Basketball coaching legend Phog Allen was born Nov. 18, 1885, at Jamesport, MO. His father was one of the original incorporators of Jamesport, MO, in 1876.
Phog Allen began coaching at William Chrisman High School in Independence. Phog Allen became known as the “Father of Basketball Coaching” and was inducted as a Hall of Fame Basketball Coach in 2006. He learned under the game’s inventor, Dr. James Naismith, and lettered at the University of Kansas in 1905-07. Phog Allen coached Central Missouri State University to a 102-7 record from 1912-17 with championships every year. His Jayhawk teams at KU won 24 conference championships and one NCAA title in 1952.
Phog Allen coached the future U.S. Senator Bob Dole when he was on the basketball team at Kansas. He was a driving force in getting basketball accepted as an official sport in the 1936 Olympics. At his retirement in 1956, Forrest “Phog” Allen held what was then a national record of 746 coaching victories. He died at age 88 in Lawrence, KS, on Sept. 16, 1974. The home of Jayhawk basketball bears his name today: Allen Field House.
Phog Allen was born Nov. 18, 1885, at Jamesport, MO.
A basketball team of notoriety was the Allen Brothers, circa 1905. Shown here are Home P. Allen (A1), Elmer M. Allen (A2), Harry “Pete” Allen (A3), Forrest “Phog” Allen (A4), Hubert Allen (A5), and Richard Allen (A6) with Homer White Allen as team mascot. At his retirement as a basketball coach in 1956, Forrest “Phog” Allen held what was then a national record of 746 coaching victories. He died at age 88 in Lawrence, KS. The home of Jayhawk basketball bears his name today: Allen Field House.
