Answer: Who knows?

You hear a great deal of conversation about the top male athletes in the Bootheel. Arguments normally form between the old-timers, and what happened in history, versus the youngsters, who are only interested in what is happening now.

But there is virtually no talk about any outstanding female athlete.

This is unfortunate because a number of women sports stars have made big names on the national and international scene.

This female prominence in sports has also created some hot controversy:

Bob Costas, the capable and articulate sports announcer, said in his book, "Fair Ball," that there is an unfortunate tendency in contemporary sports to place sensationalism over substance.

Never is this more blatantly exhibited than in the haste to put women into the men's sports arena.

The nexus for this mania is probably a pumped up tennis match that took place a number of years ago between Billy Jean King and Bobby Riggs. There was Billy Jean, young and at the top of her game. And there was Bobby Riggs, a dilapidated 52-year-old hustler whose best tennis was 25 years behind him.

When Billy Jean beat the old reprobate you would have thought women were ready for the National Football league.

Annika Sorenstam is easily the best female golfer in the world. Last year she participated in a men's PGA event. She beat a few guys, but didn't make the cut; which means she didn't qualify to finish the tournament on Saturday and Sunday.

Yet you would thought from the media harangue that Annika had won the whole thing.

Now attention is gathering around tall and talented Michelle Wie. She is beautiful, and only 15 years old. They are already promoting her to enter men's events. Forget it!!

If Michelle Wie maintains her health she will someday be a top performer in women's golf. And that is where she should stay!!

A woman finishes fourth in Indy 500, and she is extolled as a petticoat Mario Andretti. The male winner of the race had to make up a T-shirt that said, "I won the Indy 500!" When is all this nonsense going to stop?

Many women are fine athletes, but are on an average much smaller than men. They should be glad they have their own arena, and don't have to compete with men.

Women should quit this joke of trying to enter events traditionally meant for men and hoping for some unlikely fluke that wouldn't prove anything even if it happened.

In the meantime it would be interesting to know of any Bootheel women who were, or are, fine athletes. Women are very interesting on their own. They don't need to prove anything.

The Answer Man will appear on occasion in the Daily Dunklin Democrat, and will provide answers to various and sundry questions about local people, etc. Readers are invited to submit their queries to The Answer Man by e-mailing them to bhunt@dddnews.com.