What made him tick and what made him one of the giants of the game? The Syracuse Eight - Tumblr At West Virginia, he became a first-string center at only 148 pounds. [continued on next page] Pages: 1 2 3 4 t: 1.315.443.2093f: 1.315.443.4083 scrc@syr.edu During the summer, the black players filed a complaint against Syracuse University and the coaching staff with the Syracuse and Onondaga Human Rights Commission. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. Gary Fleder: You came before Ernie. 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 D-Day invasion in 1944, Schwartzwalder parachuted into Normandy and was wounded. 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. And then we played Illinois, and I had to play. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. The Commission subsequently chaired several meetings between the parties, but without success. During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of Nazi Germany. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. What is a filmmaker looking for when hes researching a film based on real-life events? 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. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. . 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. Since Davis grew up with his grandfather, he always wanted his grandfather, "pops" to have a say in what he did. Schwartzwalder plays a prominent role in the battle. He wanted p 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. Ruth "Reggie" Simpson Schwartzwalder (1912-2012) - Find a Grave Did you feel the constant pressure or did you acclimate to it? An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Both taught and Ben began coaching in his home state. They wanted me to change positions, all kinds of stuff. Ben Schwartzwalder, Head Coach 1949-73 - Syracuse University Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder 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. Parkersburg. It was 1963 at Syracuse University's alumni football game, where teammates celebrated the Orangemen's 1959 national championship. 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. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. I didnt know why people loved their university. 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. Point Pleasant, Mason County, West Virginia, USA. 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. He was a real comedian too. 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? Ernie Davis was only weeks from dying the last time Dick Easterly saw his Heisman Trophy-winning teammate. 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. Cemetery staff is on duty Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. They basically tried to take all my self-esteem away. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. "Unfortunately, little else is known about Coach Schwartzwalder's rather outstanding military service in World War II. Sta Znaci TOP THEMSELVES na Hrvatskom - Hrvatski Prijevod Wiping Systems Market Is Likely To Boost In Upcoming Years 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. Syracuse Chancellor John Corbally, prompted by faculty sympathetic to the 8, allowed the players to keep their scholarships and to graduate, which they did. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Richard Winters (played by Damian Lewis), who also received a battlefield promotion to major and was also from West Virginia, like Ol' Ben. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. They believed this practice restricted their talents and abilities and decreased the teams likelihood of winning games. 1 after winning their first seven games. Christian Rudolph Kessler was the school's first teacher and administrator. St Louis Sporting News Archives, Nov 25, 1967, p. 18 They claim key events on screen never occurred, like the team being showered with garbage and racial epithets during a game at West Virginia. 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. Schwartzwalder, Floyd Burdette ("Ben") - Encyclopedia.com 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' From 1946-48 he coached Muhlenberg (Pa.) College to a 25-5 record before heading to Syracuse to coach the Orangemen. The ROTC building at Penn State is named after Wagner. Death 28 Apr 1993 (aged 83) . It doesnt break down in gender. He later joined teammate Patrick Whelan, 71, of Safety Harbor, at a Tampa screening. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. At Syracuse, I was the radical and Ernie was the peacemaker, the guy everyone loved. Syracuse University did not strip the players of their scholarships, but. - Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. 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. 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. Inductee | Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder 1982 | College Football Hall 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 doesnt break down in color. 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. 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. 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. It's everyone's fight, even if it's not specifically your story Wiping Systems Market Is Likely To Boost In Upcoming Years. 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. Quaid, who plays legendary Syracuse University coach Ben Schwartzwalder, described his character as "a hard-nosed, tough guy who stormed the beaches at Normandy. 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. But you needed both of us to make real changes. , Fleder shakes his head. Jim Brown: I was going to leave because it was almost unbearable. The school? Syracuse a Veteran coach Ben Schwartzwalder was musing about his Lack of depth recently. Collapse. 