts 37 26 Number of penalties 5 2 Total yards lost penalties 55 10 Number of fumbles 1 2 Opponents fumbles recovered 2 1 Number of kickoffs 5 1 Average distance of kickoff 38 37 Average yardage returning kickoffs 11 15
TIGERS TURN IN 32ND STRAIGHT TRIUMPH ON FIRST HALF ASSAULT
Bengals Held Scoreless In Last Two Quarters By Aggressive Rival
By SAM FOGG Repository Staff Writer
YOUNGSTOWN – After hurling over four sudden scores in the opening half, Massillon was held scoreless for the remainder of the game as the Tigers whipped a fighting Youngstown East eleven 26-0 for their 32nd consecutive victory at Rayen stadium Saturday before 12,500.
Benefiting from a lull resulting between Tiger contests with Toledo Waite and Canton McKinley, the Youngstown gridders stole the second half show as they throttled the Massillon running assault and launched a determined drive that threatened the Tiger goal in the third period. The victory margin was the lowest for Massillon this season.
Content With Victory
The brilliancy of Tom James, Horace Gillom, Ray Getz and Fred Blunt in the first two quarters insured a decisive Massillon triumph and the Stark county team was content to avoid injury and play defensive football the rest of the day. After halting a Youngstown drive on its own 12-yard line, the Massillon starting eleven left the game at the end of the third period.
STATISTICS Massillon Youngstown First down, rushing 12 7 First downs, passing 1 1 Total first down 13 8 Yards gained rushing 303 96 Yards gained passing 128 18 Yards lost 2 27 Net yards gained 429 87 Passes attempted 9 11 Passes completed 3 2 Passes intercepted 3 1 Passes incompleted 5 6 Fumbles 1 2 Opp. recovered 1 1 Own recovered 0 1 Penalties 55 10 No. of punts 2 5 Aver. Yardage of punts 39.5 46
The East lineup maintained a fighting attack throughout the game as Jack Perl and Bob Wayland, a pair of driving backs, pounded at quick holes opened in the Tiger line. Running hard from spinners and quick deceptive reverses, the two Indian runners picked up small but effective gains to compile eight first downs.
Blunt, James, Getz and Gillom each scored for Massillon as two touchdowns went over in the first period and two in the second. James again led the way for the Tiger scoring as he raced 52 yards for one tally and tossed long passes to Getz and Gillom for two other touchdowns. In the opening half, Massillon had possession of the ball six times and produced four touchdowns.
Three Passes Connect
Statistically, the Tigers compiled a huge advantage as they ran for 13 first downs, gained 303 yards from rushing and 128 yards on three completed passes. East netted 96 yards from rushing and 18 yards from passing.
The opening Tiger touchdown came three minutes after the kickoff on a sustained 73-yard march. From the 27-yard line, Getz piled through for five yards and Gillom crashed to the 47 for a first down on a spread formation. James shifted through tackle and traveled 32 yards to the East 21 and a moment later, ripped through a wide hole for 15 yards to the Youngstown 3. Getz was pulled down on the one-foot line and Blunt drilled over. Getz kicked the point.
East failed to gain after the kickoff and Massillon scored on one running play. Downed on the Tiger 47, James faded a pass to Gillom, who had broken loose behind the Youngstown secondary on the 17, and the score was 13-0. A penalty blocked the third Tiger advance as the quarter ended.
In the second period, Perl kicked out on the Massillon 17. Getz, John Pizziono and James carried the assault to the Tiger 47. James on his patented double threat, passing-running play broke down the sideline, escaping a net of tacklers and protected by a ring of blockers ran 53 yards to score. Five plays later, the Tiger scoring was completed. East punted out on the Massillon 21. Getz drove for three yards and took a pass from James for 16 yards. Again Getz slipped by the Youngstown aerial defense and grabbed a pass from James to race for a 59-yard touchdown.
Penalties Aid East
As play resumed in the final half, East took possession on the 20 when Gillom punted into the end zone. Wayland, a sophomore, pounded for three yards and the Youngstown offense began to move. Assisted by 25 yards in penalties, two completed passes and the smashing drives of Wayland and Perl, East drove to four first downs to the Tiger 22. Perl hit for a yard at guard and shot a seven yard-pass to Ray Delmark. Wayland plunged for a yard to the 12 but on fourth down fumbled and recovered to end the longest advance recorded against Massillon this season.
Caoch Paul Brown inserted his second eleven in the fourth period and the two teams battled on even terms. The Tiger reserves missed fire on a scoring opportunity late in the quarter when Dick Adams fumbled on the East 10 after he had covered a Youngstown fumble on the 4.
The Washington High swing band again kept customers in their seats following the contest as they combined forces with the Youngstown East band to offer a brilliant musical display. At half time, the Tiger musicians offered maneuvers in swing time and cast Obie the Tiger as a clarinet-playing, top-hatted Ted Lewis.
Massillon Pos. Youngs. East Robinson LE Lanzi Henderson LT Diana Wallace LG Venglarcik Appleby C Cioli Russell RG Massocco Broglio RT Mestichelli Gillom RE Laskin Kingham QB Fabian James LH Perl Getz RH Jackson Blunt FB Powis
Score by periods: Massillon 13 13 0 0 – 26
Touchdowns – Blunt, Gillom, James, Getz.
Points after touchdown – Getz 2 (placement).
Substitutions: Massillon – F. Cardinal, g; Pizzino, fb; White, hb; Getz, g; Weisgarber, t; Bray, e; Hill, g; Oliver, t; Armour, qb; Fuchs, c; DeMando, e. East – Delmark, hb; Berger, hb; Hosa, g; Wayland, fb; Krayac, e.
Tough Youngstown Game Just What Tigers Needed To Keep Them On Edge For Annual Battle With Canton This Week
By LUTHER EMERY
Having emerged virtually unscathed from their 26-0 victory and 32nd consecutive triumph in Youngstown Saturday against a stubborn East high school team, the Washington high Tigers sharpen their fangs this week for the Ohio grid classic of the season, the annual battle with undefeated Canton McKinley in Tiger Stadium.
This is not being written for the purpose of drumming up a crowd. All tickets are sold, have been sold for a week, and those noble souls who spend their time selling tickets while others watch the game, will themselves have an opportunity to see a kickoff Saturday. All windows will be locked.
Escape Injuries
The Tigers were fortunate to escape Saturday’s stiff melee at Youngstown without injury and without being scored upon. They found themselves stacked against one of the roughest and toughest teams they have played this season, and the pro-East tempo was terrific.
When the East fans learned early in the game that they could not expect a victory, their hopes, dwindled to an intense desire to be the first to score on the Tigers and in the face of 26 points, gave their team more support from the stands than any high school eleven in these parts has had for years. Washington high students can well take a lesson.
The appeal reached the ears of the East gridders and with the assistance of three penalties, each of which helped them to a first down, they nearly accomplished their purpose as they drove to the Tiger 11-yard line. There the ball was lost on a fumble on fourth down when a yard would have meant a first down.
But East did chalk up more first downs against the Tigers and hold them to fewer points than any other team this season, two reasons why the Youngstown school was perfectly satisfied.
From a Massillon standpoint it is a compliment to win by 26 points and have your opponent consider itself a moral victor.
East Never Quit
The East eleven deserves praise for its performance. Though beaten down by a relentless Massillon attack that produced one touchdown, and three perfect plays that produced three others, the Youngstowners never ceased handing it back, and showed the Tigers more offense than they have looked at this season.
The Tigers were able to stop East’s colored star, Talmage Jackson, but Al Perl, Jack Powis and a substitute fullback, Art Wayland, punctured the Massillon forward wall for 96 yards while two passes which accounted for 18 yards, and a number of penalties enabled the Barrettmen to register nine first downs. The Tigers made 13, gained 273 yards from rushing and 131 by passing.
All of Massillon’s points were scored in the first half, 13 in each period.
The local gridders never looked better than they did in the first half, their first daylight game of the season. Ray Getz lugged the kickoff back 17 yards to the 26-yard line and there a drive was launched that did not end until Blunt slashed through right tackle for the last foot of ground. A 22-yard run by Horace Gillom from a spread formation and a 26-yard dash by Tom James were included in the touchdown march.
The next time they came into possession of the ball, James took it on a reverse from Getz and heaved a long pass to Gillom who was far beyond the East secondary when he gathered in the leather. It was good for 54 yards and a touchdown.
A 15-yard penalty for clipping helped to stop the next Tiger drive after Herman Robinson had gotten the ball on an almost unbelievable leaping one-handed pass interception.
Statistics Of Tiger Victory E M First downs 9 13 Yards gained rushing 96 273 Yards lost rushing 49 12 Passes attempted 11 9 Passes completed 2 3 Yards gained passes 18 131 Number of penalties 2 5 Yards penalized 10 55 Number of punts 5 3 Averages yards punts 44 32 Number of kickoffs 1 5 Number of fumbles 4 2
In the second quarter, however, the Tigers secured the ball on their own 18, advanced to their 49 where they turned Tom James loose around his right end for a brilliant 51-yard touchdown run. As James, nearly bottled up along the sideline, cut back toward midfield, Gillom tossed him a block that took out the last two tacklers on the 35-yard line and Tommy had nothing left to do but run.
Two minutes later, and the next time the Massillon boys got the ball, James fired a pass that Ray Getz, running full-steam ahead, took on his fingertips on the 35-yard line and raced over the goal. The play was good for 58 yards.
That finished the scoring the first half and the scoring of the game. Getz kicked two points from placement in the four attempts.
No Meeting Of Booster Club
The Booster club will not meet this week until Friday evening when it will hold a torch light parade and bonfire rally to give vent to its enthusiasm over the Massillon-Canton game.
East Begins Stall
What happened the second half? Massillon fans who remained at home were greatly concerned. It didn’t bother those who attended the game.
East played for a low score the second half. It consumed a maximum amount of time in the huddle and was penalized once for it. The Youngstowners used up nearly all of the third period as they bided their time while pushing back the Tigers from their own 20-yard line to the Massillon 11-yard line where the locals recovered a fumble on fourth down and a yard to go. In the march the Tigers were penalized three times, 15 yards for unnecessary roughness and five yards twice for being offside. One gave East a first down, the other two helped out on first downs.
The Tiger lashed back with a ferocious attack and traveled 49 yards on two plays. There the quarter ended and Coach Paul Brown not desiring to take any further chances against injury to his players, sent in the second team which played the entire fourth quarter.
The second team battled the East first team on even terms throughout the period but neither could score. The Massillon scrubs lost a golden opportunity in the dying moments of the game when Jack Oliver pounced on an East fumble on the four-yard line.
Dick Adams lashed through tackle to the one-yard line but the ball was squeezed out of his arms when tackled and Perl recovered for East.
Just What Tigers Needed
The game kept the Tiger eleven on edge for its battle with McKinley next week. They encountered enough resistance in East to make them scrap for every yard, and they found how troublesome one player can be when they tried to keep Lou Mestichelli out of the Massillon backfield. The boy played a fine defensive game for East.
The Massillon eleven returned home to find Canton McKinley had defeated Mansfield 38-7, and a serious look immediately spread over the Tiger faces, for they had only defeated Mansfield 38-0.
A man-sized job is cut out for the Massillon eleven this week if it is to defeat the Canton Bulldogs. No Massillon team has ever finished the season without its goal line being crossed. The 1940 team has an opportunity to establish a new record here. To date it has kept its goal line clean. Can it keep Athy Garrison, Matt Brown, Ray Hooper, and other McKinley backs or ends from reaching the end of the rainbow next Saturday?
Garrison is the Bulldog’s big shot this season. The red and black had Pete Ballos when they played here in 1936. The Tigers stopped him. They had Marion Motley in 1938. The Tigers stopped him. This Saturday they come to Massillon with Garrison. Can he be stopped? One fellow who will have a lot to say about it is Horace Gillom. Backing up the line, as he does, he will meet Garrison frequently on off tackle thrusts. So will Herman Robinson and Pokey Blunt who cover the flats in a 6-3-2 defense. They have a big job cut out for themselves next Saturday afternoon.
It will be the last game of the season for nine of the 11 players, Co-Captains Ray Getz and Gillom, Jim Russell, Eli Broglio, Bill Wallace, Gordon Appleby, James, Dick Kingham, and Gene Henderson.
Not a one of these boys has played on a defeated high school team. For that matter, not a member of the entire Tiger squad has played on a defeated Massillon team. If they beat Canton Saturday, these seniors will have established a record for themselves—three years of varsity competition without a defeat.
Johnny Reed juggled his Bulldog lineup Saturday to get more of an offensive punch in the backfield. The shift produced the desired benefits, for Matt Brown, moved from end to fullback romped for three of the Canton touchdowns and Garrison three others. The Bulldogs scored 25 of their points the first half.
32nd Triumph
Massillon East Robinson LE Laskin Henderson LT Mestichelli Wallace LG Massocco Appleby C Hosa Russell RG Pelusi Broglio RT Diana Gillom RE Lanzi Kingham Q Fabian James LH Perl R. Getz RH Jackson Blunt F Powis
Massillon 13 13 0 0 – 26 East 0 0 0 0 – 0
Touchdowns – Blunt, Gillom, James, R. Getz.
Point after touchdown – R. Getz 2 (placekicks).
Substitutions: East – Krayac, re; Venglarcik, rg; Ciolli, c; Delmark, rh; Berger, lh; Wayland, fb; Andrews, qb. Massillon – L. Cardinal, lt; Armour, le; Weisgarber, rt; Oliver, lt; P. Getz, rg; Hill, lg; DeMando, re; Adams, lh; Pizzino, fb; White, rh; F. Cardinal, qb; Fuchs, c.
Referee – John Hetra (Westminister) . Umpire – Harry Weick (Indiana Normal). Headlinesman – Denny Shill (Baldwin-Wallace).
James Scores Twice, Getz Races 49 for Tally Before 21,000
By Alex Zirin Staff Correspondent
MASSILLON, OH., Nov. 1 – Toledo Waite High’s Indians, the team that asked for it, was definitely convinced tonight that the Tigers of Massillon High are supreme in Ohio.
Not even the elements could save the Indians from taking a 28-0 whipping as more than 21,000 spectators acclaimed the 31st straight victory of the Tigers.
Waite came here with a record of 19 straight triumphs and the claim that Massillon wasn’t the real boss of the Buckeye state schoolboy gridders.
Massillon inflicted a lesson that was complete and final.
Hampered by rain that fell all-day and late into the first period, the Tigers still managed to score in every period and keep their goal line uncrossed. They now have eight victims this year and boast a point total of 417 to 0.
It was the lowest score of the campaign for the Tigers, but the weather saw to that.
Thousands Turned Away
The widely heralded classic drew many more thousands than could be accommodated, despite the official announcement days ago that every ticket had been sold. Not even the heavy downpour could dim the enthusiasm of the Tiger fans.
The stands were nearly filled an hour before kickoff, most of the thousands sitting cheerfully in the rain rather than risk losing their seats. It was a show that amazed those who watched Tiger football for the first time.
Waite completely outplayed, getting only one first down on a pass in the third period. Massillon had 16, but that only starts to tell the story.
Waite’s running attack didn’t have a chance and its heavy line proved no problem, with the exception of one boy, Herbert Snider, who played a whale of a game.
8 Plays – First Touchdown
Massillon’s blocking was well nigh perfect, as always. The line out charged its heavier foe’s consistently.
The game was only eight plays old when the Tigers had their fist touchdown.
A fumble by Pokey Blunt was recovered by Waite on the Waite 47. Three running plays netted only 2 yards for the Indians, and Jimmy Seibenaller tried to punt.
Tom Jones and Herman Robinson smashed through the Toledo forward wall to block the attempt and Robinson recovered on Toledo’s 6, from where James went over on the first play.
Toledoans Find Out About State Supremacy
Ray Getz elected an end run for the point, but was stopped and the score was 6-0.
Another blocked punt gave Massillon its second period two pointer on an automatic safety. This time Louis Sharkoff was the kicker and Bill Wallace the blocker.
Waite had failed to move more than a yard from its 17. The punt was logical, but Wallace moved in as though he belonged in the Indians’ backfield. He blocked the kick with his chest and the bounding ball bounced out of the end zone before the Tigers could capture it and the score was 8-0.
The Tigers were in complete command as the second half opened.
Horace Gillom returned Snider’s kickoff from the 7 to the Massillon 42. In five plays Getz and Blunt streaked to the Waite 16. Then James took the ball on a dazzling reverse and went over. Getz’s plunge couldn’t reach for the extra point and the score was 14-0.
A few minutes later the Tigers marched again, but this time Waite held on its 8.
But the Tigers couldn’t be denied and they had another touchdown two plays after the fourth period started.
Getz, sweeping around his left end, raced 49 yards for the tally. His blockers removed all but the safetyman and Ray took care of him by simply outsmarting his rival with a fine bit of timing. This time Getz tried a placement for the extra point and it was good, making the score 21-0.
The final scoring drive started from the Massillon 37. Getz, James and Blunt streaked to the 14 before losing the ball on a fumble. But Gillom took care of matters by intercepting Sharkoff’s pass on the Toledo 14. James and Getz carried the ball to the 1 and Kingham went over on a quarterback sneak, standing up. Again Getz added the point from placement and the tally was 28-0.
Toledo’s pass for its first down was the only one the Indians completed.
Massillon stopped the Indians cold once they came within the Tigers’ 40 on recovered fumbles. There wasn’t any doubt that the score would have been much higher on a dry field.
It was a colorful affair despite the rain. The great Massillon band quite outdid itself with a patriotic pageant between halves and then kept the throng in its seats after the game with a swing dance exhibition.
The Tigers play at Youngstown East next Saturday and then close their season against Canton McKinley here November 17.
There isn’t a chance to buy a ticket for McKinley game either.
Massillon, home of great football, saluted its champions again tonight.
MASSILLON – 28 TOLEDO WAITE – 0 Robinson L.E. Welker Cardinal L.T. Rideout Wallace L.G. Mang Appleby C Poole Russell R.G. Smithers Broglio R.T. Links Gillom R.E. Snider Kingham Q Baker James L.H. Sharkoff Getz R.H. Seibenaller Blunt F Bauman
VICTORY OVER WAITE IS 31ST IN ROW FOR MASSILLON MACHINE
Champions Turn On Second Half Power On Slippery Field Before 22,000
By JACK MAXWELL
Stark county football fans were secure in the knowledge today that this district produces the greatest scholastic football in Ohio, and from other sections of the state there wasn’t a murmur of dissent.
Massillon’s mighty Tigers, the county’s leading representatives, established beyond the shadow of a doubt their right to five consecutive state titular claims at Tiger stadium in Massillon Friday night before a damp but enthusiastic overflow throng of 22,000.
Held to eight points in the first half, the Tigers of Coach Paul Brown unleashed the full fury of their deceptive and well-coordinated attack in succeeding quarters to sweep over a good but outclassed Toledo Waite team 28-0.
Accomplished on a slippery gridiron where ball handling was precarious and an aerial offense virtually useless, the convincing victory ran Massillon’s winning streak to 31 games. The setback snapped Waite’s impressive string of victories at 19 straight.
