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Boston sports struggle with perception built on racist past

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When Red Sox fans hurled peanuts and the N-word toward Orioles outfielder Adam Jones in Fenway Park, it was a reminder of the Boston's racial legacy — particularly around its sports teams.

Boston's reputation as a racist sports town developed through decades of barriers broken and maintained, intertwined with broader struggles for progress along with today's climate of racial tension that sports can't avoid.

Despite its teams and the city making strides on race, Boston still has perceptions of racism to overcome.