The Culture of Sports

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Every facet of American culture can be analyzed to describe something about American people as a whole. Whether using fast food to show our society’s obsession with instant gratification, or Facebook and text messaging to portray our need for constant contact, it is clear that our culture reflects directly on our society as a whole and can be examined via every aspect of the American culture. No facet of American culture however, is as highly regarded by the American people more than sports. According to a recent Gallup poll, approximately 67% of the entire American population is a fan of at least one sport, where a “fan” (short for fanatic), is defined as “a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal”, according to Miriam Webster’s Dictionary. Through sports, many Americans can express their allegiance to a school, university, city, or even a country without having to even leave their living room. From the first game of stickball (a game resembling baseball) during the American Revolutionary era, to today’s modern football and basketball, nearly every American embraces sports as a point of importance in their life. It is through this passion, that sports have the ability to bring the American society together while transcending racial boundaries. Despite these differences, sports expose and remove the racial boundaries that are present in today’s society.

Playing a significant role as a site of racial conflict and civil rights in the 1950‘s, the Boston Red Sox were resistant to the thought of integration. One of the first teams to notice Jackie Robinson, a Red Sox scout was sent out to see if Robinson might be a match for the team. Before even getting to see him play, the scout proudly said, “I’m not going to was...

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Bryant, Howard. Shut Out: a Story of Race and Baseball in Boston. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print.

"Katrina Victims Blame Racism for Slow Aid | Vote - U.S. News - Katrina, The Long Road Back - Msnbc.com." Breaking News, Weather, Business, Health, Entertainment, Sports, Politics, Travel, Science, Technology, Local, US & World News - Msnbc.com. 26 Dec. 2005. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. .

"NPR : The Boston Red Sox and Racism." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. Web. 28 Feb. 2011. .

Thompson, Wright. "NFL: New Orleans Saints Are the Soul of America's City - ESPN." ESPN: The Worldwide Leader In Sports. Web. 04 Mar. 2011. .

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