Each facet of American culture can be analyzed to describe something about the American people as a whole. Whether it's using fast food to show our society's obsession with instant gratification, or Facebook and texting to describe our need for constant contact, it's clear that our culture directly reflects on our society as a whole and can be examined across all aspects of American society. culture. However, no facet of American culture is as beloved 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 enthusiasm or extreme and uncritical zeal.” , according to Miriam Webster's dictionary. Through sports, many Americans can express their allegiance to a school, university, city or even country without even having to leave their living room. From the first game of stickball (a game resembling baseball) at the time of the American Revolution to today's modern football and basketball, almost every American considers the sport an important point in their life. It is through this passion that sport has the ability to bring American society together while transcending racial boundaries. Despite these differences, sport exposes and breaks down the racial boundaries present in today's society. Playing an important role as a site of racial conflict and civil rights in the 1950s, the Boston Red Sox were resistant to the idea of ​​integration. One of the first teams to take notice of Jackie Robinson, a Red Sox scout was sent to see if Robinson could be a match for the team. Before even seeing him play, the scout proudly declared, "I'm not going to do it, it was... middle of paper... Bryan, Howard." Shut Out: A History of Racing 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, US and world news - Msnbc.com. December 26, 2005. Web. February 28, 2011. “NPR: The Boston Red Sox and Racism.” NPR: National Public Radio: News & Analysis, World, USA, Music & Arts: NPR. Internet. February 28, 2011. .Thompson, Wright. "NFL: The New Orleans Saints are the soul of the American city - ESPN." ESPN: the world leader in sports. Internet. March 4. 2011. .