In addition to Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, he coached Jim Brown, Floyd Little, Jim Nance, and Larry Csonka through their college careers. 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 . I am not sure the assistant coach had the facts correct. 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.. It is where the seeds of the fierce competitor were nurtured and matured. 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. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. You are using an out of date browser. Over 25 season, he compiled a 153-91-3 record and led the team an undefeated season in 1959 that included the National Championship. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. I didnt know why people loved their university. Syracuse leads the overall record of the series 31-27, however West Virginia has won the trophy 11 times to Syracuse's 7. 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 was a member of the 1964 Sugar Bowl team. 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. When he refused their request, they walked out of spring practice and leaked their act of resistance to the media. He developed some of the most impressive running backs the game has ever seen - Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka. The players believed that many of these issues could be remedied by hiring a black coach. You see, if Ernie didnt perform, all that nice [stuff] wouldnt have been about nothing. ". Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. I'm guessing it's after beating WVU to claim the Schwartzwalder Trophy. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. He would then later imply he was joking or being sarcastic at the time these promises were made. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. "Ernie knew everybody's name and went out of his way to say hello. During his 25 years as head coach Syracuse teams outrushed their opponents by more than 22,000 yards. The Schwartzwalder family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. Soon thereafter, a force of 80 507th paratroopers led by G Company commander, Captain Ben Schwartzwalder, joined the developing battle. "Ed Wagner, Class of '41, is the namesake of the ROTC Building at Penn State. The trophy was established in 1993, the year Schwartzwalder died, and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. 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.. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. 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. 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. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. 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. 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. It doesnt break down in color. The story grew each time it was told. He was bowlegged, sent off to military school and told his IQ was too low to even consider college. I will probably buy this book too. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. He was like a Marine, with a real army attitude. 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. Those units were from the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Gotz von Berlichingen". 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. 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). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The demand for better medical care was rooted in the fact that the medical doctor for the team was a gynecologist by training and was hesitant to touch black bodies. Mary ScofieldMary Scofield (born Mary Schwartzwalder) passed away on December 7, 2017 after battling ovarian cancer for three years. They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. 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. 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. Although in his thirties, Ben decided he was going to be a paratrooper. He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. I just want to know -- what did you feel on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis? Cemetery staff is on duty Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. As a member of the famed 82nd Airborne, he parachuted onto Normandy Beach on D-Day in 1944. 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 had a significant history of recruiting and developing black players during the 1950s and 1960s when many other major programs refused to do so. 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. I think a couple of guys got hurt and they put me on defense. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. 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. 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). Because in my experience, I just wanted to get out of there and get moving. Parkersburg. In the spring of 1970, he arranged for former Syracuse football great Floyd . Syracuse passing More than Ever in Ben Schwartzwalder s 19 year career took holy Cross apart 41-7. West Virginia University - Monticola Yearbook (Morgantown, WV), Class of 1932, Page 231 of 392 | E-Yearbook.com has the largest online yearbook collection of college, university, high school, middle school, junior high school, military, naval cruise books and yearbooks. He had many reasons for doing what he did, but he stood up against his own people. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. When he was personally decorated by General Matthew Ridgway, the General said "Ben, I never expected to see you here to receive this award.". ben schwartzwalder autograph hotel. "A lot of things in the movie didn't happen at that time at Syracuse but did happen in the country. 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. Collapse. It is very likely that Lt. Wagner assisted him with this extracurricular athletic program in view of the fact that Ed had been an assistant manager for the Penn State football team in 1939, and as the 3rd Battalion's personnel officer, or S-1, he would have been able to identify unit personnel with football experience and "facilitate" their assignment to "extra duties". I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. 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. The Orange had won but nine games in four years and everyone was unhappy. Starting in the fall of 1968, Black football players at Syracuse University expressed concerns about racial discrimination within the football program. Born the second daughter to Floyd ("Ben") and But in real life, there are people -- white people -- who have done wonderful things because they were just good human beings. Walk Where They Fought: La Fire, 82d Airborne Division, D-Day 1944 | Armchair General Magazine - We Put YOU in Command! Significance: The Ben . He also was a hero of World War II. The team he was coaching at the time was his favorite simply because of his great love of coaching. I remember all I was thinking was, Great, hes not gonna kill me. After it was over, Jim said, You got it right. That was the best compliment a filmmaker could ask for. The war ended and football again became his life. Los Angeles Times Staff Writer. 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. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. I have to give Jim Brown a ton of credit. 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 thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way . Syracuse 8: Tom Smith, Walker, Muhammad, McGill, Lobon, Harrell, Allen, and Godbolt, Spring 1969. 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. During the summer, the black players filed a complaint against Syracuse University and the coaching staff with the Syracuse and Onondaga Human Rights Commission. Floyd Little was raised in poverty in New Haven, Connecticut. Sc 20072023 Blackpast.org. And if you deal with my life, while Im dealing with all these bad people at Syracuse, I got all these good people out there helping [me]. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. 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. 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. 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 Search and browse yearbooks online! And then we played Illinois, and I had to play. Intro: American football player and coach: Was: Sports coach American football player: From: United States of America: Field: Sports: Gender: male: Birth: 2 June 1909: Death: 28 April 1993 (aged 83 years) The basics. He overcame those . 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. 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. He was captain of the football team in 1933. He thought the first script was a little thin. "Sometimes outstanding individuals are never appreciated until they are gone," said Beano Cooke, a former sports information director and now with ABC-TV. During practices a limit was placed on the number of black players who could be on the field at the same time. 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.
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