| 历史上最激烈的战争 ─ 美国大联盟-2 The nickname "Rocket" might seem a tad incongruous for a man who stands six feet four and weighs over two hundred pounds. “火箭人”这个昵称，用在一位身高六英尺四英寸、重逾两百磅的巨汉身上，似乎有那么点不协调。 For New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, however, the reference to speed is purely in association with his devastating ninety-five-mile-an-hour fastball.然而对纽约扬基队投手克莱门斯来说，“火箭人”纯指他火箭般的球速──时速超过95英里的快速球。 Born in Ohio in 1962, Roger Clemens first made his name in baseball by pitching for the Texas Longhorns to help win the 1983 College World Series championship. 克莱门斯于1962年在俄亥俄州出生，1983年就读德州大学时帮助该校长角牛队赢得大学联赛总冠军，首度在棒球史上留名。 His next step was joining the Boston Red Sox as a first-round pick in that year's draft. 他在该年第一轮的职业棒球选秀会中被波士顿红袜队挑走，进入棒球生涯的新阶段。 The Rocket carved out an impressive career with the Red Sox, later moving to Toronto before being traded to the Yankees. 克莱门斯在红袜队留下了难以磨灭的丰功伟绩。后来转到多伦多蓝鸟队，接着再转至纽约扬基。 He is a five-time winner of the Cy Young Award with more than three thousand strikeouts, and in the 2000 World Series, Clemens threw the first complete-game one-hitter in LCS history to help the Yankees overcome the Mets. 他五次获赛·扬奖，投过三千多次投杀球，在2000年世界大赛，他投出大联盟冠军赛史上第一场一安打完封胜，帮助扬基击溃大都会队。 Clemens has his share of detractors. Die-hard Red Sox fans are unlikely to ever forgive his departure, perceived as being inspired by financial greed. 然而，克莱门斯也遭到到一些责难。死心眼的红袜球迷始终不能原谅他的离队，认定他是见钱眼开。 Last year's World Series triumph was overshadowed by a bat-throwing incident that sullied his reputation, and he has spent more than his share of time on the disabled list. 去年世界大赛的胜利也因他向击球手回掷球棒而蒙上阴影，他的名声也因此遭致玷污；还有他整季因伤所困，长期名列伤兵名单。 At age thirty-eight, the Rocket's days in major league baseball are surely numbered, yet he can still overwhelm even the best hitters, who will likely be feeling his power for a while yet. 三十八岁高龄的克莱门斯在大联盟的日子已不多了，但他仍足以压倒最强悍的击球手。相信他的球威仍能叱吒球场好一段时光。 |
