College sports were started by students in the post Civil War period of the 1860's and 1870's. By the 1880's football, baseball, crew, and track and field were popular intercollegiate sports. The desire of the nation as a whole for diversion after World War I provided an impetus for sports in general and intercollegiate athletics in particular. During the 1920's intercollegiate athletics reached unprecedented popularity. New sports such as basketball, golf, tennis, soccer, lacrosse, swimming, gymnastics, and fencing were added to the program. Colleges were forced to provide new facilities, including large stadiums and new and bigger gymnasiums for popular indoor sports. This increased emphasis on college athletics led to some serious problems, such as commercialism, proselytizing and subsidization of athletes, and coaches who believed in winning at any cost. The formation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in 1906 resulted in colleges and universities assuming some control over their athletic programs. This in turn created a number of administrative problems. Fortunately, during this period physical education was undergoing some changes too, and its new emphasis on games and sports moved it closer to the athletic programs. By the end of the decade the merger was complete, and the physical education teacher and athletic coach were one and the same. (Author/RC)