dan

The Long Beach Post has just learned that our longtime sports columnist, former Cal State Long Beach professor Dr. Dan Barber, has died. 

Dan’s weekly “Dust Plus” column has been covering all aspects of the LBSU Athletics Department for years and his unexpected passing comes only six days after the filing of his last story, in which he saluted former Niners in a “Where Are They Now” roundup.

Born in West Virginia and educated in Florida at the University of Miami, Dan earned the nickname “Scoops” by legendary Hurricane baseball coach Ron Fraser, and served as sports editor and then editor of the campus paper. 

As a professor in the Public Policy Department at CSULB, Dan continued his love of college sports while contributing academically to the university. In addition to creating a grants management course that is still taught, he rose through the ranks to become Director of the Graduate Center for Public Policy and Administration and the CSULB Bureau of Governmental Research and Services.

After retirement, he continued his love for LBSU sports by becoming a local fixture at baseball, basketball and volleyball games and covering what he saw, first for the Gazettes and, later, for the Post. He founded grantwriters.com with books, CDs, mini guides and training programs filling time between games.

Dan passed away in Long Beach around 12:30PM Monday, according to friend Dina Berg. The cause of death was not readily available, though his family said Barber had recently been struggling with pain issues, possibly related to diabetes.

We will update this story with more information as it becomes available. Photo of Dan on assignment courtesy of Robert Burge.