ben schwartzwalder military

That makes it exciting. 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. Davis, 23, died the next month in a Cleveland hospital. Reggie was born on January 18, 1912, in Pine Grove, West. Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse football players all heard first-hand stories of hand-to-hand combat involving the head coach of the Orangemen, Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder, from his service as a paratrooper in World War II. 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. I have to give Jim Brown a ton of credit. And that was the first time I ever felt like an alumni. After being labeled black dissidents, the Syracuse 8 were suspended from the team. The ROTC building at Penn State is named after Wagner. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) The year was 1959. Davis' accomplishments and abbreviated life inspire the new movie, which Easterly saw at an Orangemen reunion recently. Jim was very quiet in the early part of the film, Fleder recalls. In 1969 a group of nine student-athletes boycotted Syracuse Universitys football program to demand change and promote racial equality. He later joined teammate Patrick Whelan, 71, of Safety Harbor, at a Tampa screening. Syracuse University Photo & Imaging Collection, University Archives. Biography Lists News Also Viewed. During the West Virginia fracas, Davis snaps at his coach: "Maybe, just maybe, the rules down here are your rules too. You are using an out of date browser. The student-athletes four demands were access to the same academic tutoring as their white teammates; better medical care for all team members; starting assignments based on merit; and racially integrating the coaching staff, which had been all white since 1898. This remains Syracuse's only football national championship to date. 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. Oct 8, 2008 Dennis Quaid has played both a baseball and football star on the big screen but never a coach. In 1880 there were 6 Schwartzwalder families living in New York. He was basically a shy, quiet individual who never got very close to the press or general public. 5 in our series looking at the coaches and players who have made the biggest impact in Syracuse University sports. 1/11/2013. He was also a military veteran. Significance: The Ben . 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. ben schwartzwalder autograph hotel. You can't be Black and be a . Collapse. 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. In fact, he didnt even look at the original script. t: 1.315.443.2093f: 1.315.443.4083 scrc@syr.edu Fleder admits to being something of a nervous wreck. The most pivotal character was Company Capt. Despite promising to do so, Schwartzwalder failed to follow through. 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. Chuck Leavitt did a great page-one rewrite of the script. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. Coach Schwartzwalder led the SU team to an impressive record of 153 wins, 91 losses, and 3 ties, including seven bowl games, and the only National Championship in SUs history (1959 undefeated team). 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. National Veterans Resource Center | Daniel & Gayle DAniello Building | 101 Waverly Ave, Syracuse, NY 13244. Ben died in 1993 at the age of 84.. They claim key events on screen never occurred, like the team being showered with garbage and racial epithets during a game at West Virginia. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. They included the battalion surgeon who had stayed behind to care for the wounded. 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. This is where that appetite of desire was whetted and the burning determination to succeed was honed. 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. . They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. The student-athletes stated they would not return until the University hired a Black coach and addressed racial discrimination in starting assignments, the use of racist language by the coaching staff, racial disparities in disciplinary action, lack of academic support, and substandard medical care for all players. 44 on it, back to Ben Schwartzwalder, saying Im not Jim Brown. And Ben says to him, God I hope not and God I hope so. And Jim started laughing out loud, watching that, and I finally relaxed. He was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart . 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. And enthusiasm!! Jim Brown. 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. 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. Ben Schwartzwalder began his football career as a 95-pound high school freshman quarterback. 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. A new head coach, Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder, would take over in 1949. And they made Ben look like a racist, to me.". BIO. Orange teams outrushed opponents by more than 22,000 yards under Ben. Ben Schwartzwalder . After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 25-5. 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. During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. 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. But you needed both of us to make real changes. , Fleder shakes his head. 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. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers 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. Adversity and Ben were old combatants and Ben usually won. These SS troopers also executed the twenty plus wounded US paratroopers who had been too injured to evacuate with the others. "By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis? During the D-Day invasion in 1944, Schwartzwalder parachuted into Normandy and was wounded. He was also a military veteran. Years after Davis' death, Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder called him "the best kid I ever had anything to do with." "Ernie was just like a puppy dog, friendly and warm and kind," he told. Ben Schwartzwalder was in a relationship with Ruth 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. The story of Jackie Robinson is also the story of Branch Rickey. 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. He was the starting center at 152 pounds for the Mountaineers of coach Greasey Neale. How does one describe Ben Schwartzwalder? 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). The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of Nazi Germany. Jim Brown: I was going to leave because it was almost unbearable. 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. Here's more about their relationship (all from the unknown emailer): New York had the highest population of Schwartzwalder families in 1880. Led by College Football Hall of Fame coach Ben Schwartzwalder, the Orange were unranked to start the season, but climbed to No. He gave me a way in to tell this story. 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. "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. Schwartzwalder plays a prominent role in the battle. He was a member of the 1964 Sugar Bowl team. I don't know what the ratio of prisoners to guards would have been. The trophy was established in 1993, the year Schwartzwalder died, and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. He earned a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Silver Star, and Presidential Unit Citation. Syracuse 8 Collection, University Archives. 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. 