The beginnings and Snow Hall (1899-1907)

On February 3, 1899, in Kansas City, Mo., Kansas played its first game against a local YMCA team. The Jayhawks lost 16-5. William Sutton scored the first point in Kansas basketball history when he made a free throw. He also scored the first field goal. Kansas’ first victory was a week later in Topeka when they defeated a YMCA team 31-6.

Kansas played its first home game in a roller skating rink at 807 Kentucky St. When the building was destroyed by fire, the Jayhawks played in the YMCA at 937 Massachusetts St. until it burned down in 1902. Kansas then moved to the new YMCA on Massachusetts Street.

Snow Hall (a different building than the current building named Snow Hall) was the first on-campus home of the Jayhawks. The court measured just 84 feet long and 26 feet wide, as opposed to the 94-by-50 dimensions used today. Players were forced to deal with posts down the middle of the court that supported a ceiling only 11 feet above the floor. Today, there is 10 feet from the floor to the top of the rim. When coach James Naismith discovered unused space below the floor, he dropped the court five feet and invented the arching shot.

The Jayhawks finished with a 7-4 record in their first season.

Snow Hall quickly became an unsuitable basketball arena. Opposing teams were afraid they would run into the support beams in the middle of the floor, which discouraged them from playing there.

Robinson Gymnasium (1907-1928)

On December 13, 1907, Kansas played its first game in Robinson Gymnasium. The Jayhawks defeated Ottawa 66-22.

Robinson Gymnasium was designed by James Naismith. It cost $100,000 to build it. The gym was used for high school tournaments, enrollment and registration and was home to the 1907 Prom. The building had three floors that included lockers, a swimming pool, a storeroom and a training room for the football team. Robinson Gymnasium had a capacity of approximately 3,000 fans.

In December 1928, the Jayhawks played their last game in Robinson Gymnasium, losing to Kansas State 20-13. However, the Jayhawks had a lot of success in the building. From 1908-1928, the Jayhawks amassed a 148-28 record. Wescoe Hall sits on the former site of Robinson Gymnasium.

Hoch Auditorium (1928-1955)

Hoch Auditorium, nicknamed “The Opera House” and built of native limestone, was dedicated on October 14, 1927. It cost $350,000 to construct, three and a half times more than it took to build Robinson Gymnasium. It had a capacity of approximately 3,500. Kansas defeated Washington University 29-26 in overtime in its first game in Hoch Auditorium on January 6, 1928. For a year, the Jayhawks played in both Hoch Auditorium and Robinson Gymnasium.

The 1927-1928 team was the first to play in Hoch and was also the last to play in the Missouri Valley Conference. The next year, Kansas along with Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma formed the Big Six Conference.

Kansas called Hoch Auditorium home for 28 seasons. There were issues with the floor, the seating, the accommodations and the lack of a home-team dressing room. In the last game at Hoch, Kansas lost to Nebraska 66-55. The Jayhawks had a 204-38 record in the Hoch Auditorium era.

On June 15, 1991, lightning struck the building and the interior was destroyed by fire. Today, the building is known as Budig Hall, with its three giant lecture halls retaining the name of “Hoch Auditoria.”

Allen Fieldhouse (1955-present)

While the Jayhawks finished their last few years in Hoch Auditorium, construction began on the new basketball facility in the southwest part of campus.

When attempting to decide upon a name for the new arena, The University Daily Kansan sports staff decided to put it to a vote of the students. In early December 1954, the Kansan printed paper ballots. The debate discussed whether to name the new building after Phog Allen or James Naismith. In a landslide, it was decided that the new arena be named after Allen. The decision to name the building after Allen received 924 votes, while Naismith received only 10 votes. On December 17, 1954, the Topeka Capital reported the Board had already decided upon the name “Allen Field House” in October but had wanted to wait until the dedication in March.

There were 17,228 people who witnessed the Allen Fieldhouse dedication on March 1, 1955. That number still stands as the attendance record in Allen Fieldhouse. At the time, Allen Fieldhouse was the second-largest basketball arena in the country and cost $2.65 million to build. On that day, the Jayhawks defeated Kansas State 77-67 in their first game at the brand new Allen Fieldhouse.

Source: Hendel, John. Kansas Jayhawks History-making basketball. Walsworth Publishing Company, 1991. Print.

— Edited by Megan Heacock