Remembering the Youngstown City Series and Steel Valley Conference

falcons53 said:
I don't know if he still does, but for a long time Bob Roth held the Fitch single season rushing record and record for rushing as a junior. I suspect his single season record was broken, but he may still hold the junior year record.
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I was told that Bob Roth had offers from OSU & Michigan but he had some physical problems with his ankles and/or knees that did not allow him to play at the next level.

In 1963 Struthers, led by second-year HC Bob Commings, won their first outright SVC title. The Wildcats shared the 1951 title with Campbell. The 63 Cats had a 12-12 tie with East and lost 22-6 to Wilson. The Redmen gave the SVC teams they played some problems in the early to mid 60s. Struthers was also absolutely hammered by Massillon but they were undefeated in SVC play.

Struthers opened the season with a 22-8 win over Cleveland South. The Flyers were coached by former Struthers & Indiana U. gridder John Gentile. The Cats defeated a previously undefeated Fitch team, 12-6, in week 5 when they scored the winning TD on a 13-yard TD toss from QB Ron Hudoba to Jack Lawn with 49 seconds left in the game.

1963 Struthers.PNG


1963 STRUTHERS
CLEVELAND SOUTH W 22-8
EAST T 12-12
BROOKFIELD W 28-6
GIRARD W 12-6
FITCH W 12-6
WILSON L 6-22
Massillon L 0-74
HUBBARD W 28-8
BOARDMAN W 8-6
CAMPBELL W 26-0
7-2-16-0 SVC

1963 All-SVC Football Team Pic Offense.PNG


1963 All-SVC Football Team Pic Defense.PNG


1963 All-SVC Football Team Text.PNG


College players I know of:

1st team:

End - Jack Lawn - Struthers - Miami (O)
C - Paul D'Eramo - Fitch - Michigan
HB - Russ Hake - Girard - jr. - Murray St.
HB - Tom Macejko - Struthers - Cincinnati
Defense - Bob Babich - Campbell - jr. - Miami (O) (more in 64)
Defense - Mike Bugar - Fitch - Florida St.
Defense - Ed Soltis - Fitch - OSU

I remember an article in the Vindy prior to the 1967 Gator Bowl when Penn St. played Florida St. because former All-City players Rich Buzin and Bill Lenkaitis were with the Nittany Lions and former ALL-SVC player Mike Bugar was with Florida St. Ron Pavlechko, another All-SVC player from Fitch was a freshman at Penn St. that year. The game ended in a 17-17 tie after Penn St. jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead.

2nd team:

OG - Dan Deramo - Girard - Heidelberg
OG - Rich Shepard - Hubbard - Mt. Union
C - George Lancaster - Struthers - Michigan
HB - Rudy Hubbard - Hubbard - OSU (the link BCSisdead posted above provides a lot of info on the College Football HOF member.)
HB - Tom Franklin - Gurard - jr. - YSU
Defense - Mike Cverko - Campbell - Northwestern (Followed his brothers Andy & Jack to NW)
Defense - Frank Latell -- Girard - jr. - Louisville

There was a strong Valley presence in the Ohio St. backfield in the 60s. From 1961-63 Paul Warfield of Warren Harding was the starting LH for the Buckeyes. From 64-66 Bo Rein of Niles was the starting RH. In 66 Rudy Hubbard joined Bo Rein in the starting backfield at LH and in 67 Mr. Hubbard and Dave Brungard of Chaney were the starting HBs for the Buckeyes.
 
On that 1963 Struthers team I counted 53 players ~ that was an era when varsity was usually only sophomores, juniors, and seniors; and of course that was during the Mahoning Valley's heyday of full employment, economic prosperity, and near the top of the population numbers. I'd guess a school of Struthers size today would have a varsity football team, including freshmen, of somewhere around 40 players.

Funny that the Vindicator misspelled Bob Babich's name twice, both in the box and in the cutline below the photo. :oops:

And except for Babich's Campbell, why did all the teams have very similar uniforms with the double shoulder stripes ?
 
Yes, for these old decades the kids were predictably smaller....but we don't see as many college players like that anymore.
 
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invader03 said:
You have to love the weights of the guards, center and tackles in all star team above. 190, 205, 195 . Its crazy how much football has changed.
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We had a couple guys in my class that were 135, 140ish, who were tough as nails. Larry Gentile and Ray Janecko were people you just didn't mess with. Opponents used to fear Ray in particular, because if he hit you, you knew it. Bad SOB's. What they lacked in size, they more than made up for in sheer strength and determination.
Teams were much more physically fit and disciplined back then. I think the whole area was like that.
 
