The only reason people think sports helped solve racism is because it makes them work as a team. Like in the movie 42,  Jacky Robison becomes part of the professional baseball team. At first they don't like him because they don't understand that he was a good player and he was just as good as them. Then as the film progresses they get to know him better and they get to like him. Yes the teams brought them together and made them work with each other and showed them that there really isn't a difference between whites and blacks. People were going to be racist weather or not sports had black people in them. The reason is racism is a learned trait. No one is born hating anyone they are incapable of even knowing what that emotion is.  The thing is it could have been done with a survival situation as well. A similar situation of social realization could occur in the armed forces too. Which brings me to another point. If we thought it was ok for black people to die for our freedom why couldn't at least let them play ball. Next thing I'm saying is Sports could have helped people get to know Black people quicker. The thing is it would have happened eventually anyway. Things like this have happened all the time throughout history because people fear what they do not understand. Most gentleman back in the day didn't have the best education as far as ethnicity's. They though black people were faster because of a bone in their foot. In conclusion I believe education over sports helped segregation to end.