Dobson was born in
Depew, New York. He signed with Detroit in . After spending seven years in the
minor leagues and winter ball, pitching both in
relief and starting, he made his debut with the big team in the season after starting the season 4–1 with a 1.47 ERA in six starts for the AAA
Toledo Mud Hens. Dobson would spend the next years as a reliever and spot starter for the Tigers including pitching innings of relief in the team's 1968 World Series victory over the
St. Louis Cardinals. Unable to claim a spot in the Tigers' rotation of
Mickey Lolich,
Denny McLain,
Earl Wilson, and
Joe Sparma, Dobson was traded to San Diego in along with Dave Campbell for a young
Joe Niekro. After going 14–15 with 185
strikeouts and a 3.76
earned run average as the staff ace for the last-place Padres, he was traded along with
Tom Dukes to Baltimore for
Enzo Hernández,
Tom Phoebus,
Fred Beene and
Al Severinsen on December 1, 1970. In 1971 Dobson had a winning streak of 12 games (including nine consecutive complete games) and a scoreless inning streak of 23. On September 24, he recorded his 20th win, a 7–0
shutout against the Indians. Dobson posted a 20–8, 187, 2.90 season record, and was part of the Orioles' "Big Four" pitching staff along with
Dave McNally (21–5),
Mike Cuellar (20–9), and
Jim Palmer (20–9). Baltimore went on to win 101 games, with the distinction of having four 20-game winners in a season; only one other team in MLB history, the
Chicago White Sox, have had four 20-game winners. On November 2, 1971, Dobson threw a 2–0
no-hitter against the
Yomiuri Giants in Tokyo. It was the first no-hit game in the Japanese-American baseball exhibition history. Dobson was an
All-Star in . His 2.65 ERA was a major improvement from his 20-win season, but he went 16–18, tying for the AL lead in
losses with Yankee
Mel Stottlemyre. In a transaction primarily driven by the Orioles' need for a power-hitting catcher, he was dealt along with
Davey Johnson,
Johnny Oates and
Roric Harrison to the
Atlanta Braves for
Earl Williams and
Taylor Duncan on the last day of the
Winter Meetings on December 1, 1972. After starting the 1973 season 3–7, Dobson was sent to the Yankees on June 7 for four minor league players (none of whom panned out). Escaping Atlanta, he again blossomed and finished the season with a 9–8 record for the Yankees. Dobson started the 1974 campaign weakly, achieving only a 6–11 record by mid–season. However, Dobson anchored the Yankees' pitching staff in the second half of the season, finishing with a 19–15 record and a 3.07 ERA, the best numbers that year for a Yankee pitcher. After a slumping 11–14, 4.07 in , Dobson was traded to the Indians, and recovered in with a 16–12, 3.48 record. The season proved to be his last, as Dobson compiled a 3–12, 6.16 record. He was released by the Indians during spring training of 1978. In his 11-season career Dobson had a record of 122–129, with 1,301 strikeouts, a 3.54 earned run average, 74
complete games, 14 shutouts, 19
saves, and
innings pitched in 414 games. ==Later life==