Reading your post, I flashed on "Band of Brothers", which detailed a company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. You must log in or register to reply here. Schwartzwalder 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. Dec. 15, 1991 12 AM PT. 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. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. Following his completion of ROTC, as a Distinguished. Yet forget wins and losses. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. 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. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. It was 1963 at Syracuse University's alumni football game, where teammates celebrated the Orangemen's 1959 national championship. Ed was killed and the acting battalion commander seriously wounded. 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. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. During the summer, the black players filed a complaint against Syracuse University and the coaching staff with the Syracuse and Onondaga Human Rights Commission. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. But in real life, there are people -- white people -- who have done wonderful things because they were just good human beings. 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. As head coach from 1949-73, he mounted an impressive 153-91-3 record there. Casualties caused the 507th to regroup and reorganize. What did Jim Brown say that made such a difference? He recruited black players not . The war ended and football again became his life. Even if you go to Syracuse now, there is a constant battle that goes on. 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. Ben organized and coached the 507th's football team. 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. Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. 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 . Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. A good starting place is his home state of West Virginia. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Floyd Burdette "Ben" Schwartzwalder Birth 2 Jun 1909. Neither believes "The Express" captures his personality, or accurately portrays his relationships with head coach Ben Schwartzwalder and teammates. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". They wanted me to change positions, all kinds of stuff. He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. 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. The Syracuse 8 continued their boycott through the 1969 football season. Born the second daughter to Floyd ("Ben") and He wore street clothes at the alumni game, serving as an honorary coach. Thats the reason I recruited Ernie, because he was a great, great player and it was starting to change. During his 25 years as head coach Syracuse teams outrushed their opponents by more than 22,000 yards. Walk Where They Fought: La Fire, 82d Airborne Division, D-Day 1944 | Armchair General Magazine - We Put YOU in Command! All these years later, Easterly still recalls his teammate not only for his football prowess, but also for his warm, comical personality. Ben Schwartzwalder AKA Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder Born: 2-Jun - 1909 Birthplace: Point Pleasant, WV Died: 28-Apr - 1993 Location of death: St. Petersburg, FL Cause of death: Heart Failure Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Football Nationality: United States 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. He was also a military veteran. However, Ed Wagner's group overlooked the main route of advance for the German armored forces racing to reinforce the town of Carentan. 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 was personally decorated by the commander of the 82nd, the legendary General Matthew Ridgeway, who recalled saying to Ben I never expected to see you here to receive this award.. 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. Schwartzwalder, a decorated paratrooper during World War II in the 82nd Airborne Division who was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped at D-Day in 1944, coached the Orange from 1949 through 1973. The two men shook hands outside the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria. Davis was the team's juggernaut running back, later the first African-American ever to win the Heisman Trophy. 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. And according to the emailer, Schwartzwalder and Wagner served together as paratroopers in the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. 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. Significance: The Ben . Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. 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 Commission subsequently chaired several meetings between the parties, but without success. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. They show Ben in his Service today for Ben A Memorial Day service will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 4069 Howlett Hill Rd. . If Jim Brown was happy, I was happy., Still, what fascinated me was that first conversation between Fleder and Brown. george w bush medal, us defense savings. You know, white folks could like him, black folks could like him, without really selling out. Los Angeles Times Staff Writer. 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. An endearing photo is one from 90s I believe when Cuse players have Ben raised on their shoulders after a win. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. BIO. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Ben Schwartzwalder . He also watched Spike Lees documentary, Jim Brown All-American, which offered more insight into the era. Floyd Little was raised in poverty in New Haven, Connecticut. Do you find this information helpful? 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. The players believed that many of these issues could be remedied by hiring a black coach. Search and browse yearbooks online! Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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 1946 he rotated back to the States and was honorably discharged. Adversity and Ben were old combatants and Ben usually won. Orange teams outrushed opponents by more than 22,000 yards under Ben. 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. 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. Syracuse Chancellor John Corbally, prompted by faculty sympathetic to the 8, allowed the players to keep their scholarships and to graduate, which they did. He was personally decorated by Matthew Ridgeway who recalled Ben well. 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. Quick Facts. 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 "When Ed initially reported for duty with G Company, 3rd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Sep42 at Ft. Benning, Georgia, his company commander was none other than Captain Floyd B. Schwartzwalder, the future head football coach of Syracuse University and eventual gridiron nemesis of Ed Wagner's Nittany Lions. They then approached the Office of the Chancellor. 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. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. Gary Fleder: Did you feel it from the players? I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". Ruth Simpson Reggie Schwartzwalder, 100, of Syracuse, died peacefully and surrounded by her family on August 25, 2012, at Crouse Hospital. 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. Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. [continued on next page] Pages: 1 2 3 4 1/11/2013. But because that promise already had been made and broken repeatedly, the student-athletes decided to not return to practice and instead hold their own practice for the time being. - Ben Schwartzwalder. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. How does one describe Ben Schwartzwalder? He wanted p 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. JavaScript is disabled. Ernie Davis was only weeks from dying the last time Dick Easterly saw his Heisman Trophy-winning teammate. Penn state then killed the clock and Tom Cherry took a deliberate safety with eight seconds to play to preserve the Victory. Ben Schwartzwalder was in a relationship with Ruth Schwartzwalder. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. During the West Virginia fracas, Davis snaps at his coach: "Maybe, just maybe, the rules down here are your rules too. A i turned . Ben was clearly on his way to the top. It is where the seeds of the fierce competitor were nurtured and matured. However, his plane was seriously off course and dropped its "stick" of twelve paratroopers some ten miles away from its designated landing zone. 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. In the spring of 1970, he arranged for former Syracuse football great Floyd . Burials may be scheduled by calling the cemetery staff at (315) 484-1564. Soon thereafter, a force of 80 507th paratroopers led by G Company commander, Captain Ben Schwartzwalder, joined the developing battle. 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. 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. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . By Frank Giardina For the Gazette-Mail; Jun 10, 2017 Jun 10, 2017 Updated Nov 21, 2017; Comments; That makes it exciting. He was 80 then and hit every drive down the middle. He gave me a way in to tell this story. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. Syracuse University Football Recruiting Database, Syracuse Men's Basketball Recruiting Database, La Fire Bridge: The D-Day Battle You Should Have Heard Of. During the spring season, the players attempted to nudge coach Schwartzwalder one more time. December 23, 2014 Floyd Benjamin "Ben" Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. 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. They basically tried to take all my self-esteem away. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 25-5. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. The Schwartzwalder family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. Schwartzwalder with quarterback Dick Easterly at the Los Angeles Coliseum, 1959. They identify him as later coaching Syracuse University to the national championship in 1959. 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 then we played Illinois, and I had to play. 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. Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. Mary ScofieldMary Scofield (born Mary Schwartzwalder) passed away on December 7, 2017 after battling ovarian cancer for three years. 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. 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. Collapse. After the war, Ben came back to coaching, and eventually found his way to Syracuse University. Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. 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. On the right side of the photograph are several Black team members who boycotted the football program the following spring. 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 basically a shy, quiet individual who never got very close to the press or general public. He was a member of the 1964 Sugar Bowl team. But none of these shortcomings stopped Ben Schwartzwalder from plunging head first into the field of battle. They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. 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. Schwartzwalder plays a prominent role in the battle. Point Pleasant, Mason County, West Virginia, USA. 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. Led by College Football Hall of Fame coach Ben Schwartzwalder, the Orange were unranked to start the season, but climbed to No. From 1946-48 he coached Muhlenberg (Pa.) College to a 25-5 record before heading to Syracuse to coach the Orangemen. About Ben Schwartzwalder is a member of the following lists: 1993 deaths , American military personnel of World War II and United States Army officers . 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. In 1946, Ben came east and guided Muhlenberg to a 25-5 slate in three years. map this locationGoogle map location Lindquist was coming in from the east, and Levy was ensconced in a graveyard across the river at Cauquigny. I know it well. Schwartzwalder, 61 years old, has been head coach since 1949. If you look at the Underground Railroad, it wasnt just Harriet Tubman, it was all those white people who risked their lives to help these slaves get up north. Several units were simultaneously converging on the same objective in a piecemeal, uncoordinated manner. This remains Syracuse's only national football title in football to date. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. (Courtesy Syracuse University Press) "So he looks me in the eye, and he said, 'Well then, you have a decision to make. This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. 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. He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Muhlenberg College was founded in 1848 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the Allentown Seminary by Samuel K. Brobst, a Reformed Lutheran minister. I didnt know why people loved their university. The public Ben Schwartzwalder often appeared to be a cross between a wounded bear and a crossed bull. The trophy was established in 1993, the year Schwartzwalder died, and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. 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. This is where that appetite of desire was whetted and the burning determination to succeed was honed. Davis, 23, died the next month in a Cleveland hospital. (2017, November 17). !8 holes of golf and Ben never said a word about football. Capt. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. In fact, he didnt even look at the original script. It's a scene included in tonight's world premier of "The Express" at the Landmark Theatre. When their request was not met, Greg Allen, Richard Bulls, John Godbolt, Robin Griffin (who only boycotted in the spring), Dana D.J. Harrell, John Lobon, Clarence Bucky McGill, A. Alif Muhammad (then known as Al Newton), and Duane Walker began their boycott of spring football practice. The Syracuse 8 demand for equal access as white players to tutors and academic advisors was based on their being relegated to general reading and education classes predicated on notions of their limited academic ability. 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. Schwartzwalder had a knack for developing excellent running backs. Sc Syracuse passing More than Ever in Ben Schwartzwalder s 19 year career took holy Cross apart 41-7. 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 He overcame those . He finally gets his chance in The Express, playing legendary Syracuse coach Ben. I will probably buy this book too. He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart . It was superficial and cloying and didnt give enough dimension to the story. 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. 5 in our series looking at the coaches and players who have made the biggest impact in Syracuse University sports. 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. You should know his story, because its a Syracuse University story one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. 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. A nice memory. During his 25 years as head coach Syracuse teams outrushed their opponents by more than 22,000 yards. At Syracuse, I was the radical and Ernie was the peacemaker, the guy everyone loved. Jim was skeptical, Fleder recalls. 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. 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.