Although the personnel of both squads had changed, Friday night’s game was the climactic chapter in a heated dispute that arose late last season over conflicting state championship claims. A strong 1939 Waite eleven won 11 successive contests, including a 9-7 “Buckeye bowl” conquest of Portsmouth at Columbus, and Toledo fans aired serious doubts of a Massillon denomination that began in 1935.
Both teams were handicapped seriously last night by insecure footing and a soggy ball. Despite the fact a huge tarpaulin had been placed on the field Thursday and was not removed until game time, heavy rains all day yesterday and a steady drizzle during the tilt took their toll.
Timing Perfect
But the Tigers clearly were the superior team, possibly by an even greater margin than the score indicates.
Beautiful timing, deadly blocking and superlative defensive play, plus a customary propensity for “making their own breaks,” enabled Coach Paul Brown’s charges to hang a decisive defeat on a worthy opponent.
Massillon compiled a 16-1 margin in first downs, the Waite Indians getting their lone first down on a 14-yard pass in the third quarter. The Tigers’ fast charging line blocked two punts to set up a touchdown and score a safety in the first half, held the visitors to 40 yards by rushing and opened huge holes for hard driving Massillon backs.
Passing, normally an integral part of the Massillon offensive, did not figure in the triumph. The Tigers tried only two aerials and completed one for a 14-yard gain on the last play of the first half.
With the weather putting a damper on aerials, the Indians of Coach Jack Mollenkopf used an eight man defensive line most of the game, and gave the best defensive exhibition against the Tigers this year. Massillon ball carriers were dropped for losses totaling 67 yards and frequently were stopped on the line of scrimmage. However, the husky Waite line was unable to fathom Massillon consistently, and each loss usually was followed by a sizeable gain.
Toledo Attack Weak
Waite lacked anything resembling an attack against the defense thrown up by Massillon. The Indians were inside the Tiger 40 only once. Horace Gillom’s punt in the second period slid off the side of his foot for a two-yard loss and gave the Toledo team the ball on the Massillon 37, but the Indians were stopped just short of a first down on the 28.
Massillon fumbled four times, twice deep in enemy territory, and Waite covered all four fumbles. The Toledoans bobbled twice but recovered on both occasions.
With teamwork as a premium, Massillon had no player standing head and shoulders above his mates. Tom James took scoring honors with two touchdowns and ran in stellar fashion, but Ray Getz accounted for a touchdown and two extra points during one of his best performances this year and Fred Blunt also was a continuous threat.
Jim Russell and Bill Wallace at the guards were magnificent, and Gillom was in the thick of every skirmish. The big Negro ace was held scoreless for the first time this year, his offensive opportunities being limited by the lack of passing.
Snider Sparkles
Heroic in defeat were Herb Snider, a great defensive end; Lester Rideout, a sterling tackle, and Lou Sharkoff, a hard working halfback.
After Massillon’s initial drive following the opening kickoff had been stalled by Fred Blunt’s fumble on the Waite 47, Herman Robinson and Dick Kingham broke through to block Sharkoff’s punt on the 35 and Robinson covered on the 7. James sliced off right tackle for a touchdown on the next play.
On the first play of the second period, Wallace blocked another Sharkoff punt on the Toledo 7 and the ball rolled out of the end zone for an automatic safety. The Tigers made their first sustained march to start the third quarter, going 48 yards for a touchdown in six plays. Getz and Blunt alternated to the Waite 15, from where James cracked right guard, headed for the right sideline and dove over the goal just inside the out of bounds flag.
With a strong supporting cast, Getz provided the feature run of the duel in the first minute of the final quarter. Starting wide around left end behind a wall of interference, he scampered to the 35, slowed up for Russell to cut down the nearest Waite defender with a terrific block, and completed a 43-yard touchdown jaunt. Getz added the extra point on a placekick.
The last tally was set up by Gillom’s interception of Sharkoff’s basketball pass on the Waite 14. Getz bulled his way through center to the one-foot line and Dick Kingham, the blocking back scored on a quick opener. Getz again converted.
Massillon Pos. Toledo Waite Robinson LE Welker Henderson LT Rideout Wallace LG Mang Appleby C Poole Russell RG Smithers Broglio RT Links Gillom RE Snider Kingham QB Baker James LH Sharkoff Getz RH Siebenaller Blunt FB Bauman
Substitutions: Massillon – Pizzino, fb; L. Cardinal, t; Hill, g; Adams, hb; F. Cardinal, g. Waite – White, hb; Timmons, hb; Bigley, c; J. Links, g; Wagner, c; Keezey, e.
Touchdowns – James 2, Getz, Kingham.
Points after touchdown – Getz 2.
Safety – Wallace
Massillon 6 2 6 14 – 28
Referee – Earl D. Gross. Umpire – A.R. Long. Headlinesman – Carl C. Bachman. Field judge – T.B. Lobach.
STATISTICS Mass. Waite First downs, rushing 16 0 First downs, passing 0 1 First downs, total 16 1 Yards gained, rushing 340 40 Yards gained, passing 13 14 Yards lost 67 33 Yards gained, net total 286 21 Passes attempted 2 3 Pases completed 1 1 Passes incompleted 1 1 Passes intercepted 1 0 Fumbles 4 2 Own fumbles recovered 0 2 Own fumbles covered 0 4 Penalties, yardage 10 0 Punts 3 9 Punts, average yardage 33 32
MASSILLON TRIMS INDIANS BY 28-0
East Siders Get But One First Down As Tigers Outclass Them; Blocked Punts Lead to Early Scores
By FRANK BUCKLEY Of The Blade’s Sport Staff
MASSILLON, O., Nov. 2 – Toledo is without an unbeaten and untied high school football team today. Its last hope for a perfect eleven and one which might make a claim for a state championship died an honorable death here last night as the Indians of Waite High School bowed to the perfectly playing Washington High outfit of Massillon. The score was 28 to 0, and the biggest setback Waite has experienced in many years.
That defeat shattered Waite’s 19-game winning streak. The victory added No. 31 to the list that Coach Paul Brown’s Tigers are compiling. It likewise was the eighth foe of the season that Massillon has both blanked and trounced.
A crowd of 22,000 fans jammed the big stadium and sat through pouring rain to watch the action. In the assemblage were more than 2,000 Toledoans, braving a fine brand of pneumonia weather. More than, 2,500 fans were turned away at the gates.
16 FIRST DOWNS
Washington outclassed Waite in as complete a style as any Toledo high school team has ever been beaten. It piled up 16 first downs and held Waite to one, that coming in the third quarter. Only once did Waite manage to get within Massillon’s 30-yard line and that threat was quickly stopped.
Massillon tried the air but twice and completed one pass. The slippery oval was not for passing as Waite tried but three times, completed one and had one intercepted, that pacing the way for the final Massillon touchdown. In handling the wet ball, Massillon fumbled four times and Waite recovered each time. The Indians bobbled twice and recovered twice.
Waite didn’t have a punt blocked all season until last night and then it saw two of them help Massillon manufacture an eight-point lead in the first half.
PUNT IS BLOCKED
Jimmie Siebenaller was back to punt early in the game as Waite had the ball on its own 47. Herman Robinson and Dick Kingham broke through the Waite line, blocked the kick and when the scramble was unpiled, Massillon had the ball on Waite’s six-yard line. From there Tom James knifed through for the first score. Early in the next period, Bill Wallace, a guard, bounded through the Waite line, blocked Sharkoff’s kick and fell on the ball over the end line for a safety and the 8-0 lead at halftime, the lowest count Massillon has made in a half against any opponent this year.
The second half found the Tigers really going through the Tribe. They started with the kickoff on their own 42 and with James, Fred Blunt and Ray Getz hugging the ball, marched 58 yards for the touchdown and any chances for a Waite win were gone with those points.
48 YARDS FOR A SCORE
Getz, the Tigers’ biggest ground gainer of the game, used the third play of the final period for the best gallop of the night as he ran 48 yards for the third touchdown.
Later the Tigers intercepted a pass as Waite desperately tried to score on the state title claimants. Getz ran to the one before Kingham went through center for the touchdown.
The game was cleanly played, the only penalties coming against Massillon, which lost 10 yards on two offside errors. The Tigers three speedy ball carriers, James, Getz and Blunt, along with the big end, Horace Gillom were outstanding through the battle. Herb Snider, Waite end was the defensive standout from a Toledo angle.
Toledo Football Team Is Beaten By Superior Foe
By JACK SENN Times Sports Editor
MASSILLON, O., Nov. 1 – The Tigers of Washington high school still stalk the scholastic gridirons unchallenged.
Before more than 21,000 spectators and a constant rain here tonight this city’s great football machine outclassed a previously undefeated Waite team of Toledo, winning 28 to 0.
At no stage of the game, in which Massillon chalked up its 31st consecutive victory, did the Indians from the banks of the Maumee seriously threaten.
In the first period Waite was thrown back on its heels and never recovered. Soon after the start Massillon blocked a Waite punt and quickly converted into a touchdown. In the second the home team blocked another and fell on the ball for a safety.
Thus it went. Washington out charged Waite on every play and as in every other game this year and last, Coach Paul Brown’s charges put on a convincing display of offensive football, proving the old axiom that an offense is the best defense.
Waite offered sturdy opposition for three-quarters of the battle even though trailing 14 to 0 at that stage.
But at the start of the fourth quarter the visitors lost all hope when the brilliant James of Washington got marvelous blocking on a 47-yard touchdown jaunt. The Indians were pretty well washed out a few minutes later when Kingham made two clever sneaks for a touchdown.
Here’s how the game unfolded:
FIRST PERIOD
Snider’s kick for Waite went out of bounds and Massillon placed the ball in play on its 35. Getz made three and Blunt pounded tackle for a first down on the Washington 46. Get made three. Blunt fumbled and Baker recovered for Waite on the Toledo 47. Massillon’s line smothered Sharkoff without gain. Two more tries gained just two yards and Siebenaller went back to kick. The charging Tiger line blocked his punt and Robinson recovered on the Waite six. On the first play James smashed over his own left tackle for a touchdown. Siebenaller was hurt on the play and White replaced. Getz failed in a smash at tackle for the point
Score: Massillon 6; Waite 0.
Sharkoff returned Gilloms kick off to Waite’s 21. Sharkoff made two, then lost four when he fumbled but recovered. Sharkoff punted dead on the Tiger 39. James lost nine, and gained four. Blunt slicked the Waite line for 14 yards and James made it first down on the 50. Three plays gained six yards. Massillon tried to run on fourth down and Blunt fumbled with the slippery oval finally being trapped on the Massillon 42 where it was Waite’s ball.
Sharkoff punted poorly on third down, the boot going out of bounds on the Tiger 31. Gillom went into the backfield to run and lost seven. Gillom punted magnificently, dead on the Toledo 16 as the quarter ended.
Score: Massillon 6; Waite 0.
SECOND QUARTER
Sharkoff attempted to punt on second down and this time Massillon’s forwards were through again, Wallace blocking the boot and recovering beyond the end zone for a safety.
Score: Massillon 8, Waite 0.
Gillom returned Snider’s free kick from the Waite 20 to the Toledo 41. Three plays lost eight yards as the Waite line started charging fiercely and Gillom punted dead on Waite’s nine.
The rain had ceased but the field was very muddy.
Waite couldn’t gain and Sharkoff punted to James, who returned to Waite’s 45. Blunt made four but Getz then fumbled and Sharkoff recovered for Waite on his 28.
Fans kept streaming into the already packed stands although the rain started again.
Waite’s power couldn’t move against the Massillon line on the slippery turf and Sharkoff punted to James, who came back to the Tiger 40.
Waite smashed two running plays for a two yard loss and Gillom’s poor punt went out on his own 38 where it was Waite’s ball. Sharkoff made two and White four, Baker in two tries failed by inches to make a first down and it was Massillon’s ball on its 28.
James made seven. Siebenaller came back into the Waite lineup for White. Getz made a first down on the Massillon 41. Blunt made five. Then another first down on Waite’s 48.
James shook loose for 16 yards and a first down on the 32. A pass and plunge failed before the Tigers drew the first penalty – five yards for off side. A Gillom to Robinson pass was complete to Waite’s 35 as the gun sounded.
Score: Massillon 8; Waite 0.
THIRD QUARTER
Snider kicked off to Gillom who returned to the Massillon 42. Getz picked up a first down with a 17-yard off tackle run to Waite’s 41. Getz crashed through to another first down on the 27. Blunt spun off tackle for five, then made a first down on the 16. On the next play James sliced through his own right tackle, slipped off several Waite tacklers and went over for a touchdown. Getz failed in a plunge for the point.
Score: Massillon 14; Waite 0.
Gillom kicked off out of bounds and it was Waite’s ball on its 35. A Sharkoff to Welker pass over the line gave Waite its initial first down on the Indian 49. Sharkoff lost seven on another pass attempt but Siebenaller got it back. Sharkoff made nine on the first Waite power play that got anyplace, but Baker was stopped cold on fourth down and Massillon took the ball on its 42.
On a cut back Getz made a first down on Waite’s 44. Blunt slipped off tackle and ran to the 10 before Siebenaller nailed him. Another cut back over tackle gave Getz four, but Snider smeared him the next time for a five-yard loss, and the third time he was stopped without a gain. On fourth down Waite’s line checked Blunt and the Indians took the ball on their eight. Sharkoff punted nicely, dead on the Tiger 37.
Snider caught Getz for a two-yard loss. Getz made eight, Blunt made a first down on the Tiger 47 as the quarter ended.
Score: Massillon 14; Waite 0.
FOURTH QUARTER
Blunt made five and Getz carried another yard to Waite’s 47. Then Getz swept his own left end behind superb blocking and raced 47 yards into pay dirt. He then booted the point from placement.
Score: Massillon 21; Waite 0
Siebenaller returned the kickoff to the Toledo 33. Siebenaller punted to James, who was spilled on Massillon’s 37. James faked a pass and made a first down on the 48. Getz got to Waite’s 46. Faking another pass, James circled end to a first down on the 36. On a quick spinner James picked up eight. Blunt made it first down on the 26.
Two plays gained eight but Getz then lost three. Getz made it first down on Waite’s 14. On the second play James fumbled and Rideout recovered for Waite on the Toledo 14. Siebenaller lost five when he fumbled, then Gillom intercepted Sharkoff’s over-the-line pass and it was Massillon’s ball on the Toledo 13.
The second play saw Kingham on a quarterback sneak straight through the Waite center to the one-yard line. Then Kingham shot through center again, this time over the goal almost without being touched. Getz placekicked the point.
Score: Massillon 28; Waite 0.
Gillom purposely kicked off out of bounds again to keep Waite from returning the ball and the Toledoans took the ball on their 35. Siebenaller picked up five. Siebenaller punted to James, who was downed on the Tiger 35.
Massillon was pounding Waite’s line at the gun.
MASSILLON LINE SHOWS POWER IN GREAT VICTORY
Tiger Gridders Roll Back Eight-Man Toledo Line As Ray Getz Sparkles In Finest Game Of His Three-Year Career
By LUTHER EMERY
In a setting of pageantry, the like of which is seldom seen on the gridiron, the Washington high Tigers defeated Toledo Waite 28-0 in a driving rain in Tiger Stadium Friday evening.
An overflow crowd of 22,000 (and several thousand more had to be turned away), sat through the moisture to see the Tigers convince their rivals from the northwest part of the state that Massillon has a just claim to the state championship.
No Dispute This Year
Waite disputed that claim last year on the basis of an undefeated season and a 9-7 triumph over Portsmouth in the Buckeye Bowl and the Indians brought a string of 19 consecutive victories with them into Tiger Stadium. That string was cut by a terrific Tiger defense and a keyed up offense that extended the Massillon victory streak to 31 games.
The Tigers were magnificent. To defeat a highly touted grid machine like Waite is one thing, and to do it in the rain is another. The rain actually came to Waite’s rescue and saved it from greater humiliation.
The Indians knew the Tigers would not pass the wet ball, so they smartly threw an eight-man line against the Massillon eleven, virtually the same type of defense the Tigers use when forced into a goal line stand.
It is the marvel of the season how the Massillon eleven rolled back the eight-man line for yards and points.
They did it with the greatest demonstration of charging and blocking ever seen here.
Hard To Gain Ground
It was tough going the first half – plenty tough – ask the players. They looked the superior team all the way but only had eight points at half-time intermission, the result of two punts that were blocked by the fast charging line.
But despite their superiority statistically, Massillon fans did not ease back in their seats until the second and third touchdowns had been poured over the Toledo goal. The fourth didn’t matter except that it gave the locals seven more points to talk about.
The statistics were all in the Tigers’ favor. They made 16 first downs to Waite’s one and gained 312 net yards from scrimmage to Waite’s 28. They tried two passes and completed one for a gain of 13 yards.
Grant Murray, the member of the Toledo board of education who put Coach Jack Mollenkopf on the spot when he publicly challenged the Tigers’ right to the state football title, was sought after the game. A copy of the statistics had been prepared for him. He couldn’t be found in the Toledo dressing room.
But Coach Mollenkopf was there, and was sportingly gracious. He described the Tigers as “just too good” and in particular complimented the signal calling of Tom James and his sequence of thought.
Mollenkopf had his boys high for the evening. His team was in condition – both were for that matter, and there were few injuries, none serious. Jim Russell, who played a crushing game all night was removed in the fourth quarter with a lame arm, an old injury, and Tom James complained of a slight ankle sprain. Lou White, Mollenkopf’s right halfback, aggravated a leg injury that kept him out of the starting lineup and saw only a small amount of service before he had to be replaced.
Three Penalties
The game was cleanly played with only three penalties called, all for minor violations. Two were refused, and only five yards were stepped off by the referee.
And now it is time to give credit to one individual, a member of the Washington high squad for three seasons, whose services were never more appreciated than they were last night – Co-captain Ray Getz. He was Coach Paul Brown’s ace in the hole and played his role admirably.
Not only did he lug the leather time and again on cut-back plays for long gains, but he gave the crowd its biggest thrill of the evening in the fourth quarter when starting from the Waite 48-yard line, he swept wide around his left end, headed down the sideline, cut sharply to his right and across the field, to out-run the Toledo secondary, and score the touchdown that made the Massillon fans breathe easier the rest of the way.
The entire Tiger team played great ball. When seven men can handle eight men, that’s something and that’s why no one should pass up Horace Gillom. Gene Henderson, Bill Wallace, Gordon Appleby, Eli Broglio, Jim Russell, Herman Robinson and Larry Cardinal when passing out credit. In the Tiger dressing room hangs a sign that reads something like this: “The team that gets the first six inches wins the ball game.”
The Tiger linemen read that motto time and again last week and they continually beat Waite to the charge.
Pokey Blunt did his share of leather hugging last night too, and was the most consistent ground gainer in the Tiger backfield in the early minutes of the game. He didn’t score, but he helped advance the ball into position. James scored two of the touchdowns, both on sizeable runs and Dick Kingham bucked another over on a quarterback sneak play.
And you can give some glory to Herbert Snider, the Indians right end. There’s a fellow who played a lot of football last night. He broke up many a Massillon play, even though Getz’s long touchdown run went around his end.
