Dan Tobey

Biography

Even before the introduction of radio in the early twentieth century, Tobey had become a most familiar boxing and wrestling announcer in the Los Angeles area. In time, those following the fights on radio, and later on TV, would come to know the unmistakable voice and cadence of Dan Tobey. Fight fans whooped with delight as Tobey initiated each bout with his piercing and steadily rising delivery, theatrical vocal renderings, and the dramatic staccato gestures which accompanied them. Dan died on March 9, 1956 and his obituary was posted in the Los Angeles Times the following day; the death notice reported he had been ring announcer at Naud Junction (the Naud Junction Arena, built in the early 1900s and home to nine world championship contests); then at the Vernon Arena (which succeeded the Naud Junction), Hollywood Legion Stadium, the 'Olympic Auditorium'. Tobey also announced auto races at Washington Park, and baseball games for the Vernon Tigers of the 'Pacific Coast League', before retiring on December 7, 1952. Dan Tobey appeared in twenty-five feature films and shorts, almost always as a ring announcer, and was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame's "Expanded Category" for announcers and broadcasters.