Absolutely nothing to do with the City or the SVC but since we're in the 60's here I was banging around a bit and discovered that Alliance played an 11 game schedule in 1960-1961-and 1962. I was surprised to see that. Anyhow, they went 27-5-1 against some really solid teams, and scored 50+ points 6 times, 40+ points 6 times, and 70+ once. Two losses and the tie were to Niles who (if I counted correctly) was in the midst of a 48 game unbeaten streak that ran from '59 to '64.

End of hijack.
 
Under first year HC Sloko Gill, a Campbell legend and the first YSU player to play in the NFL, the Red Devils of Campbell Memorial won the 1964 SVC title, their 7th and last SVC title. The Devils went from worst to first as they finished last in the SVC in 1963 with a 0-6 league mark and 1-9 overall. Girard finished with the best overall record in the League at 8-2, which included a 34-0 victory over Steubenville in week one and they also beat Campbell. However both of their losses were SVC games, to Struthers and Fitch, dropping them into a tie with Struthers for 2nd behind Campbell's 5-1 SVC mark.

1964 Campbell Football Team.PNG


1964 CAMPBELL
FARRELL, PA. T 7-7
CHANEY L 12-20
BOARDMAN W 22-8
HUBBARD W 8-6
BROOKFIELD W 16-0
SOUTH L 6-22
FITCH W 14-0
GIRARD L 0-6
EAST W 24-6
STRUTHERS W 20-6
6-3-15-1 SVC

1964 All-SVC Football Team.jpg


All-SVC offense and defense first and 2nd teams. College listed in parentheses:

Offense 1st team:

End - Dan Mushrush - Girard
End - Jim Phillips - Hubbard - Jr.
OT - Mark McCann - Struthers - (Louisville)
OT - Robert Basciglia - Fitch
OG - Richard Watts - Girard
OG - Phil Ciufo - Hubbard
C - Ralph Sandine - Struthers - (YSU)
C - Rich Patterson - Boardman
QB - Ron Schuster - Campbell
HB - Russ Hake - Girard - (Murray St.)
HB - Tom Franklin - Girard - (YSU)
FB - Dan Brown - Hubbard

2nd team:

End - Bob Stockman - Boardman - (Rutgers)
End - Ted Kurz - Struthers - Jr. - (OSU)
OT - Jim McCallen - Hubbard
OT - Mickey Nester - Campbell
OG - Dave Gura - Struthers - Jr. - (Ohio U.)
OG - Ed Bezilla - Fitch
C - Bill Billichick - Hubbard
QB - Greg Lookabaugh - Struthers
HB - Rocky Yeropoli - Campbell - (Mt. Union)
HB - Ralph Baker - Brookfield
FB - Leroy Currie - Brookfield

Defense 1st team:

Robert Yakabov - Campbell
Robert Nimcik - Fitch
Ron Spruill - Brookfield
Robert Getch - Fitch - (Louisville)
Frank Latell - Girard - (Louisville)
Bob Babich - Campbell - (Miami (O)) - Chargers and Browns

Speaking of the size of the players in the 60s. Bob Babich was listed on the Campbell roster as 6'2" and 208 lbs. as a Sr. That was a big LB in HS in 1964. He made tackles all over the field as he was as fast as the RBs he played against. Mr. Babich was recruited by most of the major schools but he chose to play for Bo Schembechler at Miami (O). Bob Babich was an All-American at Miami and is a member of the College Football HOF. He was a first round draft choice (#18 overall) of the San Diego Chargers. He spent 3 seasons in SD and then 6 seasons with the Browns.

2nd team:

Bill Bonti - Boardman
Dale Jordan - Hubbard
Jim Gentile - Struthers - Jr. - (OSU)
Ken Gresko - Campbell - Jr. - (YSU)
Howard Mayer - Hubbard - Jr.
Ed Hearrell - Fitch
 
In 1965 Struthers and Boardman shared the SVC title. I attended their showdown in week 9 of that season at Struthers. Boardman came in at 8-0 and Struthers at 6-1-1. The place was packed. The Wildcats made a short TD run by QB Vince Suber in the 1st quarter stand up for a 6-0 win. Struthers had to defeat Campbell the next week to share the title, which they did 20-8 to finish at 8-1-1 overall and 5-1 in the SVC. The Spartans finished at 8-1, 5-1.

