2010/04/15

This Day in History April 15… 歷史上的今天 4月15日

For over 50 years, baseball was segregated. But on this date in 1947, one man changed all of that. The moment Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York, the color barrier was broken. Before Robinson, no other African American had played in Major League Baseball. Exactly 50 years after this special day, another first took place. Jackie Robinson's uniform number, 42, was officially retired from all teams in the league in a touching ceremony. This is just one example of how a single person can change the world for the better.

棒壇有超過50年的 時間存在著種族隔離的現象。但在1947年的今天,有個人徹底改變了這種情形。當傑基.羅賓森踏上位於紐約布魯克林的艾伯特球場的同時,膚色的藩籬也就此 打破。在羅賓森之前,沒有任何一位非裔美國人曾在美國職棒大聯盟裡打過球。而在這特別日子50年後,另項創舉再度上演。在一場感人的典禮中,傑基.羅賓森 的球衣背號42號正式從大聯盟的所有球隊中退休(意即之後沒有任何球隊的球員,能再使用這個背號)。這個例子恰恰證明了一個人是何以能改變這個世界。

單字片語

◎segregate vt.實行種族隔離
例:For a long period of time, blacks were segregated from whites in many parts of America and South Africa.(有很長一段時間,黑人在美國和南非許多地方都和白人隔離開來。)
◎color barrier 種族藩籬,膚色藩籬
◎officially adv.正式地,官方地
例:Gina officially announced to her co-workers that she was getting married.(吉娜正式向她的同事宣布她要結婚了。)
◎retire vt.使退休& vi.退休
例:Both of my parents have retired and are living in Florida now.(我的父母都已退休,目前住在佛羅里達。)
◎touching a. 感人的
例:例:The touching story of the little girl and her dog moved everyone to tears.(那個小女孩和小狗的感人故事讓每個人都感動落淚。)

知識大補帖

傑基.羅賓森受後人推崇的原因不僅因為他是大聯盟的首位黑人球員,他的精湛球技也使他入選棒球名人堂 (Baseball Hall of Fame)。雖然他的職業生涯只有短短的9年,不過仍然獲得許多殊榮,包括1947年的年度新人王(1947 Rookie of the Year)、1949年的國家聯盟最有價值球員(1949 National League MVP)等。

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