It has been 70 years since the 1940 Italy Gladiators were undefeated and unscored on. Bill Bryant was a graduate of Italy High School and the Sports Editor for the Italy News Herald. The following is his second article of the season.

Gladiators Start New Season by Smashing Mansfield 75-0

Large Crowd Sees Opening Game of Italy High Squad

Striking with the devastating effect of a battery of siege guns, Italy High’s powerful Gladiators crushed the Mansfield Tigers, 75 to 0 here last Friday night at Willis Field to officially open their 1940 pigskin season.

A near capacity crowd of 350 cheering spectators watched the superbly-coached Gladiator machine hand Mansfield a severe beating by smashing out at least two touchdowns in every period. They tallied thrice in the initial quarter, three more in the second, twice in the third and three times in the fourth and final period. Although a victory by Italy High was expected, the score by which the Gladiators won came as a staggering surprise.

The Warriors rolled up a total of 351 yards gained, 340 by running attack and 11 by air. Mansfield’s attack gained only 17 yards on rushing and 42 through the air for a total of 59 yards. The Gladiators amassed a total of fifteen first downs to Mansfield’s one. The Tigers lone first down came on a thirty-yard aerial shaft from Ishom to Olcott in the final period.
It was the entire team and not any individual star, who stood out in Italy’s overwhelming victory. Displaying a brand of teamwork that is rarely seen outside of college circles, the locals put up such an air-tight defense that Mansfield never penetrated their (the Gladiator’s) 20 yard line over the course of the game.

Matthews, Rienzi, Couch and Meadows played their usual good defensive games in the line. On several occasions, notably on the touchdown gallops, these boys threw teeth rattling blocks into tacklers who might possibly have cut off the ball carrier. Batte, Howell and Williams were the shining lights in the Warrior backfield with Riddle and Walston also clipping off some nice gains. A play-by-play account of the game follows:

First Quarter
Ackerman kicked off for the Tigers to Howell on the 25 yard line. Billy raced up the east side line to the Mansfield 35, where he fumbled and Leroy Ballenger recovered for the Bengals on the Mansfield 37.

Nash hit into the line for a yard, then was spilled for a two yard loss at left guard. Lindwell punted to Riddle on the Warrior 45, and he sprinted back down to the Tiger 17 on a dodging, twisting run.

Howell spun through the middle for a neat ten yard gain, but the play was called back and the Gladiators penalized fifteen for clipping. Williams, wig-wagging around end, dashed thirty-two yards down the edge of the field for a touchdown. Batte added the extra point through center. Score: Italy 7, Mansfield 0.

Nash took the kickoff on his own 15 and hustled it back to the 22. Lindwell picked up two steps at the middle. On the next play, Batte leaped high and batted down Lindwell’s short pass to Watson. Batte took Lindwell’s punt on the dead run on the 50 yard stripe and ran it back to the Mansfield 28.

Howell barged through center for eight. Williams slashed off tackle and went all the way for a touchdown. Williams dug through left tackle for the added point. Score: Italy 14, Mansfield 0.

Howell kicked to Ishom, who took the ball on his own 6-yard line and returned to the 22. Italy called time out. Walston replaced Howell at quarterback for the Gladiators. Nash circled end for four, then cracked left guard for a yard. Ishom was halted for a three yard set back on a try at left end. Nash kicked to Walston on the Warrior 45 and he ran it back to the Tiger 40.

Williams ripped off an eleven yard gain at left end. Riddle, cutting back over guard, carried down to the 6. Batte fumbled and recover for no gain, but the play was called back and the Tigers received a five yard penalty. Batte dived squarely over the center of the line for a touchdown. Williams picked up the extra point through the middle. Score: Italy 21, Mansfield 0.

Second Quarter
Watson failed to gain at center. Ishom’s pass was intercepted by Howell on the Mansfield 35 and he did some fancy hip-shaking to get down to the 14 before Watson overhauled him from behind. On a reverse, Batte swung at left guard for a couple. Howell tore around right end, evaded several tacklers and went all the way to pay dirt for a T. D. Williams fizzled out on his extra point try into the line. Score: Italy 27, Mansfield 0.

Ackerman of the Bengals kicked off to Williams who took the oval on his own 10 and returned right up the center of the field to the Gladiator 41-yard stripe. Howell thundered around right end for ten paces, but the play was called back and Italy penalized fifteen yards for holding. Walston faked to Howell, then bootlegged the ball off to Batte who raced down the side lines to the Tiger 39, where he was bumped out of bounds. Williams knifed off tackle for nine. Italy took time out and Riddle subbed into the Gladiator backfield for Batte. Howell took a reverse and snake-hipped his way through the entire Tiger eleven for thirty yards and a touchdown. Williams blasted through center for the extra point. Score: Italy 34, Mansfield 0.

Watson ran Howell’s kick back seven yards to his own 19. Watson drove through tackle for four, then hit the middle for a step. Lindwell got only a yard at the line and was forced to kick to Walston, who returned it to the Tiger 34. Howell went around right end and swept down to the 4-yard mark. Williams nudged through center and crossed the goal line standing up for a touchdown. Riddle ran over for the point. Score: Italy 41, Mansfield 0.

Howell booted to Ishom and he returned to his 31. Ishom overshot Olcott with a pass as the half gun sounded.

Third Quarter
Howell brought Ackerman’s kickoff back to the Mansfield 48 from his own 17. Howell passed to Walston in the right flat for eleven yards. Howell thundered off tackle and raced down the side lines to score, and added the “point after” off tackle. Score: Italy 48, Mansfield 0.

Ishom took the kickoff and returned to his 27. Lindwell threw two incomplete passes and Nash banged tackle for three. Lindwell got only a yard on a fourth down line plunge and the ball went over to Italy on the Mansfield 30. Walston ripped off eleven yards at end. Leroy Ballenger recovered a fumble by Walston for the Tigers on the Mansfield 21. Ishom flipped one incomplete pass before Rienzi came up with one on his heaves on the Bengal 22. Walston pushed through center for a couple and Batte scooted over for a touchdown on the very next play. Williams plunged for the point after touchdown. Score: Italy 55, Mansfield 0.

Howell booted off to Walston of Mansfield and he returned six yards to his 34. Three running plays lost fifteen yards and Lindwell punted out of bounds on the Tiger 37. Batte carried around right end to the 8. Williams hit into the line for seven as the period ended.

Fourth Quarter
Howell hit center for a touchdown, but the play was recalled and Italy set back to the 16-yard stripe for clipping. For the second time Howell hit center for the touchdown. Batte failed to get the point. Score: Italy 61, Mansfield 0.

Walston of Mansfield ran the kickoff back to his 35. Ishom tossed an incomplete pass to Hubbard, but the play was called back and the Gladiators penalized five for off sides. Lindwell completed an aerial to Olcott down on the Italy 35 yard line, the first time that they had penetrated Italy territory during the game. Williams intercepted Lindwell’s throw and scooted back to the 50-yard mark with it. Four plays gained only six yards and the ball went over to Mansfield on the Tiger 42.

Ishom tried the line for a yard loss, then passed to Olcott, incomplete. Watson lost four on a reverse and Lindwell kicked.

Walston took the ball on the Warrior 20 and zig-zagged back to his 43. Williams took the snap and sped down the sidelines 57 yards for a touchdown, then added the extra point. Score: Italy 68, Mansfield 0.

Olcott took the kick and ran back to the Italy 36, where he was knocked out of bounds. Ishom completed a pass to Hubbard for six, but Hubbard failed to gain on a reverse. On the next play, Batte leaped high into the air on his own 32 to intercept Ishom’s short pass, jerked away from several tacklers, broke into a clear field and raced 68 yards down the side lines for a touchdown, the final one for the Warriors. Several times on the breath-snatching run, it appeared that the slippery little halfback was hemmed in, but he did some nice side-stepping and stiff arming and didn’t let up steam until he had flashed across the last white line. Williams hit the middle for the extra point. Final score: Italy 75, Mansfield 0.

One more play was run, and on this play Olcott of Mansfield received a broken leg after running back the kickoff. He was immediately rushed to the Waxahachie Sanitarium in a local ambulance, and according to the last reports was doing nicely. We’re sorry about this as it is the only blot on a cleanly-played, hard-fought colorful game. We hope that Olcott’s leg mends rapidly and he’ll be able to leave the hospital real soon.