Schwartzwalder had a knack for developing excellent running backs. Ben enrolled at West Virginia University and went out for football. The three major forces in the dispute have been the eight black athletes, and their spokesman George Moody, director of King-on-campus School; Chancellor John E. Corbally and the administration; and Coach Schwartzwalder, supported by his coaching staff and football squad. He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. They wanted me to change positions, all kinds of stuff. Death 28 Apr 1993 (aged 83) . ". As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. 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. Gary Fleder: You came before Ernie. "He would never in a million years talk to Ben Schwartzwalder like that," Easterly said. 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. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. I didnt know why people gave them money -- I didnt know any of that. In the spring of 1970, he arranged for former Syracuse football great Floyd . The media focused on only one request, the hiring of a black assistant coach, ignoring their other grievances. His wife Ruth "Reggie" Schwartzwalder died on August 25, 2012, aged 100. The most Schwartzwalder families were found in USA in 1920. He was bowlegged, sent off to military school and told his IQ was too low to even consider college. Ernie doesnt scream and he doesnt protest, but hes raging inside. He had the same burning drive in 1973 as he did as a rookie coach back in West Virginia in 1933. Im just saying you have an opportunity to take that story and do some things thatve never been done. Ben was clearly on his way to the top. He became a company commander and earned the rank of major. Ben died in 1993 at the age of 84.. Los Angeles Times Staff Writer. Syracuse University did not strip the players of their scholarships, but. Prijevodi fraza TOP THEMSELVES s engleskog na hrvatski i primjeri upotrebe rijei "TOP THEMSELVES" u reenici s njihovim prijevodima: Top themselves . Syracuse leads the overall record of the series 31-27, however West Virginia has won the trophy 11 times to Syracuse's 7. 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. The story of Jackie Robinson is also the story of Branch Rickey. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. Ed was killed and the acting battalion commander seriously wounded. Gary Fleders The Express, which hits theaters next month, is really two compelling movies in one. And enthusiasm!! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. He was a paratrooper in World War II, leaving the serv ice as a . This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. 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. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. And they made Ben look like a racist, to me.". SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) The year was 1959. It was superficial and cloying and didnt give enough dimension to the story. 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. 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. 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). 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. In 1973, Schwartzwalder retired from coaching and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. So the story is like you said -- its a big story and a small story. Quot gosh Quot moaned the hard bitten sex paratrooper Quot All we Are is one deep. I didnt know why people loved their university. JavaScript is disabled. 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. Wiping Systems Market Is Likely To Boost In Upcoming Years. After the war, Ben came back to coaching, and eventually found his way to Syracuse University. Lindquist was coming in from the east, and Levy was ensconced in a graveyard across the river at Cauquigny. 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. In fact, I never knew what being an alumnus was. In 1946 he rotated back to the States and was honorably discharged. During the summer, the black players filed a complaint against Syracuse University and the coaching staff with the Syracuse and Onondaga Human Rights Commission. What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? You should know his story, because it's a Syracuse University story - one that speaks to our past, our present, and our future. You should know his story. And there was always the female situation -- dont date white girls and you have to play better than anybody else. 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. But in real life, there are people -- white people -- who have done wonderful things because they were just good human beings. At West Virginia, he became a first-string center at only 148 pounds. Finally, we got the scene where Ernie wants to give his jersey, with No. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. 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 ROTC building at Penn State is named after Wagner. 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. He was captain of the football team in 1933. Syracuse head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder. I will probably buy this book too. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. During the D-Day invasion in 1944, Schwartzwalder parachuted into Normandy and was wounded. - Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. He was performing these new duties at the battalion headquarters on 28 June when the command post was struck by a direct artillery hit. 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. You either throw in the towel or you go ahead and try to make your performance speak for you. The most pivotal character was Company Capt. Mostly, we remember Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder as Syracuse University's successful head football coach, 1949 to 1973. They identify him as later coaching Syracuse University to the national championship in 1959. Oct 8, 2008 Dennis Quaid has played both a baseball and football star on the big screen but never a coach. These SS troopers also executed the twenty plus wounded US paratroopers who had been too injured to evacuate with the others. Ben Schwartzwalder, Head Coach 1949-73. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. The public Ben Schwartzwalder often appeared to be a cross between a wounded bear and a crossed bull. 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. 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. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder had no interest in acknowledging race and how racism affects the experience of black athletes. They basically tried to take all my self-esteem away. Over that time he led Syracuse to its only football national title, in 1959. Gary Fleder: You faced the exact same thing. Reggie was born on January 18, 1912, in Pine Grove, West. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way. There is so much joy on the faces of the players and Ben. Born the second daughter to Floyd ("Ben") and Sc It doesnt break down in gender. "What the director tried to accomplish is showing the conditions of those times," Easterly said. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Ben Schwartzwalder. 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 8 Collection, University Archives. The players believed that many of these issues could be remedied by hiring a black coach. The sacrifice that it takes, the [bad stuff] that goes on all around and where it comes from. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. Burials may be scheduled by calling the cemetery staff at (315) 484-1564. 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. 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 was a real taskmaster. It is where the seeds of the fierce competitor were nurtured and matured. Less than a dozen men rank in this category. The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of Nazi Germany. 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. How does one describe Ben Schwartzwalder? He was 80 then and hit every drive down the middle. During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder and the SU football team were having a great season. Collapse. An endearing photo is one from 90s I believe when Cuse players have Ben raised on their shoulders after a win. "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. Search and browse yearbooks online! Syracuse University Football Collection, University Archives. His primary recommendation for every injury was ice and rest. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. Reading your post, I flashed on "Band of Brothers", which detailed a company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. He was like a Marine, with a real army attitude. Chuck Leavitt did a great page-one rewrite of the script. Schwartzwalder with quarterback Dick Easterly at the Los Angeles Coliseum, 1959. 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. Mary ScofieldMary Scofield (born Mary Schwartzwalder) passed away on December 7, 2017 after battling ovarian cancer for three years. Casualties caused the 507th to regroup and reorganize. 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. 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. 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. The school? Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. It was a scene he had repeated several hundred times but on this particular day, November 24, 1973, it was different. (Courtesy Syracuse University Press) "So he looks me in the eye, and he said, 'Well then, you have a decision to make.