"By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". Davis was the team's juggernaut running back, later the first African-American ever to win the Heisman Trophy. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". You had an amazing four years, breaking records and you make it easier for Ernie to come to school. But in real life, there are people -- white people -- who have done wonderful things because they were just good human beings. In 1967, Schwartzwalder was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Soon thereafter, a force of 80 507th paratroopers led by G Company commander, Captain Ben Schwartzwalder, joined the developing battle. This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. Shortly after Dec. 7, 1941, Canton McKinley lost a coach and the U.S. Army gained a soldier. He played key roles in the capture of the La Fire Causeway and Sainte-Mre-glise, crucial points of entry into France during the D-Day invasion. Ron Womack had been removed from the roster due to an injury, a coaching decision he and his Black teammates viewed with suspicion, but he supported them through the whole boycott and is counted with them. Mountaineer fans are just over . Dropped far behind enemy lines and miles off target, Ben, a Captain in Company G of the 507th, organized his men, established command, and a week later delivered a large group of prisoners to the Allied lines. "Ed Wagner, Class of '41, is the namesake of the ROTC Building at Penn State. The three major forces in the dispute have been the eight black athletes, and their spokesman George Moody, director of King-on-campus School; Chancellor John E. Corbally and the administration; and Coach Schwartzwalder, supported by his coaching staff and football squad. And according to the emailer, Schwartzwalder and Wagner served together as paratroopers in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Both websites for the West Virginia University, where he played center for the Mountaineers and graduated in 1935, and Syracuse University having disappointingly little information on this period of the coach's life. Syracuse 8: Tom Smith, Walker, Muhammad, McGill, Lobon, Harrell, Allen, and Godbolt, Spring 1969. For his actions during the invasion, Ben was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, four battle stars, the Presidential Unit Citation, and was promoted to the rank of Major. When the Waffen-SS troops finally overran Graignes, they took out severe revenge on the villagers for having "collaborated with the enemy". When Ben recruited Larry, he did all that and also drove Larry out to the beautiful Central NY countryside and showed him where he could hunt and fish. In 2006, thirty-six years after leaving the team, during a Syracuse University-University of Louisville halftime ceremony, the nine former players were recognized with their letterman jackets for the courageous stand they took against racism. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart . After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. Gary Fleders The Express, which hits theaters next month, is really two compelling movies in one. However, Ed Wagner's group overlooked the main route of advance for the German armored forces racing to reinforce the town of Carentan. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The school? BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. The 1987 Orangemen electrified a crowd of more than 50,000 up there on their campus while routing these Nittany Lions' ancestors behind Don McPherson & Co. Find high-quality images, photos, and animated GIFS with Bing Images. Jim Brown: I was going to leave because it was almost unbearable. Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse football players all heard first-hand stories of hand-to-hand combat involving the head coach of the Orangemen, Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder, from his service as a paratrooper in World War II. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Parkersburg, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Schwartzwalder&oldid=1140633059, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 00:55. Those units were from the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Gotz von Berlichingen". After the war, Ben came back to coaching, and eventually found his way to Syracuse University. 5 in our series looking at the coaches and players who have made the biggest impact in Syracuse University sports. Muhlenberg College was founded in 1848 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the Allentown Seminary by Samuel K. Brobst, a Reformed Lutheran minister. Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder (June 2, 1909 April 28, 1993) was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained future National Football League stars such as Jim Brown, Larry Csonka, Floyd Little and Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. I will probably buy this book too. The Syracuse 8 continued their boycott through the 1969 football season. Ben Schwartzwalder, who recruited a series of acclaimed running backs as he restored Syracuse to football glory during 25 sparkling seasons that included an undefeated campaign in 1959, died. But what was Coach Ben like? Floyd Benjamin "Ben" Schwartzwalder (June 2, 1909 April 28, 1993) was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained such future National Football League stars as Jim Brown, as well as the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy, Ernie Davis. After talking to him, I knew we had a movie. There is so much joy on the faces of the players and Ben. An endearing photo is one from 90s I believe when Cuse players have Ben raised on their shoulders after a win. He played key roles in the capture of the La Fire Causeway and Sainte-Mre-glise, crucial points of entry into France during the D-Day invasion. The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of Nazi Germany. Ben Schwartzwalder