Dick Tinkham worked behind the scenes for the Pacers in their formative years, but without his contributions some of the most crucial events in franchise history would not have occurred. In fact, the franchise might not have survived.
Tinkham, who passed away on Sunday after a long battle with muscular dystrophy, was one of the Pacers' founders and its legal counsel. His role extended to the American Basketball Association.
"Dick was the glue through all the years," Mike Storen, the Pacers' first general manager, said Monday from his home in Atlanta. "He held two groups together. He held the Pacers' ownership together and he was very active with the league.