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.
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
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