Connect with us

Sports

Cy Rigler to be Inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions

Cy Rigler to be Inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions  The Massillon Football Booster Club is proud to announce that Charles Cyrus “Cy” Rigler will be inducted this year into the “Massillon Wall of Champions.”  The formal ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Club’s Reverse Raffle event, which is scheduled for July […]

Published

on

Cy Rigler to be Inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions

Cy Rigler to be Inducted into the Massillon Wall of Champions

 The Massillon Football Booster Club is proud to announce that Charles Cyrus “Cy” Rigler will be inducted this year into the “Massillon Wall of Champions.”  The formal ceremony will be held in conjunction with the Club’s Reverse Raffle event, which is scheduled for July 17, 2025, at the Eagles 190.

The Wall of Champions is reserved for Massillon grads who played a varsity sport and then went on to accomplish something remarkable later in life.  And no one meets that criterion better than Cy Rigler, who found his calling in professional baseball’s National League, where he spent thirty years umpiring games.

Rigler was born on May 16, 1882, in Massillon, Ohio, as the son a German immigrant fireman.  In 1899, now as a high school senior, he had an opportunity to join the Massillon High football team, which was re-forming after a 2-year hiatus.  Since he was one of the larger players in the team, his position was better suited for the offensive and defensive lines.  Massillon finished 3-3-1 that year with a squad comprised of just fourteen players.

1899 Massillon Football Team.  Rigler is shown at the far right of the second row.

After graduation, Rigler made his way into semipro baseball.  However, in 1903 he returned to the gridiron, this time playing right tackle for the Massillon Tigers professional team.  But a knee injury shortly into it curtailed that phase of his career.  Only, that was not the end of sports for Cy.

Due to his enormous size, now standing 6-foot tall and weighing 270 pounds, Rigler was asked to umpire industrial league baseball games in order to quell the frequent fights.  He enjoyed umpiring so much that in 1904 he parlayed that experience into a similar position in the Central League of minor league baseball.  It was there that he invented the call sign for a strike that is used by all umpires today; i.e., raising his right arm following the pitch.  It came in 1905 during a game in Evansville, Indiana.

His stint in the minor leagues lasted just two years, before he was promoted to the majors as a National League umpire.  He worked his first game (Brooklyn Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs) on September 27, 1906, at age 24, thereby becoming the youngest umpire in Major League history.  He remained there for thirty years (1906 thru 1935), umpiring 4,144 regular season games, a mark that was ranked fourth all-time when he retired.  He was also behind the plate for 2,468 of those games.  So well respected was Rigler, that he was also selected to umpire in ten different World Series, involving 65 games.  He also umpired in the first All-Star Game, in 1933.  Rigler’s last outing was on September 29, 1935.  Following the season. he was placed on the supervisory staff of the National League and named Chief of Umpires.  But unfortunately, he passed away before he could assume the role.

As an umpire, Rigler is remembered for calling a controversial catch in the 1925 World Series.  Earl Smith had hit a fly ball to the right field corner and Sam Rice caught the ball, but fell into the bleachers on the play.  Nevertheless, Rigler ruled that Rice had secured the ball and thus called Smith out.  But the debate of whether or not he really did catch the ball continued for the next fifty years, until Rice, upon his death bed, confirmed that he had in fact caught the ball.  So, Rigler had made the right call after all.

He was considered as a very fair umpire and rarely needed to argue with either a coach or a player.  But there was one particular exception in 1915 when he overruled another umpire’s call involving Reds’ Tommie Leach, who was caught off second base as the victim of a hidden-ball trick.  The field umpire called Leach safe.  Only Rigler, who from behind home plate had a better view of the play, called him out.  Reds’ manager Buck Herzog quickly left the bench and approached Rigler to argue, shoving Cy in his chest protector and spiking his foot.  So Rigler responded by putting Herzog on the ground with a single punch to the left eye.  That set off a riot involving both players and fans, necessitating a dozen policemen to restore order.  At the end of the day, both combatants found themselves in St. Louis Police Court and were fined $5.00 each.

In a few unusual feats:

  • He was once wired to the stadium microphones so that fans could hear his calls of balls and strikes.
  • In the initial days of major league baseball, the league commonly employed just a single umpire.
  • Rigler was behind the plate when Chicago beat Philadelphia 26-23, the highest-scoring game in major league history.
  • He was the umpire when the opposing pitchers in a Cincinnati vs. Chicago game pitched nine innings of no-hit baseball.