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. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder began routines of coming up to Elmire to visit Davis and his family. 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. 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. 20072023 Blackpast.org. 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. Ernest R Davis Essay Papers - 1117 Words | Internet Public Library He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. In the spring of 1970, he arranged for former Syracuse football great Floyd . "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 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. 3 pair military pants 36s 38s 36xs shirt. Floyd Burdette "Ben" Schwartzwalder (1909-1993) - Find a Grave This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. Brown portrays Davis as an intense, shy person moved to anger when Schwartzwalder deflects any discriminatory acts. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He was captain of the football team in 1933. And according to the emailer, Schwartzwalder and Wagner served together as paratroopers in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. 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. "He was a real taskmaster. 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. National Veterans Resource Center | Daniel & Gayle DAniello Building | 101 Waverly Ave, Syracuse, NY 13244. Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The teammates also say that Brown's portrayal misses Davis' essence. Youre always having to think of what youre going to say, what youre going to do, where you can go and where you cant. "Sometimes outstanding individuals are never appreciated until they are gone," said Beano Cooke, a former sports information director and now with ABC-TV. Qualities missing from Davis' portrayal in "The Express," opening Friday. 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. 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. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. Gary Fleder: Did you feel it from the players? Ed was killed and the acting battalion commander seriously wounded. Adversity and Ben were old combatants and Ben usually won. 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. The greatest part of Ernie Davis was that he could cross over lines. 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 . Finally he called Brown, who lives here in L.A., and set up a meeting. Ben Schwartzwalder: Syracuse University top sports figures of - YouTube This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. And thus, Ruth Simpson became Mrs. Floyd Schwartzwalder. Cutting black players from the list of team members mak ing trips. "I see a lot of things that never were done to Ernie but maybe happened to [Syracuse great] Jim Brown (in the 1950s). 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. However, his plane was seriously off course and dropped its "stick" of twelve paratroopers some ten miles away from its designated landing zone. What did Jim Brown say that made such a difference? He eventually was able to link up with some 180 other "lost" paratroopers who had been dropped off target. This little-known episode of brutality has been documented by the History Channel in a video titled, "Secret Massacre at D-Day". Bernie Custis, Orange Quarterback, Changed Far More than a Game - SU News During the West Virginia fracas, Davis snaps at his coach: "Maybe, just maybe, the rules down here are your rules too. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. Mostly, we remember Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder as Syracuse University's successful head football coach, 1949 to 1973. The two men shook hands outside the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria. 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. Celebrating the 1959 SU football team | WSYR He was also a military veteran. If Jim Brown was happy, I was happy., Still, what fascinated me was that first conversation between Fleder and Brown. In fact, I never knew what being an alumnus was. You either throw in the towel or you go ahead and try to make your performance speak for you. Played golf in an SU golf outing at Drrumliuns years back with Ben and an offensive lineman on the championship team (Yeager??). Coach Ben Schwartzwalder and the SU football team were having a great season. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. 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. Their demand was based on their awareness of how their academic potential exceeded the universitys expectations. About Ben Schwartzwalder is a member of the following lists: 1993 deaths , American military personnel of World War II and United States Army officers . He was personally decorated by Matthew Ridgeway who recalled Ben well. You find it where you find it. National Veterans Resource Center | Daniel & Gayle DAniello Building | 101 Waverly Ave, Syracuse, NY 13244, Notable Veteran Alumni: Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder. You should know his story. He had many reasons for doing what he did, but he stood up against his own people. Schwartzwalder was also a hero of the D-Day invasion and several other important engagements of World War II. Carolina a amp to 0 a Murray state 21 Livingston 0 j. C. Smith 15 William amp Mary 7 a West Liberty 20 Virginia military 9 appalachian 0 Austin play 6 Gonso. 