Women have participated in sports throughout history, but only in recent years has this participation become widespread and attained recognition equal to that of men. Encyclopedia of Women and Sports is a clearly written, comprehensive, illustrated volume including nearly 600 entries on all aspects of women and sports in the United States, from the different sports to people and events; from teams and organizations to laws and court cases. Readers will learn about Stacy Allison, the first woman to climb Mt. Everest; women who have run the Boston Marathon; how the 19th Amendment has affected women's sports; female shotputters; and how steroids affect women's muscles. Features include an introduction, cross-references, bibliography, and index. Students, librarians, historians, athletes, sports journalists, and general readers will find this book informative and entertaining, useful for both research and browsing.