In the offseason Rigler would return home to North East, Pennsylvania, where he remained quite active.  Some of his gigs included the following:

  • Policeman
  • Fireman
  • Golf course maintenance worker
  • Machinist
  • Supervisor in the gas and oil fields for a subsidiary of Standard Oil Co.
  • Ballpark designer (including Cuba, Latin America and the one at the University of Virginia)
  • Assistant baseball coach at the University of Virginia
  • Athletic advisor to several colleges and universities

He also found time to work on a law degree and dabble in his vineyard.

Rigler died on December 21, 1935, in Philadelphia at age 53, two weeks after surgery for a brain tumor, leaving his wife Nellie and two stepchildren from Nellie’s previous marriage.  But his body was subsequently returned to his roots to be buried in Massillon Cemetery.

Congratulations to Charles “Cy” Rigler and his later descendants.

Special thanks to Frank Cicchinelli for discovering Cy Rigler.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Asaah Wraps Competition at NCAA Outdoor T&F Championships

Story Links EUGENE, Ore. – Penn junior Angeludi Asaah wrapped up competition on Saturday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing 23rd in the women’s discus.  Asaah earned Honorable Mention All-America honors recording a second round mark of 50.33m (165′ 1″).  NCAA Outdoor Championships Eugene, Ore.  June 14 Penn Women – […]

Published

on


EUGENE, Ore. – Penn junior Angeludi Asaah wrapped up competition on Saturday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, finishing 23rd in the women’s discus. 

Asaah earned Honorable Mention All-America honors recording a second round mark of 50.33m (165′ 1″). 

NCAA Outdoor Championships

Eugene, Ore. 

June 14

Penn Women – Results

Discus

23. Angeludi Asaah – 50.33m (165′ 1″) *Honorable Mention All-American 



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

American Athletes Wrap Up 2025 NCAA Track & Field Championship; South Florida Captures Men’s 4×400 National Title

Story Links EUGENE, Ore. – American Athletic Conference track & field athletes wrapped up competition at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday with 11 student-athletes earning First Team All-American honors, including the South Florida Bulls 4×400 relay team winning the national championship in the event.   The […]

Published

on


EUGENE, Ore.  American Athletic Conference track & field athletes wrapped up competition at the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday with 11 student-athletes earning First Team All-American honors, including the South Florida Bulls 4×400 relay team winning the national championship in the event.
 
The South Florida Bulls finished with ten First Team All-Americans in the championships, which included the first 4×400 relay winning the programs first national title. The team of Devontie Archer, Alexavier Monfries, Corey Ottey and Cabriel Moronta delivered the win with a time of 3:00.42. The Bulls become the first American team to win the national title in the 4×400 relay.
 

“This is a monumental moment for our program and these young men earned every bit of it,” said USF Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Erik Jenkins. “They ran with heart, poise and purpose on the biggest stage in collegiate track and field. To bring home our first national title and place among the nation’s top teams is a testament to the commitment and character of our entire group.”
 
The Bulls’ 4×100 relay team all captured first team honors, placing fourth place with a time of 38.73 seconds feature the team of Shomari Pettigrew, Jaleel Croal, Monfries and Abdul-Rasheed Saminu. Saminu added a second first-team honor in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.55 seconds.
 
In field events, Vincent Ugwoke earned First-Team All-American honors with a seventh-place finish in the discus throw, recording a mark of 60.58 meters (198-9).
 
Overall, South Florida totaled 18 points to finish 14th in the final team standings.
 
Rice’s McKyla Van Der Westhuizen earned the final First-Team All-American honor with a seventh place finish in women’s javelin, with a mark of 56.65 meters.
 