The victory established the Tiger eleven as possibly the finest in the history of the school . It’s exceptional defense, its ability to adjust itself to unusual weather conditions, and drive for points when a wet ball makes passing hazardous, places the Tiger team in the super class as far as high schools go.
Scored Early In Game
It only took a few minutes to score the first touchdown, and it came on a break, a break that was made by Massillon.
Jack Baker, the big burly blocking quarterback of Waite had just brought a roar from the Toledo stands by covering Blunt’s fumble on the Waite 48.
Waite tested the Tiger forward wall on three straight plays and gained but a yard. Siebenaller dropped back to punt. The Waite forward wall was leveled, Tiger players rushed in and Kingham, closing in from the sides blocked the ball with a resounding slump. It rolled back and back to the seven-yard line where Robinson flopped on the leather. James took no chances. He called for the Tigers’ strongest play, a smash off right tackle, and carrying the leather himself, smashed through for the touchdown. Getz tried to carry the extra point across but was met by a swarm of Toledo tacklers at the line of scrimmage and the score stood at 6-0.
It was 6-0 right through the remainder of the quarter with Horace Gillom punting the Tigers out of a hole with a mighty 62-yard boot from the line of scrimmage, that carried to the Toledo 16-yard line. On second down, Waite playing it safe lest a fumble put the Tigers in scoring position elected to punt. Lou Sharkoff tried it, but once again the Toledo Ramparts were broken down and Bill Wallace smashed through to block the ball.
The leather rolled back of the goal line with Wallace in hot pursuit, but before he could get on it, the ball rolled out of the end zone and it was an automatic safety.
Gillom and Sharkoff engaged in a punting duel following the safety, Gillom placed the ball on the seven-yard line with a great kick and Sharkoff coming right back to boot the ball from behind his goal to midfield. The Tigers moved down to the 28, where Sharkoff covered Getz’s fumble, and punted the ball back into Tiger territory.
Tiger Line Shows Strength
When the Tiger running attack bogged down. Gillom got off his only poor punt that actually lost two yards and placed Waite on the Massillon 38-yard line.
The Tigers bristled with the thought of having their goal line crossed. Sharkoff made a yard but on a reverse. Sharkoff then handed the ball to White who smashed through for a five-yard gain. The Indians called on Baker to carry the ball and resorted to a power play. He waded through for three and one-half yards, needing but half a yard for a first down. Again Baker was called back, the 230-pounder who is supposed to get a yard when he wants it. The ball was passed and the Tiger line charged so fast that Baker never got to the line of scrimmage. Massillon took the ball on its 29 and Toledo’s only threat was stopped. The Tigers had it on the Waite 23 when the half ended.
The Tigers took the kickoff at the start of the third period and their rhythmic march, looked like another episode in the great patriotic pageant unfolded by the band a few minutes earlier.
Without a break, they marched to the Toledo 16-yard line where James took the ball, circled his right end and sped over the goal. An attempt by Getz to carry the extra point over failed and it was 14-0.
Waite flashed back with a 15-yard basketball pass. Sharkoff to Mark Welker, that produced the Indians only first down of the game. It took the ball to the Waite 49. The Indians carried it on to the Tiger 42 where they needed a yard for a first down. Again they moved Baker into the fullback spot, but again Baker was stopped by a stonewall Massillon line that took the pigskin on its own 43. Line plays and a 34-yard twisting run by Blunt put the ball on the 10-yard line, but Waite braced, stopped the Tigers, and took over the leather on its own seven. Sharkoff, punting from behind his goal, got off a beautiful kick that sent the ball rolling dead on the Massillon 37. Blunt more than made up losses suffered by Getz and James and carried back to the Massillon 47 for a first down. Kingham advanced the ball five yards on a sneak, and then like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky, Getz raced around his left end for the remaining 47 yards and a touchdown.
Deciding it better to kick the wet ball, James called for a placekick and Getz booted it squarely between the uprights.
The Tigers started from their own 35 next time they got the ball and carried to the Waite 14 where Capt. Rideout covered James’ fumble. After being tossed for a six-yard loss, Sharkoff tried to pass, but Gillom intercepted to give Massillon a first down on the Waite 14. Kingham sneaked through to the one-yard line and bucked over for the touchdown. Again Getz kicked the extra point the final one of the game.
For The Master
Massillon Pos. Waite Robinson LE Welker Henderson LT Rideout Wallace LG Mang Appleby C Poole Russell RG Smithers Broglio RT Links Gillom RE Snider Kingham QB Baker James LH Sharkoff Getz RH White Blunt FB Bauman
Score by periods: Massillon 6 2 6 14 – 28
Substitutions: Massillon – Pizzino, fb; L. Cardinal, rt; F. Cardinal, qb; White, lh; Adams, rh; Hill, rg. Waite – Joe Links, g; Bigley, c; Wagner, c; Siebenaller, hb; Timmons, hb.
Touchdowns – James 2, Kingham, Getz.
Safety – (Massillon on punt blocked by Wallace).
Points after touchdown – Getz 2 (placekicks).
Statistics Of The Game
Mass. Waite First downs 16 1 Yards gained rushing 342 43 Yards gained passing 13 15 Total yards gained 355 58 Yards lost 42 30 Net yards gained 312 28 Passes attempted 2 3 Passes completed 1 1 Passes grounded 1 1 Passes intercepted 0 1 Times punted 4 8 Punts blocked 0 2 Average punt (yards) 34 32 Times kicked off 4 2 Fumbles 4 2 Lost ball on fumble 4 0 Penalties called 2 1 Penalties refused 1 1 Yards penalized 5
Champions Are Held Scoreless in 1st Quarter by Valiant Foe
(Plain Dealer Special)
MANSFIELD, O., Oct 25 – Massillon High School, scholastic football wonder team, stormed to another victory tonight by crushing a valiant Mansfield High eleven, 38 to 0, before a capacity crowd of 8,000 at Stadium Field.
Program Cover
The Tigers were held scoreless in the first period and to their lowest total of the season. But there was never any doubt about their superiority over the team they whaled last year, 73 to 0.
Two weeks ago, Alliance “held” Massillon’s boys, 40 to 0. The Tigers have yet to permit their goal line to be crossed.
Massillon crashed through with two touchdowns in each the second, third and fourth sessions. All were the results of long runs or passes.
The Tigers counted on the second play of the second period, Dick Adams going over. They marched 60 yards for the next one and Ray Getz took the leather across the line. He then kicked the point for 13-0.
Early in the third quarter, Massillon again drove 60 yards with Tom James sparking the march with several long runs. James finally scored from the 2 on a cut back. Getz’s plunge for point failed.
A 24-yard pass, Adams to Gillom, accounted for the next touchdown and Getz booted the point.
Long runs by Fred Blunt and Getz in the fourth quarter featured a 75-yard march, which gave the Tigers another score. Adams crossed the goal from the 1-yard stripe but Getz again failed to kick the point.
Adams marked up the final score on an 18-yard end run. Getz’s kick for the point was low.
Massillon made 17 first downs against six for Mansfield. Most of Mansfield’s first downs came on Martin Henke’s accurate forward passes to Bill Doolittle and Jim Templeton.
Held in First Quarter
Although soundly trounced Mansfield became the first team to make a first down before Massillon was able to chalk up one and also became the first eleven to force the Tigers to punt two successive times in a quarter – turning both of these tricks in the first period.
Massillon gained on its punt exchanges in the first quarter but it wasn’t until the final minute of the session that the Tigers were able to register a first down.
Then with fourth down and three yards to go on the Mansfield 38, Adams faked a punt and then shot through the line to the Mansfield 26. Gillom, on an end around play romped to the 14 for another first down as the period ended.
After the Tigers’ initial touchdown, Mansfield made two first down on passes, Henke to Doolittle, carrying the pigskin from the Mansfield 14 to the Tigers’ 38 only to lose the ball on a fumble. Massillon then marched to its second touchdown, with long runs by Gillom and James featuring the drive.
In the final quarter with three minutes left to play, Massilon’s second team went into action.
It’s The 30th
Massillon Pos. Mansfield Bray LE Romano Henderson LT Arlin Wallace LG Pecht Appleby C Dietzel Russell RG Weber Broglio RT Murray Gillom RE Winbigler Kingham QB Doolittle James – Adams LH Jones Getz RH Templeton Blunt FB Henke
Score by periods: Massillon 0 13 13 12 – 38
Substitutions: Massillon – Pizzino, James, F. Cardinal, White, Weisgarber, Hill, Oliver, Armour, Fuchs, De Mando, Paul Getz. Mansfield – Heilman, Birmelin, Lantz, Brandt, Kinkel, Pecht, Smith.
Touchdowns – Adams 3, Getz, James, Gillom
Points after touchdown – Getz 3 (placekicks)
Referee – A.N. Smith (Elyria) Umpire – J. Winters (Ohio Wesleyan). Headlinesman – Paul Harlow (Ohio Wesleyan)
STATISTICS Mass. Mans. First downs, rushing 16 2 First downs, passing 1 4 First downs, total 17 6 Yards gained, rushing 328 30 Yards gained, passing 61 95 Yards lost 21 46 Yards gained, net total 368 79 Passes attempted 12 14 Passes completed 4 9 Passes intercepted 1 0 Passes incompleted 8 4 Fumbles 0 3 Own fumbles recovered 0 1 Opp. Fumbles covered 2 0 Penalties, yardage 60 15 Punts 4 7
WEIRD DEFENSE SLOWS OFFENSE
Mansfield Arrangement Holds Tigers To Lowest Score Of Season; Brown’s Gridders Unable to Score First Quarter
By LUTHER EMERY
An unorthodox defense accomplished just what it was supposed to do at Mansfield Friday evening and 8,000 Richland county fans rejoiced at having held the Washington high Tigers to their lowest score of the season, 38-0.
Though the score was big enough, it wasn’t exactly a pleasant victory for Massillon nor an impressive showing from a Mansfield standpoint since the latter wound up the evening’s performance with a net gain of 18 yards.
Accomplishes Objective
But Mansfield accomplished it objective – that of holding the Tigers to a lower score than any other team this season, and was rejoicing about it today.
As you looked over the Mansfield alignment you had to add twice to make certain you didn’t have too many players in the lineup. For the most part, it was a 4-4-2-1, sometimes 4-3-1-2-1, and variations attained by hopping players in from the second line that placed six and seven in the first rank.
Mansfield gambled that this arrangement would yield three to five yards per play but would prevent long runs for touchdowns and long passes and thereby keep down the score. Coach Paul Synder had worked two weeks preparing the defense.
The theory was exactly the opposite from that used by Alliance in the Rubber Bowl, when the Tigers were held to the same number of touchdowns. Alliance ganged up with an eight-man line in an effort to choke off the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage.
Glad It Didn’t Rain
Had it been a wet night as Massillon fans feared it would as they drove under clouded skies to Mansfield, there’s no telling what would have happened. As it was Coach Paul Brown kept his first team in until the last three minutes of the game, although two of the regulars did not start and occasional substitutions were made throughout the first three periods. Tom James and Herman Robinson were the missing faces in the lineup. James, bothered by a sore ankle, was replaced by Dick Adams at left halfback, while Robinson, suffering from a cold, gave way to Keve Bray. Robinson never did get into the game but James played a third of it.
From a Tiger standpoint it was an ideal preparatory game for the all-important clash with Toledo Waite next week – providing no injuries develop from some of the hard knocks received by players.
Mansfield gave the local eleven an opportunity to meet a spread formation, and the Tigers put one on the field for two plays themselves. The Mansfield gridders too set an example as to what can be done when a team gets all fired up and sets out to do it.
The Mansfield boys tackled viciously. By concentrating their strength on the expected point of attack, and keeping the secondary well protected, they were able to gang up on Tiger ball carriers at times and toss them for losses. They succeeded best in the first period when they held Massillon scoreless and made the first, first down of the game, something else to glory about. They made the Tigers fight for every yard and only gave them two easy touchdowns, one on a long pass from Dick Adams to Horace Gillom and the other on an 18-yard sprint by Adams. They forced Coach Brown to call Tom James off the bench in the first half to direct the Massillon attack, and Tom proceeded to show the Tigers how all important he is to the Massillon team.
The Massillon offense which had sputtered around up to that point smoothed out and moved as in former games.
With Toledo Waite scouts perched all around and a Massillon victory very evident despite the stubborn Mansfield resistance, there was no particular reason for the Tigers opening up with all their cunning. They tried a few things out, but nothing new with the exception of a lateral off a spread formation, Gillom to Adams that failed once because of an offside penalty and a second time when Adams dropped the ball.
The Tigers, after the scoreless first period, crossed the Mansfield goal twice in each of the next three periods. Adams got three touchdowns, James, Gillom, and Getz one each, and Getz kicked the three extra points, despite a play prepared by Mansfield’s coach, Paul Snyder, through which one of his boys would jump up on the back of a Massillon lineman in an attempt to block the ball.
Mansfield Offense Weak
Mansfield had little in the way of offense except a passing attack that gained ground in the middle of the field but failed on the two occasions it took the ball into Tiger territory.
At carrying the ball Synder’s men had nothing. They were thrown back for a net loss of 15 yards for their rushing attempts. They did, however, complete 11 of 16 passes for a net gain of 33 yards. Dick Kingham pulled in the only interception.
The Tigers tossed 12 passes and completed four for 77 yards, one a touchdown pass.
The balance of power should be more equal next year, for Mansfield will have 10 of its 11 players back while Massillon will lose nine of its first 11. Martin Henke will be the only Mansfield player to graduate. The Tigers will lose all but Robinson and Fred Blunt.
The stands were filled with spectators and the crowd overflowed to the sidelines to occupy every spot of advantage long before the start of the game. All reserved seats were sold and gates were closed before the kickoff.
Massillon had a good delegation but was not represented in as great numbers as in other road games. All the Tiger spectators probably could be packed into three figures.
After being forced to punt the first two times they got their hands on the leather, the Tigers finally launched a touchdown drive in the last two minutes of the first period that carried on into the second quarter before Dick Adams on a cutback went through his left tackle for the touchdown. The attack began on the Mansfield 45, the Tigers gaining 25 yards on two exchanges of punts. Bray on an end around play, and Adams on a fake went to the 29-yard line and Gillom ran hard around his left end tot he 14. Adams planted it on the six and then cut through his left tackle for the touchdown. Getz missed the attempted kick for the extra point.
Mansfield Threatens
An exchange of punts after the kickoff set Mansfield in motion on a passing attack. Henke tossed one for 31 yards to Jim Templeton for a first down on his 44 and another peg to Romano, took the ball to the Tiger 41. Mansfield went into a spread, and Henke passed to Templeton who fumbled after catching the ball, Jim Russell recovering for Massillon on his 39. Gillom advanced the ball to the Mansfield 46, and James in two plays went 34 yards to the 12-yard line. James took the ball to the six-yard line and Ray Getz went over in two attempts and kicked the extra point.
Getting the ball on a punt after the third period kickoff, the Tigers launched a drive from their own 40 directed by James. It was hard going all the way with Blunt and James lugging the leather to the Mansfield 38. There James passed to Ray Getz for 22 yards and a first down on the 16. Three plays gained another first on the two-yard line and James went over. Getz missed the kick for the extra point.
A 15-yard penalty on Massillon for roughing the kicker, advanced the ball into Tiger territory for the second time of the game, but Henke fumbled and Lawrence Cardinal recovered for the Tigers on the Mansfield 49. Blunt, Adams and Getz advanced it to the nine-yard line where a 15-yard penalty was slapped on the locals for holding. It only paved the way for a long pass, Adams to Gillom, which the latter caught in the end zone for the fourth touchdown of the game. Getz kicked the point.
The fourth period was well underway before the Tigers could score again. They eventually started from their own 24 with Fred Blunt doing most of the leather toting and getting away to one sprint of 20 yards. The ball was carried to the five-yard line where Mansfield was penalized to within a yard of the goal for too many times out. Adams went over for the touchdown. Getz’s kick was wide.
The game was getting on toward the end when Kingham intercepted a Henke pass on the Mansfield 37. Adams shovel passed to Bray for a first down on the 18 and Adams went over for the touchdown on a smash through right tackle. Getz’s kick was again wide.
Statistics Of The Game Mass. Mansf. Net gain rushing 260 -15 Net gain passing 77 33 Total net gain 330 18 First downs 17 6 Passes thrown 12 16 Passes completed 4 11 Passes grounded 8 4 Passes intercepted 0 1 Lost ball on fumble 0 2 Yards penalized 80 35 Punts 4 7 Average punt (yards) 51 30
Massillon Is Held To 38 Points
Mansfield Registers Moral Grid Victory Over Potent Tigers
(Special To The Beacon Journal)
MANSFIELD, Oct. 26 – Mansfield’s Tygers, who stunned the Ohio scholastic football world back in 1937 by battling Massillon’s Tigers to a 6-6 tie, tossed in another mild upset at the expense of the perennial Buckeye schooboy champions here last night when they held Paul Brown’s powerhouse to its lowest point total of the season.
Breaking loose for 25 points in the last two quarters, after being held to a mere 13-0 edge at halftime, Massillon finally rolled to a 38-0 victory, but most of the praise went to the Tygers.
For the purposes of the records, the victory was Massillon’s seventh straight of the year, it’s 30th in succession since New Castle, Pa., whipped the Tigers in ’37, and it protected the Brown team’s uncrossed goal line.
Mansfield fielded an eleven composed of only one senior, with 10 sophomores and juniors completing the lineup. This team did little offensively against the Tigers. In fact, it ended the night with a net yardage of nothing by rushing as compared to Massillon’s 242 yards.
But the Tygers still managed to get credit for six first downs as compared to the Tigers’ 17. Massillon was hampered by being penalized 80 yards.
Mansfield held Massillon scoreless in the first quarter and accomplished some kind of a feat by forcing the Tigers to punt two times in a row.
Neither team succeeded in passing mid-field until late in the first period when the Tigers finally hit the Mansfield 14-yard stripe. Dick Adams, who scored three touchdowns in the game, got the opening tally on the second play of the second quarter.
Tom “Red” James, the Tigers’ fleet ball-toting ace, sparked a 55-yard drive for the second Massillon touchdown. Ray Getz hammered over the score, however, and place kicked the point.
A 73-yard sustained drive in the opening minutes of the third quarter ended with James scoring on a cutback through right tackle. Shortly afterward, Massillon covered a fumble on the Mansfield 49, “Pokey” Blunt and Getz moved the ball to the 9-yard line in two plays.
A 15-yard penalty set the Tigers back to the 24 so Getz shot a pass to Horace Gillom in the end zone for touchdown No. 4.
The fifth tally came after a 76-yard march, Adams galloping 13 yards for the counter. Dick Kingham, the Tigers’ quarterbak, intercepted a pass on the Massillon 47, Blunt worked the ball to the Mansfield 37, Adams passed to Bray for a first down on the 18 and then Bray swept wide around end to score.
