He would lead the program for more than 20 years, a period that would reach its crescendo with a national championship, in 1959. He also was a hero of World War II. Syracuse University Football Recruiting Database, Syracuse Men's Basketball Recruiting Database, La Fire Bridge: The D-Day Battle You Should Have Heard Of. St Louis Sporting News Archives, Oct 7, 1967, p. 58 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. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. Even if you go to Syracuse now, there is a constant battle that goes on. 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. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. Several units were simultaneously converging on the same objective in a piecemeal, uncoordinated manner. You must log in or register to reply here. Ben Schwartzwalder - NNDB Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. I didnt know why people loved their university. Ben led G Company during the D-Day operation and was decorated with the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in his first combat action. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) The year was 1959. . 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. Ben Schwartzwalder and Related Topics - hyperleap.com When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". Dennis Quaid says 'The Express: The Ernie Davis Story' speaks to Ben was clearly on his way to the top. Ben Schwartzwalder | hall-of-fame He was a real comedian too. But you needed both of us to make real changes. , Fleder shakes his head. This is where that appetite of desire was whetted and the burning determination to succeed was honed. Born the second daughter to Floyd ("Ben") and By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. But what was Coach Ben like? After the intervention of Syracuse football alumnus Jim Brown, who acted as an intermediary between the coach and the players, a black assistant coach was hired. Ruth Simpson Reggie Schwartzwalder, 100, of Syracuse, died peacefully and surrounded by her family on August 25, 2012, at Crouse Hospital. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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). Schwartzwalder, 61 years old, has been head coach since 1949. 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. The Commission subsequently chaired several meetings between the parties, but without success. But when he started talking about his own experiences, especially his conflicts with Schwartzwalder and how he was told he couldnt date white girls, I started to see a lot more drama there. The funny part is that so many people have known this for years, including myself.". Here's more about their relationship (all from the unknown emailer): The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Mostly, we remember Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder as Syracuse University's successful head football coach, 1949 to 1973. [continued on next page] Pages: 1 2 3 4 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 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. I don't know what the ratio of prisoners to guards would have been. Between 1848 and 1867, the college operated as the Allentown Seminary, the Allentown Collegiate and Military Institute, and the Allentown Collegiate Institute. Inductee | Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder 1982 | College Football Hall Over 25 season, he compiled a 153-91-3 record and led the team an undefeated season in 1959 that included the National Championship. It's everyone's fight, even if it's not specifically your story He was basically a shy, quiet individual who never got very close to the press or general public. Lots of midgets. Ben always refused to pick a favorite team or make comparisons. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. A i turned . 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. Because in my experience, I just wanted to get out of there and get moving. Celebrating the 1959 SU football team | WSYR And they made Ben look like a racist, to me.". He coached high school football for six years in West Virginia a year at Sistersville High School, followed by the Parkersburg High School Big Reds football from 1936 to 1940 and Ohio a year at Canton McKinley High School and won two state championships. With the score Reading 13-6, North Carolina state drove All the Way to the Lions goal but Pound it Over. 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". I know it well. The three major forces in the dispute have been the eight black athletes, and their spokesman George Moody, director of King-on-campus School; Chancellor John E. Corbally and the administration; and Coach Schwartzwalder, supported by his coaching staff and football squad. !8 holes of golf and Ben never said a word about football. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. You either throw in the towel or you go ahead and try to make your performance speak for you. 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 trophy was established in 1993, the year Schwartzwalder died, and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. The Syracuse Eight - Tumblr 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. Christian Rudolph Kessler was the school's first teacher and administrator. Mountaineer fans are just over . 20072023 Blackpast.org. Gary Fleders The Express, which hits theaters next month, is really two compelling movies in one. This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. He was a member of the 1964 Sugar Bowl team. Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. 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. 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. 