1906day.year
A 13–6 victory by the Massillon Tigers over their rivals, the Canton Bulldogs, for the "Ohio League" Championship, leads to accusations that the championship series was fixed and results in the first major scandal in professional American football.
In 1906, accusations of a fixed championship following the Ohio League’s title game between the Massillon Tigers and Canton Bulldogs sparked the first major scandal in professional American football.
On November 24, 1906, the Massillon Tigers defeated the Canton Bulldogs 13–6 to claim the Ohio League championship. Almost immediately, rumors circulated that the series outcome had been predetermined by team owners and players. The scandal tarnished the reputation of early professional football and led to the temporary collapse of the Ohio League. Investigations failed to produce definitive proof, but public trust in the sport was shaken. This controversy marked the first major integrity crisis in American professional football history and highlighted the need for formalized regulations.
1906
Massillon Tigers
Canton Bulldogs
Ohio League
fixed
the first major scandal
American football