Friends of Eutin Celebrate Men’s National Basketball Championship
This is the 11th in a series of articles written for Friends-of-Lawrence in Eutin, Germany and published in the ‘Ostholsteiner Anzeiger’ on October 13, 2022. German translation by Arne Scholz. Read the article as published.
by Kathleen Hodge, Sandra Schumm, and Nancy Albrecht
“Rock Chalk, Jayhawk, Go KU!” That was the cheer that could be heard on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, Kansas this past March and April as the University of Kansas men’s basketball team won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship on April 4, 2022. The University of Kansas, also known as KU, has one of the most historic programs in college basketball, and the only college basketball program founded by the inventor of the game, Dr. James Naismith. In fact, KU was one of the first universities to adopt basketball as a college sport. Dr. Naismith joined the KU staff in 1898, seven years after he wrote the original 13 rules of basketball, and then in 1899, KU played its first varsity game. Dr. Naismith spent the rest of his life in Lawrence.
Lawrence residents have long loved their Kansas Jayhawks and college basketball. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament begins each year when the regular season ends in March. This year The University of Kansas entered the tournament as a #1 seed and went on to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship! While a few months have passed since KU won the National Championship, the excitement and memories are still very fresh. The NCAA tournament began with 68 teams in a single elimination format. Some Friends of Eutin members decided to get-together to watch as their Jayhawks advanced in the tournament. The watch parties began when Nancy and Ken Albrecht were invited to Kathleen and Tom Hodge’s home to watch the KU Jayhawks defeat Creighton University and advance to the “Sweet 16” round. Sandra and Bob Schumm joined our watch party for the next game—we were “on a roll!” That was the beginning of five get-togethers to cheer on our beloved Jayhawks.
Just as basketball follows rules, our group of friends had rules too. Everybody had to sit in their original seat each game. We thought we were somehow helping the Jayhawks or that they would not win if we were not in our original seats. Our watch parties brought lots of fun and laughs, but we also took them seriously. One game Ken could not join us, so we made a drawing of him and put it in his chair and called him “Flat Ken” as a proxy. Call it being superstitious—common in American sports—it worked as the Jayhawks went on to win the NCAA 2022 Men’s Basketball Championship. After the game, some of us went downtown to join the celebration as we watched from Bob’s office balcony, while others of us continued celebrating at the Hodge’s home. The next day front page headlines of The Lawrence Journal World Newspaper read, “Title Game, A Rollercoaster of Emotions for KU Basketball Fans…” It further stated, “The Kansas Jayhawks pulled off a national championship comeback for the ages, trailing by 15 points at halftime and then steamrolled fellow blue blood North Carolina in the second half. KU won 72-69.” Many fans also recognized this 2022 Championship as a comeback from 2020, when due to COVID, with the Jayhawks ranked as the #1 team in the country, the NCAA Tournament was cancelled.
A week after securing the 2022 National Championship, the City of Lawrence closed Massachusetts Street to host a downtown parade in honor of the Jayhawks. Thousands of people, young and old, packed the sidewalks and proudly cheered on their winning Kansas Jayhawks. If you have ever had the pleasure of attending a KU basketball game in Lawrence, Kansas, you understand how the history of basketball is rich in tradition in this community. Naismith Drive, named after Dr. James Naismith, inventor of basketball, is a prominent KU campus road leading to Allen Fieldhouse. Allen Fieldhouse, where the Jayhawks play, is named after Forrest C. “Phog” Allen who coached at KU for 39 years and who played basketball for Dr. James Naismith. Phog Allen was influential in bringing basketball to international competition and becoming an Olympic sport. His statue stands in front of Allen Fieldhouse to welcome spectators who come to cheer on their beloved Jayhawks competing on Naismith Court where banners hang cautioning opponents to, “Beware of the Phog”. While Naismith is known as the father of basketball, Dr. Naismith, referred to Phog Allen as the father of basketball coaching.
If you happen to be one of the 16,300 spectators attending a game in Allen Fieldhouse, you will experience some of the memorable traditions. Before the game begins, The National Anthem is sung while the American, Kansas, and The University of Kansas flags are presented. The atmosphere becomes electric, and some say there is nothing like playing in Allen Fieldhouse. It cannot be explained, you simply must experience it. Fans have fun waiving the Kansas wheat as they raise and lower their arms. When, an opponent fouls out, the band plays, “To bad you didn’t have your Wheaties” as fans wave goodbye to the player. At the end of the game and the players have left the court, the KU band plays an eloquent rendition of our state song, Home on the Range. In 2010, KU alumnus David Booth and his wife Suzanne purchased the original 13 rules of basketball written by Dr. James Naismith in 1891, at Sotheby’s auction for $4.3 million, to be brought home to Kansas; a generous gift to the Lawrence community. You can enjoy viewing this invaluable piece of basketball history at The DeBruce Center located adjacent to Allen Fieldhouse and take in the rich tradition of Kansas Basketball.
While watching KU play was our mission this past March and April, we also had fun and laughs, enjoyed wonderful food and beverages, and are hoping to repeat this celebration again next year. This past June, two of KU’s top players, Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun were selected in the first round of the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft.