Schwartzwalder to be Inducted into WVU Sports Hall of Fame
5/6/2004 10:03:34 AM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Former Syracuse University head football coach Floyd “Ben” Schwartzwalder will be posthumously inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame this Fall as part of the 14th class of honorees. Schwartzwalder compiled a 153-91-3 record in 25 years at the helm of the Orangemen, including a national championship in 1959, making him the winningest coach in SU’s history.
Schwartzwalder was a two-sport athlete at WVU from 1930-32. One of the smallest centers in Mountaineer history, the 148-pound Schwartzwalder played football for coach Earle “Greasy” Neale, and wrestled in the 155-pound weight class for coach Steve Harrick. After graduation, Schwartzwalder coached high school football for six seasons in West Virginia and Ohio. He won two state championships with Parkersburgh High, and coached one of the top programs in the Midwest, Canton McKinley High School in Ohio, for one season in 1941 before joining the U.S. Army.
Schwartzwalder was a paratrooper in the Army’s 82nd Airborne during World War II. He participated in D-Day in 1944, and received many awards for his service, including a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, four battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. The military also named Schwartzwalder governor of Essen, Germany, for about six months following the fall of the Nazi regime.
After coaching Muhlenberg (N.J.) College to a 25-5 record in two seasons, he became the head coach at SU. Schwartzwalder put together 22 straight years of non-losing football as the Orangemen’s leader from 1949-73, and compiled a 153-91-3 record. He was named National Coach of the Year after his 1959 team won the national championship. Schwartzwalder’s teams went to a total of seven bowls and won four Lambert Trophies (1952, 1956, 1959 and 1966).
While at Syracuse, Schwartzwalder helped shape the Orangemen’s tradition of great running backs. He coached 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the award, as well as Heisman Candidates Jim Brown, Floyd Little and Larry Csonka. During Schwartzwalder’s tenure, SU outrushed opponents by more than 22,000 yards.
In 1967, Schwartzwalder was elected president of the National Football Coaches Association. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982. The trophy that is presented to the winner of the annual WVU-Syracuse football game is named for him and features his likeness.
Schwartzwalder married fellow WVU graduate Ruth “Reggie” Simpson. The couple had two daughters, Susan and Mary. He passed away in 1993 at age 83. In 2003, Schwartzwalder’s family established an open, general football scholarship at SU in honor of his memory and his accomplishments. For additional information about the Schwartzwalder Scholarship, please contact Paul Norcross at (315) 443-2054.
In addition to Schwartzwalder, WVU will induct former basketball coaches Gale Catlett and Lee Patton, wrestler Dominic Black, Olympic shooter Bruce Meredith, and multi-sport standout Charley Seabright. The induction ceremonies will take place around the WVU-James Madison football game on September 25. WVU’s Sports Hall of Fame currently includes 83 former Mountaineers.