The entire 1965 Wildcats backfield plus their TE went on to play in the Big 10, including three members of OSU's 1968 National Championship team. They also had two OL go on to D1 schools but despite all that talent they could only manage a 6-6 tie with Wilson, a team that finished the season with a 1-7-1 mark. As I posted above the Redmen of the early 60s gave the SVC teams they played a lot more trouble than one would expect based on their final won-loss record in those seasons. On the opposite end of the Spectrum for Struthers, in the 10 seasons from 1964-1973, the Cats posted an 8-1-1 record against Alliance.



1965 Struthers.PNG


1965 STRUTHERS
ALLIANCE W 12-8
EAST W 14-0
BROOKFIELD W 56-0
GIRARD W 20-14
FITCH L 16-18
WILSON T 6-6
AKRON HOBAN W 20-0
HUBBARD W 22-8
BOARDMAN W 6-0
CAMPBELL W 20-8
8-1-15-1 SVC

1965 Boardman.PNG


1965 BOARDMAN
FITCH W 26-6
SOUTH W 20-8
CAMPBELL W 24-8
BROOKFIELD W 36-0
GIRARD W 40-0
RAYEN W 14-9
HUBBARD W 30-22
SALEM W 26-6
STRUTHERS L 0-6
8-15-1 SVC

1965 All-SVC Football Team Offense.PNG


1965 All-Svc Football Team Defense.PNG


1965 All-SVC Football Team Text.PNG


College players I know of:

Offense 1st team:

End - Ted Kurz - Struthers - OSU
OT - Frank Pirone - Struthers - Cincinnati
OG - Dave Gura - Struthers - Ohio U.
QB - Larry Tracy - Boardman - Kent St. & Arizona U.
HB - Joe Magliocca - Fitch - YSU
HB - Ron Lawn - Struthers - Purdue
FB - Jim Gentile - Struthers - OSU

Offense 2nd team:

End - John Gibson - Jr. - Thiel
FB - Joe Salpietra - Boardman - Mt. Union

Defense:

Ken Gresko - Campbell - YSU
Vince Suber - Struthers - Jr. - OSU (a little more in 66)
 
Ralph Sandine from the 1964 team later coached football&basketball at St.Dom's. On the bball end he provided Mooney with alot of fundamentally sound players. I am grateful he coached me even though had practice wearing a mitten on my left hand:) . Don't think the 8:30 to 12:30 saturday morning practices would go over too well today.
 
Georgia30 said:
Ralph Sandine from the 1964 team later coached football&basketball at St.Dom's. On the bball end he provided Mooney with alot of fundamentally sound players. I am grateful he coached me even though had practice wearing a mitten on my left hand:) . Don't think the 8:30 to 12:30 saturday morning practices would go over too well today.
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Why the mitten?
 
Mustve been a heckuva backfield in 63 to drop Rudy Hubbard from 1st team his Sophomore and Junior years to 2nd team his Senior year!
 
The mitten forced me to develop my "weak" hand. Definitely worked,used it with son. My pet peeve watching high school ball nowadays is refusing to using weak hand on a simple layup. Now back to football talk,sorry.
 
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Scipio said:
Have you ever thought about publishing or converting all your information for future usage?
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I think I'm doing a bit of that here. The SVC stuff I have been posting are from the book I put together on the SVC. Basically it is set up as a large scrapbook. In addition to what I have posted for each season above all the microfilm game write-ups of the league champion are included for each season. The example below, which is for the 1966 season, is an example of what each season looks like. It includes the league standings and results for each team, All-SVC teams, pictures, etc. I also include a quite a bit more detail in the write up at the beginning of each season than I have been here. You also don't see any bleed through from one page to the next in the book. That is a result of scanning two-sided pages. Anyway:


The 1966 season saw Hubbard win the SVC crown led by QB Gary Brown, RB Charles Cherry and Jr. FB Jeff Axel. It was Hubbard's first and only outright SVC football title. The Eagles lost to a very good Farrell, Pa. team in week one and then ran the table to finish at 8-1. Farrell featured RBs Adrian Capitol and Hugh McInnis, both had great speed. Mr. Capitol won state championships in the 100 & 220 while at Farrell. He went on to Alcorn State where he played football and ran track. He is a member of their HOF. Mr. McKinnis went to Arizona St and played for the Browns and Seahawks in the NFL.

It turned out that the SVC race was really determined in week three when Hubbard defeated Fitch, 8-0. Charles Cherry scored the lone TD on a 7-yard run in the first quarter and the Eagle defense stopped the Falcons on the Hubbard 9-yard line as the game ended to preserve the victory.


