Hall of Fame
Basketball & Football (1934-38)
Born and raised in southern California, John Robb arrived on the campus of the University of Nevada in 1933. He became a three-time All-Far Western Conference at forward on Doc Martie’s basketball teams. As a senior, he led Nevada to a 14-7 record, a conference championship and wins in seven of eight conference games. He was also a standout on the football field as a quarterback and tailback. He often ran coach Doug Dashiell’s “triple lateral” offense where Robb would throw to a receiver followed by two to three lateral passes. Nicknamed “Ham,” he coached Nevada’s junior varsity team as a junior and a senior.
Robb graduated from Nevada in 1938 and married his long-time girlfriend, Betty Naismith. The couple had two sons. During World War II, he was called to active duty and moved up to the rank of commander. After the war, Robb returned to Reno where he resumed his career as a teacher and coach. He coached and taught in Tonopah, Douglas County, Yerington, Sparks and Reno, including a stint as an assistant coach on Dick Trachok’s football staff at Reno High School. He later became Washoe County’s Superintendent of Special Services and served on the Board of Directors of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association and the Board of Control for the National Federation of High School Athletics. In addition to the Nevada Athletics Hall of Fame, Robb was also named to the NIAA Hall of Fame in 1992. A street in Northwest Reno and the football field at McQueen High School are both named in the honor of Robb who passed away in Reno in November of 2003.
