Dick Dobbins

[Eric]

Hey everyone-

I joined the game used hobby to late to have the chance to know Dick Dobbins. For those who did know him, or know about him can you please share your experiences and information here?

Seems like he's an important figure in the hobby and people should know their history.

Thanks
Eric

[skipcareyisfat]

I had the privilege of working with Dick several times. This was all really before e-mail and Internet took off, so every time I traded with or purchased something from him we would talk on the phone first. He was great; truly a gentleman and one of the hobby's great ambassadors. Too many people now act as if they're doing us a favor by selling to us. Dobbins, from what I know personally and from what I'm sure most everyone else will say, was never like that.

He was mostly a Giants and PCL guy, I believe, but i think he knew a lot about a lot. And as far as calling something "game used," he once told me that unless he personally witnessed the article in use, he didn't like calling things "game used." I still have a few things I purchased from him.

Jason

[metsbats]

Dick Dobbins was truly one of the game used hobby's pioneers. Beginning in 1982 Mr. Dobbins ran San Francisco Giants Memorabilia selling game used bats and jerseys he obtained directly thru the Giants. He was considered one of the hobby most knowledgable experts and PCL authorities authoring two books on the PCL.

I also had the pleaure of dealing with Mr Dobbins purchasing a John Wettland Expos GU bat from him shortly after the close of the 1996 WS.

We lost Dick Dobbins in Jan 1999 and although is gone he will never be forgotten.

I have a great article/interview with Dick by former SCD columnist Tim Lee who was a personal friend of Dick's and can send it to anyone who would be interested in learning more about this great man.

-David

[stkmtimo]

Dick Dobbins was truly one of the game used hobby's pioneers. Beginning in 1982 Mr. Dobbins ran San Francisco Giants Memorabilia selling game used bats and jerseys he obtained directly thru the Giants. He was considered one of the hobby most knowledgable experts and PCL authorities authoring two books on the PCL.

I also had the pleaure of dealing with Mr Dobbins purchasing a John Wettland Expos GU bat from him shortly after the close of the 1996 WS.

We lost Dick Dobbins in Jan 1999 and although is gone he will never be forgotten.

I have a great article/interview with Dick by former SCD columnist Tim Lee who was a personal friend of Dick's and can send it to anyone who would be interested in learning more about this great man.

-David

David,
I would love to see the article by Tim Lee if you are able to send it to me. Can you please email me if you get a chance at stkmtimo@yahoo.com regarding it?

Thanks,
Tim

[island_style]

David,

I remember reading that SCD article. Sadly, I threw that issue out. Can you please e-mail it to me? Thanks.

Ron.

Rsamiano@aol.com

[metsbats]

Gentlemen,

Article has been emailed to you all.

Regards
-David

[MooseDog]

I don't know of anyone who has ever had a bad word to say about Dick Dobbins. He was simply one of the finest men I have ever met.

Dick was the Principal at Acalanes High School in Lafayette, CA in Northern California and he used to hold one of the first card shows as a fund raiser for the school. As far as I know they were the first regular card shows in our area.

I was just a kid in my early teens flushed with paper route money and the cards my brother had handed down to me when I went to my first show. I was instantly hooked on the musty smell of old programs and magazines and the great stuff that the "dealers" had there. They weren't really dealers, but serious collectors which included John Spalding, Doug McWilliams, Bill Weiss, and others. I was already hooked on things other than cards - autographs, programs, tickets and frankly most of the old guys wouldn't give me the time of day. One guy had some great baseball HOF autographs and wouldn't even give me a price either because a) he didn't believe I had the money (I did); or b) didn't think I could appreciate them.

But not Dick. He always had some great stuff at his table, and most of it was NOT cards. Not only was he very friendly, but he would patiently answer any of my many questions. And to top it off he would give very fair deals on stuff. Had it not been for Dick and Doug McWilliams I may have soured on the hobby at an early age. At each show I attended Dick would always have a "hey, I got something here you might like" item not on display for me.

Over the years I drifted in and out of the hobby but occasionally still traded with, bought from, or sold to him many nice items. He was always willing to find a way to make a trade work and never sought to squeeze you for an advantage.

I did not know Dick as well as some, but I can truthfully say that knowing him influenced me in a way to try and be a better person.

[stkmtimo]

Gentlemen,

Article has been emailed to you all.

Regards
-David

Thanks David! I could read it perfectly. Great article.

Tim

[rose14]

I have a 1995 Albany Polecats game used minor league jersey of Vladimir Guerrero that Dick wrote a COA for. He wrote the COA in 1998 shortly before his passing. I have photo matched the jersey to three cards that were produced in the mid 90's with Guerrero wearing the jersey, but Dick's signed letter is what really separates it as there was probably no other person on the planet with his knowledge of minor league jerseys.

[solarlottry]

i knew DD back in SF in the early to mid 1990s and had the pleasure of buying numerous 49ers and Giants shirts from him. He was such a nice and classy guy who always had the time to talk even if you were a 100$ customer vs a 10,000 $ customer. He knew the hobby and the shirts and was a well respected member of the collecting community. His love of the Giants was as dedicated as his knowledge. i only had the pleasure of meeting him few times, mainly at card shows but he was always excited to see giants and 49er fans that were happy with their purchases. I bought a beautiful Jaime Williams 1992 gamer with team letter for 215$! We all miss him and his professionalism and his passing was a great loss as he was an ambassador to the hobby.

[cohibasmoker]

When my wife and I were married, we spent our Honeymoon in San Francisco. Prior to our leaving, I called Dick and told him we would be out there and he invited us over to his home. I accepted Dick's offer but told him our plans would be tentative because I would have to figure out a way to casually suggest it to my wife. I figured she would be none too happy seeing a hobby Pal while on our honeymoon.

So, we get to San Francisco and after a few days into the trip, at a nice restaurant, I casually bring up my "tentative" plans to see Dick. She wasn't exactly happy about it but she agreed to go and meet Dick and his family.

When we got there and she met Dick and his family, she did NOT want to leave. Even she was impressed with his collection and more so by their hospitality. Unfortunately, Dick had to leave because he had to go to the Giants game. He asked us if we had tickets and we said that we didn't. He told us that if we wanted to go, he'll leave two (2) tickets at the Will Call window.

As we left and were driving back to San Francisco, we decided to go to the game and when we got to the stadium, there were two (2) tickets waiting for us.

Dick passed on and the hobby lost a real gentleman but for those of us who know him, he isn't gone at all.

Jim

flaa1a@comcast.net

[David]

I once had an Ernie Lombardi signed 1960 Fleer card that Dobbins got signed in person when he was interviewing Lombardi for one of his PCL history books.

[sox83cubs84]

If you didn't like Dick Dobbins, then you most likely didn't like ANYBODY! The only time I knew of Dick being spoken poorly of was a "consider the source" moment...a known hobby jersey forger of the early 1990s who ripped on Dick, Robb Wochnick and myself for calling out his fake items. His excuse? According to the forger, Dick, Robb and I were "jealous" of him and his great (ha!) stuff, and we bad mouthed him so we could try to take some of his business. As I said, consider the source...Dick is/was as good a man as I've ever encountered in the hobby.

Dave Miedema

[G1X]

I could write pages about Dick Dobbins, but I will keep it very short and simple. He was the very best this hobby has ever had. I feel very fortunate and blessed to have known him.

Mark Hayne
Gridiron Exchange
gixc@verizon.net

Always looking for Atlanta Falcons jerseys, World Football League uniforms, and Willie McGee and Darren Lewis game used items.