Clark Schrontz

Clark A. Schrontz was a professional American football player. In 1902 he won a championship in the first National Football League (NFL) with the Pittsburgh Stars. A year later he was a member of the Franklin Athletic Club football team that was considered the "best in the world". He also won the 1903 World Series of Football, held at Madison Square Garden, with the Franklin Athletic Club.[1][2]

Clark Schrontz
Career information
Position(s)End
CollegeWashington & Jefferson
Career history
As player
1902Pittsburgh Stars
1903Franklin Athletic Club
1904–1905Massillon Tigers
1906Canton Bulldogs
Career highlights and awards

Schrontz then spent the next several seasons with the Massillon Tigers of the Ohio League. In 1905 the Tigers promoted him to the position of "field captain".[3] In 1906, he was convinced by Blondy Wallace, coach of the Canton Bulldogs to join the Bulldogs. That season Canton played Massillon in a two game home-and-home series to determine the 1906 Ohio League championship. While Canton won the first game of the series, Massillon won the second game (and under rules determined by both team) the championship. Canton was later accused of throwing the championship in a betting scandal.[4]

Prior to his professional career Clark played three years at end while attending Washington and Jefferson College. He had a reputation as being one of the fastest men to get down the field during a punt.[5] The football team adopted a poodle as their mascot, naming it "Schrontzie" in Clark's honor.[6]

References
  1. PFRA Research. "Franklin's Hired Guns: 1903" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-26.
  2. Carroll, Bob (1980). "The First Football World Series" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 2 (Annual): 1–8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-18.
  3. PFRA Research. "Ohio Pounce Again" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-26.
  4. "Blondy Wallace and the Biggest Football Scandal Ever" (PDF). PFRA Annual. Professional Football Researchers Association. 5: 1–16. 1984. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-18.
  5. Smith, William R. (1981). "Franklin's World Champion Football Team" (PDF). Coffin Corner. Professional Football Researchers Association. 3 (Annual): 1–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-27.
  6. North, E. Lee (1991). Battling the Indians, Panthers, and Nittany Lions: The Story of Washington & Jefferson College's First Century of Football, 1890-1990. Daring Books. pp. 45–59. ISBN 978-1-878302-03-8.
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