Background
Seymour Masin was born June 7, 1920, in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. He grew up in the nearly all-Jewish Weequahic section of the city, and attended historic Weequahic High School.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
Swede Masin
Edit ProfileCareer
He also played professional basketball in the American Basketball League, a precursor to the National Basketball Association. Even today, more than seventy years later, he is considered the school’s best athlete, ever. Big, very strong, fast, and agile, in his day Masin was arguably New Jersey’s best football, basketball, and track and field athlete.
Besides his imposing physical presence, he had blond hair and blue eyes, and his Scandinavian-looking appearance earned "Swede" his nickname.
In particular, he was a revered, beloved hero to his fellow Jews. At Panzer, Masin again was a three-sport phenomenon.
Swede was among the inaugural inductees for the halls of fame for Weequahic High School, Panzer College, Jewish Community Center Metrowest, and Newark (New Jersey). In 2000, he was named one of New Jersey’s top fifty all-around high school athletes of the twentieth century.
Upon graduating from Panzer in 1942, Masin served in the United States. Navy during World World War World War II He captained a minesweeper, and spent much of his tour of duty patrolling the waters off the coasts of Italy, France, and North Africa.
Achievements
-
He was the best in the state in the shot put and discus, he was named to the Coaches’ All-American team in soccer (which he took up due to parental objections to him playing football), and he was the dominant star of the tiny school’s remarkable basketball team, which won forty-four straight games—for what was then an all-time collegiate record.
