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. 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.". He would then later imply he was joking or being sarcastic at the time these promises were made. But you needed both of us to make real changes. , Fleder shakes his head. We might have to change and modify things Jim Brown: You can do a hell of a film if you can understand what it is to be a man in America. The most Schwartzwalder families were found in USA in 1920. What is a filmmaker looking for when hes researching a film based on real-life events? Davis was the team's juggernaut running back, later the first African-American ever to win the Heisman Trophy. The funny part is that so many people have known this for years, including myself.". 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. Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder (Ben was a childhood nickname) had a major impact on the Syracuse University football program during his 25 years as head coach including winning a national championship in 1959. And they made Ben look like a racist, to me.". 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. "By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". ", Easterly scoffs at that dramatic license. 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). During the summer, the black players filed a complaint against Syracuse University and the coaching staff with the Syracuse and Onondaga Human Rights Commission. It doesnt break down in gender. 3 pair military pants 36s 38s 36xs shirt. Led by College Football Hall of Fame coach Ben Schwartzwalder, the Orange were unranked to start the season, but climbed to No. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. Cemetery staff is on duty Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. I just want to know -- what did you feel on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis? During the spring season, the players attempted to nudge coach Schwartzwalder one more time. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. 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. 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). The student-athletes four demands were access to the same academic tutoring as their white teammates; better medical care for all team members; starting assignments based on merit; and racially integrating the coaching staff, which had been all white since 1898. The media focused on only one request, the hiring of a black assistant coach, ignoring their other grievances. He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Jim Brown: The coaches. 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 . He was like a Marine, with a real army attitude. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. 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. 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). All rights reserved (About Us). 20072023 Blackpast.org. He was 80 then and hit every drive down the middle. 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. Ben was just an old fashioned guy who thought you were privileged to play. "He would never in a million years talk to Ben Schwartzwalder like that," Easterly said. 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. He coached at Syracuse from 1949 to 1973, compiling a 178-96-3 record, and winning one national championship in 1959 while going undefeated. 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. 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. In 1880 there were 6 Schwartzwalder families living in New York. A report on Ben Schwartzwalder. The most pivotal character was Company Capt. 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. He was also a military veteran. He was a real comedian too. During his 25 years as head coach Syracuse teams outrushed their opponents by more than 22,000 yards. And then people, the fans, used to always call for me. 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. "Nor would Ben ever talk to Ernie like that.". Jim Brown: I was going to leave because it was almost unbearable. 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. The Commission subsequently chaired several meetings between the parties, but without success. Ben Schwartzwalder. They believed this practice restricted their talents and abilities and decreased the teams likelihood of winning games. January 25, 2010 Floyd Benjamin "Ben" Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. 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. Here are some excerpts from a 2005 conversation between Fleder and Brown that paved the way for the making of The Express.. Notably, 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 University of Texas team in the Cotton Bowl while winning the 1959 national championship. 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. 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 story of Jackie Robinson is also the story of Branch Rickey. He wanted p Syracuse, New York 13244 Quick Facts. Do you find this information helpful? The Schwartzwalder Trophy was named after former Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, who led the Orange to the 1959 national title. The teammates also say that Brown's portrayal misses Davis' essence. 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. This was about 67% of all the recorded Schwartzwalder's in USA. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. Yet forget wins and losses. 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. You had an amazing four years, breaking records and you make it easier for Ernie to come to school. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. 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. Biography Lists News Also Viewed. Walk Where They Fought: La Fire, 82d Airborne Division, D-Day 1944 | Armchair General Magazine - We Put YOU in Command! I'm guessing it's after beating WVU to claim the Schwartzwalder Trophy. It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. He became a company commander and earned the rank of major. So the story is like you said -- its a big story and a small story. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. Syracuse football was coached at the time by Ben Schwartzwalder, a beloved figure on campus, who led the Orange to. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. Significance: The Ben . Born the second daughter to Floyd ("Ben") and "Miraculously, Ed and the majority of his "lost" group were able to reach the US lines and by 14 June he was reunited with the regiment outside of St. No portion of this site may be reproduced or duplicated without the express written permission of Syracuse University. I think a couple of guys got hurt and they put me on defense. 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. One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday. 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. He was also a military veteran. t: 1.315.443.2093f: 1.315.443.4083 scrc@syr.edu It's a scene included in tonight's world premier of "The Express" at the Landmark Theatre. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? Gary Fleder: You faced the exact same thing. Just watched Seize and Secure a one hour documentary on PBS about the battle to secure the bridge at La Fire on DDay Capt. 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. 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). Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. A i turned . 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. Death 28 Apr 1993 (aged 83) . Lots of midgets. Syracuse 8: Tom Smith, Walker, Muhammad, McGill, Lobon, Harrell, Allen, and Godbolt, Spring 1969. It was superficial and cloying and didnt give enough dimension to the story. 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. Shortly after Dec. 7, 1941, Canton McKinley lost a coach and the U.S. Army gained a soldier. Later that afternoon, a beaming Davis, seeing Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, went floating toward him through a. During the spring season, the players attempted to nudge coach Schwartzwalder one more time. He was basically a shy, quiet individual who never got very close to the press or general public. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. Following his completion of ROTC, as a Distinguished. When the Waffen-SS troops finally overran Graignes, they took out severe revenge on the villagers for having "collaborated with the enemy". Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder and the SU football team were having a great season. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) The year was 1959. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. Neither believes "The Express" captures his personality, or accurately portrays his relationships with head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and teammates. 222 Waverly Avenue 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. 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. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. Mere Eglise. 