Walter East
| Date of birth | March 29, 1883 |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | Coulterville, Illinois, United States |
| Date of death | August 29, 1930 (aged 47) |
| Place of death | Philadelphia, United States |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | End |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1909 | Akron Zips Basketball team |
| As player | |
| 1906 | Massillon Tigers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Walter Rufus East (March 29, 1883 – August 29, 1930) was a minor league baseball player active between 1903 and 1912. As a second baseman he played for various in the Southern Association, Eastern League, Missouri Valley League, Ohio State League and the Ohio–Pennsylvania League. East however also managed several minor league teams from the Ohio–Pennsylvania League.
In 1906 he also was active in professional football as an end with the Massillon Tigers of the Ohio League, a direct predecessor to the modern-day National Football League. He played his first game for the Tigers on October 20, 1906 in a 57-0 victory over the Shelby Athletic Club. East had a big day and his play was publicly commended. A week later, he played again for Massillon against combined Benwood-Moundsville team in a game that saw Peggy Parratt throw pro football's first forward pass to Bullet Riley. On November 4, 1906, East was reportedly released by the Tigers after having a good game in a 33-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Lyceum. However a scandal later became the reason Massillon's management decided to end their relationship with East.
East is best known for his role fixing a championship football series in 1906 between the Canton Bulldogs and the Massillon Tigers. The scandal began when an allegation was made by a Massillon newspaper charging the Bulldogs coach, Blondy Wallace, and East of conspiring to fix a two-game series between the two clubs. The scandal called for Canton to win the first game and Massillon was to win the second, forcing a third game-with the biggest gate-to be played legitimately, with the championship at stake. Both Wallace and East denied the charges.
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