Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. 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. The Commission subsequently chaired several meetings between the parties, but without success. One other thought on that. Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield. . You had an amazing four years, breaking records and you make it easier for Ernie to come to school. There is so much joy on the faces of the players and Ben. Since Davis grew up with his grandfather, he always wanted his grandfather, "pops" to have a say in what he did. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. All Rights Reserved. All rights reserved (About Us). 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) 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. 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. In 1880 there were 6 Schwartzwalder families living in New York. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way . He coached at Syracuse from 1949 to 1973, compiling a 178-96-3 record, and winning one national championship in 1959 while going undefeated. "I see a lot of things that never were done to Ernie but maybe happened to [Syracuse great] Jim Brown (in the 1950s). He produced 22 straight years of non-losing football, took the Orange to seven bowls, and won the national championship in 1959. Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. 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. The Orange had won but nine games in four years and everyone was unhappy. 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. 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. 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 "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. However, that coach often sat in the back of the room and was not listed on the coaching roster. The story grew each time it was told. 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 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.. And that was the first time I ever felt like an alumni. 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. Syracuse head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way. "He was a real taskmaster. 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. 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. He was bowlegged, sent off to military school and told his IQ was too low to even consider college. In the spring of 1970, he arranged for former Syracuse football great Floyd . Neither believes "The Express" captures his personality, or accurately portrays his relationships with head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and teammates. 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. During the spring season, the players attempted to nudge coach Schwartzwalder one more time. However, Ed Wagner's group overlooked the main route of advance for the German armored forces racing to reinforce the town of Carentan. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. Finally, we got the scene where Ernie wants to give his jersey, with No. 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. ". He also wrestled and dodged a young coed who was just as fierce a competitor as he when it came to getting her man. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns, Davis was diagnosed with leukemia. 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. But there was to be a delay. During the spring season, the players attempted to nudge coach Schwartzwalder one more time. We created a day for minority students coming back together. Jim was very quiet in the early part of the film, Fleder recalls. He was captain of the football team in 1933. When he refused their request, they walked out of spring practice and leaked their act of resistance to the media. 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]. 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. About Ben Schwartzwalder is a member of the following lists: 1993 deaths , American military personnel of World War II and United States Army officers . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. map this locationGoogle map location 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. 1/11/2013. You should know his story, because its a Syracuse University story one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. wood stock homemade appx 30 3/4l 2" metal lincoln bust heavy appx 5" politician dewey bust copyright 1899 5" general john j pershing 1917 glass mold. By the time he was in college, it was apparent that he wasn't going to weigh much more than 150 and grow taller than 5-9. Syracuse University Photo & Imaging Collection, University Archives. Collapse. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Ed was killed and the acting battalion commander seriously wounded. The war ended and football again became his life. Ben enrolled at West Virginia University and went out for football. 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 holding off the vastly superior German forc es for four days, the senior officer in command ordered the paratroopers to withdraw under the cover of darkness and attempt to reach Allied lines by exfilling in small bands through the flooded marshes and swollen streams. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. Qualities missing from Davis' portrayal in "The Express," opening Friday. 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. Brown portrays Davis as an intense, shy person moved to anger when Schwartzwalder deflects any discriminatory acts. 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. His wife Ruth "Reggie" Schwartzwalder died on August 25, 2012, aged 100. In 1946 he rotated back to the States and was honorably discharged. You can't be Black and be a . They identify him as later coaching Syracuse University to the national championship in 1959. 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 thought the first script was a little thin. Floyd Little was raised in poverty in New Haven, Connecticut. You see, if Ernie didnt perform, all that nice [stuff] wouldnt have been about nothing. Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. Very similar to Ronald Spiers story in episode 2 of that series when he supposedly gave a handful of German soldiers a cigarette and then executed all but one. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. I think a couple of guys got hurt and they put me on defense. 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. Ben Schwartzwalder. But for the guards to be enough men to make a difference in a pitched battle, there must have been a lot of German prisoners for Badass Ben to mow down - if that actually happened. Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 00:55, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "'The Express' and the movie's connections to Parkersburg", by Jody Murphy. This month marks 50 years since the Syracuse 8 began their peaceful protest. Did you feel the constant pressure or did you acclimate to it? Chuck Leavitt did a great page-one rewrite of the script. 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. The private Ben was a very devoted family man who loved to putter around in his garden or who always had time to stop and give a stray dog a reassuring pat on the head or say hello to a youngster. Enjoyed the story, I am sure Czonka repeated what he heard. After talking to him, I knew we had a movie. 