It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. Christian Rudolph Kessler was the school's first teacher and administrator. A report on Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. The trophy was established in 1993 and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. But for the guards to be enough men to make a difference in a pitched battle, there must have been a lot of German prisoners for Badass Ben to mow down - if that actually happened. library.syr.edu, Copyright Syracuse University Libraries, A Courageous Stand: The Story of the Syracuse 8, Trustee, Faculty, and Student Committee Report. Later that afternoon, a beaming Davis, seeing Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, went floating toward him through a. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way . 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. Mostly, we remember Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder as Syracuse University's successful head football coach, 1949 to 1973. You know, white folks could like him, black folks could like him, without really selling out. Parkersburg. When he refused their request, they walked out of spring practice and leaked their act of resistance to the media. On April 17, 1970, Black members of the football team sent Chancellor John Corbally a letter asking that he address their grievances within two days. The Syracuse 8 continued their boycott through the 1969 football season. The demand for a black coach was prompted by the black players accusations of discriminatory practices by their coach, Floyd Ben Schwartzwalder, and his assistant coaches. During the West Virginia fracas, Davis snaps at his coach: "Maybe, just maybe, the rules down here are your rules too. 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.. From 1946-48 he coached Muhlenberg (Pa.) College to a 25-5 record before heading to Syracuse to coach the Orangemen.
Inductee | Floyd Burdette Schwartzwalder 1982 | College Football Hall 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. Finally he called Brown, who lives here in L.A., and set up a meeting. 3 pair military pants 36s 38s 36xs shirt. 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 was a paratrooper in World War II, rose to the rank of major, and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple . 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 . 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. Thats the reason I recruited Ernie, because he was a great, great player and it was starting to change. 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. The most pivotal character was Company Capt.
He was personally decorated by Matthew Ridgeway who recalled Ben well. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. 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. 2023 Syracuse University.
Unresolved Grievances - Syracuse 8 - Syracuse University He was also a military veteran. 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. Schwartzwalder was also a hero of the D-Day invasion and several other important engagements of World War II. We created a day for minority students coming back together. "Nor would Ben ever talk to Ernie like that.".
Al Davis: the Machiavelli of football - Los Angeles Times Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. And then we played Illinois, and I had to play. Biography Lists News Also Viewed.
West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV) Ben Schwartzwalder: Syracuse University top sports figures of - YouTube The 1987 Orangemen electrified a crowd of more than 50,000 up there on their campus while routing these Nittany Lions' ancestors behind Don McPherson & Co. Find high-quality images, photos, and animated GIFS with Bing Images. You should know his story, because its a Syracuse University story one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. On the Monday following a game, the coaches used to show the game films in Sadler Hall for anyone wishing to see them. When the Waffen-SS troops finally overran Graignes, they took out severe revenge on the villagers for having "collaborated with the enemy". 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. You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. 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). Ben was clearly on his way to the top.
Who is Ben Schwartzwalder dating? Ben Schwartzwalder girlfriend, wife Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. After being labeled black dissidents, the Syracuse 8 were suspended from the team.
Ben Schwartzwalder - Wikipedia 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. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. Those units were from the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Gotz von Berlichingen".
Today in History: Syracuse University Football Legend, Floyd "Ben During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. Floyd Little was raised in poverty in New Haven, Connecticut. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. 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. Reading your post, I flashed on "Band of Brothers", which detailed a company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. 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. 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. Ed was killed and the acting battalion commander seriously wounded. He recruited black players not . The team he was coaching at the time was his favorite simply because of his great love of coaching. Brown portrays Davis as an intense, shy person moved to anger when Schwartzwalder deflects any discriminatory acts. Even as a paratrooper, Schwartzwalder remained focused on his football career. The two men shook hands outside the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria. 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.
Before Kaepernick, The 'Syracuse 8' Were Blackballed By Pro Football - WBUR He eventually was able to link up with some 180 other "lost" paratroopers who had been dropped off target. Less than a dozen men rank in this category. December 23, 2014 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). Schwartzwalder was a West Virginia graduate.
Ben Schwartzwalder, former Syracuse University football coach But you needed both of us to make real changes. , Fleder shakes his head. During his 25 years as head coach Syracuse teams outrushed their opponents by more than 22,000 yards. The coaches? In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. January 25, 2010 Floyd Benjamin "Ben" Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. 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. It was 1963 at Syracuse University's alumni football game, where teammates celebrated the Orangemen's 1959 national championship. These SS troopers also executed the twenty plus wounded US paratroopers who had been too injured to evacuate with the others. The story of Jackie Robinson is also the story of Branch Rickey. 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. Floyd Benjamin Ben 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. Starting in the fall of 1968, Black football players at Syracuse University expressed concerns about racial discrimination within the football program. In 1969 a group of nine student-athletes boycotted Syracuse Universitys football program to demand change and promote racial equality. 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 continued his campaign all the way into Germany and acted as military governor of the town of Essen for a period of six months. Burials may be scheduled by calling the cemetery staff at (315) 484-1564. One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday.
