It's the eternal debate among sports fans: football or baseball?

Most die-hard fans will always say both. But if they are forced to choose, football wins. Big time. Fully 34 percent of those who follow at least one sport say professional football is their favorite spectator sport. Coming in a distant second is baseball, which is favored by 16 percent.

Baseball may be as American as mom and apple pie, but it's football we love the most, according to this annual Harris Poll of 2,176 adults.

Our favorite sports and the percentage who like them the best:

• Professional football: 34 percent
  
• Professional baseball: 16 percent
  
• College football: 11 percent
  
• Auto racing: 8 percent
  
• Men's professional basketball: 7 percent
  
• Hockey: 5 percent
  
• Men's college basketball: 3 percent
  
• Men's tennis: 2 percent
  
• Swimming: 2 percent
  
• Men's golf: 2 percent
  
• Men's soccer: 2 percent

• Coming in at a mere 1 percent are boxing, horse racing, track and field, bowling, women's tennis and women's college basketball.

Fun facts to know and tell:

• Since this question was first asked in 1985, professional football has gone up 10 points from 24 percent of sports fans saying it was their favorite sport then to 34 percent saying so now.

• Baseball has gone down 7 points, from 23 percent in 1985 to 16 percent today.

• Auto racing and hockey have both gone up 3 points while men's tennis, men's college basketball and horse racing have all gone down 3 points.

• This is sad! Only three sports--women's professional basketball, women's soccer and women's golf--are not favorites for any sports fan.

--From the Editors at Netscape