Chicago Kent College of Law indoor baseball player, M. Ryan. 1910.

Just in time for the latest round of March Madness and Final Fours, we’re taking on the history of college sports. The sometimes-uneasy relationship between higher education and sports has provided some especially heated controversies over the past few years, but as it turns out, the relationship between higher ed and athletics has been controversial for many generations. From Amherst College in the 19th century, where the first collegiate Phys. Ed. program blossomed, to the University of Alabama — one of the last university football teams to integrate — the History Guys look at how colleges and universities have justified the presence of sports on their campuses in the first place.

Guests Include:

• Ramona Martinez, reporter

• Helen Horowitz, Smith College

• John Thelin, University of Kentucky

• Andrew Pernell, former University of Alabama football player and one of the first African-American team members

• F. David Mathews, former president, University of Alabama

Further Exploration:

• Resources galore! Peruse a list of outside links compiled by the BackStory team — books, articles, and a video of the 1903 Princeton-Yale football game.
• Listen to how, after 40 years, one researcher discovered Andrew Pernell’s story.
• Check out the discussion that shaped this episode.
• Listen to the music used in this episode.

Chicago Kent College of Law indoor baseball player, M. Ryan. 1910.

From Taylor Branch’s controversial article about college sports for The Atlantic to the tragic scandal uncovered at Penn State, the relationship between higher education and college athletics has provided some of the most heated controversies of the year. But why do sports even exist at colleges and universities?

As the nation readies itself for another round of football championships, college bowls – and of course March Madness and Final Fours – BackStory seeks historical perspective. The American History Guys unpack the origins of college sports, and the ways universities have justified athletics on campus. Peter, Ed, and Brian take us to Amherst College in the 19th century, where the first collegiate Phys. Ed. program blossomed. They also recount a little-known story about the integration of the University of Alabama’s football team.

Guests Include:

• Ramona Martinez, reporter and University of Chicago alumna

• Helen Horowitz, Professor of History at Smith College

• John Thelin, Professor of Education at the University of Kentucky

• Andrew Pernell, former University of Alabama football player and one of the first African-American team members

• F. David Mathews, former president of the University of Alabama

Further Exploration:

Listen to individual show segments.

Resources galore! Peruse a list of outside links compiled by the BackStory team — books, articles, and a video of the 1903 Princeton-Yale football game.

Even Further:

Listen to how, after 40 years, one researcher discovered Andrew Pernell’s story.

Check out the discussion that shaped this episode.

Listen to the music used in this episode.