Schwartzwalder Family History - Ancestry.com Ben Schwartzwalder Dies at 83; Revitalized Football at Syracuse 1 overall by the Cleveland Browns, Davis was diagnosed with leukemia. He was also a military veteran. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that.
Ben Schwartzwalder - Wikipedia The sacrifice that it takes, the [bad stuff] that goes on all around and where it comes from. Mountaineer fans are just over . In addition to Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, he coached Jim Brown, Floyd Little, Jim Nance, and Larry Csonka through their college careers. Parkersburg, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Schwartzwalder&oldid=1140633059, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 00:55. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. A i turned .
St Louis Sporting News Archives, Nov 25, 1967, p. 18 Anyways, getting back to the rivalry, the trophy was introduced in 1993 after the death of Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. 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.". At first, Ben Schwartzwalder was a legend at Syracuse. I just want to know -- what did you feel on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis? He also watched Spike Lees documentary, Jim Brown All-American, which offered more insight into the era. It's a scene included in tonight's world premier of "The Express" at the Landmark Theatre. !8 holes of golf and Ben never said a word about football. About Ben Schwartzwalder is a member of the following lists: 1993 deaths , American military personnel of World War II and United States Army officers . Syracuse University Photo & Imaging Collection, University Archives. 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. 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. The public Ben Schwartzwalder often appeared to be a cross between a wounded bear and a crossed bull. Jim was very quiet in the early part of the film, Fleder recalls. 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. A nice memory. His wife Ruth "Reggie" Schwartzwalder died on August 25, 2012, aged 100. If Jim Brown was happy, I was happy., Still, what fascinated me was that first conversation between Fleder and Brown. 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. Syracuse 8: Tom Smith, Walker, Muhammad, McGill, Lobon, Harrell, Allen, and Godbolt, Spring 1969. 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. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. He later joined teammate Patrick Whelan, 71, of Safety Harbor, at a Tampa screening.
Ben Schwartzwalder Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death 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. 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. 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.
Mary Scofield Obituary (2017) - Westport, CT - Westport News - Legacy.com Syracuse passing More than Ever in Ben Schwartzwalder s 19 year career took holy Cross apart 41-7. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". Penn state then killed the clock and Tom Cherry took a deliberate safety with eight seconds to play to preserve the Victory. 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. Davis, 23, died the next month in a Cleveland hospital. 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". He didn't starve as a boy growing up but he knew what it was to want. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. Ruth Simpson Reggie Schwartzwalder, 100, of Syracuse, died peacefully and surrounded by her family on August 25, 2012, at Crouse Hospital. What is a filmmaker looking for when hes researching a film based on real-life events? Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. 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. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. Since Davis grew up with his grandfather, he always wanted his grandfather, "pops" to have a say in what he did. Before Kaepernick, The Syracuse 8 Were Blackballed By Pro Football, WBUR Radio, https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2017/11/17/syracuse-8-football-boycott-kaepernick. Shortly after Dec. 7, 1941, Canton McKinley lost a coach and the U.S. Army gained a soldier. 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. I have to give Jim Brown a ton of credit.
Floyd Burdette "Ben" Schwartzwalder Birth 2 Jun 1909.
Racism on the Gridiron: Protest and Tear Gas at Syracuse University Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. Ben Schwartzwalder began his football career as a 95-pound high school freshman quarterback. 1LT Wagner was promoted to commander of the 3rd battalion's headquarters company. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. You either throw in the towel or you go ahead and try to make your performance speak for you. This remains Syracuse's only national football title in football to date. "A lot of things in the movie didn't happen at that time at Syracuse but did happen in the country. "He would never in a million years talk to Ben Schwartzwalder like that," Easterly said.
Ben Schwartzwalder - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia The media focused on only one request, the hiring of a black assistant coach, ignoring their other grievances. Ben Schwartzwalder was in a relationship with Ruth Schwartzwalder. Elliott: Kings use their heads over hearts in trading Jonathan Quick, This fabled orchid breeder loves to chat just not about Trader Joes orchids. 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.
Muhlenberg College - Wikipedia Dennis Quaid: I Cleaned My Life Up - Parade: Entertainment, Recipes Hon. Mordue Obituary (1942 - 2022) - Syracuse, NY - Syracuse Post Standard Syracuse, West Virginia Fans Create Petition For The Ben Schwartzwalder 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.
Orange Watch: Syracuse should add two more to Ring of Honor I didnt know why people gave them money -- I didnt know any of that. 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 overcame those . This month marks 50 years since the Syracuse 8 began their peaceful protest. Truth is sometimes rearranged in screen biographies, when facts aren't dramatic enough for the filmmaker's vision. 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. By the time he was in college, it was apparent that he wasn't going to weigh much more than 150 and grow taller than 5-9. Jim Brown: The coaches. See About archive blog posts. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. Fleder admits to being something of a nervous wreck. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award.
Cemeteries & Memorials Onondaga County Parks You find it where you find it. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . . Coach Ben Schwartzwalder and the SU football team were having a great season.
Floyd Burdette "Ben" Schwartzwalder (1909-1993) "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.