Paul Hinkle
Inducted:
1965
Stats
Born
December 19, 1899
Logansport, Indiana, U.S.
Died
September 22, 1992
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Position
Contributor
College
University of Chicago
Paul “Tony” Hinkle was one of the most influential figures in early college basketball, spending 41 seasons coaching at Butler College and helping establish the school as a respected national program. Hinkle’s monumental legacy was forged over nearly five decades in collegiate sports at Butler University. As a coach, athletic director, and rules innovator, Hinkle transformed college basketball.
Working alongside Spalding in the late 1950s, he co-developed the orange basketball, replacing the hard-to-see dark brown ball to dramatically improve visibility for players, fans, and television audiences. He also spent decades serving on the NCAA Rules Committee, coaching three sports at Butler, and turning Butler Fieldhouse into an iconic cathedral of American basketball.
For his multi-faceted leadership and lifelong contributions to the sport, he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a Contributor in 1965.
Hinkle's Awards and Honor
- 2 MVC regular season (1933–1934)
- MAC regular season (1947)
- 7 ICC regular season (1952–1954, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1970)
- Led Butler to the 1929 national championship after a 17–2 season
- Co-Developer of the Modern Orange Basketball
- President of the NABC (1954–1955)
NBA Teams
As President
National Association of Basketball Coaches (1954-1955)
As Chairman
Rules Committee (National Basketball Committee)
NBA Stats
Head Coaching Career:
1926–1970
Colleges Coached:
Butler
Overall Record:
560–392
Winning Percentage:
.588
NCAA Tournament Appearances:
1 (1962)
NABC President:
1954–55