Dave Tobey Hall of Fame NBA

Dave Tobey was a pioneering basketball official whose career helped establish professional and collegiate officiating during the sport’s formative years. Born in New York City in 1898, Tobey began officiating in 1918 and refereed virtually every important professional basketball game in New York City between 1918 and 1925. He continued to officiate major contests from 1926 through 1945, working games in the Eastern Intercollegiate Conference, Eastern Conference, Ivy League, and National Invitation Tournament.

Tobey also officiated the first known game to experiment with a three-man officiating crew, between Georgetown and Columbia, and worked numerous major events at Madison Square Garden. Beyond officiating, he served with the New York City High School Coaches Association and became an honorary member of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials. He authored Basketball Officiating, one of the profession’s earliest books, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961 as a referee.

Tobey's Awards and Honors

• Became one of New York City's leading professional basketball referee
• Worked the first experimental three-referee game, Georgetown vs. Columbia
• Officiated the first East-West game and numerous major contests
• Officiated virtually every important professional basketball game in New York City from 1918–1925

NBA Position

NBA referee (1918–1945)