[1][2] Gibbons, who earned the nicknames 'Dirk' and 'Bubblegum', was raised in the Historic Ybor City District, where he started playing baseball at age eight while pitching for the Pepsi Cola Juniors team.

[3] From there, he played with the Pepsi-Cola Giants and the Tampa Rockets of the Florida State Negro League during his teenage years.

[4] Upon graduation from George S. Middleton High School in Tampa,[4] Gibbons had the opportunity to play briefly in the Negro National League in 1941, as he compiled just one inning and lost his only decision[1] while splitting the season between the Philadelphia Stars and the New York Black Yankees.

[8] After pitching in an exhibition game against the Jackie Robinson All-Stars late in the year,[2] he was recruited for military service during the Korean War.

[4] Following his discharge, Gibbons returned to the Mandak League to play five more years, including a new stop in Brandon (1954) and with the Winnipeg Royals (1953) and the Minot Mallards (1955–1957).