69
BASKETBALL GAME AT PHOG ALLEN FIELDHOUSE
Where?
Phog Allen Fieldhouse
University of Kansas
Naismith Drive
Lawrence, KS 66044
When?
Every year during NCAA basketball season.
Significance:
When the University of Kansas hired their first head basketball coach, they truly picked the most qualified. “I invented the game of basketball” is an impressive item on a resumé. Dr. James Naismith did just that and coached Kansas basketball. Ironically, he has another distinction as the only coach in Kansas basketball history—boasting the winningest program in all of college basketball—to have a losing record. However, he did leave the team in good hands when he mentored and groomed his successor, Dr. Forrest C. “Phog” Allen, recognized as the “Father of Basketball Coaching” and the Jayhawks’ head coach for thirty-nine years.
Phog Allen Fieldhouse is a place of tradition. Before a home game starts, the National Anthem is sung, followed by the school alma mater, “Crimson and Blue,” and the Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant. After the introduction of the home team, the Jayhawk faithful in the 4,000-seat student section close to the playing floor pick up copies of the college newspaper as if to act disinterested in the visiting team’s introductions. Those papers serve a greater purpose as the students use it for confetti.
“The Phog” was dedicated on March 1, 1955, and the Jayhawks went on to defeat Kansas State, 77-76. The official attendance was 17,228, exceeding the capacity of 17,000. The Fieldhouse has also hosted thirty-seven NCAA tournament games and championship matchups. Phog Allen has been good to the Jayhawks as they won sixty-two consecutive games between January 30, 1994, and November 21, 1998. The previous record was an equally impressive fifty-five-game streak between February 22, 1984, and January 30, 1988. Perhaps opposing teams should follow the advice on a banner hung high in the rafters: “Pay heed all who enter: Beware of The Phog!”
Who attends?
Jayhawk fans, college students, alumni, and family.
How to get there?
From Kansas City Airport, take 435 to Interstate 70. Take the 2nd Lawrence Exit (Iowa Street) taking you to Kansas campus. A left onto 19th Street and a left onto Naismith will take you to the Fieldhouse.
Tickets:
For secondary ticket access, consider:
GoTickets, Inc.
2345 Waukegan Road, Suite 140
Bannockburn, IL 60015-1552
Toll-Free: 1-800-775-1617
Fax: (919) 481-9101
E-mail: sales@gotickets.com
www.gotickets.com
Accommodations:
The Eldridge 701 Massachusetts
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: (785) 749-5011
Toll-Free: 1-800-527-0909
www.eldridgehotel.com
Note: A hotel promising that history and hospitality will come together in the heart of downtown.
Holiday Inn Express, Lawrence
3411 South West Iowa Street
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone: (785) 749-7555
Fax: (785) 749-0232
Toll-Free: 1-866-695-0459
www.hiexpress.comNote: Reasonably priced and conveniently located two miles from the KU campus.
SpringHill Suites
1 Riverfront Plaza
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: (785) 841-2700
Fax: (785) 749-1477
Toll-Free: 1-800-MARRIOTT
www.marriott.comNote: Located on the Kansas River in downtown Lawrence.
The Halcyon House
Bed and Breakfast
1000 Ohio Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: (785) 841-0314
Toll-Free: 1-888-441-0314
www.thehalcyonhouse.comNote: Nine distinctly styled bedrooms, not to mention warm, homemade breakfasts.
On-Site Hospitality:
Concession stands are located throughout “The Phog.”
Travel Packages:
If you are going to travel to this event, I would recommend using a reliable company to work with you on making the necessary arrangements. The suppliers listed in this book have solid references and are by far the most trusted in the business. Below are some of the organizations to try for this Top 100 Must See Sporting Event.
Premiere Corporate Events
14 Penn Plaza, Suite 925
New York, NY 10122
Phone: (212) 695-9480
Fax: (212) 564-8098
Toll-Free: 1-877-621-5243
E-mail: requests@tseworld.com
www.tseworld.comwww.pcevents.comPremiere Sports Travel
201 Shannon Oaks Circle, Suite 205
Cary, NC 27511
Phone: (919) 481-9511
Fax: (919) 481-1337
Toll-Free: 1-800-924-9993
E-mail: sales@sportstravel.com
www.sportstravel.comDining:
Milton’s
920 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: (785) 832-2330
Note: Great breakfast, including their famous French Toast. Expect to be greeted by lines to enter, but hang in there because it’s worth the wait.
Ingredient
Free State Brewing Company
Note: Sample various beers from the first legal brewery in Kansas.
The Wheel
14th and Ohio Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: (785) 841-0488
Note: Considered by Jayhawk fans and all to be the best bar in town.
Quinton’s
615 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone: (785) 842-6560
Note: Well-known for great soups and sandwiches.
Teller’s
Note: An old bank converted into a restaurant. Teller’s. Get it?
First Watch
Note: Join Jayhawk fans for Sunday breakfast.
Airports:
Kansas City International Airport, MO (about fifty minutes to KU)
601 Brasilia Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64153
Phone: (816) 243-5237
www.flykci.com
Sports Travel Insider’s Edge:
Best way to watch the action:
The student section is the place to sit, but not just because of its proximity to the playing floor. It is a true Jayhawk experience that will likely keep you on your feet, cheering KU on to victory. And don’t forget that student newspaper for shunning the opposition and making confetti.
Best place to get up close:
Join pre-game traditions where students and alumni lock arms and sway to the alma mater. It would be a good idea to know the “Rock Chalk” chant because that comes after the singing. Get close to the locker room exit to receive a few Jayhawk high-fives. Does it get any closer?
Best travel tip:
With the layout of the campus, you want to make sure you have a car. Bring good walking shoes as well, since the walk from the parking lot to Phog Allen is about ten minutes.
Notable Quote:
“I tell everybody there’s not a place around—I know Chapel Hill, Pauley Pavilion, Cameron, you name it. They are pretty special, but there’s nothing like this. All the guys who scout, I always tell them, ‘You’ll never have an experience like [Phog] Allen Fieldhouse.’ This is how a college fieldhouse is supposed to be.”—LARRY BROWN, former KU coach and Hall of Famer
Relevant Websites: