History of Ohio high school football now featured with artifacts in Canton
Artifacts
Published on : 11/9/2023
In the 130-plus years of high school football in Ohio, a plethora of talent has passed through playing fields across the state.
The first high school football game in Ohio, played between the oldest public high school in the state, Cleveland’s Central High School, and Cleveland’s University School, took place on Oct. 25, 1890.
With this year’s Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Football State Championships set to take place from Thursday, Nov. 30, through Saturday, Dec. 2, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the Pro Football Hall of Fame now features a display with artifacts from the history of high school football in Ohio.
Artifacts from Hall of Famers PAUL BROWN, ORLANDO PACE, ALAN PAGE and CHARLES WOODSON will be featured in the display, along with pieces from Massillon and Canton McKinley High Schools. One of the oldest high school football rivalries in the country, the Massillon and McKinley series dates back to 1894, with over 130 games played.
• 1938 Massillon Tigers vs. McKinley Bulldogs game program
• 1939 McKinley High School yearbook
• Paul Brown’s hat
• Orlando Pace’s 1993 “Hitter of the Year Award” from Sandusky High School
• Alan Page’s game-worn Central Catholic jersey
• Alan Page’s book, “All Rise: The Remarkable Journey of Alan Page”
• Charles Woodson’s game-worn Fremont Ross High school jersey
The new display, located in the “Temporary Exhibit Gallery” in the front of the Hall, will be featured until early December.
A total of 28 Hall of Famers attended high school in Ohio, including two that attended the same school, in BOB BROWN and BENNY FRIEDMAN at East Tech High School in Cleveland:
The Ohio high school football season culminates in a battle for seven division championships to be contested at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Learn more about the games and how to get tickets here.
The first high school football game in Ohio, played between the oldest public high school in the state, Cleveland’s Central High School, and Cleveland’s University School, took place on Oct. 25, 1890.
With this year’s Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Football State Championships set to take place from Thursday, Nov. 30, through Saturday, Dec. 2, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, the Pro Football Hall of Fame now features a display with artifacts from the history of high school football in Ohio.
Artifacts from Hall of Famers PAUL BROWN, ORLANDO PACE, ALAN PAGE and CHARLES WOODSON will be featured in the display, along with pieces from Massillon and Canton McKinley High Schools. One of the oldest high school football rivalries in the country, the Massillon and McKinley series dates back to 1894, with over 130 games played.
• 1938 Massillon Tigers vs. McKinley Bulldogs game program
• 1939 McKinley High School yearbook
• Paul Brown’s hat
• Orlando Pace’s 1993 “Hitter of the Year Award” from Sandusky High School
• Alan Page’s game-worn Central Catholic jersey
• Alan Page’s book, “All Rise: The Remarkable Journey of Alan Page”
• Charles Woodson’s game-worn Fremont Ross High school jersey
The new display, located in the “Temporary Exhibit Gallery” in the front of the Hall, will be featured until early December.
A total of 28 Hall of Famers attended high school in Ohio, including two that attended the same school, in BOB BROWN and BENNY FRIEDMAN at East Tech High School in Cleveland:
- CLIFF BATTLES – Kenmore (Akron)
- BOB BROWN – East Tech (Cleveland)
- PAUL BROWN – Massillon
- CRIS CARTER – Middletown
- LARRY CSONKA – Stow
- LEN DAWSON – Alliance
- EDWARD J. DEBARTOLO JR. – Cardinal Mooney (Youngstown)
- DAN DIERDORF – Glenwood (Canton)
- BENNY FRIEDMAN – East Tech, Glenville (Cleveland)
- LOU GROZA – Martins Ferry
- WILBUR (PETE) HENRY – Mansfield
- CLARKE HINKLE – Toronto
- JACK LAMBERT – Crestwood (Mantua)
- DANTE LAVELLI – Hudson
- DICK LEBEAU – London
- TOM MACK – Cleveland Heights
- GEORGE McAFEE – Ironton
- AUGUST (MIKE) MICHALSKE – West (Cleveland)
- MARION MOTLEY – McKinley (Canton)
- CHUCK NOLL – Benedictine (Cleveland)
- ORLANDO PACE – Sandusky
- ALAN PAGE – Central Catholic (Canton)
- JIM PARKER – Macon (Ga.), Scott (Toledo)
- DON SHULA – Harvey (Painesville)
- ROGER STAUBACH – Purcell (Cincinnati)
- PAUL WARFIELD – Warren G. Harding (Warren)
- BILL WILLIS – East (Columbus)
- CHARLES WOODSON – Ross (Fremont)
2023 OHSAA Football State Championships at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
The Ohio high school football season culminates in a battle for seven division championships to be contested at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Learn more about the games and how to get tickets here.
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