East Carolina
Kelly Ufodiama (W)
    100m – 22nd place, 11.41 (Honorable Mention All-American)
    200m – 11th place, 22.61 (Second Team All-American)
 
Memphis
Gabriel Koletsi (M), Javelin – 18th Place, 65.69m (Honorable Mention All-American)
 
Rice
Jack Greaves (M), Javelin – 16th Place, 67.38m (Second Team All-American)
Alice Taylor (W) – High Jump – 23rd place, 1.74m (Honorable Mention All-American)
McKyla Van Der Westhuizen (W), Javelin – 7th place, 56.65m (First Team All-American)
 
South Florida
Jaleel Croal (M)
    100m – 23rd place, 10.38 (Honorable Mention All-American)
    200m – 15th place, 20.58 (Second Team All-American)
    4×100 relay – 4th place, 38.12 (First Team All-American)
Nathan Metelus (M), 4×400 relay – 1st place, 3:00.42 (First Team All-American)
Alexavier Monfries (M)
    4x100m relay– 4thplace, 38.12 (First Team All-American)
    4×400 relay – 1st place, 3:00.42 (First Team All-American)
Gabriel Moronta (M)
    400m – DQ
    4×400 relay – 1st place, 3:00.42 (First Team All-American)
Corey Ottey (M), 4×400 relay – 1st place, 3:00.42 (First Team All-American)
Shomari Pettigrew (M), 4×100 relay – 4th place, 38.12 (First Team All-American)
Abdul-Rasheed Saminu (M)
    100m – 10th place, 10.11 (Second Team All-American)
    200m – 8th place, 20.55 (First Team All-American)
    4x100m relay– 4th place, 38.12 (First Team All-American)
Vincent Ugwoke (M), Discus – 7th place, 60.58m (First Team All-American)
 
Tulane
Bernard Cheruiyot (M), 10,000m – 18th place, 29:24.80 (Honorable Mention All-American)
Silas Kiptanui (M), 3000m Steeplechase – 10th place, 8:32.20 (Second Team All-American)
 
UTSA
Mia Lien (W), Heptathlon – 13th place, 5,648 points (Second Team All-American)
Hugo Menin (M), 400mH – 17th place, 50.98 (Honorable Mention All-American)
Rachela Pace (W), Triple Jump – 16th place, 12.92m (Second Team All-American)
 
Wichita State
Joakim Genereux (M), 4×400 relay – 23rd place, 3:10.61 (Honorable Mention All-American)
Yared Kidane (M)
    800m – 10th place, 1:46.86 (Second Team All-American)
    4×400 relay – 23rd place, 3:10.61 (Honorable Mention All-American)
Destiny Masters (W), Heptathlon – 10th place, 5,763 points (Second Team All-American)
Jason Parrish (M)
    400mH – 10th place, 50.24 (Second Team All-American)
    4×400 relay – 23rd place, 3:10.61 (Honorable Mention All-American)
Josh Parrish (M)
    110mH – 19th place, 13.68 (Honorable Mention All-American)
    4×400 relay – 23rd place, 3:10.61 (Honorable Mention All-American)
 



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Water polo players fall short at the start of the World Cup

The start of the World Championship was not good for young Montenegrin water polo players. Our U20 selection opened the planetary championship in Zagreb with a convincing defeat to Hungary – it was 18:10. The question of the winner was not raised since halftime, as the Hungarians, with a furious game in the second half […]

Published

on


The start of the World Championship was not good for young Montenegrin water polo players. Our U20 selection opened the planetary championship in Zagreb with a convincing defeat to Hungary – it was 18:10.

The question of the winner was not raised since halftime, as the Hungarians, with a furious game in the second half of the second quarter, escaped to an unattainable 11:5…

The opening half was goal for goal, with Montenegro taking the lead through Srđan Janović in a man-up attack. It was then 2:1 and 3:2 for Aleksandar Aleksić’s team, who allowed their rival to take a 3:0 series to reach plus two (5:3).

Janović later reduced the score to 5:4 and it was the last moment in which our national team was in the game, as Hungary reached a 10:4 lead in three and a half minutes. The rival had the biggest advantage with three and a half minutes left in the match, when they took a 17:8 lead.

Janović and Danilo Stupar were the most efficient in the Montenegrin team with three goals each, Milan Nikaljević scored two, and Ilija Kojičić and Nikola Petrović scored one each. The best individual for the Hungarians was Oliver Lejnweber with five goals.

On Sunday (19 pm), Montenegro will face a new derby against host Croatia, and on Monday (17.30:XNUMX pm) a match against the United States of America.

Montenegro is in Group A, while four teams make up Group B – Greece, Serbia, Italy and Spain. The other 12 national teams are divided into four groups of three teams each.