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. A new head coach, Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder, would take over in 1949. Between 1848 and 1867, the college operated as the Allentown Seminary, the Allentown Collegiate and Military Institute, and the Allentown Collegiate Institute. Yet forget wins and losses. Schwartzwalder, a decorated World War II veteran with just three years of coaching experience at the college level, arrived at Syracuse . Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Fleder admits to being something of a nervous wreck. . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 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. Dec. 15, 1991 12 AM PT. Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield, his wife Ruth "Reggie" Schwartzwalder died on August 25, 2012, aged 100. Prijevodi fraza TOP THEMSELVES s engleskog na hrvatski i primjeri upotrebe rijei "TOP THEMSELVES" u reenici s njihovim prijevodima: Top themselves . He was 80 then and hit every drive down the middle. Finally he called Brown, who lives here in L.A., and set up a meeting. List of battleships of the United States Navy, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, West Virginia Mountaineers football players, High school football coaches in the United States, United States Army personnel of World War II, People from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, Players of American football from West Virginia, "'The Express' and the movie's connections to Parkersburg", by Jody Murphy. He was also a military veteran. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. They show Ben in his Service today for Ben A Memorial Day service will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 4069 Howlett Hill Rd. And according to the emailer, Schwartzwalder and Wagner served together as paratroopers in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. They believed this practice restricted their talents and abilities and decreased the teams likelihood of winning games. This remains Syracuse's only national football title in football to date. His primary recommendation for every injury was ice and rest. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. Gary Fleder: I just want to make a film that has the essence of Ernie Davis. The student-athletes also repeatedly requested that head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder hire a Black assistant coach, with whom they felt they could talk more easily about problems relating to race. "I have a strange feeling that in the years to come, officials, alumni and fans might finally realize what a tremendous asset Ben was. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. Ben Schwartzwalder. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. 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. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. Floyd Burdette "Ben" Schwartzwalder Birth 2 Jun 1909. 3 pair military pants 36s 38s 36xs shirt. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of Nazi Germany. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. Parkersburg. [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. 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 . What did Jim Brown say that made such a difference? 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 Truth is sometimes rearranged in screen biographies, when facts aren't dramatic enough for the filmmaker's vision. One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday. 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. You should know his story, because its a Syracuse University story one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. 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. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. 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.". Ben organized and coached the 507th's football team. They basically tried to take all my self-esteem away. Director Gary Fleder uses Davis' football career to illustrate racial intolerance that Easterly and Whelan claim seldom existed for him. The greatest part of Ernie Davis was that he could cross over lines. Thats the reason I recruited Ernie, because he was a great, great player and it was starting to change. 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. Quite a story, but as an amateur historian, that kind of second or third hand quote, especially one delivered 50 years after it was shared, makes me very skeptical to its veracity. 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". Cemetery staff is on duty Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Played golf in an SU golf outing at Drrumliuns years back with Ben and an offensive lineman on the championship team (Yeager??). 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. 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. However, his plane was seriously off course and dropped its "stick" of twelve paratroopers some ten miles away from its designated landing zone. In 1969 a group of nine student-athletes boycotted Syracuse Universitys football program to demand change and promote racial equality. I didnt know why people loved their university. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Syracuse University Football Collection, University Archives. 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. Jim Brown: The coaches. 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. 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). 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. 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. In addition to Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, he coached Jim Brown, Floyd Little, Jim Nance, and Larry Csonka through their college careers. But what was Coach Ben like? These SS troopers also executed the twenty plus wounded US paratroopers who had been too injured to evacuate with the others. He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Because in my experience, I just wanted to get out of there and get moving. They included the battalion surgeon who had stayed behind to care for the wounded. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. 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. [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. - Ben Schwartzwalder. A nice memory. Orange teams outrushed opponents by more than 22,000 yards under Ben. So the story is like you said -- its a big story and a small story. After the war, Ben came back to coaching, and eventually found his way to Syracuse University. The two men shook hands outside the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. 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. If Jim Brown was happy, I was happy., Still, what fascinated me was that first conversation between Fleder and Brown. How does one describe Ben Schwartzwalder? Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. 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. The rest is now history. Los Angeles Times Staff Writer. 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. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. Less than a dozen men rank in this category. No portion of this site may be reproduced or duplicated without the express written permission of Syracuse University. Schwartzwalder, 61 years old, has been head coach since 1949. You know, the funny thing about cinema is, usually when they do a story that has African Americans in it, there always has to be a white guy whos the savior. 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.
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