Retirement ceremony of Tony Hinkle, Butler University's basketball coach of 41 seasons
Tony Hinkle Retirement Game Feb. 1970
Video [with audio] (20:03)
(Notes by Kamil Gut, J450 History of Journalism, Fall 2021 )
Synopsis: This broadcast has to do with the retirement ceremony of Tony Hinkle, a coach of many sports at Butler University, mainly basketball. Different important figures at the time like Indiana’s governor, Indianapolis’ mayor and others speak at the ceremony and congratulate Hinkle (with a message from President Richard Nixon being read as part of it). Hinkle’s accomplishments with his teams and service to his state/country are applauded throughout, and he thanks the people for their support.
*00:00 – video begins, in black and white, WRTV sports director Tom Carnegie speaks at what appears to be Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University for Tony Hinkle’s retirement ceremony, crowd cheers and boos at different moments between speech
03:30 – Hinkle standing next to Carnegie the whole time, having trouble keeping his emotions in check as his achievements are applauded
04:00 – Carnegie introduces Governor Edgar Whitcomb to speak at podium, who speaks to Hinkle and crowd saying, “You are the number one citizen of Indiana on this night.”
05:18 – Whitcomb gives Hinkle an award for service in Navy and for country, an Indiana state flag and a few other items in honor of his accomplishments
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Richard Lugar (mayor of Indianapolis?) is introduced and speaks, reads telegram from President Richard Nixon congratulating Hinkle for 50 years of service to Butler, the state of Indiana and America. Gives a sense of Hinkle’s importance.
07:43 IC: “Tony earlier in this year… in order to do something special this evening…”
08:55 OC: “It is signed Richard Nixon, the President of the United States.”
Length 1:12
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10:00 – Notre Dame athletic director Edward W. “Moose” Krause is introduced, he presents a Notre Dame monogram and tickets for a trip to Hawaii to Hinkle as gifts from the university
12:25 – Dr. Alexander Jones, president of Butler University, is introduced, speaks about how many people Hinkle has influenced and gives him giant scrapbook of letters from fans
*13:40 – man who has been directing the different speakers comes back up and tells some jokes about Hinkle’s clothing habits, another man walks up in front of him and Hinkle to present a clothing brand’s newest items (some sort of unique ad opportunity?)
*16:20 – man finally lets Hinkle speak for himself, audience rises and applauds, Hinkle thanks the crowd and lightens the mood by talking about his happiness despite retiring
18:23 – Hinkle speaks about the teams he has coached and players/staff putting him in this position, ends speech by saying, “Let’s see a nice ball game.”
19:30 – cheerleader shouts back-and-forth with crowd before basketball game starts, video ends