Massillon Tigers

Did You Know?

• In 1904, the Tigers defeated a club from Marion 148-0; a touchdown counted only five points until 1912.
• In 1906, the Bulldogs and Tigers were involved in a game-rigging scandal that effectively killed both teams—the first major scandal in professional football.

History

The Massillon area had fielded several amateur football teams since the early 1890s, but they often lost to cross-county rival Canton. On September 3, 1903, a group of 35 area businessmen met at the Hotel Sailor in Massillon to form the area's first professional football team. Jack Goodrich, who expected to play halfback, was named manager. Ed J. Stewart, editor of The Evening Independent and a former college player at Western Reserve College and Mount Union College, was appointed coach and later named himself quarterback.

J.J. Wise, the Massillon Clerk of City Council, led a committee to secure funds for a football and jerseys. The only jerseys available in sufficient quantity imitated the orange and black striped attire of the Princeton Tigers, so the team was christened the Tigers. When play began in 1903, several expected starters had not played football in eight or more years; Baldy Wittman, a 32-year-old cigar store proprietor and spare-time police officer, had never played the game.

Charles "Cy" Rigler, later a major league baseball umpire, started at tackle. Wittman opened at end and was elected team captain. The Tigers lost their first game 6-0 to Wooster College, a loss blamed on a biased official. They then defeated Mount Union College 16-0, the Akron Imperials 6-0, the Akron Blues 38-0, and the Dennison Panhandles 34-0.

Betting on games was common; over $1000 was risked on the first game against a sandlot team from Canton, which the Tigers won 16-0.