Tailgate brings Massillon, McKinley fans together
· Yahoo Sports
MASSILLON − A more than century-long rivalry has spurred a tradition that has touched generations.
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Every year since 2001, before the Massillon-McKinley game, former Tigers Bobby and Jennifer Grizzard have hosted a pregame tailgate at their home. They started the tailgate because their sons played for the Tigers, but now the event has taken a life of its own and has become a marquee event.
On Oct. 24, a few hours before kickoff, on Oak Avenue SE, the smell of grilled food filled the air along with music and laughter. The Grizzard's home was buzzing with excitement, with not just Tigers but Bulldogs alike.
"You know, we treat everybody equal; just because you wear orange and black or red and black, you're still all the same. You still bleed red," Bobby Grizzard, a former Massillon police officer, said. "When I grew up in the '70s, you would never tailgate with somebody from Canton. But now with the internet, we're in touch with far more people than we used to be, and I think at least here they're very civil and we don't have to worry about shenanigans."
Peoples Baptist Church pastor Walter Arrington, a Massillon alum, agreed. He recalled how in past years the game can be "electrically charged" and at times split the cities.
"It's a good scene when people are disciplined. You can enjoy people even if your team doesn't win and that's where we got to get to," he said. "There's more important stuff than this (game). Even though this is a rivalry and all but there's more important stuff than all that."
Even so, even he couldn't help but wait to see the end score.
"This game determines whether we're going to really worship tomorrow or have a funeral," he joked.
Though there were no fights or "shenanigans," that doesn't mean both sides aren't teasing each other at this tailgate. From time to time, the occasional cry of "T-I-G-E-R-S" could be heard throughout the event.
Robert Beech, a Canton McKinley alum, was invited by Grizzard last year and finally got the chance to come this time.
"I enjoyed my time. I got to speak with some people, you know, they gave me a little hard jabs here and there but it was cool," Beech said.
A family reunion
Though the Grizzards call it a tailgate, it has all the makings of a family or high school reunion. Alumni come from all over: Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Indiana, and more, just to fellowship and laugh with former classmates, neighbors and rivals.
Walter Arrington's brother, Michael, came all the way from Dallas for the tailgate and game. He recalled being the first Black male president of the Tiger Swing Band from 1974-75, band director James "Mr. B" Billingsley and how he, along with a few others, brought some swag into Massillon.
"If we came off the field and everybody wasn't standing, that was a bad day, even if they were clapping," Michael Arrington, a former tuba player, said. "(Tuba player Alphonso "Jugg" Brown) brought a swag. He literally brought that one leg motion (that is now known as the Tiger Swing)."
Michael Arrington has attended the Grizzard's tailgate several times since his very first in 2006.
"This is the best weekend in Massillon, the Massillon-McKinley game. And every year (the tailgate) just grew and it's just like that contagious Massillon vibe. Bobby and Jennifer, they have stuck with it," he said.
Kelly Bodiford-Banks, a Massillon Hall of Fame athlete, moved back to Ohio from Minnesota in 2010, but this was her first time at the tailgate.
"I mean probably every state is represented here today because it's that big of a deal. You're going to see class members, family members that you haven't seen in 20-30 years," she said. "It does bring the community together. This one night there's no economic boundaries, there is no south side, north side, it's awesome."
This night is important for everyone, including Vaughn Moler, a friend of Bobby Grizzard for decades. Moler rode into the tailgate on a golf cart covered in Massillon and Halloween decorations. In addition to the inflatables and skeletons, the ride featured helmets worn or collected by his late son Vaughn Moler, a former Massillon player who died five years ago of a heart attack.
"I keep his memory going on by doing this," he said. A lot of friends, a lot of people in Massillon know me. I live here all my life, so I kind of like to just keep the tradition going."
'Reach people with food'
While many come for the memories and camaraderie, the star of the show is Jennifer Grizzard's cooking.
"When we were younger, we were the poorest family on the street, but when we had a barbecue or something (my mother) didn't deny anybody," she said. "Now, we would get mad because they'd be eating up our food. But anytime we had a barbecue, we had a big front porch and big side yard; the whole neighborhood would come. Some of these people made more money than my mother did, but she would never turn them away. ... She just tried to reach out, to help people with food."
In total, with the help of her son, Bradly, and daughter, Breyanna, they made and served over 20 slabs of ribs, several dishes of chilli, 200 bratwurst, quesadillas, cheesy potatoes, desserts and more.
"I do it because I love to cook; I love to reach people with food, good food," she said. "To see it grow this big, amazing, it ain't nothing but God."
Bobby Grizzard emphasized the passion his wife has for cooking. Noting how she takes time to cook barbecue, chicken, and pulled pork dinners for dozens of homeless people on the holidays.
With the event first starting when Brandyn Grizzard and his siblings played for Massillon in the early 2000s, he's in awe of how much it has grown.
"It's awesome, especially for us; everyone doesn't have availability to get here every single year, but this is a planned event that we have yearly. This is good to catch up with people, see how family's doing and just get back together," he said. "You never know when your last time is. So to be able to see people you haven't seen in quite a few years, it's a blessing."
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Tailgate brings Massillon, McKinley fans together