1966 SVC Standings.jpg

1966 SVC Standings B.PNG

1966 All-SVC Football Team Text.PNG


1966 All-SVC Football Team Offense.PNG


1966 All-SVC Football Team Defense.PNG


1966 All-SVC Team Text B.PNG


1966 Hubbard.PNG


1966 Hubbard b.PNG


All the game write-ups and other pictures of coaching staffs, individual players and team photos follow. Each season uses this format. The quality of the write-ups and pictures from the microfilm obviously depends on the quality of the microfilm. Pictures from programs, yearbooks, etc. are of much higher quality.

1966 Hubbard Coaching Staff.PNG
 
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Some interesting stuff, or not:)......................In that Team photo just above the Coaching Staff photo you'll see Charles Fisher in the bottom row. He still holds the Hubbard Basketball record for Most Points Scored in a Game (47) from the 67-68 season.

Hubbard HC John Brideweser played QB at Purdue. He was the back-up, the starter was Lenny Dawson.

Brideweser won a SVC Championship (Hubbard) and a Federal League Championship (Canton Oakwood). Don't know of any others that could 'make that claim" (my words)..........and also won an AAC Championship (or two) at Canton McKinley. Ed Glass won an ACC at Harding and a FED at Hoover, but no SVC championship. Any others???

I'd be bogus if I didn't include Bob Commings here. He won a bunch of SVC's and AAC's at Struthers and Massillon. 👍 Looking forward to the next two All SVC teams that are coming, and the info and discussion.

One last thing regarding Brideweser. I noticed that a couple times at Canton McKinley he went 9-1 playing THAT schedule and didn't make the playoffs. SMH, wow.
 
Gardens35 said:
Some interesting stuff, or not:)......................In that Team photo just above the Coaching Staff photo you'll see Charles Fisher in the bottom row. He still holds the Hubbard Basketball record for Most Points Scored in a Game (47) from the 67-68 season.

Hubbard HC John Brideweser played QB at Purdue. He was the back-up, the starter was Lenny Dawson.

Brideweser won a SVC Championship (Hubbard) and a Federal League Championship (Canton Oakwood). Don't know of any others that could 'make that claim" (my words)..........and also won an AAC Championship (or two) at Canton McKinley. Ed Glass won an ACC at Harding and a FED at Hoover, but no SVC championship. Any others???

I'd be bogus if I didn't include Bob Commings here. He won a bunch of SVC's and AAC's at Struthers and Massillon. 👍 Looking forward to the next two All SVC teams that are coming, and the info and discussion.

One last thing regarding Brideweser. I noticed that a couple times at Canton McKinley he went 9-1 playing THAT schedule and didn't make the playoffs. SMH, wow.
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Don't forget that Bob Commings ended up at GlenOak. I think he won a Fed title there. I believe he was their HC when they qualified for the playoffs the first time in 1985. Brideweser did take McK to the AAA title game in 1977.
 
A minor point… I believe the wins those teams had against WWR were against their very first football team? Basically a JV team at that time. Soon to be a state power.
 
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YTOWN said:
I think I'm doing a bit of that here. The SVC stuff I have been posting are from the book I put together on the SVC. Basically it is set up as a large scrapbook. In addition to what I have posted for each season above all the microfilm game write-ups of the league champion are included for each season. The example below, which is for the 1966 season, is an example of what each season looks like. It includes the league standings and results for each team, All-SVC teams, pictures, etc. I also include a quite a bit more detail in the write up at the beginning of each season than I have been here. You also don't see any bleed through from one page to the next in the book. That is a result of scanning two-sided pages. Anyway:
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That’s great. You should consider writing down the anecdotes and memories in your head also.

(About Ohio football, not the voices)
 
Scipio said:
To be fair, I believe the wins those teams had against WWR were against their very first football team? Basically a JV team at that time. Soon to be a state power.
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I'm not knocking your post at all, but didn't that first WWR team have a whole bunch of experienced west siders that played for Harding the year/s before?
 
Gardens35 said:
I'm not knocking your post at all, but didn't that first WWR team have a whole bunch of experienced west siders that played for Harding the year/s before?
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You may be right. I don't recall all the details but my father was very close to the program and I remember him talking about how many more kids came out for football once the split occurred. It would be a long time before they had that many losses in one season again.
 
Oh, one more (un)interesting fun fact about that '66 Hubbard team. The starting backfield wore Jerseys numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Life was less complicated back then. :cool:
 
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