TIGERS HELD TO LOW SCORE OF SEASON BUT TAKE 30TH TRIUMPH
Injured Tom James Sparks Attack But Dick Adams Is Leading Scorer
By SAM FOGG Repository Staff Correspondent
MANSFIELD – Held scoreless throughout the first quarter, Massillon’s Tigers drove over six touchdowns against a fighting Mansfield defense to achieve their 30th consecutive gridiron conquest 38-0 Friday night a Stadium field before a capacity crowd of 10,000.
The football magic of injured Tom James and Horace Gillom and the overpowering play of the Tiger line set in motion the smashing Massillon offensive machinery after a determined team of Mansfield juniors had stopped the attack in the early portion of the contest. The Tigers counted twice in each of the three final periods as Dick Adams accounted for three scores. Gillom, James and Ray Getz scored once apiece.
Massillon Attack Slowed
The Tyger defense ganged up on Massillon backs to slow the running advance more effectively than has any other Tiger opponent and held the Massillon total to a new low for the year. In the first half, the Mansfield line allowed only five first downs and the longest gain turned in by a Massillon runner was James’ sprint of 25 yards in the second quarter.
In turn, Massillon’s line stabbed through blockers to drag down Mansfield runners for constant losses and gave up but one first down in the contest. Led by Bill Wallace, Jim Russell, Dick Kingham, Eli Broglio and Gillom, the Massillon defense nullified the Tyger running attack with a net loss of 16 yards from scrimmage and was never forced back beyond the Massillon 40.
Gillom sponsored the first Massillon score after two Tiger efforts in the first period had been stopped without gain. Out kicking Martin Henke, Mansfield fullback, Gillom turned loose punts of 57 and 55 yards to force play into Tyger territory. Kevie Bray and Adams produced a first down on the Mansfield 29 and Gillom broke over tackle for 17 yards as the quarter ended. As play resumed, Adams picked up five yards, then slid over for seven yards and a touchdown.
Getz Makes Touchdown
Massillon again was halted and a short passing attack for Mansfield had gathered two first downs when James took the field. On the following play, Russell covered a fumble on the Massillon 42 and the Tiger ace went into action. He hammered four yards and Gillom piled for a first down on the Mansfield 46. James whipped through a huge hole at center for 25 yards and whisked off tackle to the Mansfield 6. Three plays later, Getz fought over for the final points of the half.
Massillon had possession of the ball twice in the third period and scored at each opportunity. James returned a punt to the Tiger 40, passed to Bray for four yards, ran for 13 more through tackle, passed to Getz on the 18 for 19 yards, smashed to the two-yard line on two attempts and drove over on a cutback to complete his performance for the night. The second score followed a 54-yard drive downfield when Adams pitched a 26-yard touchdown pass to Gillom in the end zone.
Midway in the final period, Massillon stopped the persistent short passing attack of the Tygers that resulted in nine completions in 14 attempts and drove 79 yards to score. Fred Blunt and Getz rolled for five sizable gains and placed the ball on the Tiger 19. Three plays after, Adams struck over right guard from the 6 for the fifth score and Massillon led 32-0.
Kingham Snags Pass
A moment later, Kingham waylaid a Mansfield pass to give Massillon the ball on the Tiger 37. Adams slipped a shovel pass to Bray for 19 yards and from the 18, Adams ripped through tackle into the end zone for the concluding points.
The Tigers gathered 17 first downs, 16 from rushing, and netted 368 yards, their accumulation of the season. Mansfield picked up one first down from rushing, one by penalty and four on passes that totaled 95 yards. From rushing they gained 30 yards but lost 46 to net 79 yards.
Two fine bands, the Washington High swing band and the Mansfield blue and red uniformed unit, combined their talents for flag raising ceremonies. At half time, the Massillon musicians again provided a colorfully thrilling show as they offered “Six Lessons from Madam LaZonga” and “Dixieland Band” numbers.
Tigers Held at Bay In Initial Period By Club
Coach Paul Snyder’s Aggregation Plays Inspired Ball Against Tigers
By CHARLES MARTIN, News-Journal Sports Editor
MANSFIELD HIGH suffered its second defeat of the season under the floodlights at Stadium field last night but the 7,200 spectators who watched the grid team lose were not disappointed.
Coach Paul Snyder’s Tyger gridsters tangled with the undefeated and untied Massillon juggernaut and put up their greatest battle of the year as they dropped a 38 to 0 decision.
Massillon invaded Stadium field sporting one of the most impressive records ever marked up by one of its teams and the Tygers were not supposed to do much in holding the score down.
But when it was over every fan praised the work of the Mansfield combine in limiting Massillon to six touchdowns.
To a few witnesses it might not have been impressive, but one look at the records should change their opinion.
The Massillon outfit had chalked up six straight wins before coming here and had averaged 58 points a game. In only one game – against Alliance – did the club score less than 48 points. Massillon beat Alliance 40 to 0.
Mentor Snyder saw his protégés play heads up ball during the entire contest. Not once did the Tygers let down as they turned loose one of the finest passing attacks unleashed this year.
Although they went down to defeat, the Tygers accomplished two feats no other team has against Massillon. Mansfield is the first aggregation to mark up a first down before the Tigers and the stout Tyger defense in the first chapter made Massillon punt twice in a row – something it hadn’t done before.
Massillon completely throttled the Tygers’ running attack and while Mansfield failed to penetrate inside the visitors’ 38, its aerial bombardment was causing considerable trouble.
After seeing their attack bog down in the initial stanza the Massillon players began clicking and pushed over two touchdowns each in the next three chapters.
Dick Adams, who scored three of the touchdowns, Tom James, Fred Blunt and Horace Gillom were the principal ground gainers once the Massillon outfit started moving.
Every one of the Tigers’ markers were scored on long marches, the longest coming in the fourth frame when they drove 76 yards after receiving a Mansfield punt.
Other touchdowns were chalked up on marches of 45, 62, 60, 49 and 37 yards.
Near the end of the first period Massillon opened up from the Mansfield 45-yard line. Two first downs placed the pigskin on the Tyger 14 as the chapter ended.
Adams, subbing for James, dashed through the right side of the Mansfield line on a cutback from the eight-yard line for the first tally. Ray Getz’ placement for the extra point was wide.
Mansfield found it impossible to chalk up gains through the heavier Massillon line and shortly after the next kickoff the club was on their way again.
The Tygers moved to Massillon’s 38 on the next kickoff with a passing attack and a fumble at this point was recovered by Jim Russell.
Three successive first downs put the ball on Mansfield’s one-yard line and Getz went around right and into pay dirt. His kick for the point split the uprights. And the half ended with Massillon leading, 13 to 0.
James, regular left halfback, came into the game to spark the Tigers’ to their next touchdown in the third. The club went 60 yards with James going over from the Mansfield two. Getz’ plunge for the point was stopped cold.
A little later Larry Cardinal, Massillon tackle, recovered another Mansfield fumble on the Tygers 49. Two first downs were registered and Adams passed to Gillom in the end zone from the Mansfield 24. Getz added the point from placement.
Adams climaxed Massillon’s 76-yard drive early in the fourth frame by scooting over from the Mansfield one, and he also added the final score after his teammates drove 37 yards. Getz’ two placements were low and wide.
Immediately after the last touchdown Coach Brown sent in his second team, but Mansfield was unable to get its aerial offense working in the remaining three minutes.
John Weber, junior guard and Martin Henke, played spectacular ball for the Tygers. Both were outstanding on defense. Every member of the team, however, turned in creditable performances.
Mansfield lost 15 yards from rushing plays, while Massillon was registering 260. The Tygers also held the edge in nearly every department.
Massillon gained 77 yards on passes to Mansfield’s 33. The Tygers did edge the winners in pass completions, 11 to 4. Gillom gave a brilliant demonstration of punting, averaging 51 yards. Two of his kicks traveled 66 yards. Mansfield averaged 30 yards on punts.
The Mansfield band strutted its stuff in its new uniforms for the first time before the game opened last night. Massillon’s swing band took over the stage during the intermission.
Coach Brown’s Regulars Score Heavily in First Three Quarters to Gain 29th Straight Triumph; Gillom Reigsters Four Touchdowns
Steubenville high’s Big Red hooked up with Massillon high’s Tigers Friday in a gridiron tussle at Tiger stadium and the result was the same as it has been in Massillon’s other five games this season, a decision victory for the Tigers.
Coach Paul Brown’s juggernaut ran and passed its way to 10 touchdowns and converted six extra points for a 66-0 victory, their fourth win in a row over the Stubbers and their fourth in six meetings with the Big Red. Last night’s score gave the Bengals a total of 351 points in their six games to date while holding their opponents scoreless.
A crowd of 13,000 fans was in the stands to see the Tigers, recognized state champions for the last four years and now gaining national recognition, mark up their 29th consecutive triumph. Against the Stubs they scored twice in the first quarter, four times in the second, three times in the third and once again in the fourth stanza. Four of their tallies were made on passes.
Massillon’s first stringers accounted for 59 points as Coach Brown elected to leave his regulars in the ball game until the end of the third quarter. The second club went in and pushed over the final marker in the last period. The third team entered the fray in the last minute of play. Coach Joe Maley almost set a record himself for Big Red replacements, making 12 substitutions during the affair.
Despite the lop-sided score, one thing that can be said in the Stubs’ favor, they were still in there battling as the final gun cracked, though they played the entire last half without the services of Captain Cas Myslinski, Johnny Stojack and Bernie Orsini. Myslinski’s bad arm was bumped one the first play of the ball game and it started to give him trouble, Stojack suffered a painful stomach muscle bruise and Orsini had a recurrence of an old leg injury.
Tremendous speed, smooth play execution, a fast charging line, excellent ball handling and good blocking were all noticeable factors in the Tigers’ play last night and those are five of the big reasons why the Bengals have been rolling over all opposition. Then too, they also have a guy by the name of Horace Gillom, a big 190-pound colored boy, who plays a lot of football from the right end position. He’s a pass receiver deluxe, fine punter (through he only had to kick once last night), good ball carrier, and he also throws a pass once in a while. He also played a great game as one of the linebackers up on defense.
Gillom Standout
It’s hard to pick outstanding performers of this Massillon team, because they’re all good. But Gillom really was a standout last night. He crossed the Big Red goal line for four touchdowns, shifty Tom James, left halfback accounted for three tallies, with Ray Getz, Herman Robinson and Junior White, the latter a substitute back scoring one each.
The closest the Big Red came to scoring was just before the end of the half when Myslinski intercepted James’ pass on the midfield stripe and ran it back 30 yards before he was dropped on the Tiger 20. On the first play, Myslinski’s pass to Unsold was knocked down by Gillom on the 15 and the half ended.
Following an exchange of punts early in the first quarter the Big Red gained possession of the ball on its own 35. Myslinski and Stojack were both good for four yards in a pair of cracks at the Tiger line and then Stojack lost three at right end. On fourth down Johnny got off a high punt, which traveled only 15 yards and out of bounds on the Tiger 45. James slipped through center, cut out to his right and raced 34 yards to a first down on the Stub 21 and on the next play Gillom took the ball on an end around and circled his own left end for a touchdown. Getz missed his placement but the Stubs were offside and Getz made good on his next attempt and the score was 7-0 with about half the quarter gone.
Shortly after the kickoff, Massillon gained possession of the ball ontheir own 33 and marched 67 yards for its second tally, a 29-yard pass play from James to Gillom, bringing the marker. Gillom made a leaping fingertip catch and raced 15 yards to the goal line. Getz missed his placement and it was 13-0 at the end of the quarter.
Four in Second
The Tigers went 68 yards for their next touchdown, Getz sweeping left end from the 24-yard line early in the second quarter. Getz converted from placement. Following the kickoff, Eli Broglio, Tiger tackle, blocked Stojack’s punt on the Stub 17 and the ball rolled out of bounds. It was Massillon’s ball at that point and Gillom scored on an end-around on the first play. Getz again booted the point. After the next kickoff, Myslinski fumbled and Wallace recovered for Massillon on the Big Red 27 and the Tigers drove into touchdown land again, James going over right tackle from the one. Getz’ kick was good. The Bengals went 35 yards for their fourth touchdown of the quarter.
The second club marched 58 yards for the final tally mid-way in the last quarter, Junior White going over left tackle from the four yard line for the touchdown. A 30-yard gain on a pass from Adams to DeMando was the feature of the drive. John Pizzino placekicked the final point.
Steubenville Massillon Mike LE Robinson Monti LT Cardinal Orsini LG Wallace Love C Appleby Peterson RG Russell Lashley RT Broglio DiFederico RE Gillom Potts Q Kingham Stojack LH James Myslinski RH R. Getz Unsold F Blunt
Statistics Big Red Masssillon 3 First Downs 17 12 Passes Tried 21 2 Completed 6 15 Yards Gained 157 1 Intercepted 1 44 Yds. Gained Running 387 42 Net Yards Lost 3 2 Penalties 7 16 Yards Penalized 55 1 Fumbles 4 3 Recovered 1 15 Kicks and Punts 11 364 Yards Kicked 524 142 Yards Returned 52
Massillon Defeats Alliance in Rubber Bowl Grid Classic, 40-0
Underdog Aviators Cover Themselves With Glory in Defeat, Time After Time Halting Bengals; More Than 34,000 See School Boy Battle
Alliance High School’s Aviators and Massillon Washington’s Tigers staged the greatest scholastic football show northeastern Ohio has ever seen, Friday night, when they battled in the Akron Rubber Bowl, before a throng of more than 34,000 fans.
Massillon’s Tigers, as expected, won the game. The Bengals triumphed 40 to 0 but they had to fight for nearly every point and the underdog Aviators covered themselves with glory in defeat.
Fighting all the way, Alliance held Massillon to one touchdown in the opening quarter, two in the second and blanked the Tigers in the third frame. It was the first time this season that Massillon’s first eleven has been held scoreless for an entire quarter.
Breaks Help Tigers
Massillon tallied three touchdowns in the final quarter and some breaks were necessary to make this possible. Otherwise the Tigers would have had to settle for less and Massillon fans who had wagered on 40 points or more would have had to pay off.
As it was, Alliance gave Massillon the stiffest fight it has had so far, and the lowest score the Tigers have won by. The Tigers met grueling resistance all the way and the Aviators tackled viciously doling out a real body beating. When it was over Massillon knew it had been to a football game.
Tigers Win Toss
Massillon won the toss and elected to receive. Alliance was defending the south goal. Earl Branfield kicked off and big Horace Gillom returned to Massillon’s 45-yard line. On the first play Ray Getz was flopped for a five-yard loss. Then Getz picked up 10 yards and a first down on a reverse. Steve Luca, Alliance fullback, was hurt on the play but stayed in the game.
“Pokey” Blunt made a first down on the alliance 45. Tom James picked up six yards before he was nailed by Bill Snodgrass. On an end around play, Gillom took the ball from James and ran 39 yards for the first touchdown. He had perfect blocking to get him into the clear. With James holding the ball, Getz placekicked the extra point.
Alliance Threatens
Gillom then kicked off to Alliance and Charles Gainor returned to the Alliance 28. Fullback Luca broke through for seven yards on the first play. When Gainor and Luca added only yard in two plays Gainor punted and Nick Stoica hit Tom James, Massillon safety man, hard and he fumbled on the Massillon six. Stoica recovered the ball to put Alliance in scoring position.
It was the first time this season any opponent had held the ball inside the Massillon 30-yard line. Massillon held for downs on the one-yard stripe. Blunt picked up three yards and then Gillom punted out to the Massillon 44.
Gainor punted to the Massillon 12 where James was thrown hard. Massillon then reeled off two first downs to hold the ball on the Alliance 47 as the opening quarter ended.
When play was resumed Massillon drove to the 27 but there the Aviators’ defense stiffened and they took the ball on downs. Snodgrass and Gainor made but little yardage in two plays and Gainor punted to the Massillon 41 without a return.
Second Touchdown
James passed to Gillom for a first down on the Alliance 42. Blunt drove to the Alliance 29 and James broke away to the 14. Gillom then took the ball on an end around play and picked up two yards. James then fumbled as he started to run but recovered as the ball bounced perfectly into his hands and he scored the second touchdown. Getz placekicked the extra point making it 14-0.
Gillom kicked off for Massillon to the Alliance 35. Gainor then threw the only pass the Aviators attempted and it was intercepted by James. It was the Tigers’ ball on their own 44. Gillom picked up 11 yards and James passed to Kingham for a first down on the Alliance 33. James ran to the 24. This advance was stopped when Blunt fumbled but recovered on the Alliance 37. Alliance held for downs on its 27. Gainor punted to the Massillon 38.
Massillon then opened a drive for its third touchdown. Getz took a pass from James for a first down on the Alliance 21. James broke to the nine. Alliance was penalized five yards to the four. Getz crashed over for the touchdown. He then missed his placement boot and the score was 20-0.
Massillon Is Halted
At the outset of the third quarter after the Tigers had regained possession of the ball on their 49 when Gainor punted, they drove to the Alliance 39, where Carl Castiglione stopped the advance by intercepting a flat pass from James.
Gainor punted to the Massillon 47 without a return. Massillon then drove to the Alliance 13 but once more the Aviators held for downs.
Massillon shortly after came storming back but the Aviators stopped this advance on the one-foot line. Gainor then punted out to the Alliance 40. Gillom punted over the Alliance goal line and the Aviators took possession on their own 20. Gainor punted to Massillon’s 41. Just as the quarter ended Massillon made a first down on the Alliance 30.
Adams passed to Gillom for 30 yards and a touchdown as the final period opened. Getz placekicked the goal making it 27-0. Soon after an exchange of punts, Massillon took the ball on the Alliance 48.
Passes by Adams to Gillom placed the ball on the 11 and Blunt then scored on a reverse. Getz placekicked the goal making it 34-0.
Young Eddie Howell fumbled and Massillon recovered on the Alliance 24 to set the stage for the final touchdown. After losing yardage on three running plays Adams passed to Robinson for the score. The Aviators blocked Getz’s placement attempt making the final score 40 to 0.
Coach Paul Brown of Massillon left his first stringers in the game until the closing minutes of the final period. The statistics favored Massillon by a heavy margin but the Aviators’ brave-hearted defense in the clutch kept the score down.
Massillon registered 19 first downs to one for Alliance and picked up a net total of 341 yards to 34 for the Aviators. The Tigers completed 10 of 18 aerials tossed to net 161 yards and two of these tosses brought touchdowns. Alliances only pass was intercepted.
The Tigers were penalized 40 yards to five for Alliance. Gillom of Massillon punted four times averaging 43 yards. Gainor booted 12 times and averaged 30 yards. Two of this kicks were good for 45 and one for 50 yards.
The game was sponsored by the Akron Junior League. Alliance sent a giant motor cavalcade of fans to the game. The cavalcade was led by a Stark County sheriff’s patrol.
Before the game the Alliance and Massillon Bands participated in the flag raising ceremony. The Massillon Senior and Junior Bands staged a colorful halftime show. The Massillon Senior Band also put on a short show following the game.
Lineups and summary follow:
Massillon – 40 Pos. Alliance – 0 Robinson L.E. Addison Broglio L.T. Stoica Russell L.G. Iannoti Appleby C Ruff Wallace R.G. Boschini Henderson R.T. Welbush Gillom R.E. Branfield Kingham Q Gainor Getz L.H. C. Castiglione James R.H. Snodgrass Blunt F Luca
Score by quarters: Massillon 7 13 0 20 – 40
Touchdowns: James 2, Getz, Gillom, Blunt and Robinson.
