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VOA慢速英语2013 Americans Find New Joy in an Old-Fashioned Game

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Americans Find New Joy in an Old-Fashioned Game

From VOA Learning English, welcome to This Is America.  I’m Mario Ritter.

And I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.  This week, we hear how some people are learning to play the game of baseball the old way. And we report on efforts to help former prisoners build new lives.  

For many Americans, the long, hot days of summer mean just one thing: baseball. Walk through a park anywhere in the country and you are likely to find young people and old people, men and women all playing ball.

Our reporter recently found a baseball game in a park in the southern city of Nashville, Tennessee.

That was the familiar sound of a bat hitting the ball. But this baseball game is not quite the game most Americans know.

“We play the game wearing no gloves, and there’s a few minor1 rule differences.”

This is vintage, or old-fashioned, baseball. Vintage baseball teams aim to experience the game the way it was played 150 years ago. The game was still young then and just beginning to spread across the country.Am

"Good eye, Trip. Using your peepers!”

Even the language of the game is taken from the 19th century. Michael Thurmon is chief of the Tennessee league. He says modern expressions are not used much in vintage baseball. There are older words for common actions like throw and catch. There are even older words for the basic tools of baseball, the bat and ball.

“You might say, ‘Well hurled,’ if somebody pitches a good pitch. You might say, ‘Well struck,’ for a good hit. The bat’s called a ‘willow,’ the ball is called an ‘apple’ or a ‘pill.’”

Some fans come to the game wearing clothing as it looked in 1864.

Michael Cole was dressed as a Civil War army officer from a southern state.

 “This is my second game, and seems like I get more intrigued2 with it every time I watch it.”

Una Daly had never seen a game of vintage baseball and sat down nearby to watch for a while.

“Well, I like the fact that these look like they’re community members who are out having fun. They’re all ages.”

The number of vintage baseball teams is increasing. Teams can now be found in about half of the American states, mostly in the middle of the country.

This crowd is cheering for the vintage team from Nashville called the Nashville Maroons3. The Maroons are playing against another group from the nearby town of Franklin. The two groups are the only Vintage Base Ball teams in the state. Together, they make up the newly organized Tennessee Association of Vintage Base Ball.

Organizers say vintage baseball looks back to a kinder, gentler age of sports. Trapper Haskins is the league vice4 president. He says both the ball players and those who come to see the games expect polite behavior. They expect traditional sportsmanship. Arguing with the umpire happens often at other baseball games, but not in vintage baseball.

“We don’t taunt5. There’s no arguing the calls with the umpire. It’s sort of a, it’s a more genteel game.”

Vintage baseball also ignores the business side of the modern game. In vintage baseball, fans watch for free. The ball players are the ones who cover the costs. They pay to belong to the vintage baseball group.

Even though many things are different in vintage baseball, Trapper Haskins says it is still the game that millions love. And he says the game is even better when played the old fashioned way.

 “The speed of the game, the cadence6, the choreography of it, is just — it’s as close to perfection7 in sports as I think we’ve come.”

Next summer, four more teams will join the Tennessee Vintage Base Ball Association. The year after that, the association hopes to have teams across the state playing baseball the old way.  

One more story about baseball, history and language. On September 23, 1908, baseball reporters invented a new word to describe someone who makes a mistake.

Here is what happened.

A huge crowd was watching the championship game between the Chicago Cubs8 and the New York Giants. The teams were playing at the Polo Grounds in New York City.

It was the last inning of the game. The score was tied. New York was at bat. Two men were on base: one was on third base, and one was on first.

The batter9 hit the ball hard. The man on third base ran quickly home to score what everyone believed was the winning run. New York fans went wild. They shouted and cheered. Some jumped from their seats and climbed onto the field.

There was only one problem. The player on first base, a man named Fred Merkle, did not keep running. Merkle saw his teammate score the winning run. So he did not go to second base as the rules required. He just walked back to the dugout, where the other players were sitting.

Chicago’s second baseman realized Merkle’s mistake. He called for the ball and stepped on second base. The umpire said Merkle was out and the winning run could not be counted.

With that ruling, the game should have continued. But too many fans were on the field.

