He rose to the rank of major and in the process picked up the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart, four battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. 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 . !8 holes of golf and Ben never said a word about football. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. Ben Schwartzwalder . 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 the spring season, the players attempted to nudge coach Schwartzwalder one more time. "Nor would Ben ever talk to Ernie like that.". Fleder admits to being something of a nervous wreck. But it was changing. He was captain of the football team in 1933. See About archive blog posts. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. 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. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. He was personally decorated by Matthew Ridgeway who recalled Ben well. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way . You either throw in the towel or you go ahead and try to make your performance speak for you. The Black student-athletes first sent their grievances to Coach Schwartzwalder, though that document does not exist in the University Archives. Reading your post, I flashed on "Band of Brothers", which detailed a company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. He remained with the 507th PIR when it was reassigned to the newly formed 17th Abn Div, and fought with this unit during the Battle of the Bulge and in the airborne drop across the Rhine River at Wessel in March 1945. And less than a handful of men who have entered the coaching profession since Princeton and Rutgers started the madness back in 1869 have recorded as many victories as did this crew-cut, bespectacled quiet little giant out of the hills of West Virginia. 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". 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 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. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. After talking to him, I knew we had a movie. During the war, Schwartzwalder was a military hero, a paratrooper, part of the D-Day invasion in June 1944 fighting behind enemy lines. It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. If Jim Brown was happy, I was happy., Still, what fascinated me was that first conversation between Fleder and Brown. 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). Schwartzwalder was the head football coach of the Syracuse Orange from 1949 to 1973. 1LT Wagner was promoted to commander of the 3rd battalion's headquarters company. . In 1967, Schwartzwalder was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association. Gary Fleder: Did you feel it from the players? ", Easterly scoffs at that dramatic license. About Ben Schwartzwalder is a member of the following lists: 1993 deaths , American military personnel of World War II and United States Army officers . What made him tick and what made him one of the giants of the game? Mostly, we remember Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder as Syracuse University's successful head football coach, 1949 to 1973. So the story is like you said -- its a big story and a small story. You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. Schwartzwalder was also a hero of the D-Day invasion and several other important engagements of World War II. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. Collapse. 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. This remains Syracuse's only national football title in football to date. 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. 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. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. Thats the reason I recruited Ernie, because he was a great, great player and it was starting to change. Syracuse 8: Tom Smith, Walker, Muhammad, McGill, Lobon, Harrell, Allen, and Godbolt, Spring 1969. Jim was very quiet in the early part of the film, Fleder recalls. A nice memory. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. BIO. Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He graduated from Syracuse University in January 1966 with a bachelor's degree in Economics. 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. 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. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. But what do you do when youve got these circumstances? 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. Over that time he led Syracuse to its only football national title, in 1959. What is a filmmaker looking for when hes researching a film based on real-life events? In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. 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. 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. Anyways, getting back to the rivalry, the trophy was introduced in 1993 after the death of Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. Quaid, who plays legendary Syracuse University coach Ben Schwartzwalder, described his character as "a hard-nosed, tough guy who stormed the beaches at Normandy. You can't be Black and be a . Doesn't the story go that when Larry was recruited by all the Big Ten schools and Notre Dame, they only showed him around the football facilities, stadiums and campuses? I just want to know -- what did you feel on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis? Jim told me something really amazing that put things in perspective. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. 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. 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. 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. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". Its also a genuine comeback for Fleder, who hasnt made a feature in five years (hes been directing TV pilots), and he finally seems poised to recapture the promise of his early career work on such films as Things To Do in Denver When Youre Dead and Kiss the Girls. Before Fleder began work on the film, he knew he had to have one key figure on board -- Jim Brown, who was a star running back at Syracuse in the 1950s, helped recruit Davis (after Brown left to play in the NFL) and later become an action film star and civil rights activist. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. The most pivotal character was Company Capt. 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. Syracuse University did not strip the players of their scholarships, but. It's a scene included in tonight's world premier of "The Express" at the Landmark Theatre. You see, if Ernie didnt perform, all that nice [stuff] wouldnt have been about nothing. Death 28 Apr 1993 (aged 83) . He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Here's more about their relationship (all from the unknown emailer): He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way. He recruited black players not . JavaScript is disabled. Because in my experience, I just wanted to get out of there and get moving. Do you find this information helpful? 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. "A lot of things in the movie didn't happen at that time at Syracuse but did happen in the country. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. All these years later, Easterly still recalls his teammate not only for his football prowess, but also for his warm, comical personality. The rest is now history. