Friday, April 17, 2009
When one enters Allen Fieldhouse, the first thing that draws the eye, besides numerous banners representing years of achievement, is the banner that says “Beware of the Phog.”
According to legend, this sign refers to the ghost of Dr. Forrest “Phog” Allen, the most successful (by winning percentage) basketball coach in KU history, haunting the incoming opponents. This aura, to go along with the overall atmosphere and history, is the reason why so many current students and alumni refer to the Fieldhouse as “home.”
As Matt Robertson, Lubbock, Texas, junior, put it, “I like how I usually don’t know the people that I’m sitting by at first, but after the game they feel almost like brothers and sisters.” The family atmosphere inside the fieldhouse is what keeps 16,300 fans coming back to basketball games.
Whether it is the famous “Rock Chalk Chant” or the pregame activities, every fan has their favorite aspect of the game-day experience in the “House that Phog built.”
The history aspect of the building, which first opened March 1, 1955, has increased in recent years with the addition of the Booth Family Hall of Athletics. In this museum is a dedication to the achievements of student athletes, past and present, in all Kansas sports and a glimpse at the beginnings of basketball through the eyes of James Naismith. Despite the many renovations over the years, Allen Fieldhouse still has the same feel upon entry. The fieldhouse is not just another arena — it is a place of worship for the basketball gods.
Find information about other campus buildings here.
— — Edited by Kelsey Hayes
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