Robert V. Dvorak
Filed in: Technology Add comments
I just read how Robert V. Dvorak and William A. Higinbotham created the first video game in 1958. What a trip! Not sure why Higinbotham gets more focus than Dvorak since Dvorak was the one who built the machine and even Higinbotham admits it was a collaboration. I couldn’t even find a picture of Robert Dvorak. Turns out he died in 1969 though.
Another Dvorak toiling in obscurity. 
March 3rd, 2005 at 12:49 pm
Interesting. You ever correspond with any of Higinbotham’s relatives? To find out why he got more focus? Do you have a source for his statement claiming Dvorak built the machine? Just curious. Of course, I know the answers!
March 7th, 2005 at 12:09 pm
No, I’ve never corresponded with any of Higinbotham’s relatives. I actually just came across this information not too long ago. My source is the article linked in my post. Here is a more detailed story
February 25th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
robert dvorak’s my grandfather. he passed long before i was around but i do have original blueprints and negatives of photographs sitting around at home of the game
May 21st, 2008 at 1:44 pm
this is too coincidental. I was looking for info on my uncle who passed away yesterday (5/20/08). He worked at Brookhaven Labs, and I found a list of old negatives from Brookhaven from 1948. On 4-1-48 there was a negative of my uncle from some bowling competition, and the negative right after that was for Robert V. Dvorak, Electronics, with a high score of 234. Here’s the link: http://www.bnl.gov/pga/Docs/negbooks/January-December%201948.pdf. I have asked for info on getting photos – maybe you can get one? I don’t know why I even googled Dvorak and found this site….
August 1st, 2008 at 11:12 am
Simon,
I’m trying to recreate Tennis For Two for its upcoming 50th anniversary. I’ve found the first 2 pages of the circuit diagram but the bulk of the function is on the missing 3rd page. If you could contact Thomas through the email he provided I would be very grateful.