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. I think a couple of guys got hurt and they put me on defense. 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. The trophy was established in 1993 and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. But you needed both of us to make real changes. , Fleder shakes his head. This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. 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. However, that coach often sat in the back of the room and was not listed on the coaching roster. 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. 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. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. That makes it exciting. 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. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. Mountaineer fans are just over . I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. 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. 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. Syracuse leads the overall record of the series 31-27, however West Virginia has won the trophy 11 times to Syracuse's 7. Bemiller was quite literally at the center of Buffalo's American Football League back-to-back championship teams. 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. I'm guessing it's after beating WVU to claim the Schwartzwalder Trophy. Burials may be scheduled by calling the cemetery staff at (315) 484-1564. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 25-5. 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. 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. They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. 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. Truth is sometimes rearranged in screen biographies, when facts aren't dramatic enough for the filmmaker's vision. 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. 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. Gary Fleder: I just want to make a film that has the essence of Ernie Davis. He gave me a way in to tell this story. Did you feel the constant pressure or did you acclimate to it? Ben and Ed trained together and most likely socialized with each other at unit functions and the officers' club. A report on Ben Schwartzwalder. ben schwartzwalder autograph hotel. A i turned . They wanted me to change positions, all kinds of stuff. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. "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. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. Sc 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. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. Schwartzwalder plays a prominent role in the battle. Starting in the fall of 1968, Black football players at Syracuse University expressed concerns about racial discrimination within the football program. Finally, we got the scene where Ernie wants to give his jersey, with No. It was 1963 at Syracuse University's alumni football game, where teammates celebrated the Orangemen's 1959 national championship. Jim Brown: The coaches. kids games foreign dolls asst. 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. He wore street clothes at the alumni game, serving as an honorary coach. 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. Ben always refused to pick a favorite team or make comparisons. 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. Jim Brown. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. 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. You know, white folks could like him, black folks could like him, without really selling out. (2017, November 17). And there was always the female situation -- dont date white girls and you have to play better than anybody else. "I see a lot of things that never were done to Ernie but maybe happened to [Syracuse great] Jim Brown (in the 1950s). He coached at Syracuse from 1949 to 1973, compiling a 178-96-3 record, and winning one national championship in 1959 while going undefeated. But what was Coach Ben like? At West Virginia, he became a first-string center at only 148 pounds. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. He was a paratrooper in World War II, rose to the rank of major, and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple . And enthusiasm!! The funny part is that so many people have known this for years, including myself.". Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. January 25, 2010 Floyd Benjamin "Ben" Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. 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). Chuck Leavitt did a great page-one rewrite of the script. 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.". Jim Brown: I was going to leave because it was almost unbearable. 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns, Davis was diagnosed with leukemia. 3 pair military pants 36s 38s 36xs shirt. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . The war ended and football again became his life. 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. The Schwartzwalder family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. They then approached the Office of the Chancellor. Dec. 15, 1991 12 AM PT. It was superficial and cloying and didnt give enough dimension to the story. "By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". In 1946, Ben came east and guided Muhlenberg to a 25-5 slate in three years. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. He finally gets his chance in The Express, playing legendary Syracuse coach Ben. 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. Richard Winters (played by Damian Lewis), who also received a battlefield promotion to major and was also from West Virginia, like Ol' Ben. He overcame those . Parkersburg. Led by College Football Hall of Fame coach Ben Schwartzwalder, the Orange were unranked to start the season, but climbed to No. Born the second daughter to Floyd ("Ben") and The basics. And then people, the fans, used to always call for me. 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 buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. On the Monday following a game, the coaches used to show the game films in Sadler Hall for anyone wishing to see them. Ben Schwartzwalder College Coaching Records, Awards and Leaderboards | College Football at Sports-Reference.com Ben Schwartzwalder Career Record: 25 Years, 153-91-3, .626 Win% (at major schools) Bowl Record: 7 Games, 2-5, .286 Win% (at major schools) College Football Coaches Ben Schwartzwalder Overview More Other SR Sites All WW11. 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. 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. 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. Christian Rudolph Kessler was the school's first teacher and administrator. 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. I will probably buy this book too. 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 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. Reggie was the widow of legendary Syracuse University head football coach Floyd Ben Schwartzwalder, who died in 1993. 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. They basically tried to take all my self-esteem away. 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. (Courtesy Syracuse University Press) "So he looks me in the eye, and he said, 'Well then, you have a decision to make. He wanted p 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.