THIS IS KANSAS Basketball
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phog allen
The Nickname: Jayhawk The University of Kansas is home of the Jayhawk, a mythical bird with a fascinating history. Its origin is rooted in the historic struggles of Kansas settlers. The term “Jayhawk” was probably coined about 1848. Accounts of its use appeared from Illinois to Texas. The name combines two birds - the blue jay, a noisy, quarrelsome thing known to rob other nests, and the sparrow hawk, a stealthy hunter.
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the alma mater In 1891, professor George Barlow Penny searched for a school song for the Glee and Mandolin Club to sing on its tour through Kansas to Denver and back. No one responded with an original song in answer to his appeals. Just before departure, he thought of the Cornell song “Far Above Cayuga’s Waters.” Hastily changing a few words, he gave it to the glee club men to sing on the trip. He did not expect the song to be used after their return, but “Crimson and the Blue” still goes on. The music is not Cornell’s but an old English folk tune, “Annie Lisle.”
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campanile hill Campanile Hill forms the picturesque backdrop for Memorial Stadium. On a sunny fall Saturday, the “Hill” is transformed into a congregating place for watching Jayhawk football, sunning and barbequing. Potter Lake, just to the southwest of Memorial Stadium and at the bottom of Campanile Hill, adds to the beauty of the Kansas campus.
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the k ring The K Ring symbolizes a uniquely shared experience between generations of varsity letter winners at the University of Kansas. As a Jayhawk you are expected to uphold tradition and retain the characteristics of a champion while continuing the create your own legacy.
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waving the wheat Since the early days of KU sports, it has been a ritual of Jayhawk fans to “wave the wheat” following every Kansas scoring drive in football. The tradition also extends to Allen Fieldhouse where fans “wave the wheat” when an opponent fouls out and at the conclusion of every Jayhawk victory. The ritual consists of fans waving their arms in the air, an activity which, when done by a large crowd, resembles a breezy Kansas wheat field.
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the rock chalk chant The Rock Chalk Chant has been the battle cry of KU fans for more than 80 years. This strange, traditional chant, which is among the most famous of all college cheers, was started by E.H.S. Bailey, a professor of chemistry. On May 21, 1886, Bailey submitted the cheer to his club.
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6 “Give the world your best and the best you’ve got and the best will come back to you.”
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