“A Century of Heroes” Mural
Follow the orange arrows on the signs as you walk
This 1994 mural, which was privately funded, commemorates the one-hundredth anniversary of high school football in Massillon and the rivalry between Massillon Washington High School and the Canton McKinley Bulldogs.
Every panel represents Tiger tradition. At the top, cheerleaders hold the paper-covered hoop that’s hand-painted for each game. The Tigers burst through it as they take the field.
On the left, there’s our mascot Obie, named for the “O” in orange and the “B” in black, the school colors. The snappy Massillon Tiger Swing Band is just above the great football coach and innovator Paul Brown. Coaches Chuck Mather, Earle Bruce, Leo Strang, and Bob Commings also made the mural.
On the right, the artist represented Massillon’s family tradition of attending games together, the fans, the little footballs presented to babies born in Massillon, the Beat McKinley parade, and the bonfire at the end of the parade. The victory bell is the prize that goes to the team that wins the Massillon/McKinley game each year.
Muralist Eric Grohe was born in New York City in 1944. His graphic design career was interrupted by a tour of duty in Vietnam. Now based in the Seattle area, he has created internationally acclaimed 3-D looking murals across America—three of them in Massillon, all privately funded.
The artist believes his art should involve, challenge, and inspire the viewer. As you can see, he prefers to integrate his art with its architectural surroundings.
Directions: Continue walking north on First Street to the corner of North Avenue, where you can see the First North office building.