Schwartzwalder had a significant history of recruiting and developing black players during the 1950s and 1960s when many other major programs refused to do so. You should know his story, because its a Syracuse University story one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. He wanted p 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. Enjoyed the story, I am sure Czonka repeated what he heard. He was like a Marine, with a real army attitude. Syracuse University Football Recruiting Database, Syracuse Men's Basketball Recruiting Database, La Fire Bridge: The D-Day Battle You Should Have Heard Of. Mere Eglise. 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.. He gave me a way in to tell this story. 2023 Syracuse University. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "I see a lot of things that never were done to Ernie but maybe happened to [Syracuse great] Jim Brown (in the 1950s). Years after Davis' death, Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder called him "the best kid I ever had anything to do with." "Ernie was just like a puppy dog, friendly and warm and kind," he told. Ben always refused to pick a favorite team or make comparisons. Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. serving during World War II, Ben Schwartzwalder returned home and began coaching college football; and WHEREAS, In 1949, the couple moved to Syracuse, New York, and Ben Schwartzwalder began his long and distinguished coaching career with the football team at Syracuse University; and Schwartzwalder had a knack for developing excellent running backs. Just watched Seize and Secure a one hour documentary on PBS about the battle to secure the bridge at La Fire on DDay Capt. Penn state then killed the clock and Tom Cherry took a deliberate safety with eight seconds to play to preserve the Victory. Floyd Benjamin Ben 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. They cited instances of unfair treatment, ranging from differences in disciplinary action to the coaching staffs intolerance of their civil rights activism elsewhere on campus. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Some white teammates stood in solidarity and threatened to boycott if the black players were not allowed back, but they were overpowered by the alumni who wanted all the black players off the team and their scholarships revoked. He developed some of the most impressive running backs the game has ever seen - Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Ben Schwartzwalder, a pre-war high school coach in West Virginia who served as a major with the army paratroopers during the war, returned home and took over the program as its new coach. Director Gary Fleder uses Davis' football career to illustrate racial intolerance that Easterly and Whelan claim seldom existed for him. 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.". December 23, 2014 Floyd Benjamin "Ben" Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. 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. A new head coach, Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder, would take over in 1949. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. I didnt know why people loved their university. Davis, 23, died the next month in a Cleveland hospital. He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, four battle stars, Presidential Unit Citation and was promoted to the rank of Major for his actions during the invasion. 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. Brown portrays Davis as an intense, shy person moved to anger when Schwartzwalder deflects any discriminatory acts. All WW11. I didnt know why people gave them money -- I didnt know any of that. 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. Biography Lists News Also Viewed. But in real life, there are people -- white people -- who have done wonderful things because they were just good human beings. He was bowlegged, sent off to military school and told his IQ was too low to even consider college. Syracuse University Football Collection, University Archives. Schwartzwalder continued his campaign all the way into Germany and acted as military governor of the town of Essen for a period of six months. The Syracuse 8 demand for equal access as white players to tutors and academic advisors was based on their being relegated to general reading and education classes predicated on notions of their limited academic ability. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. I just want to know -- what did you feel on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis? He rose to the rank of major and was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, four battle stars, and a Presidential Unit citation. He became a company commander and earned the rank of major. During practices a limit was placed on the number of black players who could be on the field at the same time. It may not display this or other websites correctly. But it was changing. Sc Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. "Ed Wagner, Class of '41, is the namesake of the ROTC Building at Penn State. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. 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. 1/11/2013. Later that afternoon, a beaming Davis, seeing Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, went floating toward him through a. 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. By Frank Giardina For the Gazette-Mail; Jun 10, 2017 Jun 10, 2017 Updated Nov 21, 2017; Comments; They got a long-name coach. And while maybe the alumni didnt get the big name coach, Floyd Burdette Ben Schwartzwalder gave SU its finest hours in football, becoming the most successful football coach in the Universitys history. The trophy was established in 1993 and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder began routines of coming up to Elmire to visit Davis and his family. They then approached the Office of the Chancellor. