Forrest Clare “Phog” Allen was born November 18, 1885 in Jamesport, Missouri. Allen matriculated at the University of Kansas in 1905 but only attended for one year because of financial reasons. While still a student at KU he was invited to coach the Baker University basketball team and did so from 1905-1908. He briefly coached the KU basketball team from 1907-1909 and the Haskell Indian Institute basketball team from 1908-1909.

Allen left KU in 1909 to study osteopathic medicine at the Central College of Osteopathy in Kansas City. After graduation in 1912, Phog was hired as physical education director and coach at Missouri State Normal School, now known as Central Missouri State University.

Allen returned to KU as the Athletic Director in 1919, also serving as coach of the basketball team, a post that he had held for 37 years when he retired in 1956. During his tenure at KU, Allen was influential in raising money to build the Memorial Stadium and Memorial Union after World War I. Basketball became an official Olympic sport in 1936 in part due to his advocacy.

In 1952 the KU men's basketball team won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship under Allen's coaching. He coached the basketball team that won the Olympic Gold medal in Helsinki in 1952. Allen also served as the first president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches after helping found the association.

Allen Fieldhouse, built in 1955, was named for him, and he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1959. Coach Phog Allen died on September 16, 1974 and was buried in Oakhill Cemetery in Lawrence, Kansas.