Dan Tobey(1878-1956)
- Actor
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.