AN AKRON high school coach thinks the staging of the Alliance-Massillon high school football game here Friday night was “an insult to every coach and schoolboy player in Akron.”
Every man is entitled to his own opinion and if that is his, that’s all right. From our observations around town yesterday; from conversations heard everywhere; from countless phone calls from fans who just wanted to say they had never before dreamed such a complete football show was possible, I’d like to say that this coach’s opinion is definitely in the minority.
IS IT WRONG to entertain our neighbor’s children simply because we happen to have children of our own?
If and when it becomes wrong to permit two teams to play on a neutral field in a neutral city, then there could be no Army-Navy game in Philadelphia, because Jefferson Medical college, Pierce, and Penn Charter school are all located there.
And Baltimore never again could have this great classic of the service elevens because Calvert school is in Baltimore.
Never again could Cleveland entertain Notre Dame and Illinois or the Navy-Notre Dame game, because Spencerian college might interpret the invasion of these outside elevens as a direct insult.
TO WHICH we say phooey. Spectacles like that presented by Massillon and Alliance teams, bands, majorettes and other units are of definite benefit to any community.
This one pulled a great throng because it is so unusual for Akron fans to have opportunity to see anything like it.
Let Akron schools put on the same kind of show and there would be no advantage in bringing in two out of town outfits.
Football fans have to be satisfied. For 55 cents Friday night they could see a brilliantly staged three-hour show replete in unusual, novel and highly entertaining features.
If 27,000 or more persons elected to see the Friday night show than attended a city series game here yesterday afternoon, that certainly was within their rights to do so.
AKRON COACHES have complained to me that they do not get paid for coaching. They are school teachers and coaching athletic teams is a sideline diversion, they want one to understand.
They do not want to be criticized for any shortcomings in building strong football clubs. They want criticism directed at higher school administrative officers.
Nobody is attempting to argue that Akron teams do not provide keen competition and thrilling contests. They do.
Massillon simply has perfected a great football machine and a super band show, which ranks among the greatest the nation has ever known. By no stretch of imagination can we figure out why it is an insult to anybody in letting Akronites see this show without having to go out of town.
THE MASSILLON story is becoming one of national importance. During the next few weeks you will read it in practically every newspaper in the country.
Massillon itself does not go after this publicity. The publicists are coming to Massillon.
During the recent conclave of sports writers at the World Series, the Massillon story was told dozens of times by Fritz Howell, Lew Byrer, Robert Olds, this writer, and other Ohioans, to the anxiour ears of writers from Louisville, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Newark, New Orleans, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and scores of other cities where good high school football is known and appreciated.
These fellows either have written it by now or will be writing the story soon. The nation’s largest newspaper syndicate is preparing articles on Massillon for release in the immediate future.
In every line of endeavor it is nice to have some one unit excel; to stand out far above all others; to illustrate just how this particular endeavor should be done….properly.
It might be a Bobby Jones in golf, the old Yankees in baseball; a Bobby Riggs in tennis. For complete football show it is Massillon.
Some Frown On Program
WE KNOW full well that some persons look unkindly upon this game and this great spectacle. And some will complain about parking and others about slow ticket handling…
This is something new in athletic ventures for Akron and there are bound to be some rough edges in the operation. Most of these rough places will disappear in time as Akronites become accustomed to the stadium and how to reach it with the least inconveniences…
But every good Akron fan will go out of his way tonight to help make the program the more enjoyable for the many guests from out of town. Some of the benefits from this stunt of showing Akron’s neighbors how easy it is to come to Akron will make their appearances long after this football program has been written into the books…
And if it should work out that Akron university begins to attract athletes from Alliance and Massillon that will be an added benefit that will make itself felt in the improved caliber of Tommy Dowler’s Zippers.
Best direct benefit from tonight’s affair – not considering now the child welfare work the program will help carry on – would be for Akron’s own high school teams to look upon it as a challenge, and to set in at once to determine the two best local elevens and to plan for a meeting on the Rubber Bowl gridiron as a climax to the current season.
Then, with every Akron school contributing to the color and the pageantry or to the game itself, tonight’’ spectacle must be surpassed. And with it, the crowd. ++++++++++++++ SOME OF THESE days the new stadium is going to be completed. It is nearer completion today than it was last Friday but not by any great measure.
Maybe if the president had decided to stop off long enough this evening to take a look at WPA’s handiwork at the stadium, the edifice would be completed today as though by miracle.
“Big League Stuff,” Says Little Old Man At Rubber Bowl
It’s Nothing Else
By EDDIE BUTLER
A LITTLE old man, who admitted he had come out to be surprised, settled himself comfortably on row 34 directly behind the southeast goal post for last night’s Massillon-Alliance charity grid battle, beamed as people swarmed in from all angles of Akron’s palatial Rubber Bowl and, tickled as a kid with a new toy, quipped: “Boy, this is the big leagues.”
And the 30,000 fans who witnessed the complete show – a rip-snorting, football battle, a glamorous band performance, and a colorful fireworks display, will agree he said a mouthful.
But the best part of the whole affair was that everyone present had a seat where the show could be seen, followed and enjoyed.
More than surprised with what he had seen, the little old man remarked as he got up to leave; “This is the first time in my life I paid general admission prices for a ringside seat.”
And the crowd got plenty of action for its kopeks. Alliance had Massillon so completely scouted that the Aviators made the going anything but a breeze for Paul Brown’s grand aggregation. It was the first time this year that the Tigers had seen an enemy on the wrong side of the Massillon 30 when Alliance recovered a fumble in the first period, and the Aviators are the only team that forced Brown to keep his first string in action for four quarters.
It was power and speed that saved the Tigers. The Aviators had the Tigers’ trick stuff down so well that only on the Tigers’ initial touchdown was it effective.
The fans expected to see a faultless Tiger eleven in action – and they did. But it was the band’s antics that left’em gasping.
At their best for this show, the Tiger bandettes quickly reviewed all their regular stuff – and then wowed the spectators with a flag formation done with lights after the big stadium lamps had been extinguished.
Almost without hesitation, the band offered a salute to Alliance, roared down the field with “Hold that Tiger,” came back with “Rampart St. Parade,” and then offered imitations of a Dixieland band with a brass section playing and the rest of the band doing a dance step. In the post-game performance the band played “Take Down the Flag,” and then concluded a brilliant performance with a novelty number that included a military march, a Dutch dance, a swing tune and a hillbilly hop – and this called “Mutiny in the Band,” just about stole the show.
A tribute to the band’s performance is the fact that few persons moved from their seats until the bandettes rolled off down the field.
But that was the senior band. The Massillon junior high crew, a 100-piece organization, was sensational. Few college bands would have attempted the routine offered by the juniors. Like its footballers, Massillon doesn’t have a worry over band members. Its growing’em.
An announcement over the public address system by Bob Wilson that a car was parked and securely locked in the parking lot with the motor running drew one of the evening’s big laughs.
The second guessers among us in the closed end of the stadium thought the Massillon captain erred in the third period when he refused a penalty against Alliance after the Aviators had successfully punted out from their own one-yard line. The Tigers had the ball on Alliance’s 39 – and the Tiger captain figured he had the ball and he’d keep it. His judgment was soon vindicated as the Tigers marched to a touchdown.
The skin worn by Obie the Tiger mascot is a $400 creation.
Many persons are asking today: “How does the Massillon band do it?” The answer is that George “Red” Bird, the school’s music director and bandmaster, with his advisors, Myron McKelvey, assistant director, and Mac Wickersham, dramatic director, work all performance details out on a blackboard before the band ever hears about them.
Then Bird introduces the outline to the band, McKelvey takes the majorettes, and Wickersham provides the properties.
Only after the band has mastered the details – and its precision last night was remarkable – and the majorettes have learned their cues, and all the properties have been obtained is the idea presented to the Massillon fans.
A gent who claimed to be a member of the Massillon booster club insisted it is tougher to make the band than it is to make the Tiger football team. Even now the horn-tooters are four deep – and there is a long waiting list.
You haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen the black and silver outfits of the Tiger majorettes. The girls appeared first in all white – and did a quick change for their half-time strut in skin-tight shorts and jackets that are just about the niftiest outfits ever seen here.
End Earle Branfield of Alliance will be the topic of discussion in Massillon football circles for a long time. This powerful youngster defied the famed Tiger blockers – and was mainly responsible for the failure of the Tiger “mystery stuff” to click.
A souvenir seeker in the end section got his sports mixed and wanted to keep the ball when the Alliance place-kicker booted it into the stands during the pre-game practice. The Aviators’ student manager almost had to knock him down to recover the ball.
Golf Pro Johnny Coughlin of Silver Lake CC was one of those raving over the grandeur of the Rubber Bowl. “Akron certainly has got something to brag about now. This place must be one of the finest in the country,” he offered.
Few persons cared that Massillon won, 40-0. Even the Alliance team and its rooters went home with the satisfaction that the Tigers knew they had been in a ball game, and that the greatest crowd ever to see a high school competition in these parts had roared a hearty “well done” when the timer’s gun sounded.
AVIATORS SHOW GREAT DEFENSE
Tigers Gain At Will In Middle Of Field But Have Hard Time Moving Ball Inside The 25-Yard Lines In Stark County Title Tilt
By LUTHER EMERY
A gallant band of red and blue clad Alliance football players, tried their utmost Friday evening to shock the Ohio scholastic football firmament, by beating Massillon, and though they succeeded in part where four others failed, they eventually went down to a 40-0 defeat.
While 33,000 fans, the largest crowd either team has ever played before and probably the largest crowd ever to attend a scholastic football game in Ohio, looked on in awe, the Alliance gridders, fighting like gamecocks, held the Tigers to one touchdown the first period and completely whitewashed them the third quarter.
Alliance Keyed for Game
What was wrong with Massillon? You will hear that wherever you go today. The Tigers were sluggish, but they also were up against one of the fightinest, gamest ball clubs they have faced in a long, long time.
Massillon was ripe for an upset, and Alliance pointed as it was and higher than a kite tried its best to bring it about. Could it have coupled a better offense with its defensive efforts it would have come considerably nearer than 40 points of its objective.
Statistics do not show the Tigers so badly outplayed. They made 19 first downs and gained the net total of 502 yards from scrimmage. Trouble is that Massillon fans are accustomed to seeing their team go for a touchdown every time they grab the ball.
Hard Going Near Goal
They moved the leather as usual between the 30-yard lines last night but when they got beyond that going their attack bogged down and time again they were thrown back as Alliance took the ball on downs or forced a punt.
Red Welbush, Nick Stoica and Louis Boschini must have made somebody a promise they were going to best Massillon, so brilliantly did they perform. They were in on many a Tiger play and more than once spilled the ball carriers for losses.
Massillon’s end around reverses had a hard time clicking and the well-known deep weak end reverse, just couldn’t be maneuvered. There were Alliance tacklers waiting in the backfield all the time.
There were what you might call two perfect running plays and they produced the first and last touchdowns of the game. Horace Gillom circling left end on the first for 39 yards and Herman Robinson snaring a shovel pass from Dick Adams for 23 yards and the other.
There was what you might call a perfect pass play too, a very fine 30-yard shot that Gillom caught on the fingertips of his outstretched hands in the end zone. The other three touchdowns came the hard way, with Fred Blunt, Tom James and Ray Getz doing the scoring.
Half the Tigers’ points were rolled up in the fourth period after Alliance had held them scoreless the third period. The Tigers had one other scoreless quarter this season, the fourth period of the Weirton game when the second team was in the game for Massillon.
Alliance’s hopes apparently were pinned on a strong defensive setup and the possibility of capitalizing on a break. Having thoroughly scouted the Tigers, the Aviators had set up a defense accordingly, playing at times what virtually amounted to seven and eight-man lines by hopping one or two players into the forward wall at the expected point of attack before Tiger linemen could adjust their blocking assignments to suit.
Passes Work
Tommy James tried to solve the situation by forcing the visitors’ secondary back with passes, and succeeded to some extent, but the Aviators by keeping their secondary on the loose until the start of play were also able to roam that territory fairly well. The Tigers completed 10 of 18 passing attempts for a gain of 161 yards.
Where Alliance was lacking was offense. Nick Luca, Charles Gainor and Bill Snodgrass occasionally found a hole, but ran into it blindly most of the time only to be cut down as the Massillon secondary came up. Not a single Alliance back got away to any sizeable gain, and only one forward pass was thrown, the Tigers intercepting it. Unable to gain ground on offense, increased the Aviators’ defense burden, for they were continually backed into their own territory which they defended with the courage of Revolutionary patriots.
Only once was Alliance in Tiger territory and then ‘twas through no excellence of its own.
Early in the first quarter, James fumbled Gainor’s punt on the 15-yard line, the ball rolling back to the five where Stoica flopped on it. That was the nearest any Massillon opponent has been to the Tiger goal this year, and here the Massillon line demonstrated its great defensive ability. Luca was sent in to the middle of the eight-man line, but he wound up a yard back of where he started. He was fired into the wall again, and the Massillon line bulged for three yards, punting the ball on the three-yard line. Again it was Luca, into the middle for a yard and a half. He was asked to carry the burden on fourth down, but was smothered at the line of scrimmage, the Tigers taking the leather a yard short of the goal. It constituted Alliance’s only threat, and the Aviators failed to make a first down until the last two minutes when they pushed the Tiger second team back for 10 yards.
Alliance also rejoiced over its ability to force Massillon to use its first team most of the game. The seconds who have become accustomed to playing the entire last half, only got in for less than half of the last period.
The Massillon offensive was sluggish. It was the natural spot for a letdown, the schedule of routine having been upset by Saturday night’s game at Erie. No practice was held Monday, leaving the team but two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, to prepare for the game. The ball was handled poorly on plays and there were more Massillon fumbles last night than there have been the whole season put together. Fortunately all but one was recovered.
James, in fact, fumbled one ball for the second touchdown.
He was on his way for a smash at right tackle when the ball popped out of his arms. It looked like a dribble in a basketball game, for a tackler coming in to stop him, dove for the ball instead and the leather bounced back up into the arms of James and he never lost his stride as he ripped around right end for 12 yards and a touchdown.
Getz Kicks Well
Ray Getz’s placekicking is still improving. He kicked six out of eight last night, but only four counted since both teams were offside on two occasions.
Though Massillon took time out for injuries more than it has at any time this season, a glance over players in the dressing room failed to reveal any serious injuries. James and Dick Kingham were both knocked out on the same play at one spot in the third quarter, Kingham throwing a beautiful block at the time to get James away to a long run. Tommy came up with a limp, and both were removed.
The Tigers started in true Massillon fashion and scored a touchdown on the series following the kickoff. Gillom ran it back beautifully to his 44-yard line. Getz made a fake reverse around left end after losing three on his first attempt. Blunt negotiated a first down on the Alliance 45. James circled right end for six yards and the Tigers completely fooled the Aviators on the next play when Gillom circled left end for a touchdown. Getz kicked goal.
Alliance received but Luca was forced to punt, and James fumbled it to give Alliance its only scoring opportunity from the five-yard line. Following an exchange of punts, the Tigers, starting from their own 13, drove to the Alliance 27 where the Aviators braced and took the ball on downs. Play was w ell into the second period by now, and the Aviators punted back to the Massillon 41, from which a successful touchdown drive was launched. A 17-yard pass, James to Gillom and a 15-yard run by James planted the leather on the 14-yard line. Gillom ran literally about four yards around left end but only gained two. On the next play James jumbled his way across the goal line, completely outrunning the Alliance secondary.
The Tigers drove to the Alliance 28-yard line the next time they got the ball, but lost it there after a deep weak end reverse had lost 13 yards. The Aviators as usual couldn’t gain, however and punted out on the Massillon 48. James hurled to Getz for a first down on the 21, a 31-yard pass and James smashed through tackle to a first on the nine-yard line. A penalty for too many times out moved the ball five yards nearer the Alliance goal, and Getz went over on a cutback play through his right tackle, to increase the Massillon lead to 20 points.
Alliance Battles To End
Many expected the Tigers to make a rout of it the third period, but the Alliance gridders had different ideas. An intercepted pass, which Charles Castiglione pulled down on his own 40, stopped them the first time. The Alliance line did it the next time after Massillon had moved the leather from its 29 to the Aviators’ 13. The Aviator linesmen stopped them a second time, this time the Tiger drive reaching the one-yard line where Blunt rammed into a swarm of players and was stopped without gain. A 15-yard penalty, for holding, forced the Tigers back the next time they got the ball.
In the closing minutes of the quarter, however, they launched another drive that began with Adams dancing his way to midfield on the return of a punt. Pizzino and Adams made it first down on the Aviators’ 30 as the scoreless period ended. On the first play of the fourth quarter Adams tossed to Gillom for the fourth touchdown.
After an exchange of punts, the Tigers secured the ball on the Alliance 47. Adams passed 16 yards to Gillom for a first down on the 31-yard line, and tossed another 21-yard peg to Gillom for first on the 10-yard line. Blunt went through left tackle for the touchdown.
Blunt covered a fumble on the Alliance 24-yard line after the kickoff to put the Tigers in position for their last touchdown. Getz struck through for 10 yards and a first on the 14. Adams was thrown for a four-yard loss but he got three of them back the next play. Gillom was no more than handed the ball until Welbush tossed him a 10-yard loss. With fourth down coming up, Adams tossed a short shovel pass to Robinson who skimmed the sideline in the corner of the field as he crossed the goal for the last touchdown. Alliance came back after the kickoff to get its only first down of the game, but was forced thereafter to punt and the Tigers had the ball at the final gun.
Statistics Of The Game
Mass. Alli. First downs 19 1 First downs rushing 13 1 First downs passing 6 0 Yards gained rushing 381 62 Net yards gained 341 33 Net yards forwards 161 0 Total net yards gained 502 34 Forwards attempted 18 1 Forwards completed 10 0 Forwards intercepted 1 1 Yards intercepted returned 7 0 Times punted 3 12 Returned by 3 1 Average punts (yds.) 37 31 Average kickoffs 50 46 Yards punts returned 36 11 Yards lost rushing 40 29 Yards kickoff returned 35 77 Fumbles 4 2 Lost ball on fumbles 1 1 Penalties 4 2 Yards penalized 40 10 INDIVIDUAL CARRYING Times Yards Yards Yards Carried Gained Lost Net Blunt 18 17 13 64 James 9 112 1 111 Getz 9 54 8 46 Gillom 8 79 15 64 Pizzino 1 5 0 5 Adams 8 31 3 28 Robinson 1 23 – 23
AKRON, O., Oct 11 – The mighty Massillon Tigers scored their 28th successive victory tonight, over powering a stubborn Alliance squad, 40-0, in Akron’s new Rubber Bowl before a record-breaking crowd of 34,000.
The game was the first high school contest played in the new stadium and the attendance was the largest that ever has witnessed a football game in the Akron area.
