Phog Allen

Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen (November 18, 1885 – September 16, 1974) was an American collegiate basketball coach known as the "Father of Basketball Coaching." His basketball career got off to an auspicious start as a University of Kansas letterman under James Naismith, the inventor of basketball. Allen won three college national championships in 1922, 1923, and 1952.

Early life

Allen was born in either Jameson, Missouri or Jamesport, Missouri. The communities are 10 miles apart in Daviess County, Missouri. State and county birth records indicate he was born in Jameson. His father William Allen was among the 30 people who originally incorporated Jameson in 1876 and the doctor who delivered Allen lived in Jameson. However his father also had strong ties to Jamesport where he was town clerk, collector and constable. Biographies of Allen usually refer to his birth place as Jamesport. His family later moved to Independence.^[1]

Basketball coach

Allen coached at William Chrisman High School (then known as Independence High School) in Independence, Missouri, the University of Kansas, Baker University, Haskell Institute, and Warrensburg Teachers College.

Statue of Phog Allen in front of Allen Field House. Taken in 2003

Allen began classes at the University of Kansas in 1904, where he lettered three years in basketball under James Naismith's coaching, and two years in baseball. In 1905 he also played for the Kansas City Athletic Club.^[2]

At Kansas he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. Allen launched his coaching career at his alma mater in 1907, but took a hiatus after graduating in 1909 to study osteopathic medicine. Known as “Doc” to his players and students, he was reputed to be a colorful figure on the University of Kansas campus, coaching all sports and becoming known for his osteopathic manipulation techniques for ailing athletes. Allen was a legend in the field of treatment of athletic injuries and benefitted a long list of high-profile performers. He also had a successful private osteopathic practice, and many he treated, the famous and otherwise, contend he had a "magic touch" for such ailments as bad backs, knees and ankles. He said he applied the same treatments to "civilians" as he did to his athletes.

His forceful, yet reasonable, disposition helped him become the driving force behind basketball becoming accepted as an official sport in the Olympics in 1936. Allen would later coach in the 1952 Summer Olympics, leading the United States to the gold medal in Helsinki, Finland.

He coached college basketball for 49 seasons, and compiled a 771-233 record, retiring with the all-time record for most coaching wins in college basketball history at the time. [1] During his tenure at Kansas, Allen coached Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, Dutch Lonborg, and Ralph Miller, all future Hall of Fame coaches. Among the Hall of Fame players he coached were Paul Endacott, Bill Johnson, and Clyde Lovellette. He also recruited Wilt Chamberlain to Kansas, and even coached former United States Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole. Allen Fieldhouse, the basketball arena on the campus of the University of Kansas, is named in his honor. A banner that hangs in the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse reads: "Pay heed all who enter, beware of the Phog." Phog Allen was enshrined as part of the inaugural class in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959.

Allen also created the National Association of Basketball Coaches, which went on to create the NCAA tournament.^[3]

Basketball Coaching Record

Football Coaching Record

See also

• NCAA men's basketball coaches win list
• NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coaches

References

External links

• Basketball Hall of Fame profile
• "Phog" Allen's Photo & Gravesite

v • d • e 1952 Olympic Champions Men's Basketball team - United States Bontemps | Freiberger | Glasgow | Hoag | Hougland | Keller | Kelley | Kenney | Kurland | McCabe | Lienhard | Lovellette | Pippin | Williams | Coach: Womble | Assistant Coach: Allen