Saul Mariaschin played guard as a varsity reserve his freshman year at Syracuse, splitting his time with the junior varsity squad. Against Cornell, he entered the game in the second half, with the team trailing by four, and sparked the team with outstanding passing and teamwork, precise shooting, and defensive tenacity, leading the Orangemen to a 48-40 victory. Mariaschin ended up with 11 points in that game.

World War II was well under way, and after his freshman year he went into the V-12 Navy College Training Program. This enrolled him in Bloomsburg and he would play collegiate basketball and baseball there one season. From there he would go to serve in World War II.

After the war end, Mariaschin decided to finish his college career at Harvard. As a junior in the 1946 season, he would lead Harvard to a 19-1 record, and their first NCAA appearance. He would be the captain of the Harvard team his senior season, and earned a berth on the All Ivy League First Team his Junior and Senior seasons. He would play one season (1947-48) in the NBA for the Boston Celtics, after being drafted by the Celtics in the first ever NBA draft. The Celtics would make the playoffs that season, losing in the first round.

Mariaschin was also an excellent baseball player, and played shortstop for the Harvard Crimson. One of his teammates was future president George H.W. Bush. [1][2]

After Mariaschin left the NBA, he would move to Los Angeles and change his name to Saul Marsch. He would work in his father-in-law's fabric upholstery and design company.[2]

Mariaschin was inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame. He passed away in 1991.[1]

©RLYoung 2005, 2014, 2018

[1] Collegehoopsnet.com: Jon Teitel's "Forgoetten Legends: Harvard's Saul Mariaschin"

[2] New York Times 4/27/13: Harvard's Playoff Duo, Divided by 65 Years