The Tigers tallied their first score early in the opening period when Tom James found a big hole at his left tackle and behind perfect interference raced 39 yards for the touchdown. Ray Getz kicked the extra point.
MASSILLON ALLIANCE Robinson L.E. Branfield Broglio L.T. Welbush Russell L.G. Boschini Appleby C Ruff Wallace R.G. Iannotti Henderson R.T. Stocia Gillom R.E. Addison Kingham Q Gainor Getz L.H. Snodgrass James R.H. Castiglione Blunt F Luca
Touchdowns – James 2, Getz, Gillom, Blunt, Robinson.
Points after touchdown – Getz 4, (placekicks).
Tigers Depend On Aerials For 28th Triumph In Row
Determined Aviator Defense Forces Ohio Champions To Use Passes For Victory In Rubber Bowl Battle; Tom James Sparks Winners Until Injured
By SAM FOGG. Repository Staff Correspondent.
AKRON – A mammoth record breaking throng of 33,00 northeastern Ohio football fans almost filled the Rubber bowl here Friday night to watch the hard fought football that has made Stark county famous as Massillon Tigers beat back the Alliance Aviators 40-0 for their 28th consecutive victory.
The huge crowd roared its approval of the dazzling Tiger pass attack which won the game, of the spirited defensive play of the Aviators that threw back the famed Massillon running attack, and of a stirring band spectacle presented by three band units of the two schools.
Forced To Pass
An inspired Alliance line that stood off attack after attack of the fast Tiger backs forced the Ohio champions to the air to score the victory. A quick touchdown was slipped over in the opening minutes of the contest, two more were blasted across in the second period, and passes bagged the final scores in the last quarter.
Penetrating waves of Tiger interference, the Aviator forward wall time and again spilled Massillon runners for losses and grudgingly fought against the relentless touchdown parade. Only Tom James, Massillon’s bouncing halfback, proved a consistent ground gainer as he sparked the victory with his runs off tackle and deadly passes.
In turn the Tiger line matched the play of their opponents as they stopped the first serious threat of the season on the one-yard line in the opening quarter and allowed only 37 yards from scrimmage. With James, Dick Adams, and Getz firing passes to all-Ohio Horace Gillom, Herman Robinson and Dick Kingham for long gains, the Tigers collected six quick scores.
Massillon completed 10 of 18 passes for 161 yards. The Tigers accumulated 19 first downs and held Alliance to one gained in the final moments of the game.
Scores On End Around
Receiving the opening kickoff the Tigers used four plays to drive over their first touchdown. From the 40-yard line, Getz, Fred Blunt and James hammered to the Alliance 38, and Gillom came around from his end position to score without an Alliance player touching him. Getz kicked the point.
Four plays later Alliance chased the mighty Tiger team to its own 5 yard line when James bobbled Gainors punt and Stoica covered for Alliance. Luca and Snodgrass moved to the one-yard line in three attempts, but the entire center of the Massillon line and Gillom threw back Luca’s plunge on fourth down.
James engineered two Massillon scores in the following quarter. On the first, he stepped off 15 yards at tackle and a play later, picked up his own fumble on the 11 and crashed over.
For the other touchdown, James tossed to Getz for 30 yards and Getz scored on a sharp cut back from the 4-yard line. In the third period, James was injured on a play and left the game.
On the opening play of the final quarter, Dick Adams threw a pass to Gillom for 30 yards and a touchdown. Later Adams pitched tosses to Gillom for 17 and 20 yard advances and Blunt smashed for a score from 10 yards out. In the closing moments, Robinson fell on a fumble on the Aviator 24 and took a pass from Adams for a 23-yard touchdown play.
Essentially a defensive dog-fight between the two lines, the game featured the play of Harry Welbush, Nich Stoica, Steve Luca and Chuck Gainor.of Aliance and James, Gillm, Jim Russell, Eli Broglio and Adams for the Tigers.
The Washington High swing band, the Massillon junior high school unit and the Alliance band joined forces in the musical pageantry at flag raising. At halftime, the two Massillon groups offered the entire show with the precision drills which have brought standing applause from audiences all season. The rhumba number with “Obie” as Madam Lazonga and the Statue of Liberty tableau featured the show and at the conclusion of the game, the audience remained seated as the “story of the four majorettes” was given as an encore.
Alliance Pos. Massillon Branfield L.E. Robinson Welbush L.T. Broglio Boschini L.G. Russell Ruff C Appleby Iannotti R.G. Wallace Stocia R.T. Henderson Addison R.E. Gillom Gainor Q Kingham Snodgrass R.H. Getz Castiglione L.H. James Luca F Blunt
Substitutions for Massillon: Pizzino, fb; Cardinal, t; Adams, lh; F. Cardinal, qb; Oliver, t; Erdley, hb; White, hb; P. Getz, g; Bray, e; Stout, c; Holt, qb; Fuchs, c. For Alliance: Fritz, e; Faulkner, g; Bard, g; Andreanni, c; DeMuth, e; Bugara, hb; Howell, hb; Mantho, t.
Referee – Earle Gross. Umpire – Verlin Jenkins. Head linesman – Eddie Howell.
STATISTICS MASS. All. First downs, rushing 13 1 First downs, passing 6 0 First downs, total 19 1 Yards gained, rushing 390 67 Yards gained, passing 163 0 Yards lost 43 28 Yards gained, net total 510 39 Passes attempted 18 1 Passes completed 10 0 Passes incomplete 7 0 Passes intercepted 1 1 Fumbles 4 2 Own fumbles recovered 3 1 Opp. fumbles covered 1 1 Penalties, yardage 40 10 Punts 3 12 Punts, average yardage 44 32
MASSILLON DRUBS ALLIANCE, 40 TO 0
Record Crowd of 34,000 in Akron Rubber Bowl Sees Tigers Roar to 28th Straight
(From Plain Dealer Bureau)
AKRON, O., Oct. 11 – The mighty Massillon Tigers scored their 28th successive victory tonight, overpowering a stubborn Alliance squad, 40-0, in Akron’s new Rubber Bowl before a record-breaking crowd of 34,000.
The game was the first high school contest played in the new stadium and the attendance was the largest that ever has witnessed a football game in the Akron area.
The Tigers tallied their first score early in the opening period when Tom James found a big hole at his left tackle and behind perfect interference raced 39 yards for the touchdown. Ray Getz kicked the extra point.
Alliance came the nearest of any school to cross the Massillon goal line this season when Nick Stoica recovered a fumble by James on the Massillon 6-yard line stripe. The Tigers were equal to the occasion and stopped four line plays to take the ball on downs on their own 1-yard stripe and Horace Gillom punted out of danger.
The Tigers drove 59 yards for a score in the second period with James tallying from the 14-yard line. Getz again kicked the point.
Late in the second Getz took a short pass from James and galloped to the Alliance 5. The Tigers marched to a score with Getz going over.
For the first time this season Massillon started the first team in the second half and Alliance showing its best defensive play held the Tigers scoreless in the third.
On the first play of the fourth period Adams fired a 30-yard pass to Gillom for a touchdown and Getz again kicked the extra point.
Another aerial, Adams to Gillom, connected on the Alliance 11 and Pokey Blunt scored the fourth touchdown.
Herman Robinson recovered an Alliance fumble on the Aviators’ 24 and then flipped a shovel pass to Adams, who raced for the final score. Massillon out gained Alliance, 19 to 1, in first downs and gained a net total of 341 yards to 34 for Alliance.
The Tigers completed 10 of 18 passes to net 161 yards through the air.
Officials here tonight claimed that the crowd was the largest that ever has viewed a regularly scheduled high school game in the state with only the post-season charity game in Cleveland outdrawing tonight’s contest.
MASSILLON ALLIANCE Robinson L.E. Branfield Broglio L.T. Welbush Russell L.G. Boschini Appleby C Ruff Wallace R.G. Iannotti Henderson R.T. Stoica Gillom R.E. Addison Kingham Q Gainor Getz R.H. Snodgrass James L.H. Castiglione Blunt F Luca
Touchdowns – James 2, Getz, Gillom, Blunt, Robinson.
Points after touchdown – Getz 4 (placement).
MASSILLON DRUBS ALLIANCE, 40 TO 0
Record Crowd of 34,000 in Akron Rubber Bowl Sees Tigers Roar to 28th Straight
(From Plain Dealer Bureau)
AKRON, O., Oct. 11 – The mighty Massillon Tigers scored their 28th successive victory tonight, overpowering a stubborn Alliance squad, 40-0, in Akron’s new Rubber Bowl before a record-breaking crowd of 34,000.
The game was the first high school contest played in the new stadium and the attendance was the largest that ever has witnessed a football game in the Akron area.
The Tigers tallied their first score early in the opening period when Tom James found a big hole at his left tackle and behind perfect interference raced 39 yards for the touchdown. Ray Getz kicked the extra point.
Alliance came the nearest of any school to cross the Massillon goal line this season when Nick Stoica recovered a fumble by James on the Massillon 6-yard line stripe. The Tigers were equal to the occasion and stopped four line plays to take the ball on downs on their own 1-yard stripe and Horace Gillom punted out of danger.
The Tigers drove 59 yards for a score in the second period with James tallying from the 14-yard line. Getz again kicked the point.
Late in the second Getz took a short pass from James and galloped to the Alliance 5. The Tigers marched to a score with Getz going over.
For the first time this season Massillon started the first team in the second half and Alliance showing its best defensive play held the Tigers scoreless in the third.
On the first play of the fourth period Adams fired a 30-yard pass to Gillom for a touchdown and Getz again kicked the extra point.
Another aerial, Adams to Gillom, connected on the Alliance 11 and Pokey Blunt scored the fourth touchdown.
Herman Robinson recovered an Alliance fumble on the Aviators’ 24 and then flipped a shovel pass to Adams, who raced for the final score. Massillon out gained Alliance, 19 to 1, in first downs and gained a net total of 341 yards to 34 for Alliance.
The Tigers completed 10 of 18 passes to net 161 yards through the air.
Officials here tonight claimed that the crowd was the largest that ever has viewed a regularly scheduled high school game in the state with only the post-season charity game in Cleveland outdrawing tonight’s contest.
MASSILLON ALLIANCE Robinson L.E. Branfield Broglio L.T. Welbush Russell L.G. Boschini Appleby C Ruff Wallace R.G. Iannotti Henderson R.T. Stoica Gillom R.E. Addison Kingham Q Gainor Getz R.H. Snodgrass James L.H. Castiglione Blunt F Luca
Cathedral Prep Takes First Local Bow Saturday Afternoon Meeting Ashtabula in Stadium; Colonels Invade Sharon Friday Night
By Charles Haughney
STILL stunned, dazed and unbelieving of what had been its role in the most astounding chapter in the history of local scholastic football, the task of picking up the pieces of East’s shattered Scarlet and Grey gridiron machine was begun today to carry out a city series assignment against Tech’s Centaurs Friday night in the Stadium.
The Warriors, while what was estimated at a record shattering throng of over 20,000 sat, stood and hung pop-eyed around the concrete banks of the Stadium Saturday night, went down to the worst defeat ever suffered in 20 years of campaigning – a 74 to 0 score rolled up by Massillon’s mighty Tigers.
Again the Massillon line with its brilliant charge and stonewall defense, was an outstanding factor in the Tigers’ big victory. Most noticeable of all from an offensive standpoint, was the passing attack which accounted for five of the touchdowns.
The percentage of completions, 9 of 21 was not particularly impressive but the fact that five of the pegs scored touchdowns tells a different story. Two passes were intercepted, 10 others were grounded.
East, for some unknown reason, did not take to the air until the last period. The Warriors tried 11 passes, but only completed one for a gain of seven yards.
For the first minute of the game, it appeared that the inspired East team might give the Tigers a busy evening. Ray Getz only moved a couple of yards with the kickoff before he was downed. Tom James smashed at right tackle, the same play that doomed Warren a week ago, but he was met hard by Erie tacklers and gained but two yards. Fred Blunt poked his way through for six, but with fourth down coming up, Horace Gillom dropped back and lofted the ball to the Erie 34-yard line. That was one of three times the Tigers failed to score when they got the ball. Pass interceptions halted their other two efforts. The Warriors moved the ball up four yards on three attempts and Ed Skovron punted to Tom James who caught the leather on the 20 and brought it back to his 34.
James Gets Going
There Massillon began to move. On the second play James shook himself loose and was in the open when Bill Crotty brought him down from behind on the 27-yard line while he was staggering, trying to regain his balance. It was a run of 36 yards. James and Getz moved the ball to the 17 and Blunt on his second attempt, went through the Warrior line as though fired from a cannon, to score standing up. Getz kicked the extra point.
The 7-0 score was the lowest first period score of the season, but it only missed being 14-0 by a play, for on the first play of the second period, Blunt plunged over from the one foot line for a touchdown that ended a drive from the 13-yard line where Eli Broglio, swarthy tackle, had covered an Erie fumble.
The Tiger attack reached devastating proportions and the heavier Erie team was completely demoralized thereafter. The Warriors received, but on the first play, Skovron fumbled, and John Hill, who had substituted for Jim Russell while the latter was getting some sideline instruction, was on the bottom of the pile on the East 39-yard line. The Warriors closed in to stop the Tiger ball carriers so James eased back and fired a long shot to Herman Robinson who made a fine catch and raced over the goal for the 20th point. Getz missed the placekick.
The Warriros received and when they stopped, Skovron attempted to punt. Russell crashed through and blocked the ball. It fell into the arms of Robinson who raced over the goal for his second touchdown in 60 seconds. Getz planted the 27th point between the uprights.
East earned its only first down after the following kickoff when Skovron and Fran Lininger gained 12 yards on two plays. The drive was stopped on the Warrior 41, however and Skovron’s punt to the Massillon 24 was the signal for another Tiger march. Gillom, Blunt and James carried the leather to midfield, where James faded back and fired a long pass that Gillom caught on the East 14 and ran for a touchdown. Getz’s kick was wide of the goal posts.
When Erie failed to make its yardage after the following kickoff, Skovron punted to James who returned brilliantly from the 30 to the 49-yard line. He ran to a first down on the 31, passed to Robinson for a first down on the nine-yard line and followed it with a pass to Gillom for a touchdown, Gillom taking the ball in the corner of the field. Getz kicked the 40th point.
Another Touchdown
The Tigers received at the start of the second half and began moving from their 34. A pass to Robinson was good for 14 and Getz took the ball from James on a Statue of Liberty for another first on the 35. Getz and James took the ball to the seven-yard line, where James pegged it to Robinson for a touchdown. Getz kicked goal and four Massillon subs entered the game.
No more scores were made in the third period but the Tigers’ were well on their way at the end of the quarter, having marched from their 35 to the East six-yard line when the period ended. Pizzino in two smacks at the line put the ball on the one-yard line and Adams bucked it over. Pizzino kicked the extra point and it was 54-0. Fred Cardinal had blocked a punt and Gordon Appleby had covered to put the Tigers in position for the score. Another blocked punt put the locals in position for their next touchdown. This time it was Pizzino who drove through the East line and stopped the ball, Keve Bray covering for Massillon on the 13-yard line. Junior White moved it up two yards and Pizzino on four attempts took it over and kicked the extra point.
Hard plunging by Chuck Holt and a 13-yard run by Adams brought the ball on the next attempt to the East 31. There Holt added seven more and White circled left end for 24 yards and a touchdown. Pizzino’s kick was wide.
The last Massillon touchdown came with the third team in the game. Having stopped the Warriors’ on the ground and in the air the third stringers got the ball on the East 44. Frank Erdley passed to Power for a first down on the 34 and came right back with a second peg to Bob Graber for a first on the 19. Erdley and Holt advanced it to the 10 where Erdley dropped back and pegged to Dallas Power for a touchdown. Holt plunged the 74th and final point across.
Massillon Gridders Hand Warren Its Worst Defeat In History With First Team Only Playing Two Periods Of Game
By LUTHER EMERY
Greased lightning was turned loose by Coach Paul Brown in Tiger Stadium Friday evening and the thunderbolts struck fast and furiously to blast a 59-0 victory out of the Warren Presidents, the 26th in a row.
While a crowd of between 13,000 and 14,000 fans looked on, another football pageant of sensational touchdown runs, music flag waving, and marching splendor was unfurled.
Show Makes Up for Lop-Sided Score
It was a one-sided victory for Massillon, as many had expected it to be, but those that came for the show, were treated to the best yet, and they began to leave shortly after the start of the third period.
The game differed from the heated battles of past years. Not that it was tame, for there was plenty of jabbing in the pileups, but it was more one-sided than Massillon-Warren games of other years.
Warren was whipped from the start. Its line literally exploded when struck by the Massillon forward wall. It was riddled twice on consecutive plays, in the first series of the game when Tom James after being denied a 46-yard touchdown jaunt for both teams being offside, came right back to race through the same opening on another 46-yard run that produced six points.
Here’s A Run For You
The touchdown cracked Warren; two more by James, one from the one-yard line, and another from the 18 did their morale no good, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was a 75-yard dash by Horace Gillom. Rumming from punt formation, he was practically on his own after he got by the line of scrimmage. Tacklers bounced off him. He shook others from his legs and body and with a lithe twist, sent another whirling through the air, to get himself in the open. Then with only the safety-man between him and the goal posts, he turned on that extra speed he always seems to have and outlegged his opponent to the goal. It was one of the finest runs ever seen here, a great performance by a great football player.
There were five more touchdowns, three by young Johnny Pizzino, and one each by Junior White and Charles Holt, and there could have been more had not Coach Brown kept his first team on the bench the entire second half.
Warren writers scratched their heads and said they couldn’t remember when a Warren team had been beaten so badly. Certainly it was the largest score the Tigers had ever won by though back in 1922 they defeated Warren 48-6.
Warren newspapermen had anticipated a thumping, however, and questioned whether Brown would pull his punches after an argument before the game with Pierre Hill, Warren coach, over the color of the ball.
The two had it out at Warren last year and hasty things were said. It was renewed by telephone this week and reached a peak on the gridiron before the game when Hill protested the color of the Tiger jersies as not providing sufficient contrast for the ball.
The referee asked the Warren coach if he would consent to a white ball. He refused.
After the game, the referee, R.W. Fensterwald, explained that he had made up his mind that if Hill had agreed to accept the white ball and if Brown had refused to do so, he would have insisted that Massillon wear white sweaters and play with the brown ball.
Argument A Boomerang
The argument was a boomerang to Hill for the Tigers are adept at hiding the ball, and with an orange background to work with, even the fans looking down on the plays from their positions high in the bleachers, had a hard time finding the leather.
It wasn’t the ball however, that was accountable for Gillom’s long run, nor for many of the sparkling dashes that Tom James, Dick Adams and Junior White reeled off. They were hit by plenty of tacklers but squirmed, wiggled and wormed around so as not to let an opponent get their hands set on them.
Some of the visiting writers described the Massillon backs as the fastest beings they have ever seen, but they overlooked Booker Williamson, one of their own, who twice dashed through the line and almost got away. With a big Tiger forward wall and good blocking in front of him, he could make any of them step.
Mention of the Tiger line raises the question if it has ever had a peer in Washington high football circles, especially defensively. It hasn’t yielded a score to an opponent yet, and Warren, without any offense to speak of, was unable to even penetrate inside the Massillon 45-yard line.
