Richard "Rich" Robins
Year Inducted: 2011
A product of the Port Huron Area School District, Rich Robins was one of the Port Huron High School’s outstanding athletes of the 1950’s.
After attending Roosevelt Elementary and Washington Junior High, he moved on to Port Huron High School where he earned nine Varsity Letters in football, basketball and track. Rich quarterbacked the Big Reds offence and also played defensive back. In basketball Rich was a forward and at one time held the PHHS scoring record with 33 points. He also earned All-State honors in 1957. While running the 440 for the Big Reds, he qualified for state finals and at one time held the school record in that event.
An honor roll student, Rich earned a basketball scholarship to the University of Michigan where he played for two years under Bill Perigo. He finished his education at Wayne State before accepting a Federal Agent position with the U.S. Border Patrol in 1961.
Rich spent 33 years as a federal agent retiring as the Agent in Charge of DEA in Columbus Ohio. Rich says he never really retired as he served as Deputy Director of Ohio Department of Liquor Control before forming his own consulting firm working with the private sector implementing Drug Awareness Programs. He is still involved in sports as he currently works for the NHL as a Security Representative handling security matters with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
Rich says his children, Tracie, Teri, Todd and even his grandchildren are physically active with activities ranging from triathlons and marathons, bicycling and golf. Rich participated in competitive paddleball into his 50’s giving in to arthritis and concentrating on golf.
As a onetime Wolverine living in Columbus, Ohio, Rich acknowledges it is tough to root for the Buckeyes, but does so to survive in OSU country. This despite the fact that one son and his son-in-law are OSU grads and die hard Buckeye boosters. He looks forward to the 2011 football season with great interest in light of new coaches at both Big Ten schools.
