Evening star., 1955-11-25
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW !, ...ue,, SIAM
Out of the Phoo

ONE IS NOW EXPECTED to believe that "the greatest
basketball player alive freshman at the University Of
Kansas called wit THE Stltl Chamberlain His coach
crochety old gaer named Forrest Phog) Allen
Phog Chamberan grace Under pressure he also
win admit that wilt the Silt Is feet tall
This the the Phog Allen Who not long ago. was
campaigning to raise the height Of the basketball hoop
10 to IL Anything he said in effect TO reduce the
premium on height OF tall player
Now that he's got the greatest basketball player alive
Aliens philosophy has undergone change Let the other
coaches so and campaign for taller baskets he quoted
by the A. r aI've got wit Chamberlain"
One thing about Phog Allen + that he's frank Both
frank and hypocritca The latter to be must
far as some basketball coaches are concerned.
-
TT WOULD BE TEDIOUS research to compile all Of Phog
Aliens controversies and Il would make tedious reading The
man has dedicated his long life apparently to stirring
controversy after another Once the New York roundba
set recalls Phog came 20 the big city and said accusingy
TOO much emphasis Is placed recruiting basketball
players In New York"
He got what he wanted He also got basket
ball players at Kansas. case In point:
Clyde Lovelette native HooSier who Is hot shot
with the Minneapolis pros all years ago to play
for Indiana the Indiana folk say LDveee visited and
worked out and suddenly turned 1t kansas TO cure his
Naturally strain was placed on state pride Is
better place relieve asthma than Indiana? The good
bughers OF Indiana thought not and only gudgngy ren-
quished claim to Lovellette.
IN a vARsTTY-FREsHdAN game at Kansas week
ago wit the Silt scored e points notwithstanding cold
the best team in the Big Seven This was when Coach
Allen called Chamberlain the greatest player alive
There is here to fault Chamberlain, but per-
haps only Phog and roundbaI whole Lovelette with
his socaed asthma thing but wit the Silt halls
originally from Overlook High School In Philadelphia And
at no time did he plead an asthmatic condition
In the meantime the offers came. There bids by
Indiana LasaIe Penn Vanoya and dozen other colleges
wilt the still wound up at Kansas 10 the complete
surprise Of Coach Allen. II might be added 1T comes
complete surprise to Phog quoted when the young
man reported for duty.
THERE WOULD HAVE been equal surprise il Chamber
lain had up elsewhere although the tall youth had
said that he enrolled at Kansas for an education.
Asthma education you apparently can't get the
the book learning this side Of Kansas Especially when
feet tail, or thereabonts.
# IS rather extravagant statement the part Of
Phog Allen too calling wilt the Silt the greatest basketball
player etc There lot Of odtmers for INSTANCE who
will insist that such Johnny Beckman and Nat Holman
ceded than foot in height to the likes Of Chamberlain
and could drbble rings around him.
After all feet lot Of man, altitudeWse When The
Silt raises his arms he is far from 10 feet II necessary
be can and does Jump to make shot dunking with either
hand.
"A shota' cries cynic. IT'S EFFORT, more
Of an achievement his part, than well, like
dropping cube Of sugar into cup Of coffee