Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson and the story of all black baseball by Jim O 'Connell illustrations by Jim Butter

杰基·罗宾逊与全黑人棒球的故事 作者：吉姆·奥康奈尔 插画：吉姆·巴特

Jackie Makes History April 15 1947. It is opening day at Apertsfield, the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Today they are playing the Boston Braves. The crowd is excited. The crowd is always excited on opening day but this day is special for another reason. All around the third baseline fans peer across the bright green diamond. They try to see the new player that the whole country has been talking about. He is over in the Dodgers' dugout. He sits by himself. He looks nervous and his teammates leave him alone.

杰基创造历史 1947年4月15日，这是开幕日，举办地点在 埃贝茨球场，布鲁克林道奇队的主场。今天他们要对阵 波士顿勇士队。观众们兴奋极了，每次开幕日大家都特别激动 但今天还有另一个特别的原因。三垒边线周围 球迷们都盯着翠绿的棒球场，想要找到那位新球员 他可是现在全美国热议的话题人物。此刻他正在道奇队的 球员休息区里，一个人坐着。他看起来很紧张，队友们都没有打扰他。

Soon the announcer begins to call out the Dodger's names. One by one the players run out onto the field. The stands erupt with a deafening roar. Finally the new player's name is called. Someone pats him on the back. Then he drugs to first base with a funny pigeon -turtle stride that soon will be famous everywhere. Who is this player and why is this day so special?

没过多久，广播员开始报出道奇队队员的名字。 队员们一个接一个跑到球场上。 看台上爆发出震耳欲聋的欢呼声。 终于，那位新球员的名字被念了出来。 有人轻轻拍了拍他的背。 然后他迈着一种像鸽子又像乌龟的奇特大步走向一垒，这种步态很快就会火遍全国。 这位球员是谁？为什么今天这么特别呢？

He is Jackie Robinson. He is 27 years old and he has just become the first black man to play Major League Baseball in the 20th century. Today about a quarter of all Major League Bowl players are black. But in 1947, the world is a very different place. Many hotels will not give rooms to black people. Many restaurants will not serve food to black people. In the South, there are separate schools for white children and black children. Even drinking fountains have signs. They say, for whites only.

他就是杰基·罗宾逊，今年27岁，刚刚成为20世纪第一位参加美国职业棒球大联盟的黑人选手。 如今，职业棒球大联盟里大约有四分之一的球员都是黑人。 但在1947年，世界完全不是现在的样子。很多酒店都不接待黑人入住。 很多餐厅也不给黑人提供餐食。 在南方，白人孩子和黑人孩子要上不同的学校。 就连饮水机上都贴着标识，上面写着：仅供白人使用。

For more than 50 years Major League Baseball has been for white only too, but not anymore. Not with Jackie Robinson in the Dodger line -up. Black fans have their hopes riding on Jackie. They know it is not easy being the first man to cross the colour line in baseball. During the season, Jackie is booed by people in the stands. They call him awful names. They tell him to go back to the cotton fields where he belongs. On the field it isn't any better. Peaches throw bean balls. Balls aim the right at Jackie's head. Runners try to spike him with the sharp cleats on their shoes. At home he gets hate mail. There are letters that threaten to kill him, picked up his wife and kidnapped her baby son.

五十多年来，职业棒球大联盟也一直只允许白人参加，但现在情况变了。 只要杰基·罗宾逊在道奇队的出场名单里，这条规则就作不了数。 黑人球迷都把希望寄托在杰基身上。 他们知道，做第一个打破棒球界肤色界限的人太不容易了。 赛季期间，看台上的观众会对杰基发出嘘声。 他们用各种难听的话骂他。 他们叫他滚回他该待的棉花地里去。 球场上的情况也好不到哪里去。 投手们会朝他投头部触身球。 球直直冲着杰基的脑袋飞过去。 跑垒员还会试着用鞋子上锋利的钉鞋刺他。 在家的时候他会收到恐吓信。 有的信威胁要杀了他， 还有的扬言要绑走他的妻子和年幼的儿子。