FINALIST! 2017 KANSAS NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR!

 

READINGS

About the Book

"Not just a coach but also a visionary, (Phog) Allen may well have had a greater impact on the game than men like Naismith, Wooden, and Jordan."

--PHOG: The Most Influential Man in Basketball

As an innovator, marketer and coach, Forrest "Phog" Allen has impacted the game of basketball like no other. He learned the sport from the game's inventor, James Naismith, and carried it up to the recruitment of Wilt Chamberlain. Along the way, Allen had his fingers on every major innovation in the game over the first half of the 20th Century. He took basketball from tiny gymnasiums to massive fieldhouses, often butting heads with Naismith, his mentor, along the way. For the first time, Allen's complete story is available.

How to order

The book won't be out until the fall, but University of Nebraska Press is taking orders now.

Order here!

PHOG ALLEN’S COACHING RECORD

Year (school)              Record      Career

1905-06 (Baker)        18-3           18-3

1906-07 (Baker)        14-0           32-3

1907-08 (Baker)        13-6           45-9

1907-08 (Kansas)      18-6           63-15

1908-09 (Kansas)      25-3           88-18

1908-09 (Haskell)      27-5           115-23

1912-13 (Cent Mo)  11-7           126-30

1913-14 (Cent Mo)  15-4           141-34

1914-15 (Cent Mo)  13-4           154-38

1915-16 (Cent Mo)  9-4              163-42

1916-17 (Cent Mo)  13-2           176-44

1917-18 (Cent Mo)  9-4              185-48

1918-19 (Cent Mo)  14-6           195-57

1919-20 (Kansas)      10-7           205-64

1920-21 (Kansas)      10-8           215-72

1921-22 (Kansas)      16-2           231-74

*Helms Foundation national champs

1922-23 (Kansas)      17-1           248-75

*Helms Foundation national champs

1923-24 (Kansas)      16-3           264-78

1924-25 (Kansas)      17-1           281-79

1925-26 (Kansas)      16-2           297-81

1926-27 (Kansas)      15-2           313-83

1927-28 (Kansas)      9-9              322-92

1928-29 (Kansas)      3-15           325-107

1929-30 (Kansas)      14-4           329-111

1930-31 (Kansas)      15-3           344-114

1931-32 (Kansas)      13-5           357-119

1932-33 (Kansas)      13-4           370-123

1933-34 (Kansas)      16-1           386-124

1934-35 (Kansas)      15-5           401-129

1935-36 (Kansas)      21-2           422-131

1936-37 (Kansas)      15-4           437-135

1937-38 (Kansas)      18-2           455-137

1938-39 (Kansas)      13-7           468-144

1939-40 (Kansas)      19-6           487-150

NCAA runner-up

1940-41 (Kansas)      12-6           499-156

1941-42 (Kansas)      17-5           516-161

1942-43 (Kansas)      22-6           538-167

1943-44 (Kansas)      17-9           555-176

1944-45 (Kansas)      12-5           567-181

1945-46 (Kansas)      19-2           586-183

1946-47 (Kansas)      8-5              594-188

1947-48 (Kansas)      9-15           603-203

1948-49 (Kansas)      12-12         615-215

1949-50 (Kansas)      14-11         629-226

1950-51 (Kansas)      16-8           645-234

1951-52 (Kansas)      28-3           673-237

*NCAA national champions

1952-53 (Kansas)      19-6           692-243

NCAA runner-up

1953-54 (Kansas)      16-5           708-248

1954-55 (Kansas)      11-10         719-258

1955-56 (Kansas)      14-9           733-267

OVERALL                                          733-267

NCAA                                                661-253

Kansas                                              590-219

OTHER LINKS


About the author

Scott Morrow Johnson is a freelance sportswriter who has spent most of the past two decades covering college basketball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League and Major League Baseball. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Sporting News and The Chicago Tribune.

Testimonials

"'Phog the biography serves as a well-researched introduction to Allen, who succeeded basketball inventor James Naismith as the Jayhawks’ coach, and spent the next 39 years in that post."

-Christian Science Monitor's "12 Sports Books to Cap Off 2016"

 

“Coach Allen was a visionary who changed the landscape of college basketball. His influence on collegiate athletics, including on my mentors, made an immeasurable impact on me both personally and professionally.  His photo hangs on my office wall as a sign of my great respect and gratitude for his many contributions he made to the game that I love.”

- Mark Turgeon, Head Coach, University of Maryland

 

"[T]he legend of 'the Phog' is a permanent fixture inside and outside of Allen Fieldhouse, and now there is a book befitting his legacy. Johnson’s biography goes a long way toward helping fans and scholars understand the man behind that built Allen Fieldhouse and his outsized influence of the sport."

- USSportHistory.com

"The definitive biography, with immense research."

- Clenece Hills, KLWN radio

 

"Phog Allen (The father of basketball coaching) was a tireless worker that was ahead of his time. Coach Allen's teaching's of the game created the philosophies of today. He knew that education and the game of basketball was going to be an avenue for the world embrace today. PHOG: The Most Influential Man in Basketball is certainly a great read showing the impact he has had."

- University of Kansas basketball legend Danny Manning 

 

“This book is as versatile and accomplished as its subject:  biography, history, and story well told.  Scott Morrow Johnson’s “Phog” captures the booming voice and nimble mind of the Midwesterner who spread the gospel of basketball from University of Kansas to the world.”

-Steve Marantz, author of The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central: High School Basketball at the ’68 Racial Divide


"You can't tell the history of basketball without delving deeply into the influence of Phog Allen--and Scott Johnson does it artfully and thoroughly."

--Michael Silver, Author, Golden Girl: How Natalie Coughlin Fought Back, Challenged Conventional Wisdom and Became America's Olympic Champion