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 . Schwartzwalder with quarterback Dick Easterly at the Los Angeles Coliseum, 1959. After returning home, Schwartzwalder began his college coaching career at Muhlenberg College, where he went 255. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. You should know his story. Some white teammates stood in solidarity and threatened to boycott if the black players were not allowed back, but they were overpowered by the alumni who wanted all the black players off the team and their scholarships revoked. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. "Ernie knew everybody's name and went out of his way to say hello. But it was changing. At Syracuse, I was the radical and Ernie was the peacemaker, the guy everyone loved. Sc All Rights Reserved Worldwide. He served with the 82nd Airborne and was in the first wave of troops that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Ruth Simpson Reggie Schwartzwalder, 100, of Syracuse, died peacefully and surrounded by her family on August 25, 2012, at Crouse Hospital. In 1967, Schwartzwalder was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association. The priest, his friar and two elderly women who had been caring for the wounded in the local church, a structure dating back to the 12th Century, were summarily shot, and the village then set aflame. A i turned . Walk Where They Fought: La Fire, 82d Airborne Division, D-Day 1944 | Armchair General Magazine - We Put YOU in Command! He recruited black players not . He didn't starve as a boy growing up but he knew what it was to want. The funny part is that so many people have known this for years, including myself.". 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.". It's a scene included in tonight's world premier of "The Express" at the Landmark Theatre. The greatest part of Ernie Davis was that he could cross over lines. Richard Winters (played by Damian Lewis), who also received a battlefield promotion to major and was also from West Virginia, like Ol' Ben. I didnt know why people gave them money -- I didnt know any of that. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. 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. 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 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. Syracuse head football coach Ben Schwartzwalder. See About archive blog posts. It doesnt break down in gender. 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. "Nor would Ben ever talk to Ernie like that.". Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. A nice memory. 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. By Frank Giardina For the Gazette-Mail; Jun 10, 2017 Jun 10, 2017 Updated Nov 21, 2017; Comments; But in real life, there are people -- white people -- who have done wonderful things because they were just good human beings. 1 after winning their first seven games. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. "I never expected to see you here to receive this award," said the commander of the 82nd. He is part of Syracuse University history, and a veteran of the U.S. military. "Miraculously, Ed and the majority of his "lost" group were able to reach the US lines and by 14 June he was reunited with the regiment outside of St. 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. Christian Rudolph Kessler was the school's first teacher and administrator. Davis was the team's juggernaut running back, later the first African-American ever to win the Heisman Trophy. He thought the first script was a little thin. An endearing photo is one from 90s I believe when Cuse players have Ben raised on their shoulders after a win. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. 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. 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. I will probably buy this book too. 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. Death 28 Apr 1993 (aged 83) . 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. On the Monday following a game, the coaches used to show the game films in Sadler Hall for anyone wishing to see them. With the aid of the local French people this small group, isolated behind the German lines, attempted to hold the village of Graignes until the US units moving inland from the invasion beaches could reach their position. He wanted p Cutting black players from the list of team members mak ing trips. 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. Syracuse University did not strip the players of their scholarships, but. The teammates also say that Brown's portrayal misses Davis' essence. Frank Giardina: Sports Legend Dinner, relationships, Ben Schwartzwalder and D-Day. But what do you do when youve got these circumstances? The school? 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. Lots of midgets. Biography Edit Early life and career Edit. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. 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. By the time the 507th reached the battle for Hill 95, they had suffered more than 65% casualties. Ben Schwartzwalder, who recruited a series of acclaimed running backs as he restored Syracuse to football glory during 25 sparkling seasons that included an undefeated campaign in 1959, died. The coaches? 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. 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. 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 At first, Ben Schwartzwalder was a legend at Syracuse. One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder began routines of coming up to Elmire to visit Davis and his family. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The Schwartzwalder Trophy was named after former Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, who led the Orange to the 1959 national title. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Gary Fleder: You faced the exact same thing. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Orange had won but nine games in four years and everyone was unhappy. Ben passed away in 1993 and is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery. 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. About coming to Syracuse, Schwartzwalder famously said: The alumni wanted a big-name coach. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. During his 25 years as head coach Syracuse teams outrushed their opponents by more than 22,000 yards. But its also a great drama about how both the athletes and coaches of that era were profoundly transformed by the civil rights movement, which initially had a far greater impact on society than on the football field. 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. 2023 Syracuse University. "We football coaches are most fortunate," Ben said as he left office as the president of the American Football Coaches Association. He had the same burning drive in 1973 as he did as a rookie coach back in West Virginia in 1933. 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. (2017, November 17). He was captain of the football team in 1933. Ben organized and coached the 507th's football team. All these years later, Easterly still recalls his teammate not only for his football prowess, but also for his warm, comical personality. And then we played Illinois, and I had to play. 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. There is so much joy on the faces of the players and Ben. 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. 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.

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