True the visitors made six first downs, more than either Cathedral Latin or Weirton, but they were chalked up largely against the second team.
The Tiger linemen played a whale of a defensive game, one group submarining, another stacking them up to smother plays on the line of scrimmage.
With line play like this in front of them, backs naturally can go places and the Tiger ball carriers frequently got away to long gains. End Around Stopped
Warren had one play scouted thoroughly. It was the end around play that worked so successfully against Weirton a week ago. Gillom tried it once and was tossed behind the line of scrimmage. Keve Bray also attempted it, and he too was dropped in his tracks, while Robinson running from end, grounded a pass in order to escape being thrown for a 10-yard loss.
The Presidents varied their defense from time to time, using an eight-man line when backed into the shadow of their goal posts.
Brown had anticipated a “cock-eyed” defense, but his line had the power to beat it down.
The statistics as a whole favored the Tigers. They made 10 first downs to Warren’s six and gained a net total of 434 yards from scrimmage to Warren’s 43 yards.
The locals’ passing attack showed improvement over last week, completing eight of 17 for 154 yards in gains.
The spot punting of Gillom and Adams also brought applause from the fans. Gillom hoisted a beauty out of bounds on the five-yard line and Adams planted one dead, three yards short from the goal.
There were few penalties. The Tigers lost 40 yards, for rule infractions. Warren wasn’t penalized in yards, but the Tigers refused several penalties against the Presidents, preferring to take the down instead.
James got away from his first touchdown jaunt on the third play after the kickoff. Warren adopted a bit of strategy at the start and kicked out of bounds rather than chance having some Tiger ball carrier leg it up the alley. It was a poor kick, however, the ball going out on the Massillon 46-yard line.
James Gets Away
Ray Getz broke the ice with a nine-yard run and James pegged a long pass to Gillom which the latter might have caught had he not slowed down or misjudged the ball. It went over his head with a clear path to the goal line.
James blasted through right tackle on the next play for a 46-yard touchdown sprint but the ball was brought back when both sides were declared offside. So little Tommy hit the same spot again, found a great big hole, ran around the Warren secondary and reached pay dirt. Ray Getz kicked goal.
Fans had hardly settled back in their seats until the Tigers struck again. Taking the kickoff back to the 24-yard line, Eddie Exler tried to punt on third down with Bill Wallace on the loose. Bill gave a perfect exhibition of how to block a punt and recovered the ball. When the pileup was removed he was hugging the leather on the Warren five-yard line. Getz moved it up four yards and James went inside his right tackle for the touchdown. Again Getz kicked goal and it was 14-0.
Warren did a better job of defending its goal and stopped the next two Tiger thrusts. Gillom hoisted a beautiful spiral 50 yards and out of bounds on the five-yard line to shove the Presidents in a hole. Williams booted it back to his 42 and on the first down, Blunt tossed a short pass to Gillom, who flipped a Warren tackler over his head and ran for a touchdown. The officials, however, ruled that the play had stopped on the 32-yard line so the ball was brought back. Another pass, Blunt to Gillom took the leather to the 22. Getz moved it up four yards and James on a spin to the weak side, so completely faked handling the ball that he was practically unmolested in his dash for six points. This time Getz missed the goal and the quarter ended 20-0.
Parade Continues
Points came just as rapidly the second period. Williamson opened it with a 23-yard run that gave Warren its initial first down and brought a big ovation from the crowd. He was turned loose again on the next series and carried the ball to the Tiger 47. The brief rally ended there and Scarpaci punted to Tom James who was dropped on his 21. He moved the ball up four yards, in a formation that brought Gillom into the backfield. Running deep, the latter on the next play got the ball, ran up the sideline, dodging tacklers, shaking them off, and at the same time watching the line so as not to step out of bounds. He got away for 75 yards and a touchdown. Getz kicked goal to make it all the better.
The Tigers kicked off, but after one play, Scarpaci fumbled and Herman Robinson promptly threw himself on the ball on the Warren 18. Pizzino pegged the ball to Gillom for a first down on the four-yard line and after Getz had moved the leather to within a yard of the goal, Pizzino took it over. Getz’s kick for the extra point was wide.
A 54-yard drive produced the next touchdown and the last of the half. Getting the ball on his 46, James passed to Gillom for a first down on the 27. A Pizzino pass to Gillom gained three more, and Getz picked up two on a spin. James hurled to Robinson for a first down on the four-yard line and Pizzino took one play to get over. Getz kicked goal to put the score at 40-0 at intermission.
The Tigers received in the third quarter, but were forced to punt. Here Dick Adams lofted a beauty to the three-yard line where it was grounded. Scarpaci punted back to Adams who reeled in the yards until he got to the 10-yard line. It only took Pizzino two cracks to slip it over from there. His kick was wide but the score was 46-0.
Frustrated once by a penalty after they had advanced the ball to the seven-yard line, the Tigers got the ball on the Warren 48, and without delay, Adams passed to White, who ran for the touchdown.
The game was practically over and third stringers were in the lineup when the Tigers scored their ninth and last touchdown. Stopped on a fumble that Warren recovered on its own two-yard line, the Tigers eventually turned the effort into a touchdown when Holt intercepted Scarpaci’s pass on the 15-yard line and scored.
The first attempt to buck the point over for the extra point was good but Massillon was offside and drew a penalty of five yards. Holt tried it again but was thrown less than a yard short of the goal.
The game wound up with practically a third team on the field for Massillon. Statistics Of The Game Mass. Warren First downs 10 6 Yards gained rushing 296 37 Yards gained passing 154 17 Total yards gained 450 54 Yards lost 16 11 Net yards gained 434 43 Passes attempted 17 9 Passes completed 8 9 Passes grounded 9 6 Passes intercepted 0 1 Times kicked off 9 2 Average kickoff (yds.) 51 29 Times punted 4 11 Average punt (yds.) 39 30 Fumbles 2 2 Lost ball on fumble 1 1 Yards penalized 40 0
26 In A Row
Massillon Pos. Warren Robinson le J. Johnson Cardinal lt Hoffman Wallace lg Henry Appleby c Andress Russell rg Parker Broglio rt Dixon Gillom re Gorges Kingham qb Williams James lh Scarpaci Getz rh Larson Blunt fb Exler
Score by points: Massillon 20 20 13 6 – 59
Substitutions: Massillon – Oliver, t; Pizzino, fb; Adams, hb; F. Cardinal, qb; White, hb; Erdley, hb; P. Getz, g; Kanney, e; Weisgarber, t; Power, fb; Bray, e; Hill, g; Fuchs, c; Stout, c; Graber, hb; Paulic, g; Dolmas, t; Holt, fb; Miller, g; Henderson, t; De Mando, e.
Touchdowns – James 3, Gillom, Pizzino 3, White, Holt.
Points after touchdown – Getz four, Pizzino 1 (placekicks)
Referee – Fensterwald. Umpire – Jenkins. Headlinesman – Wrobleski. Field judge – Lobach. Massillon Shows Harding 11 Why It Rates As Ohio’s Best
Playing about as well as was expected against one of the most powerful Massillon High teams in the history of an institution that makes a business of annually turning out powerhouse machines, Harding High’s Presidents absorbed their worst defeat in modern years last night at Massillon before a crowd of more than 13,000 when the Tigers rolled up 59 points in a one-sided massacre.
Warren fans were warned ahead of time that the present Massillon club is rated as the best ever turned out by Coach Paul Brown – today they believe all of the stories and can even add a few for good measure. Few football fans in the Mahoning Valley area ever saw a team that could score so many points in such a short time as Massillon did last night and has in all games thus far.
There isn’t any question but that the score could have been much higher had Coach Brown decreed but he yanked his first stringers at the start of the second half and used nothing but second and third team players thereafter.
However, the varsity rolled up 40 points in the first two quarters, 20 in the first and 20 more in the second, and the second and third teams added 19 more to the total.
Standing out head and shoulders over all other players and completely dominating the play during the time he was in action was Horace Gillom, brilliant end of the Tigers.
Massillon has sent some great footballers against Warren teams in past games but never has it had one player that could do everything as well as Gillom. He punted, passed on several occasions, ran with the ball, backed up the line on defense, kicked the ball five times on kickoffs for an average of 55 yards and put on a one man display that will long be remembered by the Warren fans.
Warren’s offense clicked at odd times but the Massillon linemen generally nailed the runner before he got started and if he did manage to break thru the line, then Gillom took care of him at that point with a vicious tackle. There isn’t any tag tackling for Gillom, when he hits the ball carrier knows all about it.
Warren’s Best Gains
The Presidents had Booker Williamson, speedy Negro halfback, in the open twice on reverses that had Massillon puzzled and he made 21 yards on one play and 11 on the other for the longest Warren gains of the evening.
It took exactly two plays for Warren to realize that it was in for a tough evening. J. Johnson kicked out of bounds on the Massillon 46 on the kickoff and the ball was brought out at that point. Getz made nine at left tackle. James gathered in the pigskin on the next play, slashed thru right tackle and raced 46 yards to cross the goal line only to have the ball called back, both teams offside. That didn’t bother the speedy redhead a bit for he repeated the play on the next scrimmage and Massillon was ahead 7-0 when Getz’ placement split the crossbars.
From then on, Warren had a bunch of busy fellows attempting to stop ball carriers who ran like demons with long, high-stepping strides that bounced would be tacklers all over the place and counted up 40 points in 24 minutes of play.
Touchdown No. 2 came after four minutes of milling when Scarpaci attempted to quick-kick from his own 24 but Wallace, Massillon guard, broke thru, blocked the kick and recovered it on the Warren five. Getz plowed thru tackle to the one-foot stripe and James stepped over on the next play. Getz’ placement made the score 14-0.
Late in the quarter, Gillom punted out of bounds on the Warren five and set the stage for touchdown No. 3. F. Williams punted back to the Warren 42. Blunt passed to Gillom on the Warren 32. Gillom picked up James’ pass on the 22, snagging the ball just before it hit the ground. Getz made it a first down on the 18. James took the oval on a delayed spinner, the play went to the left, James hesitated and then darted around right end for the touchdown. Getz’ placement was wide but Massillon had a 20-0 lead at the quarter.
Gillom Runs 75 Yards
Gillom tallied Touchdown No. 4 early in the second frame when he took the ball in punt formation on his own 25 and shook off half the Warren team in a spectacular 75-yard touchdown run. No less than seven Warren tacklers hit him during the run but they bounced off like water off a duck’s back. Getz’ placement made it 27-0.
Two plays later, the Tigers were in the scoring zone again. Scarpaci fumbled and Robinson recovered on the Warren 16. Pizzino passed to Gillom on the four. Pizzino plunged over left tackle for the marker. Getz’ placement was wide.
The Tigers took to the air for Touchdown No 6 in the fading moments of the half. F. Williams punted out on the Tiger 46. James tossed a high pass to Gillom on the Warren 27. Gillom reached high in the air for another that was good for three yards. James tossed a short forward to Robinson on the four and Pizzino hit guard for the touchdown. Getz’ placement made the count 40-0 at the half.
The remaining touchdowns came with the second stringers in the game.
Pizzino tallied touchdown No. 7 after Adams had taken Scarpaci’s punt on the Massillon 45 and threaded his way to the Warren 10. Pizzino skirted left end to the one-yard stripe and then went over two plays later. This placement was wide, score 46-0.
Touchdown No. 8 came in the same period after Scarpaci had punted out on the Warren 48. Adams whipped a pass down the middle to White and he outran two Warren backs in a 30-yard sprint for the goal line. Pizzino’s placement made it 53-0.
Score on Interception
Warren donated touchdown No. 9 in the closing minutes of play when Scarpaci tried a pass from his own 18 but Holt intercepted on the 25 and ran down the sidelines for the touchdown. The try for point was good but Massillon was offside and Warren took the ball on the second attempt.
That’s the complete story of the nine touchdown defeat and it only serves as a warning to Massillon’s future foes that they can expect the same thing. Massillon’s present team is one of the most powerful ever to represent northeastern Ohio and it should be able to romp over all opposition, including Canton McKinley.
MASSILLON WARREN Robinson L.E. J. Johnson L. Cardinal L.T. B. Hoffman Wallace L.G. E. Henry Appleby C Andress Russell R.G. Parker Broglio R.T. Dixon Gillom R.E. Georges Kingham Q F. Williams James L.H. Scarpaci Getz R.H. Lasson Blunt F Exler
Record Breaking Stadium Crowd Sees Massillon Eleven Sweep Ends and Tackles For 41 Points First Half
By LUTHER EMERY
That’s settled, and rather convincingly too, the question as to whether Washington high is superior to Weirton, W. Va. The Tigers kicked dust in the Red Riders’ faces Friday evening as they swept their ends and raced outside of tackle to a 48 – 0 triumph.
Program Cover
It was convincing from the standpoint of the score and the fact that the second and part of the third teams played the entire second half. At the start of the third period, someone ventured the remark that Coach Brown had sent his first team off to a dance, but the Tiger coach insisted he had his entire club on the bench up to the very end if needed.
Weirton Satisfied
For what? The Massillon first team in two periods had demonstrated to the record breaking crowd of 18,300 that the Tigers were still Ohio champions as far as Weirton was concerned, and with the second team battling the visitors on slightly better than even terms, it was a cinch the rest of the way.
Weirton was glad to get out with 48 points. The Red Riders’ coach said so after the game, and through bruised and beaten more soundly than any Weirton team has been in Carl Hamill’s 12 years as coach at Weir high, the Red Riders came out of the defeat with two achievements on the credit side – that of having attracted more fans to Massillon than have ever seen a football game here, save a Massillon-Canton game, and that of taking home more money than Weir high has ever made in a single game and sufficient to make it possible to pay off a debt on its stadium lights this year.
Tigers Versatile
Coach Paul Brown put a versatile bunch of Tigers on the field last night. They tried everything, and even though everything they tried did not work, the fans applauded their efforts.
From the time Horace Gillom ran 49 yards for a touchdown on an end around play, the first half was a parade of touchdowns for the Massillon eleven. Gillom found the end of the rainbow a second time in the same period on a 19-yard run, and before the half was over, Fred Blunt had crossed the Weir goal twice. Tom James had reached it on a 27-yard jitter and Herman Robinson had gone 16 on a shovel pass, to roll up 41 points. The second half produced a more balanced game, with the Tiger second stringers scoring a touchdown against the Weir first stringers in the third quarter, and then allowing the Weir second team to battle them to a standstill the last period.
Its hard to find something to get dissatisfied over when you run up 48 points on a supposedly “tough opponent”, but Coach Brown has a thing or two to say to his second team that will require more than two words when he gets going. He wasn’t at all pleased with the yannigans’ performance and indicates a shakeup is in the making.
The second team tried everything, and though its efforts at one time had only gained it second down and 49 yards to go, it kept on trying and put on an entertaining performance even though the ball moved the wrong direction because of penalties.
Coach Hamill, will probably have a thing or two also to say when he gathers his brood together Monday. There’s no doubt that his second team gave a better account of itself against the Tiger seconds than did the varsity, though allowance must be made for the latter, since they had gone through a terrific first half.
There were two periods of fierce football. Moore than the score indicates. An analysis of the game reveals long Tiger runs for touchdowns, mostly on passes and outside the tackles. The highly publicized ability of the Weir gridders to tackle did not materialize or the score would not have been as large the first half. The arms of the visitors’ skidded off Tiger pants as though the latter were greased.
Locals Hit Harder
The Massillon eleven hit harder last night than it did against Cathedral Latin which helps to account for ball carriers leaving a trail of tacklers sprawled over the ground on their end sweeps.
The blocking was great, and the line sliced the visitors’ forward wall as you would cut a watermelon, leaving large gaps for the ball carriers to amble through.
Weirton never expected as severe a beating, though some visiting fans confidentially admitted before the game that Massillon would win but not by many points.
Warren Tickets On Sale Tonight
Tickets for the Washington high-Warren game, to be played here next Friday evening, will be placed on sale tonight at Rider’s. Warren beaten by Erie Academy last week, defeated Sharon 20-6 last night.
Weirton pinned its faith in its big line to stop the Massillon ground attack, and scattered five men in the secondary to break up the Tigers’ aerial maneuvers.
The Massillon gridders demonstrated that passing was only an accessory to their attack as they scored their first two touchdowns without tossing the ball. Once they decided to throw, they completed three in a row for 55 yards, then went haywire and grounded the next seven.
In possession of a comfortable lead, Brown, used the greater part of the second period to brush his varsity up on passing – and it didn’t look so good.
Discarding his running attack, James tossed pass after pass. He had difficulty hitting his mark. Three times an attempt was also made to work a pass off an end sweep, but this too failed when Herman Robinson, who throws the ball on the play, was unable to get it to receivers.
The Massillon second team, after scoring a touchdown at the start of the third period, played with the razzle dazzle the rest of the way, tossing shovel passes, lateral passes off forward passes, and almost everything you could think of.
Lateral Off A Pass
The prettiest working play of the lot was a forward pass from Dick Adams to Keve Bray, who tossed a lateral to Junior White. On the next play Adams ripped for a touchdown but it wasn’t allowed and the Massillon kids never saw the Weir goal line thereafter.
Weirton’s offense was stopped cold by the great Tiger line, and somewhat to the disappointment of many Massillon fans who had hoped the visitors could gain sufficient ground to make the game interesting from a competitive standpoint. The fans gave the Riders a big hand late in the first period when Capt. John Begola picked up 13 yards on an end around play for the first of the visitors’ two earned first downs. They didn’t make the 10 yards without the referee’s assistance again until the last play of the game, when an eight-yard pass coming on top of a gain of three yards in two ball carrying attempts, moved the leather up beyond the 10-yard marker. The gun cracked before it could be placed in play again and several thousand of the fans were on their way home and missed seeing it.
The hard running of Gillom and James, the pass defensive work of Robinson and Bill Wallace’s ability to prune off Weir runners behind the line of scrimmage were big lights in the Tiger victory.
James and Blunt also carried the leather well behind the almost perfect blocking accorded the Tiger ball carriers.
Statistics as well as the score tell the story of Massillon’s superiority. The Tigers made 19 first downs to Weir’s three and gained a net total of 400 yards to Weir’s 12.
For the first couple of minutes after the kickoff it didn’t look as though it would turn out that way. On the first play after the kickoff Ray Getz tried a spin at the Rider line but fumbled when hit hard and Frank Kazmerski, the Rifer center, covered on the Massillon 45-yard line. Two plays had only advanced the ball three yards when Robinson speared Johnny Janura’s pass to give Massillon the ball on the local’s 19-yard line.
Tigers Show Boom
Here the Tigers demonstrated themselves the superior team. They blasted a big hole in the visitors light tackle and James ripped through for 21 yards. “Horace, its your turn,” they said in the huddle, and when the big end turned on the steam on a sweep, Weir tacklers bounced everywhere. It was 49 yards and a touchdown, and Ray Getz kicked goal. Runs like that do something to a team and Weir never had as much pep thereafter.
