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. It is where the seeds of the fierce competitor were nurtured and matured. Allen explained his position, but the coach refused to listen. The story grew each time it was told. 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.. Ernie Davis was only weeks from dying the last time Dick Easterly saw his Heisman Trophy-winning teammate. Hell, the movie's more about him than Ernie. Damn right. Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder was for 25 years a teacher, a mentor, and a coach at Syracuse University. BIO. 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. I wasnt crazy about the original script, Fleder told me over lunch recently. 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. (2017, November 17). 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. They boycotted knowing that their actions threatened their scholarships as well as potential careers in professional football. 20072023 Blackpast.org. 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. This was about 67% of all the recorded Schwartzwalder's in USA. Lindquist was coming in from the east, and Levy was ensconced in a graveyard across the river at Cauquigny. 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. 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. Please disable your ad blocker to view the video content. Muhlenberg College was founded in 1848 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the Allentown Seminary by Samuel K. Brobst, a Reformed Lutheran minister. 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. From 1946-48 he coached Muhlenberg (Pa.) College to a 25-5 record before heading to Syracuse to coach the Orangemen. Ron Womack had been removed from the roster due to an injury, a coaching decision he and his Black teammates viewed with suspicion, but he supported them through the whole boycott and is counted with them. In 1941, Ben found himself a 33 year old high school football coach, working in Canton, Ohio, on the day that the Japanese attached Pearl Harbor. 3 pair military pants 36s 38s 36xs shirt. Reading your post, I flashed on "Band of Brothers", which detailed a company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. 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. I remember Ben as gruff, but kind. 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. 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. Following his death in 1993, Schwartzwalder was survived by his daughters, Susan Walker and Mary Scofield. 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. Those units were from the 17th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Gotz von Berlichingen". 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. Syracuse, New York 13244 He was 80 then and hit every drive down the middle. Syracuse University Photo & Imaging Collection, University Archives. And then we played Illinois, and I had to play. 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. He was bowlegged, sent off to military school and told his IQ was too low to even consider college. They basically tried to take all my self-esteem away. On the Monday following a game, the coaches used to show the game films in Sadler Hall for anyone wishing to see them. [continued on next page] Pages: 1 2 3 4 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. 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. Starting in the fall of 1968, Black football players at Syracuse University expressed concerns about racial discrimination within the football program. He was also a military veteran. Between 1848 and 1867, the college operated as the Allentown Seminary, the Allentown Collegiate and Military Institute, and the Allentown Collegiate Institute. During the spring season, the players attempted to nudge coach Schwartzwalder one more time. kids games foreign dolls asst. By any definition, during the war Ben distinguished himself in service to the nation, and to his men. 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 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 funny part is that so many people have known this for years, including myself.". Schwartzwalder plays a prominent role in the battle. Ben Schwartzwalder. In 1967, Schwartzwalder was elected president of the American Football Coaches Association. Almost immediately, Coach Ben Schwartzwalder enlisted in the United States Army, earning his paratrooper wings as part of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. He coached at Syracuse from 1949 to 1973, compiling a 178-96-3 record, and winning one national championship in 1959 while going undefeated. National Veterans Resource Center | Daniel & Gayle DAniello Building | 101 Waverly Ave, Syracuse, NY 13244, Notable Veteran Alumni: Floyd Benjamin Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. However, that coach often sat in the back of the room and was not listed on the coaching roster. The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of Nazi Germany. I gave him the transcript of my talk with Jim and based on that, he said, Im in. Hearing Jim talk about the times was all he needed to convince him., Two and a half years later, after Fleder had a completed film -- with Rob Brown playing Davis and Dennis Quaid as Schwartzwalder -- Fleder returned to Browns house with a DVD of the film in his hands. He is buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Syracuse, NY. He was performing these new duties at the battalion headquarters on 28 June when the command post was struck by a direct artillery hit. After holding off the vastly superior German forc es for four days, the senior officer in command ordered the paratroopers to withdraw under the cover of darkness and attempt to reach Allied lines by exfilling in small bands through the flooded marshes and swollen streams. Ben and Ed trained together and most likely socialized with each other at unit functions and the officers' club. A new head coach, Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder, would take over in 1949. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Before the summer of 1970, Coach Schwartzwalder agreed but failed to hire a Black assistant coach more than once. 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. 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 The team he was coaching at the time was his favorite simply because of his great love of coaching. Jim Brown: I was going to leave because it was almost unbearable. "Ernie knew everybody's name and went out of his way to say hello. 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. Shortly after Dec. 7, 1941, Canton McKinley lost a coach and the U.S. Army gained a soldier. All these years later, Easterly still recalls his teammate not only for his football prowess, but also for his warm, comical personality. He was captain of the football team 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. This month marks 50 years since the Syracuse 8 began their peaceful protest. 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. I remember some story like that and Larry committed to SYR because of Ben doing that. Schwartzwalder was also a hero of the D-Day invasion and several other important engagements of World War II. Finally he called Brown, who lives here in L.A., and set up a meeting. At West Virginia, he became a first-string center at only 148 pounds. 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). They identify him as later coaching Syracuse University to the national championship in 1959. He produced 22 straight years of non-losing football, took the Orange to seven bowls, and won the national championship in 1959. Syracuse University Football Collection, University Archives. The trophy was established in 1993 and was sculpted by Syracuse sports hall-of-famer Jim Ridlon. His wife Ruth "Reggie" Schwartzwalder died on August 25, 2012, aged 100. Coach Ben Schwartzwalder had no interest in acknowledging race and how racism affects the experience of black athletes. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. 