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University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, March 1. 1975
By Ignoring Naismith's Opinion Phog Is a Coach Second to None
By ELIZABETH WOHLGEMUTH
"You can't coach basketball—you just play it," Dr. James Naismith, originator of the game, once told Dr. Forrest C. "Phog' Allen.
The inventor of basketball actually had no idea the game could be coached. But Dr. Allen, coach here for 38 years, has proved it can be coached and in tribute to his coaching ability the board of regents has named the new fieldhouse after him.
Naismith drive,leading into the fieldhouse,has been named after the basketball inventor.
When Dr. Naimsith started his school career he adopted as his motto, "I want to leave the world better than I found it."
When the game was accused of being too rough, Dr. Naismith said, "Basketball is a gentlymanly game, the disregard of rules in the East has caused the trouble and the sport should not be abandoned."
the basketball inventor. It was in 1891 when Naismith was training at Springfield, Mass., to become a physical education director that he first conceived the game of basketball so the physical education classes would have something to do when the weather would not permit outdoor sports. The popularity of the game was immediate and it soon became a national sport.
In 1913 he made a suggestion to the board of regents that it provide better and safer equipment for Potter lake.
In 1919 he was quoted as saying, "College athletes are not injured by athletic training. It isn't athletics that kills a man. It is what he does when not under the control of his coaches, when he breaks away from the restraint of training."
Dr. Naismith began his duties at KU in 1898 and resigned from full time teaching in 1937. Dr. Naismith, who had been educated for the ministry, came to Kansas because the school was in need of a physical education director who could at the same time lead the chapel service.
When Dr. Naismith died Nov. 28, 1939, Dr. Allen said, "The youth of the world has lost a great benefactor in Dr. James Naismith."
Daily Hansan Sports
He was born in Almont, Canada,
in 1861. When he was 9 his parents
died and his uncle raised him on
his farm.
He was the possessor of three degrees—an A.B. from McGill university in Montreal in 1887, master of physical education in 1891 from the YMCA college in Springfield, Mass., and in 1898 earned a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Colorado.
During his career at KU he has become known for his way of "sounding off" on issues he does not like.
Both Dr. Allen and Dr. Naismith worked for the admittance of basketball to the Olympic games. But it was due to the single-handed effort of Dr. Allen that the game was adopted at the Berlin Olympic games in 1936. In 1952, the University's NCAA championship team made up half the Olympic team at Helsinki and Dr. Allen was one of the coaches.
—D'Ambra photo
Keith Lawton, administrative assistant to the chancellor, said there are no immediate plans for changing any of the interior structure of the auditorium, but, he said, there are hopes that the pitched floor on the main level of the arena can be extended to the orchestra pit.
The nickname "Phog" came about through a process of evolution. He acquired the name when he was refereeing baseball games. It was not long before he was nicknamed "Fog." A Kansan sportswriter decided he liked it better spelled "Phog," and so the name has remained.
The famous hall will now be used only for convocations, concerts and other University functions.
But he said these plans are only tentative, and there has been no money appropriated for the move.
Hoch auditorium, the scene of KU basketball history, will be a deserted hall tonight.
'Horrible Hoch' May Be Converted
Ph. 20
WITH A WIN.
Six Rest Rooms Will Be Open
ROUND CORNER DRUG STORE
LET'S OPEN ALLEN FIELDHOUSE
All rest rooms will be ready for use for the opening game in the fieldhouse, according to Louis Creamer. state construction superintendent.
There will six public rooms available, three each for men and women. One of each will be located on north, east, and west sides of the
WE'RE WITH YOU K.U.
801 Mass.
fieldhouse, located close to the main entrances. There are none at the south end of the fieldhouse.
Other rest rooms are located throughout the building, but they will be for office workers only and are not open for use, except by the teams, coaches, and officials.
All public rest rooms are located at the office.
All public rest rooms are located on the first floor.
CONGRATULATIONS
to KU Institutions
PHOG ALLEN in the new FIELDHOUSE
ROWLANDS in Their New Building At 1241 Oread
HERE'S TO "PHOG," THE BOYS AND THE NEW ALLEN FIELDHOUSE.
809 Mass.
THE COLLEGE JEWELER
Phone 911