key vs. textstring in field

[ssmoore]

In one of the tables in my database I have a column called sport. In that column there can be one of six specific sports. It is a column which I will use often as a selection criteria in my queries. Is it better to hold the name of the sport in the field (ie, basketball, baseball, etc.) or is it better to build another table setting a key for each sportname and then using the key in the field (ie. 1,2,3, etc.)

Thank-you very much for your response.

[iceraider]

Set thats tables row to

enum

then value 'sport','sport'

see if you can get that