Are star athletes forgotten as soon as they retire from the playing fields? Usually, if for no other reason than that new stars are always emerging. Michael Jordan is a special case, though. In a reader poll by Sports Illustrated for Kids, Jordan was the top vote-getter when respondents were asked to chose their favorite male athlete. Tiger Woods was the runner-up, with Ken Griffey Jr. filling out the top three. Mia Hamm was the favorite female athlete, with Cynthia Cooper and Marion Jones running second and third. As for the youngsters' athletic activities, baseball edged out basketball when respondents were asked to name their favorite sport to play. Football topped both those sports when kids named their favorite sport to watch on television. How could the pro leagues lure more young folks to the gate? The top choice was "lower ticket prices."VCG/FPG