Every aspect of American culture can be analyzed to describe something about the American people as a whole. Whether we use fast food to showcase our society's obsession with instant gratification, or Facebook and text messaging to portray our need for constant contact, it's clear that our culture reflects directly on our society as a whole and can be examined through every aspect of American life. culture. No aspect of American culture, however, is as valued by the American people as 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 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 country without ever having to leave their living room. From the first game of stickball (a game that resembles baseball) during the American Revolutionary era, to today's modern football and basketball, almost all Americans embrace sports as an important point in their lives. It is through this passion that sports has the ability to unite American society by transcending racial boundaries. Despite these differences, sports exposes and removes racial boundaries present in today's society. Playing a significant role as a site of racial conflict and civil rights in the 1950s, 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 to see if Robinson might be a good fit for the team. Before even seeing him play, the scout proudly said, “I won't, it was... middle of the paper... Bryant, Howard. Shut Out: A History of Race and Baseball in Boston. New York: Routledge, 2002. Print."Katrina victims blame racism for slow aid | Vote - US News - Katrina, the long road back - Msnbc.com." Breaking News, Weather, Business, Health, Entertainment, Sports, Politics, Travel, Science, Technology, Local News, US & World - Msnbc.com. December 26, 2005. Web. February 28, 2011. "NPR: The Boston Red Sox and racism." NPR: National Public Radio: News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts: NPR. Network. February 28, 2011. .Thompson, Wright. "NFL: New Orleans Saints are the soul of the American city - ESPN." ESPN: the world leader in sports. Network. 04 March. 2011. .