110 YEARS OF KANSAS BASKETBALL
A packed house watches a game in the early days of Allen Fieldhouse. The Fieldhouse was an improvement on the tight spaces and concrete floor of Hoch Auditorium.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPENCER RESEARCH LIBRARY
Because Hoch was considered a performing arts center, the court didn't leave much room for an out-of-bounds area. Games were played between the stage and the seats.
Opponents thought the curved walls and tight area played tricks with their eyes. The curvature of the walls behind the backboards made it appear the walls were moving, making it harder for opponents to shoot free throws.
Other problems made the auditorium unfit for basketball games. There was concrete beneath the wooden basketball floor and players complained about shin splints all the time.
Space for the growing University was also an issue. As the basketball team continued to win games in Hoch Auditorium, the fan base became larger.
Because the auditorium held only a limited number of people, tickets were sold for only half a
game. Fans would try to buy tickets from scalpers outside to see the other half of the game.
Although the team played in difficult circumstances, during the 1927 to 1955 seasons alone, it finished first in its conference a total of 17 times, went to the Sweet Sixteen once, was in the Final Four three times and won an NCAA title in 1952.
For those years, the Jayhawks were coached by Forrest C. "Phog"
Allen. Allen was the national coach of the year in 1950, and the Fieldhouse where the basketball teams play today is named after him.
The Allen Fieldhouse is said to play a significant role in the basketball teams' success over the years.
"It's haunted by the ghost of Phog Allen," said Natalie McAllister, a Topeka graduate student. "He's the Phog. He's supposed to be what you should beware of."
1937-1938: The Jayhawks went 18-2 and once again were crowned Big 6 champions for the season.
1938-1939: The Hawks finished third in the Big 6 with a 6-4 record and a 13-7 record for the entire season.
1939-1940: The Jayhawks tied for first with an 8-2 record and had a 19-6 overall record. The Hawks made it to the NCAA Championship game but lost to Indiana 60-42.
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN