TIGERS vs BULLDOGS: Origins of a Historic Rivalry

Spanning the course of nearly twenty years in the early 1900s, professional football reigned supreme in Stark County. Massillon and Canton fielded powerhouse teams, bringing forth the best players money could buy and presenting stunning shows for thousands of spectators. The day of “The Game” was anticipated by crowds who attended to cheer on their teams, dressed to impress with pins and ribbons in orange and red. These teams would influence the local high school players, each of whom would adopt the former’s monikers as their mascots and continue the yearly tradition of battling for the championship. A rivalry for the ages, meetings between the Massillon Tigers and Canton Bulldogs are symbolic of Friday nights under the lights.