AKA Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder Born: 2-Jun - 1909 Birthplace: Point Pleasant, WV Died: 28-Apr - 1993 Location of death: St. Petersburg, FL Cause of death: Heart Failure Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Football Nationality: United States Played golf in an SU golf outing at Drrumliuns years back with Ben and an offensive lineman on the championship team (Yeager??). Dropped far behind enemy lines and miles off target, Ben organized his command immediately and a week later brought a bunch of prisoners to the Allied lines. Lots of midgets. He coached the first African-American to win a Heisman Trophy and maintained team unity and cohesiveness in a racially charged environment to defeat the all-white Texas Longhorns in the 1960 Cotton Bowl Classic and win a national championship. And less than a handful of men who have entered the coaching profession since Princeton and Rutgers started the madness back in 1869 have recorded as many victories as did this crew-cut, bespectacled quiet little giant out of the hills of West Virginia. A good starting place is his home state of West Virginia. See About archive blog posts. I loved the genre and I thought Ernie was an intriguing character, but it didnt have any real conflict. Fleder started doing his own research, reading a lengthy Sports Illustrated article by William Nack that dealt with Davis, Brown and racism in college sports in the 60s. He was personally decorated by the commander of the 82nd, the legendary General Matthew Ridgeway, who recalled saying to Ben I never expected to see you here to receive this award.. Coach Schwartzwalder led the SU team to an impressive record of 153 wins, 91 losses, and 3 ties, including seven bowl games, and the only National Championship in SUs history (1959 undefeated team). Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. He was also a military veteran. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. This month marks 50 years since the Syracuse 8 began their peaceful protest. He had many reasons for doing what he did, but he stood up against his own people. Both sites mention that in addition to the Silver Star, Major Ben was also awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, the latter indicating a combat wound.". Davis still had no idea where he was going to attend, but what sealed the deal with Syracuse was when Jim Brown the former Syracuse . While the regiment was stateside Capt. Even if you go to Syracuse now, there is a constant battle that goes on. Syracuse football was coached at the time by Ben Schwartzwalder, a beloved figure on campus, who led the Orange to. However, that coach often sat in the back of the room and was not listed on the coaching roster. Floyd Benjamin "Ben" Schwartzwalder (June 2, 1909 as Floyd Benjamin Schwartzwalder - April 28, 1993) AKA Ben Schwartzwalder was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained future National Football League stars such as Jim Brown, Larry Csonka, Floyd Little and Ernie Davis, the first African Am 2023 Syracuse University. He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. Cemetery staff is on duty Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. "I never expected to see you here to receive this award," said the commander of the 82nd. He also was a hero of World War II. West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV), Class of 1932, Page 231 of 392 | E-Yearbook.com has the largest online yearbook collection of college, university, high school, middle school, junior high school, military, naval cruise books and yearbooks. One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday. He was a member of the 1964 Sugar Bowl team. You should know his story. What made him tick and what made him one of the giants of the game? He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way. Enjoyed the story, I am sure Czonka repeated what he heard. Google Image Result for https://d3d4f9a2nwdz4m.cloudfront.net/images/2011/9/28/SchwartzwalderBenonshoulderscolor.jpg, The Penn State game looms down there in Jersey; not so long ago, it delivered Dome delirium. During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. I am not sure the assistant coach had the facts correct. Chancellor John Corbally Records, University Archives. Mary ScofieldMary Scofield (born Mary Schwartzwalder) passed away on December 7, 2017 after battling ovarian cancer for three years. Carolina a amp to 0 a Murray state 21 Livingston 0 j. C. Smith 15 William amp Mary 7 a West Liberty 20 Virginia military 9 appalachian 0 Austin play 6 Gonso. I remember all I was thinking was, Great, hes not gonna kill me. After it was over, Jim said, You got it right. That was the best compliment a filmmaker could ask for. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. In "The Express," Schwartzwalder (Dennis Quaid) is initially depicted as reluctant to recruit Davis (Rob Brown) because he's "too old to butt heads with another Jim Brown," one of the first black athletes to openly defy American racism. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. The game ended and Ben Schwartzwalder walked to the middle of the field, shook hands, exchanged a few words with his opposing coach, then turned and headed toward the dressing room. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . Richard Winters (played by Damian Lewis), who also received a battlefield promotion to major and was also from West Virginia, like Ol' Ben. As a first lieutenant and S-1/adjutant of the 3rd Battalion, 507th PIR, he jumped into Normandy in the same air drop as Coach Ben. His primary recommendation for every injury was ice and rest. Ben led G Company during the D-Day operation and was decorated with the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in his first combat action. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. Intro: American football player and coach: Was: Sports coach American football player: From: United States of America: Field: Sports: Gender: male: Birth: 2 June 1909: Death: 28 April 1993 (aged 83 years) He wanted p By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. He coached at Syracuse from 1949 to 1973, compiling a 178963 record, and winning one national championship in 1959 while going undefeated with an 110 record. You are using an out of date browser. The student-athletes stated they would not return until the University hired a Black coach and addressed racial discrimination in starting assignments, the use of racist language by the coaching staff, racial disparities in disciplinary action, lack of academic support, and substandard medical care for all players. Orange teams outrushed opponents by more than 22,000 yards under Ben. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. ", Easterly scoffs at that dramatic license. [continued on next page] Pages: 1 2 3 4 By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. The coach is also remembered through the Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy which, goes to the winner of each game between West Virginia University (where he had played as a college student) and Syracuse University. At West Virginia, he became a first-string center at only 148 pounds. . The sacrifice that it takes, the [bad stuff] that goes on all around and where it comes from. Ben Schwartzwalder College Coaching Records, Awards and Leaderboards | College Football at Sports-Reference.com Ben Schwartzwalder Career Record: 25 Years, 153-91-3, .626 Win% (at major schools) Bowl Record: 7 Games, 2-5, .286 Win% (at major schools) College Football Coaches Ben Schwartzwalder Overview More Other SR Sites I didnt know why people loved their university. And they made Ben look like a racist, to me.". Before Kaepernick, The Syracuse 8 Were Blackballed By Pro Football, WBUR Radio, https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/11/17/syracuse-8-football-boycott-kaepernick. Ben Schwartzwalder grew up in West Virginia, and developed into a superb athlete (a standout wrestler and football player, both in high school and college). The trophy was established in 1993, the year Schwartzwalder died, and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. The 1959 team was an unprecedented powerhouse with both the toughest offense (313.6 yards rushing, 451.5 yard total and 39 points per game on average) and the toughest defense (giving only 19.3 yards rushing, 96.2 yards total per game on average) in the country. The media focused on only one request, the hiring of a black assistant coach, ignoring their other grievances. All rights reserved (About Us). It doesnt break down in gender. Ben Schwartzwalder began his football career as a 95-pound high school freshman quarterback. It was superficial and cloying and didnt give enough dimension to the story. - Ben Schwartzwalder. Jim Brown: The coaches. Gary Fleder: Did you feel it from the players? Following his completion of ROTC, as a Distinguished. For his actions during the invasion, Ben was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, four battle stars, the Presidential Unit Citation, and was promoted to the rank of Major. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. He coached high school football for six years in West Virginia a year at Sistersville High School, followed by the Parkersburg High School Big Reds football from 1936 to 1940 and Ohio a year at Canton McKinley High School and won two state championships. At Syracuse, I was the radical and Ernie was the peacemaker, the guy everyone loved. map this locationGoogle map location He graduated from Syracuse University in January 1966 with a bachelor's degree in Economics. This remains Syracuse's only national football title in football to date. Biography Lists News Also Viewed. Dropped far behind enemy lines and miles off target, Ben, a Captain in Company G of the 507th, organized his men, established command, and a week later delivered a large group of prisoners to the Allied lines. Is that in the book? A small donation would help us keep this available to all. During practices a limit was placed on the number of black players who could be on the field at the same time. They identify him as later coaching Syracuse University to the national championship in 1959. As head coach from 1949-73, he mounted an impressive 153-91-3 record there. An hour before the game, Al Davis stands at the 50-yard line of the silent Coliseum, surveying the field through his sunglasses darkly, as . He was personally decorated by Matthew Ridgeway who recalled Ben well. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. A report on Ben Schwartzwalder. 1/11/2013. In 1941, Ben found himself a 33 year old high school football coach, working in Canton, Ohio, on the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. They included the battalion surgeon who had stayed behind to care for the wounded. He also watched Spike Lees documentary, Jim Brown All-American, which offered more insight into the era. Jim Brown: If you deal with the times, you have a pretty gritty story. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way . And that was the first time I ever felt like an alumni. Parkersburg. Schwartzwalder, 61 years old, has been head coach since 1949. Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. (2017, November 17). Schwartzwalder had a knack for developing excellent running backs. Between 1848 and 1867, the college operated as the Allentown Seminary, the Allentown Collegiate and Military Institute, and the Allentown Collegiate Institute. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. He gave me a way in to tell this story. The trophy was established in 1993 and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. In 1941, Ben found himself a 33 year old high school football coach, working in Canton, Ohio, on the day that the Japanese attached Pearl Harbor. In 1941, he was coach of Canton McKinley High School in Ohio when, even though he was in his 30s, he commissioned in the US Army and fought in World War II. The demand for a black coach was prompted by the black players accusations of discriminatory practices by their coach, Floyd Ben Schwartzwalder, and his assistant coaches. After associate coaches ignored the players request to hire a black assistant for a year, one of the Syracuse 8, Greg Allen, met with head coach Schwartzwalder in spring 1969. That makes it exciting. He was also a military veteran. "He was like a magnet to good things, always; polite, smart, a real personality," Whelan said. He overcame those . Coach Ben Schwartzwalder had no interest in acknowledging race and how racism affects the experience of black athletes. The players believed that many of these issues could be remedied by hiring a black coach. Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. Chuck Leavitt did a great page-one rewrite of the script. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. Schwartzwalder, a decorated paratrooper during World War II in the 82nd Airborne Division who was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped at D-Day in 1944, coached the Orange from 1949 through 1973. They then approached the Office of the Chancellor. Floyd Benjamin Schwartzwalder (June 2, 1909 - April 28, 1993) was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained future National Football League stars such as Jim Brown, Larry Csonka, Floyd Little and Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. The most Schwartzwalder families were found in USA in 1920. By the end of the war Ben had been promoted to major and during the post-war period of occupation served as the military mayor of Essen, Germany. Jim told me something really amazing that put things in perspective. What did Jim Brown say that made such a difference? Over that time he led Syracuse to its only football national title, in 1959. Syracuse leads the overall record of the series 31-27, however West Virginia has won the trophy 11 times to Syracuse's 7. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The story of Jackie Robinson is also the story of Branch Rickey. BEN SCHWARTZWALDER (1909-93) The game ended and Ben Schwartzwalder walked to the middle of the field, shook hands, exchanged a few words with his opposing coach, then turned and headed toward the dressing room. 222 Waverly Avenue In 1880 there were 6 Schwartzwalder families living in New York. Gary Fleder: You came before Ernie. Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. He didn't starve as a boy growing up but he knew what it was to want. The Schwartzwalder family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. 44 on it, back to Ben Schwartzwalder, saying Im not Jim Brown. And Ben says to him, God I hope not and God I hope so. And Jim started laughing out loud, watching that, and I finally relaxed. Floyd Little was raised in poverty in New Haven, Connecticut. He brought the school it's one and only national championship and undefeated season in 1959, but as his career progressed, it seemed to produce more and more cracks in a once so respected man. He would then later imply he was joking or being sarcastic at the time these promises were made. t: 1.315.443.2093f: 1.315.443.4083 scrc@syr.edu You either throw in the towel or you go ahead and try to make your performance speak for you. He was basically a shy, quiet individual who never got very close to the press or general public. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Do you find this information helpful? I know it well. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Former Syracuse head coach Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder (center with his arm around SU's Ger Schwedes, 16) was no stranger to a good fight including this one involving the Orange and Texas Longhorns in the 1960 Cotton Bowl. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. He remained with the 507th PIR when it was reassigned to the newly formed 17th Abn Div, and fought with this unit during the Battle of the Bulge and in the airborne drop across the Rhine River at Wessel in March 1945. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. He played center at West Virginia University, despite weighing only 146 pounds, and was an all-campus wrestler in 1930 in the 155-pound weight class. I just want to know -- what did you feel on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis? Schwartzwalder was the head football coach of the Syracuse Orange from 1949 to 1973. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. And thus, Ruth Simpson became Mrs. Floyd Schwartzwalder. In 1969 a group of nine student-athletes boycotted Syracuse Universitys football program to demand change and promote racial equality. He was like a Marine, with a real army attitude. Penn state then killed the clock and Tom Cherry took a deliberate safety with eight seconds to play to preserve the Victory. He coached high schools in West Virginia and Ohio 1933-41. Ben Schwartzwalder . No. He earned a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Silver Star, and Presidential Unit Citation. He was 80 then and hit every drive down the middle. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. Its also a genuine comeback for Fleder, who hasnt made a feature in five years (hes been directing TV pilots), and he finally seems poised to recapture the promise of his early career work on such films as Things To Do in Denver When Youre Dead and Kiss the Girls. Before Fleder began work on the film, he knew he had to have one key figure on board -- Jim Brown, who was a star running back at Syracuse in the 1950s, helped recruit Davis (after Brown left to play in the NFL) and later become an action film star and civil rights activist. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns, Davis was diagnosed with leukemia. Syracuse a Veteran coach Ben Schwartzwalder was musing about his Lack of depth recently.
Helping you find Love