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. 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. 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 Those units were from the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Gotz von Berlichingen". 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. Gary Fleders The Express, which hits theaters next month, is really two compelling movies in one. Mountaineer fans are just over . 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. No. They wanted me to change positions, all kinds of stuff. He eventually was able to link up with some 180 other "lost" paratroopers who had been dropped off target. "I have a strange feeling that in the years to come, officials, alumni and fans might finally realize what a tremendous asset Ben was. On the Monday following a game, the coaches used to show the game films in Sadler Hall for anyone wishing to see them. All these years later, Easterly still recalls his teammate not only for his football prowess, but also for his warm, comical personality. 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. 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. And thus, Ruth Simpson became Mrs. Floyd Schwartzwalder. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. 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. His report card shows 178 wins, 96 losses and three ties during his 28-year tenure as a head coach (three years at Muhlenberg, 25 at Syracuse). Starting in the fall of 1968, Black football players at Syracuse University expressed concerns about racial discrimination within the football program. 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. Point Pleasant, Mason County, West Virginia, USA. The sacrifice that it takes, the [bad stuff] that goes on all around and where it comes from. Schwartzwalder was the head football coach of the Syracuse Orange from 1949 to 1973. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder had no interest in acknowledging race and how racism affects the experience of black athletes. The school? Ben Schwartzwalder began his football career as a 95-pound high school freshman quarterback. 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. 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. Syracuse 8 Collection, University Archives. 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. But what was Coach Ben like? He graduated from Syracuse University in January 1966 with a bachelor's degree in Economics. He would lead the program for more than 20 years, a period that would reach its crescendo with a national championship, in 1959. They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. All WW11. 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. Muhlenberg College was founded in 1848 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the Allentown Seminary by Samuel K. Brobst, a Reformed Lutheran minister. He thought the first script was a little thin. "We football coaches are most fortunate," Ben said as he left office as the president of the American Football Coaches Association. Floyd Little was raised in poverty in New Haven, Connecticut. As head coach from 1949-73, he mounted an impressive 153-91-3 record there. !8 holes of golf and Ben never said a word about football. The coaches? His wife Ruth "Reggie" Schwartzwalder died on August 25, 2012, aged 100. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder began routines of coming up to Elmire to visit Davis and his family. 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. There is so much joy on the faces of the players and Ben. Syracuse a Veteran coach Ben Schwartzwalder was musing about his Lack of depth recently. 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. Anyways, getting back to the rivalry, the trophy was introduced in 1993 after the death of Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. Gary Fleder: Did you feel it from the players? All Rights Reserved. It is where the seeds of the fierce competitor were nurtured and matured. He was captain of the football team in 1933. "Sometimes outstanding individuals are never appreciated until they are gone," said Beano Cooke, a former sports information director and now with ABC-TV. 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. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. 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. Because in my experience, I just wanted to get out of there and get moving. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. Ben died in 1993 at the age of 84.. Ernie doesnt scream and he doesnt protest, but hes raging inside. Cutting black players from the list of team members mak ing trips. Ben Schwartzwalder. You should know his story. (2017, November 17). kids games foreign dolls asst. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Here's more about their relationship (all from the unknown emailer): He earned a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Silver Star, and Presidential Unit Citation. I am not sure the assistant coach had the facts correct. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. . He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. 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]. They then approached the Office of the Chancellor. Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. 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 University Football Recruiting Database, Syracuse Men's Basketball Recruiting Database, La Fire Bridge: The D-Day Battle You Should Have Heard Of. 2023 Syracuse University. He was personally decorated by Matthew Ridgeway who recalled Ben well. Then I played Colgate and had a great game and I just sort of broke the back of that whole discriminatory attitude. Reading your post, I flashed on "Band of Brothers", which detailed a company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. What made him tick and what made him one of the giants of the game? But in real life, there are people -- white people -- who have done wonderful things because they were just good human beings. He recruited black players not . Schwartzwalder had a knack for developing excellent running backs through their college careers, including Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, Jim Brown, Floyd Little, Jim Nance, and Larry Csonka. But there was to be a delay. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. 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. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. Ben always refused to pick a favorite team or make comparisons. They claim key events on screen never occurred, like the team being showered with garbage and racial epithets during a game at West Virginia. During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. 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. Davis' accomplishments and abbreviated life inspire the new movie, which Easterly saw at an Orangemen reunion recently. In 1969 a group of nine student-athletes boycotted Syracuse Universitys football program to demand change and promote racial equality. The Orange had won but nine games in four years and everyone was unhappy. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. One other thought on that. The Schwartzwalder family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. 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. In 1967, Schwartzwalder was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. Collapse. However, Ed Wagner's group overlooked the main route of advance for the German armored forces racing to reinforce the town of Carentan. Richard Winters (played by Damian Lewis), who also received a battlefield promotion to major and was also from West Virginia, like Ol' Ben. "Ernie knew everybody's name and went out of his way to say hello. The trophy was established in 1993, the year Schwartzwalder died, and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. Qualities missing from Davis' portrayal in "The Express," opening Friday. Finally he called Brown, who lives here in L.A., and set up a meeting. Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield. We created a day for minority students coming back together. Wiping Systems Market Is Likely To Boost In Upcoming Years. 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. The team he was coaching at the time was his favorite simply because of his great love of coaching. At Syracuse, I was the radical and Ernie was the peacemaker, the guy everyone loved. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . 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. This month marks 50 years since the Syracuse 8 began their peaceful protest. By Frank Giardina For the Gazette-Mail; Jun 10, 2017 Jun 10, 2017 Updated Nov 21, 2017; Comments; 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns, Davis was diagnosed with leukemia. The priest, his friar and two elderly women who had been caring for the wounded in the local church, a structure dating back to the 12th Century, were summarily shot, and the village then set aflame. This remains Syracuse's only national football title in football to date.