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. The funny part is that so many people have known this for years, including myself.". Ben Schwartzwalder College Coaching Records, Awards and Leaderboards Ben enrolled at West Virginia University and went out for football. In 1969 a group of nine student-athletes boycotted Syracuse Universitys football program to demand change and promote racial equality. This month marks 50 years since the Syracuse 8 began their peaceful protest. Syracuse football was coached at the time by Ben Schwartzwalder, a beloved figure on campus, who led the Orange to. In 1946 he rotated back to the States and was honorably discharged. Mary Scofield Obituary (2017) - Westport, CT - Westport News - Legacy.com 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). He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way . Here are some excerpts from a 2005 conversation between Fleder and Brown that paved the way for the making of The Express.. Soon after being drafted No. During practices a limit was placed on the number of black players who could be on the field at the same time. While the team will be forever linked to offensive stars like Davis, consensus All-America guard Roger Davis, and fellow All-Americans Fred Mautino and Bob Yates, the defense . He didn't starve as a boy growing up but he knew what it was to want. Yet forget wins and losses. 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. Ben and Ed trained together and most likely socialized with each other at unit functions and the officers' club. They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. kids games foreign dolls asst. He coached high schools in West Virginia and Ohio 1933-41. 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. Schwartzwalder Family History - Ancestry.com "Nor would Ben ever talk to Ernie like that.". He became a company commander and earned the rank of major. In addition to Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, he coached Jim Brown, Floyd Little, Jim Nance, and Larry Csonka through their college careers. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . Reggie was born on January 18, 1912, in Pine Grove, West. The trophy was established in 1993 and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. Syracuse leads the overall record of the series 31-27, however West Virginia has won the trophy 11 times to Syracuse's 7. However, that coach often sat in the back of the room and was not listed on the coaching roster. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder had no interest in acknowledging race and how racism affects the experience of black athletes. Schwartzwalder Trophy not in play - Big 12 Blog- ESPN 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. He was captain of the football team in 1933. "We football coaches are most fortunate," Ben said as he left office as the president of the American Football Coaches Association. Ben led G Company during the D-Day operation and was decorated with the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in his first combat action. The story grew each time it was told. 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. In 1880 there were 6 Schwartzwalder families living in New York. Less than a dozen men rank in this category. Oct 8, 2008 Dennis Quaid has played both a baseball and football star on the big screen but never a coach. By 1941, he had earned a name for himself and was offered the head coaching job at Canton McKinley High School in Ohio, one of the top jobs in the Midwest. 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 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. You know, white folks could like him, black folks could like him, without really selling out. Schwartzwalder, 61 years old, has been head coach since 1949. NY Senate Resolution | NY State Senate In 2006, thirty-six years after leaving the team, during a Syracuse University-University of Louisville halftime ceremony, the nine former players were recognized with their letterman jackets for the courageous stand they took against racism. I have to give Jim Brown a ton of credit. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. A i turned . 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. 5 in our series looking at the coaches and players who have made the biggest impact in Syracuse University sports. One other thought on that. A nice memory. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield. Time Machine: Eight Black athletes off football team 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. But what was Coach Ben like? Today Ed is buried with many of his fallen comrades from the 507th PIR in the beautiful US Military Cemetery, which overlooks Omaha Beach in Normandy. After talking to him, I knew we had a movie. Shortly after Dec. 7, 1941, Canton McKinley lost a coach and the U.S. Army gained a soldier. The Orange had won but nine games in four years and everyone was unhappy. When the Waffen-SS troops finally overran Graignes, they took out severe revenge on the villagers for having "collaborated with the enemy". Ben Schwartzwalder - OVMA - Syracuse University An hour before the game, Al Davis stands at the 50-yard line of the silent Coliseum, surveying the field through his sunglasses darkly, as . He would lead the program for more than 20 years, a period that would reach its crescendo with a national championship, in 1959. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Gary Fleder: You faced the exact same thing. 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 most Schwartzwalder families were found in USA in 1920. Over 25 season, he compiled a 153-91-3 record and led the team an undefeated season in 1959 that included the National Championship. Ben Schwartzwalder | American Football Database | Fandom 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. Jim Brown. 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. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. No. Dec. 15, 1991 12 AM PT. I don't know what the ratio of prisoners to guards would have been. 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.