Syracuse University Photo & Imaging Collection, University Archives. Gary Fleder: Did you feel it from the players? With the aid of the local French people this small group, isolated behind the German lines, attempted to hold the village of Graignes until the US units moving inland from the invasion beaches could reach their position. 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. You see, if Ernie didnt perform, all that nice [stuff] wouldnt have been about nothing. "He was like a magnet to good things, always; polite, smart, a real personality," Whelan said. 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. Bills two-time AFL champion, Al Bemiller passed away Ernie Davis was only weeks from dying the last time Dick Easterly saw his Heisman Trophy-winning teammate. t: 1.315.443.2093f: 1.315.443.4083 scrc@syr.edu Ben Schwartzwalder - Wikipedia Items For Sale At Auction - Online Auction Sunday Jan 29th 9am Military 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. Dennis Quaid: I Cleaned My Life Up - Parade: Entertainment, Recipes He would then later imply he was joking or being sarcastic at the time these promises were made. Both taught and Ben began coaching in his home state. In the spring of 1970, he arranged for former Syracuse football great Floyd Little 67 to help with spring practice under the guise of an assistant football coach, but the Black athletes were upset to learn it was just for a few days. Ben Schwartzwalder Wiki - everipedia.org 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. 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. By Frank Giardina For the Gazette-Mail; Jun 10, 2017 Jun 10, 2017 Updated Nov 21, 2017; Comments; The story grew each time it was told. - Ben Schwartzwalder. He overcame those . A call for help went out and in the end it was that man who was to win more games than Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy, Bud Wilkinson or Earl Blaik that answered. Bemiller was quite literally at the center of Buffalo's American Football League back-to-back championship teams. I know it well. Rivalry Trophy Series: Battle for the Schwartzwalder Trophy In 1946 he rotated back to the States and was honorably discharged. You should know his story. ". 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. Meanwhile, up in central New York, Syracuse was struggling for survival. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. Schwartzwalder Trophy not in play - Big 12 Blog- ESPN Did you feel the constant pressure or did you acclimate to it? He was 80 then and hit every drive down the middle. However, Ed Wagner's group overlooked the main route of advance for the German armored forces racing to reinforce the town of Carentan. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. 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. 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. During his 25 years as head coach Syracuse teams outrushed their opponents by more than 22,000 yards. The basics. He was like a Marine, with a real army attitude. 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 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. They identify him as later coaching Syracuse University to the national championship in 1959. He finally gets his chance in The Express, playing legendary Syracuse coach Ben. He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. You either throw in the towel or you go ahead and try to make your performance speak for you. 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. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. 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. On the right side of the photograph are several Black team members who boycotted the football program the following spring. Scoop: Fans want The Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy to be awarded to the winner of the 2012 New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which features old Big East rivals Syracuse and West Virginia. 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. 20072023 Blackpast.org. Jim Brown: The other star of "The Express" - Los Angeles Times 5 in our series looking at the coaches and players who have made the biggest impact in Syracuse University sports. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. The school? Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . I wasnt crazy about the original script, Fleder told me over lunch recently. And there was always the female situation -- dont date white girls and you have to play better than anybody else. 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. I have to give Jim Brown a ton of credit. Reading your post, I flashed on "Band of Brothers", which detailed a company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. All WW11. About Ben Schwartzwalder is a member of the following lists: 1993 deaths , American military personnel of World War II and United States Army officers . 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. (Courtesy Syracuse University Press) "So he looks me in the eye, and he said, 'Well then, you have a decision to make. Schwartzwalder was a West Virginia graduate. "By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". So if you take a story like Ernies, you can show that, for the first time somebody can show what it is to be an American and the subtleties of carrying that burden. When he refused their request, they walked out of spring practice and leaked their act of resistance to the media. Ben Schwartzwalder - OVMA - Syracuse University 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. 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. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. Truth is sometimes rearranged in screen biographies, when facts aren't dramatic enough for the filmmaker's vision. Syracuse leads the overall record of the series 31-27, however West Virginia has won the trophy 11 times to Syracuse's 7. You had an amazing four years, breaking records and you make it easier for Ernie to come to school. This remains Syracuse's only national football title in football to date. Just watched Seize and Secure a one hour documentary on PBS about the battle to secure the bridge at La Fire on DDay Capt. It is where the seeds of the fierce competitor were nurtured and matured. Orange teams outrushed opponents by more than 22,000 yards under Ben. Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. 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. All Rights Reserved. Is that in the book? He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. "We football coaches are most fortunate," Ben said as he left office as the president of the American Football Coaches Association. Ben Schwartzwalder Dies at 83; Revitalized Football at Syracuse He was a paratrooper in World War II, rose to the rank of major, and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple . 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. 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. The public Ben Schwartzwalder often appeared to be a cross between a wounded bear and a crossed bull. 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). [1] 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[1] and Ohio a year at Canton McKinley High School[1] and won two state championships. And then people, the fans, used to always call for me. 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. 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. "Nor would Ben ever talk to Ernie like that.". He was bowlegged, sent off to military school and told his IQ was too low to even consider college. "I have a strange feeling that in the years to come, officials, alumni and fans might finally realize what a tremendous asset Ben was. Floyd Burdette "Ben" Schwartzwalder (1909-1993) Death 28 Apr 1993 (aged 83) . Ben died in 1993 at the age of 84.. 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. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. 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. Richard Winters (played by Damian Lewis), who also received a battlefield promotion to major and was also from West Virginia, like Ol' Ben. Syracuse a Veteran coach Ben Schwartzwalder was musing about his Lack of depth recently. Chancellor John Corbally Records, University Archives. Later that afternoon, a beaming Davis, seeing Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, went floating toward him through a. And if you deal with my life, while Im dealing with all these bad people at Syracuse, I got all these good people out there helping [me]. Ben Schwartzwalder, Head Coach 1949-73 - Syracuse University As a member of the famed 82nd Airborne, he parachuted onto Normandy Beach on D-Day in 1944. Davis, 23, died the next month in a Cleveland hospital. Mary ScofieldMary Scofield (born Mary Schwartzwalder) passed away on December 7, 2017 after battling ovarian cancer for three years. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. He would lead the program for more than 20 years, a period that would reach its crescendo with a national championship, in 1959. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder He said, You have to realize, in the civil rights movement, there had to be radicals and peacemakers, radicals like Malcolm X and peacemakers like Martin Luther King. But its also a great drama about how both the athletes and coaches of that era were profoundly transformed by the civil rights movement, which initially had a far greater impact on society than on the football field. Ben Schwartzwalder | Military Wiki | Fandom But there was to be a delay. !8 holes of golf and Ben never said a word about football. Parkersburg. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. BEN SCHWARTZWALDER (1909-93) - Syracuse University Athletics He became a company commander and earned the rank of major. 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 . 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. After the war, Ben came back to coaching, and eventually found his way to Syracuse University. It is very likely that Lt. Wagner assisted him with this extracurricular athletic program in view of the fact that Ed had been an assistant manager for the Penn State football team in 1939, and as the 3rd Battalion's personnel officer, or S-1, he would have been able to identify unit personnel with football experience and "facilitate" their assignment to "extra duties". 8 Black Syracuse Football Players Continue Boycott 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. Corbally and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Jim Carleton met with the boycotting players that spring and committed to hiring a Black assistant football coach before fall practice. And according to the emailer, Schwartzwalder and Wagner served together as paratroopers in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. St Louis Sporting News Archives, Oct 7, 1967, p. 58 Gary Fleder: You faced the exact same thing. The Schwartzwalder Trophy was named after former Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, who led the Orange to the 1959 national title. You can't be Black and be a . Youre always having to think of what youre going to say, what youre going to do, where you can go and where you cant. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Ben Schwartzwalder. One other thought on that. The demand for better medical care was rooted in the fact that the medical doctor for the team was a gynecologist by training and was hesitant to touch black bodies. 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 Burials may be scheduled by calling the cemetery staff at (315) 484-1564. Popularized erroneously in 1970 by the media as the Syracuse 8, the nine students behind the boycott were Gregory Allen, Richard Bulls, Dana Harrell, John Godbolt, John Lobon, Clarence Bucky McGill, A. Alif Muhammad, Duane Walker, and Ron Womack. Gary Fleder: I just want to make a film that has the essence of Ernie Davis. I will probably buy this book too. 1/11/2013. He later joined teammate Patrick Whelan, 71, of Safety Harbor, at a Tampa screening. This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. 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. Gary Fleders The Express, which hits theaters next month, is really two compelling movies in one. And enthusiasm!! Ruth "Reggie" Simpson Schwartzwalder (1912-2012) - Find a Grave But none of these shortcomings stopped Ben Schwartzwalder from plunging head first into the field of battle. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder had no interest in acknowledging race and how racism affects the experience of black athletes. New York had the highest population of Schwartzwalder families in 1880. 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. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. After the United States entered World War II, Schwartzwalder joined the U.S. Army and served with the 507th Parachute Infantry of the famed Eighty-second Airborne Division. 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. We created a day for minority students coming back together. Walk Where They Fought: La Fire, 82d Airborne Division, D-Day 1944 This month marks 50 years since the Syracuse 8 began their peaceful protest. All these years later, Easterly still recalls his teammate not only for his football prowess, but also for his warm, comical personality. The story of Jackie Robinson is also the story of Branch Rickey. The two men shook hands outside the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. Coach Schwartzwalder's Decision A Black assistant football coach, Carlmon Jones, was finally hired in the summer of 1970, but neither the administration nor the football coaching staff took any other steps to address the boycotting athletes' other grievances.

Alistair Begg Obituary, Articles B