Contributions of ABA and Indiana Pacers Founder Dick Tinkham '54 Lauded

October 30, 2006

October 30, 2006, Greencastle, Ind. - "The American Basketball Association salutes its co-founder/special counsel Richard P. Tinkham for the outstanding contributions he has made to the success of the current ABA and for his prior contributions to the original ABA," notes a news release from the basketball league on the 1954 DePauw University graduate. "In 1967, Tinkham co-founded the original ABA and the Indiana Pacer franchise. He served for two years as president of the ABA Board of Trustees. In 1972-75, he was instrumental in the creation of Market Square Arena in Indianapolis and chaired the ABA merger committee and helped lead the ABA/NBA consolidation in 1976 that saw the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets join the NBA."

The text continues, "Dick is a member of the DePauw University Hall of Fame where he was co-captain of the varsity basketball team his senior year and ran track. He was a state champion in the quarter mile, half mile and mile relay. After graduation from DePauw, Tinkham earned his law degree at the University of Michigan in 1957 and served on active duty with the United States Marine Corps, attaining the rank of captain and conducting more than one 100 trials as general courts martial counsel. In 1962, he co-founded one of Indianapolis' largest law firms. In 1976, he left the firm and began a merger and acquisition practice that specializes in helping small and medium-sized companies deal with legal and financial complexities of start-up, growth and acquisitions."