Pinkston attended college at Oregon State University and Stanford University. Pinkston won a gold medal in 10 metre platform diving and a silver medal in 3 metre springboard diving at the 1920 Summer Olympics; he won two bronze medals in the same two events at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Pinkston met Elizabeth "Betty" Becker at the 1924 Games; they later married and Pink became Betty's coach.
Pinkston's educational background included attendance at Oregon State University and Stanford University. He demonstrated his diving prowess by winning a gold medal in 10 metre platform diving and a silver medal in 3 metre springboard diving at the 1920 Summer Olympics, as well as two bronze medals in the same events at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Pinkston met Elizabeth "Betty" Becker at the 1924 Games; they later married and he became her coach.