Obrey Brown came to Redlands in 1979.
His journalistic journey started during his San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area days – born in Alameda, California in 1955 – and into his college years at Fresno State, until arriving to work at the local newspaper in Redlands, Calif. in May 1979.
The son of Neal and Cindy Brown, Obrey attended school in Hayward, California, graduating from Mt. Eden High in June 1973.
Attending Chabot Community College from 1973 to 1976, Obrey came in contact with Jeff Lane, another budding sports-writing journalist from nearby San Lorenzo. It was that connection with Jeff that eventually led Obrey into a journalistic career that continued in that Southern California community of Redlands.
When Jeff left Redlands in 1981, Obrey was named as his replacement as Sports Editor. For the next two decades, Obrey wrote a weekly column, covered hundreds of games at both the high school and collegiate level, occasionally venturing into professional events, including NASCAR, drag racing, golf and other major sports.
In 2002, Obrey left the Redlands to pursue other interests. He began writing for weekly newspapers in Highland, Yucaipa, Banning, eventually resurfacing in Redlands.
In 2003, he began working as a correspondent for the Riverside Press Enterprise. Eventually, his writing appeared in the San Bernardino Sun, Orange County Register and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.
In 2006, he Washington Publications (Baltimore, Md.) published his first book, A Citrus Test: Football in Black and White, a novel about a fictional city in Southern California and the intrigue of high school football – for both the players and the community surrounding them.
His connection with sports definitely began with his dad. Neal took him to games at Candlestick Park, Kezar Stadium, San Francisco’s Civic Center, plus the Oakland Coliseum. His parents were subscribers to the Oakland Tribune, which was Obrey’s first connection to journalism.
“I got that paper every day,” Obrey often says, “and turned right to the sports section.” When he was eight, he was mesmerized at the huge headlines in the morning edition of the Oakland Tribune.
“KENNEDY DEAD,” it read. “I was only eight, but I read every word of that story. Those huge headlines got me hooked.”
Obrey played sports – football, basketball, baseball, and golf – hoping to someday turn that into a professional career. It might have seemed hopeless. His dad noticed the long shot nature of his dreams.
It was Neal who suggested, while the two were watching Pete Maravich’s NBA debut in 1970, “You know, you really ought to try a career in sports writing.”
With his love for both newspapers and sports, a career path was starting to form.
That did it for Obrey, who continued to play sports, but eventually turned his sole efforts to writing. As he said for years, “Writing was all I could do in school – and I couldn’t even do it that well. I had a lot to learn.”
By 2024, Obrey was still showing up in print.
During his Redlands days, Obrey began to notice a developing trend. People had left that city to participate in a much higher level of sports. To wit:
Redlands High grad Jim Weatherwax played for Vince Lombardi in two Super Bowl triumphs.
Redlands East Valley graduate Sahvanna Jaquish made the 2024 U.S. Olympic softball team.
Redlands High’s Brian Billick coached the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl championship.
There was a guy, who was white, that was a Harlem Globetrotter for one season.
Basketball’s Danny Wolters, who played at Redlands High for none other than Jerry Tarkanian, was recruited by UCLA’s John Wooden.
A 2018 Redlands East Valley product, Jaelan Phillips, was a first round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins.
An amateur golfer from Redlands, Phillips Finlay, took on legendary Bobby Jones at least three times in match play at either the U.S. Open or U.S. Amateur.
Perhaps Redlands’ most accomplished athletic participant, soccer’s Landon Donovan, suited up for Team USA at the Olympics, World Cup and was America’s pro soccer’s top player for years.
There’s more — a lot more. Ready to read?
Footnote: The title photo was taken by Kelli R. Purser during lunch at a downtown Redlands restaurant in a back alley with dozens of passersby.
Photo credit: Chet Brown