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. It doesnt break down in color. How does one describe Ben Schwartzwalder? Their demand was based on their awareness of how their academic potential exceeded the universitys expectations. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. But there was to be a delay. He overcame those . 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. Heres a clip from a recent Bob Costas interview talking with Brown about Ernie Davis: Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; We are coming, sheriff says, Newsom, IRS give Californians until October to file tax returns, 15 arrested across L.A. County in crackdown on fraudulent benefit cards, Hidden, illegal casinos are booming in L.A., with organized crime reaping big profits, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles. Quaid, who plays legendary Syracuse University coach Ben Schwartzwalder, described his character as "a hard-nosed, tough guy who stormed the beaches at Normandy. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. Quick Facts. It doesnt break down in gender. I gave him the transcript of my talk with Jim and based on that, he said, Im in. Hearing Jim talk about the times was all he needed to convince him., Two and a half years later, after Fleder had a completed film -- with Rob Brown playing Davis and Dennis Quaid as Schwartzwalder -- Fleder returned to Browns house with a DVD of the film in his hands. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. Chuck Leavitt did a great page-one rewrite of the script. Although in his thirties, Ben decided he was going to be a paratrooper. The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of Nazi Germany. These SS troopers also executed the twenty plus wounded US paratroopers who had been too injured to evacuate with the others. You should know his story. However, his plane was seriously off course and dropped its "stick" of twelve paratroopers some ten miles away from its designated landing zone. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. They identify him as later coaching Syracuse University to the national championship in 1959. After being labeled black dissidents, the Syracuse 8 were suspended from the team. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way. That makes it exciting. They claim key events on screen never occurred, like the team being showered with garbage and racial epithets during a game at West Virginia. So the story is like you said -- its a big story and a small story. But because that promise already had been made and broken repeatedly, the student-athletes decided to not return to practice and instead hold their own practice for the time being. This was about 67% of all the recorded Schwartzwalder's in USA. He graduated from Syracuse University in January 1966 with a bachelor's degree in Economics. He had the same burning drive in 1973 as he did as a rookie coach back in West Virginia in 1933. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. Gary Fleders The Express, which hits theaters next month, is really two compelling movies in one. 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. 5 in our series looking at the coaches and players who have made the biggest impact in Syracuse University sports. Syracuse head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? Cemetery Policies Our goal is to provide and maintain a facility of respect and dignity for the men and women of the military and their families. The Syracuse 8 continued their boycott through the 1969 football season. The Story of the Syracuse 8, The Players Tribune, October 25, 2015, https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/syracuse-football-1960s-race-civil-rights; WBUR. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. They believed this practice restricted their talents and abilities and decreased the teams likelihood of winning games. Los Angeles Times Staff Writer. "When Ed initially reported for duty with G Company, 3rd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Sep42 at Ft. Benning, Georgia, his company commander was none other than Captain Floyd B. Schwartzwalder, the future head football coach of Syracuse University and eventual gridiron nemesis of Ed Wagner's Nittany Lions. Ben Schwartzwalder. In 1967, Schwartzwalder was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association. It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. "By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". Ben died in 1993 at the age of 84.. He was basically a shy, quiet individual who never got very close to the press or general public. Syracuse Chancellor John Corbally, prompted by faculty sympathetic to the 8, allowed the players to keep their scholarships and to graduate, which they did. "Sometimes outstanding individuals are never appreciated until they are gone," said Beano Cooke, a former sports information director and now with ABC-TV. As a captain in the 82nd Airborne (CO of Company G of the 507th), Schwartzwalder earned distinction during the invasion of Normandy and battles that followed in the last days of the war. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. You are using an out of date browser. 3 pair military pants 36s 38s 36xs shirt. But you needed both of us to make real changes. , Fleder shakes his head. 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. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. Floyd Burdette "Ben" Schwartzwalder Birth 2 Jun 1909. Schwartzwalder continued his campaign all the way into Germany and acted as military governor of the town of Essen for a period of six months. He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, four battle stars, Presidential Unit Citation and was promoted to the rank of Major for his actions during the invasion. Syracuse University Photo & Imaging Collection, University Archives. 