From Groups A and B, all teams advance – the top two teams from each group advance directly to the quarterfinals, while the third- and fourth-place teams will play for a place among the top eight with teams from Groups C, D, E and F.



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

University of St John’s

EUGENE, Ore. – St. John’s standout thrower Jamora Alves finished 19th in the country in the discus competition at the 2025 Outdoor Track and Field Championships at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., to earn All-American Honorable Mention recognition.    Alves recorded her best finish at the National Finals to earn her second USTFCCCA All-America Honorable Mention nod of her […]

Published

on


EUGENE, Ore. – St. John’s standout thrower Jamora Alves finished 19th in the country in the discus competition at the 2025 Outdoor Track and Field Championships at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., to earn All-American Honorable Mention recognition. 
 
Alves recorded her best finish at the National Finals to earn her second USTFCCCA All-America Honorable Mention nod of her career after finishing 22nd in the discus event in 2023. It marks the third straight year the Johnnies have had an All-America Honorable Mention selection after Nora Haugen placed 19th in the 800-meter run last year. She becomes the first multi-time All-American since Claire Mooney in 2016. 
 
During Saturday’s competition, Alves launched her best throw of the day in her second of three attempts heaving the disc 52.60-meters. Fresno State’s Cierra Jackson took home the national title with a toss of 65.82 meters. 
 
Alves finishes her impressive junior campaign as the BIG EAST’s Most Outstanding Performer, an all-conference selection and a top-20 thrower in NCAA Division I.   
 



Link

Continue Reading

Sports

Victoria Cameron notches Second Team All-American honors in 100 at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships

Story Links EUGENE, Oregon — Victoria Cameron became the fifth Texan to earn All-American status on the final day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships at Hayward Field   Cameron earned Second Team All-American honors for the second time in her career. The sophomore clocked in at 11.30 seconds […]

Published

on


EUGENE, Oregon — Victoria Cameron became the fifth Texan to earn All-American status on the final day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships at Hayward Field
 
Cameron earned Second Team All-American honors for the second time in her career. The sophomore clocked in at 11.30 seconds to finish in ninth overall in the women’s 100-meter dash. She earned Second Team All-American in the 60 meters earlier this season at the 2025 Indoor Track and Field National Championships.
 
“I’m so proud of this entire group, team and staff,” said head coach Bobby Carter after the conclusion of the meet. “The ladies came and did their thing amongst the best here. They proved today that we belong here and we belong at the top. To have our first appearance at the NCAA Championships and walk away with multiple All-Americans is outstanding. For Victoria to come out and be the only non-Power Four individual in the 100m final is impressive as well. We are all so proud of her and know that there’s more to come. Thank you Texan Nation for all of your support and we look forward to being at more championships and bringing back more hardware!”
 
For the second time at a national championship, Cameron’s heat had a false start in it. The first time she entered the blocks, she got off to a torrid start but was called back by the double fire of the gun. No athletes were disqualified, and the field was given a green card to start again. In the second start, she came out of the blocks and seemed to hold the lead at the beginning but was edged out at the end. The entire field of nine was separated by just 0.16 seconds. Cameron clocked in at 11.30 seconds with the champion, USC’s Samirah Moody winning in 11.14.
 
The Texan women scored 1 point at the NCAA Championships to finish in the top 65. The Purple and White joined Utah Valley as the only WAC schools to score in the event. Tarleton State was just one of 21 non-Power Four programs to register at least one point. The Texans scored more points than 13 non-Power Four conference programs that did not score at the meet.
 
Cameron concludes the week that also included four other Tarleton State All-American performances.
 
Lokesh Sathyanathan became the first Tarleton State Texan to earn Division I All-American honors at the NCAA Championships with a fifth-place finish in the long jump. He became the first Indian-born athlete to ever place in the top eight in the event in NCAA Championships history. His best jump of 7.83 meters topped all non-Power Four jumpers.
 
Prestina Ochonogor was the second Texan to earn First Team All-American recognition. The freshman posted a best leap of 6.41 meters to land on the podium for the second time in her career after a First Team All-American performance in the long jump at the Indoor Championships earlier this year. Ochonogor was one of four athletes to earn First Team All-American honors at both the Indoor and Outdoor National Championships.
 
