11 Chapter 10 The Minors

Chapter 10 The Minors Jackie and Rachel liked living in Montreal. Their neighbors were friendly and helpful to Rachel, who was expecting a baby. Life on the road often wasn't so nice. One time in Syracuse, New York, a player on the other team threw a black cat onto the field. "There's your cousin!" he called to Jackie.

杰基和瑞秋喜欢住在蒙特利尔。 他们的邻居对瑞秋很友好，也很乐于助人，因为瑞秋已经怀孕了。 旅途中的生活往往不那么美好。 有一次在纽约的锡拉丘兹，另一支球队的一名球员把一只黑猫扔到了球场上。 “那是你的表弟!”他对杰基喊道。

Jackie remembered what Branch Rickey told him. So he said nothing. Instead, he waited to come up to bat. Jackie doubled, then ran home on the next single. Playing great baseball was the best way to prove he belonged on the team. It was thrilling for fans to watch him play. He hit the ball hard. He was a master at stealing bases. Jackie led his team to the Little World Series. Just like the World Series, whoever won in a best of seven series would win the Minor League Championship. The Royals were playing the Louisville Colonels. For the first time, southern Kentucky was hosting an integrated baseball game. The fans there were loud and mean. Jackie did not play his best. After three games, the Royals were down two games to one. But everything changed back in Montreal for Game 4. Jackie scored the tying run. Then in extra innings, he drove in the winning run. In the next game, Jackie doubled and tripled. In the eighth inning he bunted, bringing home a man on third. The Royals won 5—3.

杰基记得布兰奇·里奇对他说过的话。 所以他什么也没说。相反，他等待着上场击球。 杰基打了二垒安打，然后又打了一垒安打。 打好棒球是证明他属于球队的最好方式。 球迷们看他比赛很激动。 他用力击球。他是盗垒高手。 杰基带领他的球队参加了少年世界大赛。 就像世界职业棒球大赛一样，谁在七局三胜制的系列赛中获胜，谁就会赢得小联盟冠军。 皇家队和路易斯维尔上校队比赛。 南肯塔基州第一次举办了一场种族融合的棒球比赛。 那里的球迷又吵又凶。 杰基没有发挥出他最好的水平。 三场比赛后，皇家队以两比一落后。 但在蒙特利尔的第四场比赛中，一切都变了。 杰基得分打平比分。 然后在加时赛中，他击出了致胜的一分。 在接下来的比赛中，杰基打了二垒安打和三垒安打。 在第八局中，他击出了一个三垒安打。 皇家队以5比3获胜。

The Royals won Game 6, too, and the series—thanks to two double plays by Jackie and two big hits. Fans screamed their hearts out for Jackie. People streamed onto the field and carried him on their shoulders. The next month, Jackie celebrated another event: His son Jackie, Jr., was born on November 18th in a Los Angeles hospital. For a little while, Jackie relaxed and enjoyed his family. He loved spending time in California with his mother, brothers, and sister. But in just a few months, Jackie would be back at spring training. Now was the time to prove he was ready for the majors.

皇家队也赢得了第六场比赛，以及整个系列赛——这要归功于杰基的两次双杀和两次安打。 歌迷们为成龙尖叫。 人们涌向球场，把他扛在肩上。 下个月，杰基庆祝了另一件事:他的儿子小杰基于11月18日在洛杉矶的一家医院出生。 有一会儿，杰基放松下来，享受他的家庭生活。 他喜欢和母亲、兄弟姐妹在加州共度时光。 但仅仅几个月后，杰基就会回来参加春训。 现在是证明他已经为大满贯做好准备的时候了。