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. One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday. Muhlenberg College was founded in 1848 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the Allentown Seminary by Samuel K. Brobst, a Reformed Lutheran minister. Syracuse 8: Tom Smith, Walker, Muhammad, McGill, Lobon, Harrell, Allen, and Godbolt, Spring 1969. Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. Soon thereafter, a force of 80 507th paratroopers led by G Company commander, Captain Ben Schwartzwalder, joined the developing battle. Over that time he led Syracuse to its only football national title, in 1959. Ben Schwartzwalder. Its a great history lesson, offering kids a look at the real-life exploits of Ernie Davis, the trail-blazing Syracuse University running back who in 1961 became the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy. Significance: The Ben . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. What is a filmmaker looking for when hes researching a film based on real-life events? West Virginia and Syracuse might have a sordid past as Big East rivals, but you'd never know it by what's not at stake in this month's upcoming Camping World Bowl. "We football coaches are most fortunate," Ben said as he left office as the president of the American Football Coaches Association. He organized an athletic league from among the soldiers being assembled in England in preparation for D-Day in order to keep the troops motivated and fit. He was captain of the football team in 1933. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. 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. Schwartzwalder continued his campaign all the way into Germany and acted as military governor of the town of Essen for a period of six months. After the war, Ben came back to coaching, and eventually found his way to Syracuse University. 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. 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. 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 After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 25-5. He thought the first script was a little thin. When their request was not met, Greg Allen, Richard Bulls, John Godbolt, Robin Griffin (who only boycotted in the spring), Dana D.J. Harrell, John Lobon, Clarence Bucky McGill, A. Alif Muhammad (then known as Al Newton), and Duane Walker began their boycott of spring football practice. On April 17, 1970, Black members of the football team sent Chancellor John Corbally a letter asking that he address their grievances within two days. 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. Neither believes "The Express" captures his personality, or accurately portrays his relationships with head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and teammates. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. The Schwartzwalder family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. (Courtesy Syracuse University Press) "So he looks me in the eye, and he said, 'Well then, you have a decision to make. He coached the 507th PIR football team, leading them through a ten game season in which the 507th was never defeated and never even scored upon. It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. You find it where you find it. The media focused on only one request, the hiring of a black assistant coach, ignoring their other grievances. He was also a military veteran. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. As Dolan approached from the north, Captain Ben Schwartzwalder led more than 40 men of the 507th to the south side of the Manoir, where he was also stopped by machine-gun fire. The sacrifice that it takes, the [bad stuff] that goes on all around and where it comes from. Syracuse football was coached at the time by Ben Schwartzwalder, a beloved figure on campus, who led the Orange to. As a captain in the 82nd Airborne (CO of Company G of the 507th), Schwartzwalder earned distinction during the invasion of Normandy and battles that followed in the last days of the war. Schwartzwalder is portrayed by actor Dennis Quaid in the 2008 Universal Pictures film The Express, a biography about Syracuse University Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. The most Schwartzwalder families were found in USA in 1920. The war ended and football again became his life. 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. 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 . Cemetery staff is on duty Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. He was a real comedian too. 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. 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. I think a couple of guys got hurt and they put me on defense. Oct 8, 2008 Dennis Quaid has played both a baseball and football star on the big screen but never a coach. "He was a real taskmaster. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. map this locationGoogle map location He produced 22 straight years of non-losing football, took the Orange to seven bowls, and won the national championship in 1959. Did you feel the constant pressure or did you acclimate to it? But none of these shortcomings stopped Ben Schwartzwalder from plunging head first into the field of battle. 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. New York had the highest population of Schwartzwalder families in 1880. BIO. And that was the first time I ever felt like an alumni. He also developed some of the most impressive running backs the game has ever seen Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka.

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