Harold DeMarsh was born in 1902 in Menominee, Michigan, and attended high school in Cushing, Oklahoma, where he became a National Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) champion in 1925.

[1][3] In 1928, DeMarsh tried out for the Oklahoma A&M Aggies wrestling team again in the 125-pound class due to gaining weight.

[1] He became the first NCAA wrestling champion in history by defeating Harold Higgins from Iowa State University due to three minutes and ten seconds of time advantage.

He also taught judo and karate as part of the United States Navy at Naval Station Great Lakes.

His son, Gerald DeMarsh, had replicas of the medals that he showed to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma, which holds a display of his 1928 championship match.