Chapter 6 Baseball 棒球

"Your stew is excellent," the old man said.

"Tell me about the baseball," the boy asked him.

"In the American League it is the Yankees asI said," the old man said happily.

"They lost today," the boy told him.

"That means nothing . The great DiMaggio is himself again ."

"They have other men on the team ."

"Naturally . But he makes the difference . In the other league, between Brooklyn and Philadelphia I must take Brooklyn. But then I think of Dick Sisler and those great drives in the old park."

"There was nothing ever like them. He hits the longest ball I have ever seen."

"Do you remember when he used to come to the Terrace?"

"I wanted to take him fishing but I was too timid to ask him. Then I asked you to ask him and you were too timid ."

"I know. It was a great mistake. He might have gone with us. Then we would have that for all of our lives."

"I would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing," the old man said. "They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are and would understand."

"The great Sisler's father was never poor and he, the father, was playing in the Big Leagues when he was my age ." 

"When I was your age I was before the mast on a square rigged ship that ran to Africa and I have seen lions on the beaches in the evening."

"I know. You told me."

"Should we talk about Africa or about baseball?"

"Baseball I think," the boy said. "Tell me about the great John J. McGraw." He said Jota for J .

"He used to come to the Terrace sometimes too in the older days. But he was rough and harsh-spoken and difficult when he was drinking. His mind was on horses as well as baseball. At least he carried lists of horses at all times in his pocket and frequently spoke the names of horses on the telephone."

"He was a great manager," the boy said. "My father thinks he was the greatest."

"Because he came here the most times," the old man said. "If Durocher had continued to come here each year your father would think him the greatest manager.

"Who is the greatest manager, really, Luque or Mike Gonzalez?"

"I think they are equal."

"And the best fisherman is you."

 中文翻译：

       "这炖菜呱呱叫，"老人说。

　　"给我讲讲棒球赛吧，"孩子请求他说。

　　"在美国联赛中，总是扬基队的天下，我跟你说过啦，"老人兴高采烈地说。

　　"他们今儿个输了，"孩子告诉他。

　　"这算不上什么，那了不起的迪马吉奥恢复他的本色了。"

　　"他们队里还有别的好手哪。"

　　"这还用说。不过有了他就不同了。在另一个联赛中，拿布鲁克林队和费拉德尔菲亚队来说，我相信布鲁克林队。不过话得说回来，我没有忘记迪克·西斯勒和他在那老公园里打出的那些好球。"

　　"这些好球从来没有别人打过。我见过的击球中，数他打得最远。"

　　"你还记得他过去常来露台饭店吗？我想陪他出海钓鱼，可是不敢对他开口。所以我要你去说，可你也不敢。"

　　"我记得。我们真大大地失算了。他满可能跟我们一起出海的。这样，我们可以一辈子回味这回事了。"

　　"我满想陪那了不起的迪马吉奥去钓鱼，"老人说。"人家说他父亲也是个打鱼的。也许他当初也象我们这样穷，会领会我们的心意的。"

　　"那了不起的西斯勒的爸爸可没过过穷日子，他爸爸象我这样年纪的时候就在联赛里打球了。"

　　"我象你这样年纪的时候，就在一条去非洲的方帆船上当普通水手了，我还见过狮子在傍晚到海滩上来。"

　　"我知道。你跟我谈起过。"

　　"我们来谈非洲还是谈棒球？"

　　"我看谈棒球吧，"孩子说。"给我谈谈那了不起的约翰·Ｊ·麦格劳的情况。"他把这个Ｊ念成了"何塔"。

　　"在过去的日子里，他有时候也常到露台饭店来。可是他一喝了酒，就态度粗暴，出口伤人，性子别扭。他脑子里想着棒球，也想着赛马。至少他老是口袋里揣着赛马的名单，常常在电话里提到一些马儿的名字。"

　　"他是个伟大的经理，"孩子说。"我爸爸认为他是顶伟大的。"

　　"这是因为他来这儿的次数最多，"老人说。"要是多罗彻继续每年来这儿，你爸爸就会认为他是顶伟大的经理了。"

　　"说真的，谁是顶伟大的经理，卢克还是迈克·冈萨雷斯？"

　　"我认为他们不相上下。"

　　"顶好的渔夫是你。"