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.. All WW11. He thought there was only one way to play football and that was the rough way. And thus, Ruth Simpson became Mrs. Floyd Schwartzwalder. Schwartzwalder was born in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. He thought the first script was a little thin. But none of these shortcomings stopped Ben Schwartzwalder from plunging head first into the field of battle. They then approached the Office of the Chancellor. Chancellor John Corbally Records, University Archives. Syracuse University Football Recruiting Database, Syracuse Men's Basketball Recruiting Database, La Fire Bridge: The D-Day Battle You Should Have Heard Of. ", Easterly scoffs at that dramatic license. 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 know it well. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Dec. 15, 1991 12 AM PT. In 1946, Ben came east and guided Muhlenberg to a 25-5 slate in three years. Just watched Seize and Secure a one hour documentary on PBS about the battle to secure the bridge at La Fire on DDay Capt. 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. In 1959, he also won the national coach of the year award. Later that afternoon, a beaming Davis, seeing Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder, went floating toward him through a. Floyd Little was raised in poverty in New Haven, Connecticut. Ben Schwartzwalder was a decent guy, but he was from another era. 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. 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. 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. There is so much joy on the faces of the players and Ben. You see, if Ernie didnt perform, all that nice [stuff] wouldnt have been about nothing. And enthusiasm!! He also was a hero of World War II. One of Buffalo's longest-tenured AFL players, Al Bemiller, passed away on Wednesday. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) The year was 1959. The public Ben Schwartzwalder often appeared to be a cross between a wounded bear and a crossed bull. Played golf in an SU golf outing at Drrumliuns years back with Ben and an offensive lineman on the championship team (Yeager??). 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. National Veterans Resource Center | Daniel & Gayle DAniello Building | 101 Waverly Ave, Syracuse, NY 13244. Ernie doesnt scream and he doesnt protest, but hes raging inside. 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. I just want to know -- what did you feel on a day-to-day, week-to-week basis? The sacrifice that it takes, the [bad stuff] that goes on all around and where it comes from. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Orange teams outrushed opponents by more than 22,000 yards under Ben. 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. As a paratrooper with the 82nd, he was among the first wave of soldiers that jumped on D-Day in 1944. Syracuse leads the overall record of the series 31-27, however West Virginia has won the trophy 11 times to Syracuse's 7. He was a member of the 1964 Sugar Bowl team. He was captain of the football team in 1933. 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. On the right side of the photograph are several Black team members who boycotted the football program the following spring. Quaid, who plays legendary Syracuse University coach Ben Schwartzwalder, described his character as "a hard-nosed, tough guy who stormed the beaches at Normandy. 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. You should know his story. So the story is like you said -- its a big story and a small story. This little-known episode of brutality has been documented by the History Channel in a video titled, "Secret Massacre at D-Day". Mere Eglise. Richard Winters (played by Damian Lewis), who also received a battlefield promotion to major and was also from West Virginia, like Ol' Ben. 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.". After talking to him, I knew we had a movie. 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. 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. Since Davis grew up with his grandfather, he always wanted his grandfather, "pops" to have a say in what he did. Schwartzwalder was the head football coach of the Syracuse Orange from 1949 to 1973. 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. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. 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) Here's more about their relationship (all from the unknown emailer): 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 Biography Lists News Also Viewed. Over that time he led Syracuse to its only football national title, in 1959. Wiping Systems Market Is Likely To Boost In Upcoming Years. The greatest part of Ernie Davis was that he could cross over lines. The rest is now history. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. 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. Yet forget wins and losses. "By doing the best we can do with the job we have, wherever it is, we can serve our nation in its greatest task.". He was also a military veteran. During practices a limit was placed on the number of black players who could be on the field at the same time. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. You know, the funny thing about cinema is, usually when they do a story that has African Americans in it, there always has to be a white guy whos the savior. Ben enrolled at West Virginia University and went out for football. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. You should know his story. Enjoyed the story, I am sure Czonka repeated what he heard. 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). During World War II, Schwartzwalder enlisted and served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. A report on Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. We created a day for minority students coming back together. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. He had the same burning drive in 1973 as he did as a rookie coach back in West Virginia in 1933. But what do you do when youve got these circumstances? Chuck Leavitt did a great page-one rewrite of the script. Davis' accomplishments and abbreviated life inspire the new movie, which Easterly saw at an Orangemen reunion recently. 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. That makes it exciting. In the spring of 1970, he arranged for former Syracuse football great Floyd . Reggie was the widow of legendary Syracuse University head football coach Floyd Ben Schwartzwalder, who died in 1993. He wore street clothes at the alumni game, serving as an honorary coach. 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. Anyways, getting back to the rivalry, the trophy was introduced in 1993 after the death of Coach Ben Schwartzwalder. 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. I have to give Jim Brown a ton of credit. Syracuse 8 Collection, University Archives. And then people, the fans, used to always call for me. Under Bens leadership, SU produced 22 straight years of non-losing football. He eventually was able to link up with some 180 other "lost" paratroopers who had been dropped off target. 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. List of battleships of the United States Navy, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, West Virginia Mountaineers football players, High school football coaches in the United States, United States Army personnel of World War II, People from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, Players of American football from West Virginia, "'The Express' and the movie's connections to Parkersburg", by Jody Murphy. Schwartzwalder's teams went to seven bowl games and won four Lambert Trophies. He was also a military veteran. 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 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. The Commission subsequently chaired several meetings between the parties, but without success.