The case went to the head of the National Commission10 of Organized Baseball. He decided11 neither the Chicago Cubs nor the New York Giants had won the game. He called it a tie.

The two teams had to play again for the championship. This time, the Chicago Cubs won, four to two.

New York fans were furious12. They believed Merkle had cost them the championship. Newspaper reporters made up a word for someone like Merkle—someone, they suggested, who did not have a brain.

They called him a bonehead. It is still a word Americans use. Although, it is not a very nice one.    

South Bronx Probation13

New York City is experimenting with a new kind of probation office.

People who are placed on probation by a court have to follow many rules. For instance, they may have to be home at a certain time every night, or they may not be allowed to drink alcohol or leave the area.

A probation officer supervises14 them. People who break a rule of probation or commit another crime may be sent back to prison.

Some probation officers have a saying about their work. They say their job is to “trail ‘em, nail ‘em and jail ‘em.”  

The probation offices in the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City are trying to improve their system. The South Bronx is one of the country’s highest crime areas.

The South Bronx probation offices organize activities meant to be fun or helpful. Former prisoners take part in poetry slams, health examinations and information sharing with others seeking work.

The group that operates these probation centers is called the Neighborhood Opportunity Network or NeON. The goal is to create new methods to turn convicts15 away from crime.  

Lonni Tanner is in charge of improving city service centers. She works with the New York City Department of Design and Construction.

She changed the old office space into someplace more inspiring. 

"I saw a lot of people waiting, nothing going on. I thought, what if, in fact, this could be a place of doing rather than waiting?"   

New York City Probation Commissioner16 Vincent Schiraldi is responsible for putting the NeON program into several high-crime neighborhoods. 

"What it’s really though about is improving public safety by engaging our clients productively17, right, so they are part of their own rehabilitative18 process. It’s not just something being done to them.”

Contina Session is one of 15 probation officers at the NeOn center in the South Bronx. She helped Peter enter a program where he learned how to interview for jobs and avoid conflict. 

Recently, she and Peter talked about his success in that program. 

"Very proud of you for the graduation. How did you feel?

"It was good. It felt nice to be appreciated for something – you know, accomplish something."

Catherine Rose Edwards is also on probation. She expressed thanks for the support of her probation officer during a hard time. She was arrested for a drug-related offense19, but she was able to avoid prison.

“I would have lost my son. I would have lost my job. I would have lost everything.”

NeOn’s approach was a big change for many probation officers.

A year after the NeON center began operations in the South Bronx, most probation officers approve of the new methods. Some officers even attend the weekly poetry workshop offered by Poet-in-Residence Dave Johnson.

"If you'd like to write a story or a poem or song today, we have a little class that meets here."

Dave Johnson says poetry opens a way to search for answers about life. He says poetry also creates a kind of peaceful and effective communication.

"The poems are here, they’re alive. They’re within the people."

Every poetry class ends with an event called a poetry slam.

Probationers, officers and community members share their poems. Listen to this short poem.    

"Little did she know / that bud20 blooming in the wind / is a rising sun … "

Now we hear a poem about a woman’s feelings for an alcohol abuser.

"Pour down the liquor / The lie’s eating up your liver/ I won’t forget / but I will forgive her."

Eighty percent of those who attempt the NeOn program successfully complete their probation time. Many are allowed to leave probation early because of their good behavior. The number of people able to leave early has increased 500 percent.   

I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

 