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 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. Schwartzwalder is portrayed by actor Dennis Quaid in the 2008 Universal Pictures film The Express: The Ernie Davis Story, a biographical film about Syracuse University Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis. Burials may be scheduled by calling the cemetery staff at (315) 484-1564. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. The coaches? A report on Ben Schwartzwalder. 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's 1959 National Championship Team 'Had No Weaknesses' - Ben Schwartzwalder. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. (Courtesy Syracuse University Press) "So he looks me in the eye, and he said, 'Well then, you have a decision to make. Fleder didnt simply want Browns take on Davis; he wanted to hear what the former football star thought of Ben Schwartzwalder, the legendary Syracuse coach who wasnt so enthralled by the civil rights fervor that was starting to sweep the nation. The Black student-athletes first sent their grievances to Coach Schwartzwalder, though that document does not exist in the University Archives. He was a paratrooper in World War II, rose to the rank of major, and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple . He eventually was able to link up with some 180 other "lost" paratroopers who had been dropped off target. Point Pleasant, Mason County, West Virginia, USA. Ernie Davis becomes first Black to win Heisman Trophy If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. 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. Schwartzwalder plays a prominent role in the battle. It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. Beginnings of the Boycott - Syracuse 8 Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. After the war, Ben came back to coaching, and eventually found his way to Syracuse University. "By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". The players believed that many of these issues could be remedied by hiring a black coach. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. Significance: The Ben . I have to give Jim Brown a ton of credit. 1/11/2013. 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. At first, Ben Schwartzwalder was a legend at Syracuse. But it was changing. 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. ". 8 Black Syracuse Football Players Continue Boycott Casualties caused the 507th to regroup and reorganize. Ben Schwartzwalder, Head Coach 1949-73. 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. You should know his story, because its a Syracuse University story one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. [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. Ernest R Davis Essay Papers - 1117 Words | Internet Public Library 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. Quick Facts. Ben Schwartzwalder was in a relationship with Ruth Schwartzwalder. Before Kaepernick, The 'Syracuse 8' Were Blackballed By Pro Football - WBUR 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. Schwartzwalder had a famous Penn State teammate in Normandy - syracuse And then we played Illinois, and I had to play. Ernie doesnt scream and he doesnt protest, but hes raging inside. They included the battalion surgeon who had stayed behind to care for the wounded. In 1969 a group of nine student-athletes boycotted Syracuse Universitys football program to demand change and promote racial equality. Bernie Custis, Orange Quarterback, Changed Far More than a Game - SU News Youre always having to think of what youre going to say, what youre going to do, where you can go and where you cant. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. He produced 22 straight years of non-losing football, took the Orange to seven bowls, and won the national championship in 1959. He thought the first script was a little thin. I wasnt crazy about the original script, Fleder told me over lunch recently. The public Ben Schwartzwalder often appeared to be a cross between a wounded bear and a crossed bull. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". However, that coach often sat in the back of the room and was not listed on the coaching roster. "Nor would Ben ever talk to Ernie like that.". Prijevodi fraza TOP THEMSELVES s engleskog na hrvatski i primjeri upotrebe rijei "TOP THEMSELVES" u reenici s njihovim prijevodima: Top themselves . 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. Collapse. Courtesy Syracuse Library Special Collections (Syracuse 8 Collection, John Lobon Box 1), African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Racial Conflict - Segregation/Integration, https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/syracuse-football-1960s-race-civil-rights, https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/11/17/syracuse-8-football-boycott-kaepernick, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. 5 in our series looking at the coaches and players who have made the biggest impact in Syracuse University sports. Syracuse, West Virginia Fans Create Petition For The Ben Schwartzwalder Oct 8, 2008 Dennis Quaid has played both a baseball and football star on the big screen but never a coach. Syracuse, New York 13244 BIO. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way. Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder (June 2, 1909 - April 28, 1993) was a Hall of Fame football coach at Syracuse University, where he trained future National Football League stars such as Jim Brown, Larry Csonka, Floyd Little and Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy . I think a couple of guys got hurt and they put me on defense. Items For Sale At Auction - Online Auction Sunday Jan 29th 9am Military 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. You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. Walk Where They Fought: La Fire, 82d Airborne Division, D-Day 1944 | Armchair General Magazine - We Put YOU in Command! 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. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football.