Hall of Fame

My father is currently in 4 different Halls of Fame:  The Newark Sports Hall of Fame, the Panzer College Hall of Fame, the JCC Metro West Hall of Fame, and the Weequahic HS Hall of Fame.  In each case he was in the very first group of inductees.  I am in the process of preparing a bio of Swede's athletic accomplishments to send to another Hall of Fame for consideration of him being inducted.  His "credentials" are pretty incredible.  And what stands out the most is that, compared to the vast majority of inductees who tend to dominate in one sport, my father was dominant in virtually every sport he tried.  His versatility is what separates him from the rest.  A brief summary:

In high school, Swede was all-state mention in football, even while missing the majority of his games due to parental objections.  As a senior, he received the most votes of any player in New Jersey on the all-state basketball team, and in track and field he dominated the city of Newark in the shot put, discus, low hurdles, long jump, high jump, and sprints.  He was 2nd in the state in the shot put, losing to Al Blozis, who went on to be the best shot-putter in the world.

In 2000, the Star Ledger of Newark named Swede as one of the top 50 New Jersey high school athletes of the 20th century.

In college, Swede took up soccer, knowing his parents would not give him the okay to play football, and went on to make the Coaches All-American team as he was named the best center halfback in the country.  In track and field, he once again starred in many events, and was the state AAU champ in the shot put and discus.  He won the silver medal (discus) in the prestigious Penn Relays, again losing to the great Blozis.  As in high school, he was also his teams best jumper and sprinter.  

It was in basketball that Swede garnered the most attention, earning Little All-American on a spectacular team that won 44 straight games...at the time an all-time collegiate record.  The rave reviews in Swede's scrapbook were over the top, with some writers and opposing coaches suggesting he was the best they'd ever seen.  He captained all three teams in college.

Besides the sports he played in school, my father was an amazing swimmer and diver, volleyball player (nobody could spike like Swede), racquetball and tennis star, and a great ice skater.  

I don't think I'm going out on a limb when I suggest that Swede might have been the most versatile, all-around Jewish athlete...ever.  No wonder his contemporaries referred to him as "God-like", "Superman", "Tarzan", etc.

Despite his extraordinary versatility, the most impressive thing about my father was his humility.  He never really took athleticism too seriously.  And that's what we loved about him the most.

Swede's Contemporaries

One of the most pleasant surprises about writing about my father is the reaction I've gotten from some of Swede's contemporaries.  I have received numerous letters and phone calls from around the country from folks who genuinely loved the book; not only because they loved my father (they clearly did), but also because they enjoyed the trip down memory lane it provides.

I got a real charge a week ago or so when two days in a row I received calls from two different men (strangers to me) who knew Swede back in the day.  I spoke with each for more than a half hour, and coincidentally, both exclaimed toward the end of our conversations "I can't believe I'm speaking to Swede Masin's son!".

I've answered every letter I've received, and I love doing so.  In communicating with these folks I feel I'm communicating a bit with my father, which is a wonderful bonus for me.  It's been remarkably gratifying.

New Jersey Book Events - 9/13 and 9/14

On Sunday, Sept. 13th the Weequahic HS Alumni Association is hosting an event recognizing "SWEDE, Weequahic's Gentle Giant".  The Weequahic bond is remarkable, and Swede is considered the school's greatest all around athlete.

On Monday, September 14th, the South Orange Public Library is hosting an event for the book from 7:30 until 9:00 PM.  My father frequented the library most his adult life, and I'm sure he'd be proud to be remembered there.

New Jersey Jewish News Article

Attached is a story featured about Swede in the NJ Jewish News, Sept. 10th edition.  Enjoy reading.

"A Son Recalls a Weequahic Legend in New Book" - Article

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Welcome to SWEDE

This is a site created to support my first book, "SWEDE: Weequahic's Gentle Giant," a true story about my father, Seymour Masin. Writing about my father has been a labor of love. Originally targeted to my extended family and close friends, I was pretty astounded by the way people remembered Swede. He was universally referred to as a legend, and truly a gentle giant. I believe the potential audience is much wider than I ever would have guessed.
I will send along some photos and blurbs in the coming days and weeks. I hope you find it interesting. Parts of the book are warm, funny, and informative. I think the pictures will be a major plus as well. I will keep you posted....