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
2 intrigued 7acc2a75074482e2b408c60187e27c73     
adj.好奇的,被迷住了的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的过去式);激起…的兴趣或好奇心;“intrigue”的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • You've really intrigued me—tell me more! 你说的真有意思—再给我讲一些吧!
  • He was intrigued by her story. 他被她的故事迷住了。
3 maroons 7de0372c64d45d412791772c62e5e4e0     
n.逃亡黑奴(maroon的复数形式)vt.把…放逐到孤岛(maroon的第三人称单数形式)
参考例句:
  • Put 'em ashore like maroons? 将他们放逐到某个荒岛上去吗? 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
  • A mix of maroons and peach, tangerine and coral are introduced by a gold-green hazel. 栗色和桃色的组合,橘和珊瑚色加上淡褐色。 来自互联网
4 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的
参考例句:
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
5 taunt nIJzj     
n.辱骂,嘲弄;v.嘲弄
参考例句:
  • He became a taunt to his neighbours.他成了邻居们嘲讽的对象。
  • Why do the other children taunt him with having red hair?为什么别的小孩子讥笑他有红头发?
6 cadence bccyi     
n.(说话声调的)抑扬顿挫
参考例句:
  • He delivered his words in slow,measured cadences.他讲话缓慢而抑扬顿挫、把握有度。
  • He liked the relaxed cadence of his retired life.他喜欢退休生活的悠闲的节奏。
7 perfection GMKxd     
n.尽善尽美,无比精确
参考例句:
  • Their works reach to a great height of perfection.他们的作品到了极完美的境地。
  • The picture wants something of perfection.这幅画还有些不够完美。
8 cubs 01d925a0dc25c0b909e51536316e8697     
n.幼小的兽,不懂规矩的年轻人( cub的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • a lioness guarding her cubs 守护幼崽的母狮
  • Lion cubs depend on their mother to feed them. 狮子的幼仔依靠母狮喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》
9 batter QuazN     
v.接连重击;磨损;n.牛奶面糊;击球员
参考例句:
  • The batter skied to the center fielder.击球手打出一个高飞球到中外野手。
  • Put a small quantity of sugar into the batter.在面糊里放少量的糖。
10 commission 1bkyS     
n.委托,授权,委员会,拥金,回扣,委任状
参考例句:
  • The salesman can get commission on everything he sells.这个售货员能得到所售每件货物的佣金。
  • The commission is made up of five people,including two women.委员会由五人组成,其中包括两名妇女。
11 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
12 furious Zfdzc     
adj.狂怒的,暴怒的,强烈的,激烈的
参考例句:
  • I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
  • His wife was furious with him.他妻子对他大发雷霆。
13 probation 41zzM     
n.缓刑(期),(以观后效的)察看;试用(期)
参考例句:
  • The judge did not jail the young man,but put him on probation for a year.法官没有把那个年轻人关进监狱,而且将他缓刑察看一年。
  • His salary was raised by 800 yuan after his probation.试用期满以后,他的工资增加了800元。
14 supervises 0c6b8b4be15dd8fdcf08e4a8c5c6c843     
v.监督,管理( supervise的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • The group leader supervises a dozen workers. 组长管十二个工人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He makes the wines and supervises the vineyards. 他酿酒并管理葡萄园。 来自辞典例句
15 convicts ce01e7adbc5fbf3ecf4fda22baa067eb     
宣判有罪( convict的第三人称单数 )
参考例句:
  • The escaped convicts were smoked out of the house. 逃犯被熏出了屋子。
  • In the past, British convicts could be sentenced to transportation. 过去,英国的囚犯可能会被判流放。
16 commissioner gq3zX     
n.(政府厅、局、处等部门)专员,长官,委员
参考例句:
  • The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
  • He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。
17 productively HkfzuU     
ad.多产地
参考例句:
  • Asia should use all saving more efficiently and more productively. 亚洲人在使用任何储蓄时应该更富有成效。
  • HIV replication kills productively infected CD4+ T lymphocytes and innocent bystander cells. 复制的HIV病毒杀死了被感染的CD+T淋巴细胞及相应的组织。
18 rehabilitative 8896da64481d1a8794d8855a79a28353     
使复原的,复职的
参考例句:
  • Objective To desacribe self concept and sub concept of rehabilitative schizophrenic patients. 目的探讨恢复期精神分裂症病人的自我概念。
  • Objective To desacribe self concept and concept of rehabilitative schizophrenic patients. 目的探讨大学生自我概念与心理健康之间的关系。
19 offense HIvxd     
n.犯规,违法行为;冒犯,得罪
参考例句:
  • I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
  • His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。
20 bud mc6yu     
vi.发芽,萌芽;n.芽,花蕾
参考例句:
  • Some flowers bud their leaves very early in spring.有些花在春季里很早发出叶来。
  • A bad habit in a child should be nipped in the bud.应该尽早把孩子的坏习惯改过来。

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