The women’s 4×100 relay consisting of Hanna Dudley, Lauren Roy, Ochonogor and Cameron earned Second Team All-American honors after finishing 15th overall. The Texans finished ahead of nine Power Four programs while finishing sixth in their heat in 43.74 seconds. The crew was one of only two non-Power Four programs in the field of 24.
 
Sir Jonathan Sims earned Honorable Mention All-American in the men’s triple jump on Friday. Sims competed in the triple jump for the second consecutive year. A season ago, the Arizona transfer was one of only four jumpers to compete in both the long and triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Sims best leap of 15.07 meters ranked 20th earning him honorable mention for the second consecutive year.
 
The men’s team finished in the top 55 in their first appearance at the outdoor championships. The team’s four points ranked second among WAC programs and was the 12th best among non-Power Four institutions.
 
With the conclusion of the NCAA National Championships, the collegiate season for the Texans has ended, but many athletes will be busy this summer. Many Texans will continue their season at their country’s national championships, the World University Games, and possibly the 2025 World Championships. The Texans have finished a historic season, but the individuals will look to represent the Purple and White on the global stage.
 
 
 
 





Link

Continue Reading

Sports

NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships: Day Four

The 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship came to a close on Saturday with Georgia securing the women’s national title. Sixteen finals took place and six Ducks competed at Hayward Field on Saturday. The day began with Fresno State’s Cierra Jackson setting a meet record in the women’s discus with a 65.82-meter throw. Later, […]

Published

on


The 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship came to a close on Saturday with Georgia securing the women’s national title.

Sixteen finals took place and six Ducks competed at Hayward Field on Saturday.

The day began with Fresno State’s Cierra Jackson setting a meet record in the women’s discus with a 65.82-meter throw.

Later, the track events began with the women’s wheelchair 100 meters. American Paralympian Hannah Dederick clocked in at 16.50 to secure first place for Illinois in a preview of what’s to come at the Para National Championships coming to Hayward in August.

Oregon’s biggest chance to string together points came in the 1,500 meters, where Silan Ayyildiz, Klaudia Kazimierska and Mia Barnett all made the final.

The stacked field featured a physical race, with bumping and little room to make a move to the front of the group.

“I’m glad I’m representing my school and I’m healthy,” Ayyildiz said. “It’s just, the 1500 when it comes to the race, you have to fight.”

Ayyildiz tried to stay top three throughout, but the final 400 meters sped up, and she ended in fourth with a time of 4:09.75. Kazimierska finished just a spot behind her at 4:10.42.

“I wasn’t patient. I feel like I didn’t just run my best today,” Kazimierska said. “It was my last race out there at Hayward, so it’s just a very emotional moment for me.”

Sophie O’Sullivan recorded a personal best to come in first and give Washington a one-point lead over Georgia for the national title.

The Ducks catapulted into third place after the 100-meter hurdles. Junior Aaliyah McCormick picked up speed as the race went on to clock in at 12.81. She won the first and only event for Oregon at the outdoor championships in a race that had a did not start, did not finish and disqualified.

“Hurdles can be a very difficult race. You’re running and jumping at the same time, and that can be a little bit of an obstacle,” McCormick said. “I knew not to worry about anything else that is going around me, but to just stay close to my lane.”

Georgia and USC went back and forth for possession of first place in the team standings. Trojans’ senior Samirah Moody came in first in the 100 meters, with two teammates also finishing in the top eight. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, went one and two in the 400 meters.

Michigan’s Savannah Sutherland broke two-time 400-meter hurdles Olympic Gold Medalist Sydney McClaughlin-Levrone’s record in the event, clocking in at 52.46 seconds. It was 1.80 faster than second-place and Georgia picked up more points with Michelle Smith in third-place.

The Ducks fell to tenth at the conclusion of the weekend. Ryann Porter tallied one point with her eighth-place finish in the triple jump and Annika Williams picked up a did not start in the final event of the heptathlon.

Even though USC secured second and third place in the 200 meters, the Bulldogs gained the points they needed to take home the National Championship. The 73-point performance was capped off with a win in the 4×400-meter relay. USC came in second and Texas A&M rounded out the top three.

The collegiate track and field wrapped up on Saturday, but there’s still more to come at Hayward Field this summer. The Nike Outdoor Nationals and USATF U20 Outdoor Championships are up next, slated to run June 19 through 22.



Link

Continue Reading

Most Viewed Posts

Trending