Sherburn Wightman Sherburne Henry Wightman was a professional American football player - coach in the " Ohio League " , which was the direct predecessor to the modern National Football League . He is best remembered for coach the Massillon Tigers to a Ohio League title in 1906 , over the Canton Bulldogs . which led to accusations of a betting scandal . In 1907 , he coach a version of the Massillon Tigers , called the " All - Massillons " to another Ohio League title . Prior to his professional career , Wightman played at the college level for the Chicago Maroons , under Amos Alonzo Stagg , and Swarthmore College . Massillon Tigers . Wightman was named the coach of the Massillon Tigers in 1906 after E . J . Stewart was promoted to the title of team manager . Wightman ' s first order of business was to replace four of the Tigers players who were a part of the club ' s 1905 Ohio League championship . Quarterback Jack Hayden , tackle Jack Lang , guard Herman Kerchoff , and end Clark Schrontz were all convince to play for the Bulldogs in 1906 by Canton coach Blondy Wallace . Wightman replaced Kerchoff with , an ex - teammate from his playing days at Chicago and Swarthmore , Tiny Maxwell . Meanwhile Ted Nesser and E . P . King were signed to soldify the offensive line . However the biggest signing for Wightman was the signing of Peggy Parratt as the team ' s new quarterback . At the end of the season , Canton and Massillin decided to play a two game home - and - home series to determine the 1906 Ohio League champions . Homer Davidson , who was considered the best kicker of the era was also signed by Wightman for the game , just in case Massillon needed a field goal or extra point . Under the rules of the series , the winners of game 2 would be the league champs . The first game went to Canton by a score of 10 - 5 . However , Massillon won the rematch 13 - 6 and was named the Ohio League ' s 1906 champions . Scandal . After the series was over , both teams and their fans heard rumours that the second game of the series was fixed . One story suggested that Canton players had bet large amounts of money on themselves to win , while approaching the Massillon players and asking them to throw the game in exchange for a share of Canton ' s winnings . However Wightman was accused of being behind the scandal by Massillon end , Walter East . As proof that Wightman was at the root of the fix attempt , East furnished the " Akron Beacon - Journal " a copy of a contract in which Wightman agreed to have the November 16 game thrown for $ 4 , 000 . It was signed by East , John T . Windsor , one of the owners of the Akron Giants baseball team , and Wightman . After reading East ' s charges , Wightman gave an interview to " The Plain Dealer " in which he stated : " Anything and everything I did in conjunction with East and Windsor was done in accordance with instruction from Manager Stewart and the backers of the Massillon team . When East first came to me with his scheme I reported his proposition to my employers and they told me to go ahead with it and see to what lengths East would go . Consequently , I strung them along until I had the signatures of East and Windsor down on paper . When that was done East was released , and it was seen that we had gold - bricked them . Consequently the great plunging of the first game on the part of the bettors did not take place . East ' s statement does not worry me in the least , for I am innocent of any attempt to pull off any dishonesty . " E . J Stewart backed - up Wightman ' s statement . Meanwhile Dr . Harry March stated in his 1934 a book called " " , which documented the scandal , that Wallace persuaded a Canton player to deliberately throw the game . Wallace later filed a libel lawsuit against the Stewart and his newspaper , the " Massillon Independent " for $ 25 , 000 . The case was settle out of court . The scandal still remains a mystery to this day and was said to have ruined professional football in Ohio until the mid 1910s . However some historians argue that the expense of placing all - star teams on the field each week , also put a hamper on the sport . The Canton Morning News put a $ 20 , 000 price tag on the Massillon Tigers 1906 team , while many speculate that the Bulldogs probably cost even more . " All - Massillons " . The Tigers reorganized into the " All - Massillons " in 1907 , after which professional football in Massillon effectively stopped . The team was made up of many of the former Tigers players and was coached and managed by Wightman . The team defeated the Columbus Panhandles , with the Nesser Brothers in the line - up , 13 - 4 , and celebrated its fifth consecutive state championship . Because of that game ' s importance , Massillon brought in two ringers , Peggy Parratt and Bob Shiring . The next season Wightman and several ex - Massillom players traveled to Canal Dover and played for the Dover Giants . While the Giants had never been a major factor in the " Ohio League " , the transfusion of the ex - Tigers players instantly made them a powerhouse . The Giants claimed the 1908 state championship at the end of the season , however the claim received little support outside of Dover since they played a weak schedule .