The Tigers kicked to the visitors but they punted back to James when they couldn’t gain and little Tom was unable to gain, so fast did Begola come down after the ball. But on the first play from scrimmage, he started on his own 18 and raced back 23 yards to the 41 before being flopped to earth. Blunt did a jitterbug on the next run before the visitors got him on their 35. Robinson, Blunt and James put the leather on the 19, and it was left for Gillom to free wheel around left end for another touchdown. Getz kicked the goal and it was 14 – 0.
Janura got off a quick kick after the following kickoff that sailed over James’ head and rolled dead on the Tiger 24. On the next series of plays, James tossed his first pass, a beauty, to Getz, who made a spectacular catch, literally stealing the ball from two Rider defenders to carry to the Weir 44-yard line. It was a 33-yard gain. In two attempts, Blunt was hugging the leather on the 20-yard line. Robinson passed to Gillom on an end sweep. The pass was short, but a Weir secondary interfered with Gillom getting to the ball and interference was called, giving the Tigers a first down on the Weir four-yard line. Blunt took it over and Getz again kicked.
That was all for the first period. Early in the second quarter, the visitors’ had their only scoring opportunity when James fumbled George Wansack’s punt, Begola covering on the Tiger 25-yard line. There stocky Bill Wallace went to work and tossed Begola for a five-yard loss on an end around play, and when Wansack’s pass was far out of reach of the receiver on the next play, Coach Hamill substituted Janura for Wansack. Robinson again rose to the occasion, intercepted Janura’s pass, picked up blockers and ran back to the Weir 10-yard line before he was hauled down by Janura.
James made two yards, and Blunt in two attempts was over the goal. Getz missed his first attempted placekick and the score was 27 – 0.
A Punt For You
The Riders stopped the Tigers next time the locals got the ball, Gillom kicking a spiral that twisted its way for 53 yards over the Weirton goal. The Riders w ere offside, however, Weirton was penalized and the Tigers were given the ball on their own 45. Johnny Pizzino who had substituted for Blunt and Ray Getz got off to long runs that put the ball on the 27-yard line and James wiggled through the rest of the way. Getz kicked the extra point.
After an exchange of punts, James intercepted Janura’s pass in midfield and raced back to the 31. Gillom picked up another 15 and on third down, James shovel passed to Robinson who ran for the touchdown. Again Getz kicked goal, five out of six for him.
While the varsity played the entire first half with the exception of two substitutions, Pizzino and Oliver, not a one of the 11 starting players, entered the second half.
An entire second team started the third period, shoved over a touchdown quickly and then declared a holiday. The touchdown came after the Tigers had gotten the ball through a punt on the Weir 39-yard line. Pizzino and Adams made it first down on the 27, and Adams, Bray and Pizzino got another first down on the seven. Bray lost two yards on a sweep, but Adams cut through for a touchdown, digging in hard as he crossed the goal. Pizzino kicked the extra point making the score 48-0.
The second team shoved another over late in the third period but it was not allowed because of a penalty.
They threatened again in the fourth quarter, and Frank Erdley passed to Bray over the goal, but offensive interference was called, the Tigers were penalized 15 yards, and Weirton took the ball.
Except for a bruised left leg sustained by Pizzino, the Tigers emerged unscathed. The Red Riders though they took time out frequently, because of injury, escaped without any serious results. Walter Gelini, their giant right tackle, complained of a sore shoulder.
Tigers Again
Massillon Position Weirton Robinson LE Stakius Carinal LT Gelini Wallace LG Babiak Appleby C Kazmerski Russell RG Canel Broglio RT Lalich Gillom RE Begola Kingham QB Ziniach James LH Janura Getz RH Yoklic Blunt FB Fabyanich
16,000 See Mighty Ohio Eleven Crush Pride of W. Virginia
(Plain Dealer Special)
MASSILLON, O., Sept. 20 – The famed juggernaut of Coach Paul E. Brown ran its football supremacy past the highly regarded Weirton, W. Va. eleven 48 to 0 to extend its victory string to 25 in succession.
With the first team compiling a 41 to 0 advantage in the fist half, Brown sent in an entire new team that finished up with a touchdown to treat the overflow crowd of 16,000.
Massillon started out in usual fashion by hammering over a score after several minutes. Horace Gillom, the Tigers’s All-Ohio end jogged across for the initial marker, on an end around play from the Weirton 49.
The second touchdown was an exact duplication of the first with the exception that Gillom was taxed with only a 25-yard sprint. After that touchdowns came easy, with Blunt zigging through the opposition for a pair and James and Robinson, finding the route for one each. Ray Getz’s educated toe was in top form as he split the uprights with five placements in a half dozen attempts. An interference penalty aided the locals considerably in ringing up the third touchdown in the first quarter.
After Tom James’ pass intended for Horace Gillom was broken up when a Wierton secondary man held his arm the Tigers received the ball on the 1 from where Pokey Blunt crashed over. A beautiful 75-yard run of an intercepted aerial by Herm Robinson led to the fourth touchdown shortly after the second period commenced. Two attempts at guard by Blunt from the 11-yard stripe ran the total to 27.
After 27 yards of twisting and turning, Tom James’ buck pass from the Weirton 12 to Robinson completed activities of the varsity.
The second half was an altogether different type of game, the Tigers mixing a series of lateral passes with their off-tackle smashes. It was the first time that the Tigers used the forward-lateral pass method in several seasons.
Weir-Massillon Grid Statistics
Weirton Massillon 3 First downs 21 25 Scrimmage plays tried 47 59 Yds. Gained from scrimmage 336 19 Yards gained passing 86 0 Yards gained lateraling 52 78 Total yards gained 474 11 Yds. Lost from scrimmage 27 67 Net yardage gained 447 9 Passes thrown 20 2 Passes completed 8 1 Passes intercepted 4 0 Laterals tried 3 1 Fumbles 2 3 Fumbles recovered 0 10 Punts 4 367 Total yardage of punts 174 37 Yardage per punt 43 2 Penalties 7 20 Yardage lost from penalties 75 1 Kickoff 8
(How They Gained) Weirton Sp. G. L. N.G. Begola 4 19 5 14 Januara 5 14 0 14 Volosin 6 12 0 12 Stakis 1 5 0 5 Ziniach 1 3 0 3 Fabyanich 1 1 0 1 R. Kraina 1 2 0 2 Wansask 6 3 6 0
Regulars In Action Only In First Half; 18,000 Watch Fray
By JIM SCHLEMMER
Weirton 66, Massillon 64! But don’t make a mistake about that score. That’s only the size of the rival bands.
The football score was 48 – 0, as Paul Brown’s Massillon high Tigers registered their 25th consecutive victory Friday night before 18,200 fans in Tiger Stadium.
The win was over a fine looking, well drilled, husky Weirton, W. Va., team, believe it or not. And it came so easily that Brown didn’t care whether his varsity players returned from their dressing room at halftime…and at no time during the entire second half did he use any but his second and third stringers.
Hoss Gillom, Massillon’s sensational Negro end, simply outraced the whole Weirton team for 39 yards and the first touchdown four minutes after the game was under way.
Minutes later on the same sort of play in which he comes around from right end to become the third ball handler in the backfield and the most important, Gillom outraced the West Virginians for 19 yards and a second touchdown.
The third came after a long pass to Pokey Blunt had been rules complete on the Weirton four-yard line because of interference. Blunt drove over for the score, and with Tom James holding and Ray Getz placekicking successfully after each touchdown the count was 21 – 0 as the initial period ended.
In the second quarter Herman Robinson intercepted Janura’s pass and returned 65 yards to set up the fourth touchdown, which Blunt made on a smash.
The fifith was manufactured by Johnny Pizzino who smashed for 10. Getz who raced for 26 and James who cut back from the eight-yard line to go over the goal line.
Getz failed to convert after the fourth touchdown, the first apparent mistake made by the Tigers during the game.
Still later in the second period James intercepted a Weirton pass and brought it back 17 to Wierton’s 30-yard line from where Gillom got 17 and James then passed to Robinson who scampered 10 for the sixth touchdown. Getz placekicked the 41st point seconds before the half ended.
With a 41 – 0 lead at halftime it was evident Brown might have sent his varsity regulars to a dance for the remainder of the evening, so far as their being needed was concerned.
The second stringers counted early in the third period on a smash by Dick Adams from five yards out and then closed the books for the night.
Twice later they went over for touchdowns which were ruled void because of penalties. A clipping charge offset a 13-yard touchdown run by Adams in the third and a pass from Ederly to Bray into the end zone on the last Massillon offensive thrust of the game was ruled no-count because of offensive interference.
But it is just as well. This affair was much more interesting than the 64 – 0 rout of Cathedral Latin last week because the Massillon subvarsity was on practically even terms with the fighting Weirton outfit during the second half.
The band competition was closer but honors as usual went to the Tigers. They featured a dance feature at the half, built around Madame LaZonga’s sixth lesson.
Before the Warren game next Friday night 3,500 additional seats will be built on the running track in front of the grandstands, bringing the capacity up to the 21,000 mark. Already the new Tiger stadium is inadequate to handle normal crowds – normal being in the 18,000 range.
Classy Ohio Grid Machine Scores Six Goals in First Half
Tigers Register 25th Straight Win On Home Field; Riders Fail to Make Scoring Threat
Massillon High school’s high-powered football machine, regarded as the best scholastic team in the nation, rolled over the Weir Red Riders in blitzkrieg waves in the Massillon stadium Friday night to win 48 to 0 before a throng of 17,500. The victory was the 25th straight for the Tigers.
The Tiger machine was everything it was pictured to be, displaying brilliant blocking and timing, elusive open-field running and swift driving. The Riders were left hopeless against the first team in the first half, but limited the second team to one touchdown in the last half.
The Riders were completely outclassed against the Tiger first team and never had a chance of scoring. The Weir secondary tackling bogged down, but the team as a whole put up a determined fight despite the overwhelming odds against them.
The Tigers mauled the Riders for three touchdowns in the first period, three more in the second and one in the third. Horace Gillom, versatile 194 pound end, scored the first two touchdowns on end-around jaunts of 49 and 19 yards. Fred Blunt scored twice, while Tom James, Herman Robinson and Dick Adams scored once each.
In the closing quarter the Riders’ second team played the Tigers to a standstill. That quarter indicated the possible strength of the two teams when they meet next year. The Tigers lose nine regulars and the two to be around for the 1941 team will be Fred Blunt and Herman Robinson, both colored.
Statistically the Buckeye team completely outclassed the Riders in every department of the game. They piled up 21 first downs to 3, gained 474 yards to 78, and intercepted 4 of the 9 passes thrown. It was the first time a team outscored the Riders on first downs since 1936 when Weirton engaged in a scoreless draw with Benwood Union, which piled up 10 first downs to 4 for the Riders.
To name an outstanding player on the Tiger first team, one would have to pick the entire team, which worked with flawless precision. But Gillom was the spark plug of the team on the offense as well as the defense. He did everything well.
Three Goals in 1st Period
The Tigers reeled off three touchdowns in the opening period in quick fashion. James took Kazmerski’s kickoff from the 10 to the 41. Getz, on the very first play fumbled and Walter Gelini recovered on Massillon’s 45. Januara James (unreadable text)
James took Januara’s punt on the 14 and returned to the 18. James reeled off 23 yards, while Blunt crashed through center and reversed his field for 35 more yards. Robinson, Blunt and James on three successive plays made it a first down on the 19-yard line from where Gillom duplicated his first touchdown feat by scoring untouched. The march totaled 82 yards. Getz’s toe again was accurate.
The Tigers’ third touchdown march started on the 24. Januara punted from his 22 to their 24 and on the play Massillon refused a penalty. James on two plays picked up 8 yards and after a five-yard penalty he tossed a 33-yard pass to Getz who was downed on the 49. Blunt on two plays gained 20 yards. On a triple reverse, Robinson tossed a pass to Gillom, which was missed but on the play Albert Yeklic ran into the receiver and the pass was ruled good. That interference of the passer gave the Tigers the ball on the 4-yard line from where Blunt went over on the first play. Getz made it 21.
Weir Pass Intercepted
The Riders got their first opportunity to score in the opening of the second quarter. James fumbled Wansack’s punt on the 25 and Begola recovered. This marked the nearest the Riders were to scoring. On the first play Begola, on an end around play lost 5 yards with Wallace making the tackle. Januara replaced Wansack and his pass was intercepted on the 20 by Robinson, who behind perfect blocking raced 70 yards before he was hauled down by Januara on the 10-yard line. On three tries Blunt went over from the one-foot line. Getz’s kick went wide.
Penalty Aids Tigers
A few plays after the kickoff the Buckeyes were on their way for the fifth touchdown. James returned Januara’s punt from the 20 to the 38. The Tigers were stopped for the first time and had to kick with Gillom’s punt going over the goal line, but on the play, Gelini was penalized 15 yards for clipping from behind, giving the Tigers the ball on the 44. Pizzino advanced the ball to his 45. James pass to Getz netted 18 yards, putting the ball on the 27. James went through center and reversed his field for the touchdown. Getz’s boot made it 34-0.
With but two second left in the first half, James shovel-passed to Robinson who scored the sixth touchdown while Getz made it five out of six placements and the score at halftime was 41-0.
Second Team Scores
Coach Paul Brown started his second team against the Riders at the start of the third period and they finished the game by scoring once against the Weir regulars in the third period, but were held to a standstill by Hamill’s second team in the closing quarter.
After an exchange of punts, Wansack’s second punt went short as it carried to the 39 opening the way for the only score of the last half. Dick Adams on a reverse gained 15 yards. Bray on an end around play got 5 and Pizzino made it a firstdown on the 7. Bray lost 3 with Kazmerski and Begola stopping him. Adams crashed through the center of the line for the score. Pizzino’s placement was good.
Adams scored once more in the same period, but the touchdown was nulled when one of his teammates clipped Kazmerski from behind. On the play Kazmersaki was hurt and had to be taken from the game.
Grid Sidelights –
Weir Grid Defeat No Surprise To Fans; Band Goes Modernistic
The Weir gridiron defeat was no surprise to the more than 2,500 Weirton fans at Massillon last night, but they were jolted out of their seats by the transformation of the Weir High band into a streamlined, precision-marching organization stripped of its outmoded formality. Well aware of what Massillon’s swing band was to present, the Weir band underwent a complete overhauling within a week’s time and as a result, its appearance yesterday won the acclaim of the entire stadium and was a worthy supplement to the Tiger swingsters. +++++++++++++++ Led by Drum Major Harry Hovista and eight high-stepping, baton-twirling majorettes, the Weir band of 75 executed its letter formations and marched down the field to a faster and livelier tempo than ever before. Both sides of the field gave the band a rousing reception. The waltz to “Repasz Band” was well performed. They also played the W-L Swing and the Weir Pep Song. The band plans novelty maneuvers for future games. Emil Holz received much credit for the excellent performance last night. +++++++++++++++ The Massillon swing band of 64 was unique in its presentation of music, quickened pace and jitterbug dancing on the field to their own accompaniment. The majorettes wielded $25 lighted batons in the blackout scene, one of the highlights of their six-minute halftime, show. The $400 Massillon Tiger impersonated Madame La Zonga and joined in the jiving with the band members and majorettes. One member of the Weir faculty brought along a stopwatch to clock the halftime show, but he became so excited by the music that he forgot to set off the watch. Several from here saw the band last week at Massillon and doubted that so much could be packed within a six-minute time limit, so they took the stopwatch along. +++++++++++++++ The Weirton band will stick to its modernistic trend at games (only), but there’ll be no jitterbugging. +++++++++++++++ Yesterday was a day of superlatives – the best scholastic football team in the country; the best scholastic swing band in the country; the largest football crowd in the country (high school or college); the biggest Weirton crowd ever to leave the city for a football game; the biggest out-of-town crowd ever to come to Massillon (except Dayton) – etc. +++++++++++++++ The Massillon score was the biggest ever made against a Hamill coached team and the second largest in the history of Weir High. The biggest score registered was by Martins Ferry in 1924, 59 to 0, while under Hamill’s tenure the biggest score was 30-0 by the same school in 1936. +++++++++++++++ There were 636 persons aboard the Lions special – 623 adults and 13 children. The crowd was in gay spirits going to and from the game and was not disheartened by the grid reversal. They had expected a Massillon victory and the score predictions ranged generally from 30 to 50 points. Calling the exact score was Virgil “Sammy” Troia, the local movie prodigy who’ll try to crash Hollywood next summer. The only fan to pick Weirton was Louis Levendorf, who has seen as many Weir grid games as any local follower. Louis’ prediction was Weir 6 points and Massillon 0. +++++++++++++++ The attendance on the special train was the largest of any trip sponsored by the Lions. Last year they averaged 500 for each of the Fairmont and Johnstown games and had 320 last week to McKeesport. These trips are sponsored as a service gesture without thought of compensation. +++++++++++++++ The 12-coach train left here on schedule but arrived in Massillon shortly after 8. The walk from the train spur to the stadium was longer than expected and even though the game was held up the excursionists still missed the first touchdown. Sam Wonkovich, however, didn’t miss anything. While the PRR staff was going through its customary slow-motion, dilatory paces, single-filing the crowd through one coach door, Wonkovich eased himself through a window and ran all the way to the stadium. The excursionists were burned up at having to walk after the game from the stadium to the downtown station. The distance was one mile, but to hear the hoofers (who missed the busses) talk it was at least five miles. The train’s departure was held up from 11:00 to 11:30. It arrived in Weirton at 2:30. +++++++++++++++ The train concession was in charge of the Hi-Y club of which Clark Wiley is president. Last week the club made $32 and last night about $70. +++++++++++++++ Massillon will probably get its biggest test on Saturday following Thanksgiving, when the Tigers clash with their traditional rivals from Canton McKinley. The Canton Bulldogs trounced Akron South, 57-12, last night. +++++++++++++++ Last night’s crowd was officially estimated at 17,500, and last week’s at 17,000. The Weirton attendance was the biggest since the modern stadium was dedicated at the start of last season. Some estimates of yesterday’s game were as high as 20,000. But even the 17,500 is more than any college in West Virginia (including WVU) ever drew. +++++++++++++++ The enrollment of Massillon High school is between 1400 and 1500. The Weir High school four-year enrollment is about the same.
History 
Not a lot is known about Stanfield Wells’ time at Massillon, other than he played one year for the Tigers, at left halfback and teamed with his twin brother, Guy, who was on the line. That, after the family had moved in from far away South Dakota. The team was not stellar, finishing 1-5. But after Massillon he played collegiately for the University of Michigan (1909-11) and then professionally for the Akron Indians, the Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Heralds.
Henry Krier played running back during Coach Paul Brown’s first three seasons at Massillon. In 1933 the team finished 8-2, with Krier contributing 12 touchdowns, 11 rushing and one via an interception return. He also kicked 17 points after touchdown.
Tommy James never lost a game during his three years at Massillon, with his teams going 30-0 and winning the state title each year. They also won two national titles. All under Head Coach Paul Brown.
Pokey Blunt was able to experience three state championships and two national champions enroute to a 29-0-1 overall record. He scored nine touchdowns during his junior year, including three against Cleveland Cathedral Latin in a 39-0 victory.
