Joe Schwartz

1950 - 2019

(News story) Joe Schwartz, the record-setting University of Toledo tailback during the football program's unbeaten streak, whose even temper suited his career in juvenile court and his youth coaching, died April 10 in ProMedica Toledo Hospital. He was 68.

He had pneumonia, his son, Charlie Schwartz, said.

Mr. Schwartz of Maumee retired about a decade ago as manager of the restitution program in Lucas County Juvenile Court. Juveniles taking part had gotten in trouble for the first or second time and were put to work in community service, said Tyrone Tyson, a coworker and friend. But the wage the juvenile offenders earned went to their victim.

"He had empathy for the kids, and he had common sense, and he had a love for the community," Mr. Tyson said. "He was fair, very fair."

Mr. Schwartz as a coach of youth sports brought patience to the baseball diamond and the basketball court, said his son, who played for him.

"He was very even keeled. He wasn't very quick to any high levels of emotion," his son said.

Mr. Schwartz came to Frank X. Lauterbur's UT Rockets from Catholic Central High School in his native Adrian, where he was an all-state quarterback, captain of the football and baseball teams, with letters in those sports plus basketball.

The team already had a star in quarterback Chuck Ealey.

"Joe was so good they had no place to put him, so they red shirted him," said Steve Banks, a teammate who played defensive back.

Once he got to play in 1970, he contributed to the team's 12-0 finish and the Mid-American Conference championship. The next year, under first-season head coach Jack Murphy, he led the team in rushing and had 18 touchdowns for the undefeated team, conference champions again

"He developed as a running back, which he hadn't done [and] became a prolific scorer," Mr. Banks said. "He was all lean and mean, and he would just run through people, and he had good speed."

Tom Duncan, also a defensive back, said: "Joe basically could not be stopped."

The Blade headline for the Rockets' 34th consecutive win began, "Schwartz Sparkles..." The 35th and last win in the streak came with the team's third straight Tangerine Bowl victory.

"He not only was powerful, but was a smart runner. He was a big part of that 35 and 0," Mr. Duncan said.

Mr. Schwartz was team captain and received "most outstanding player" honors his senior year and was named 1972 honorary captain of the MAC all-academic football team. He set several UT records, including rushing touchdowns.

"We couldn't go anywhere without somebody saying, 'You're Joe Schwartz!'" his son said. "He was a local celebrity for sure.

"He was so modest about the whole thing," his son said. "You would think he would talk more about it. You had to pry it out of him or get him around old teammates before you got any stories out of him."

Mr. Schwartz was drafted by the New York Jets, but did not get past the physical. Instead he and three other former Rockets, including Mr. Duncan and Mr. Banks, played a season for the Jets of Bridgeport, Conn., a professional team in the Atlantic Coast League.

He returned to the Toledo area and for years played basketball and softball in adult leagues and golfed with friends.

"A lot lot of people he played football with wound up becoming his best friends, so he wanted to stay in the area and keep those connections," his son said.

He was a 1991 inductee to the Varsity "T" Hall of Fame.

Joseph Carl Schwartz was born Nov. 27, 1950, to Eileen and Thomas Schwartz. He was formerly married to Jan Rogers.

Surviving are his son, Charlie Schwartz; brother, Thomas Schwartz, and sisters Kathy Schwartz and Patty Whaley.

Memorial services will be at noon Saturday at the Coyle Funeral Home, with visitation after 10 a.m.

The family suggests tributes to benefit the UT football program through the UT Foundation.

This is a news story by Mark Zaborney. Contact him at mzaborney@theblade.com or 419-724-6182.