Allen Fieldhouse may be the most treasured building on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. Monday night, the four living coaches in KU history will gather with Jayhawk fans and dignitaries to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the building named after legendary Hall of Fame coach Forrest C. “Phog” Allen.
Ted Owens, Larry Brown, Roy Williams and current coach Bill Self have combined to direct the Kansas program for 50 of the last 60 seasons. Now they will come together for “Celebrating 60 Years.”
“It is [mind boggling],” Owens said of that historical note when he appeared on SMCRadio’s “College Countdown with Ken Davis” last Thursday night. “The time passes so fast. When I went to Kansas in 1960, the Fieldhouse had only been in operation about five years. It was totally different. We had a dirt floor where the track team worked out. The transformation they have made over the years . . . it’s a palace now. It combines the great tradition and history of Kansas basketball but it’s a state of art facility now.”
Owens spent 19 seasons as head coach at KU, from 1964-1965, and led the Jayhawks to the Final Four in 1971 and 1974.
“The whole history,” Owens said when asked what makes Allen Fieldhouse so special. “There’s not another place that can say the inventor of the game, Dr. James Naismith, was the first coach there. And Dr. Allen was a student of his. . . . He told Dr. Allen, ‘Forrest basektball is a game to be played, not coached.’ A lot of us would be out of business if we had followed along with what Dr. Naismith said.”
Owens is still the winningest coach in Allen Fieldhouse history with a 206-47 record. Williams, in 15 seasons, was 201-17. Self, entering his 12th season, is 175-9.
“If Coach Self chooses to stay there many more years he’ll wipe all those records out, the way he’s going,” Owens said.
Tickets are still available for Monday night’s celebration. The proceeds will benefit charities designated by the four coaches. Jay Bilas of ESPN will emcee the program that begins at 7:30 p.m.
“It should be quite a celebration,” Owens said.
To hear the entire interview with Owens, click here. The segment begins at 18:30 on the archived podcast.
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