VOA慢速英语2020 年轻日本棒球运动员获特殊奖品：泥土（在线收听）

High school baseball players in Japan, some in their final year, missed their 2020 play season because of COVID-19 cancellations.

由于COVID-19取消比赛，日本高中棒球运动员（有的人是最后一年）错过了2020年的赛季。 

But the players have not been forgotten, at least not by Japanese professional baseball.

但这些球员并没有被遗忘，至少没有被日本职业棒球所遗忘。 

The famed Hanshin Tigers team is honoring about 50,000 young baseball players with a gift to remember their lost season: a small amount of dirt.

著名的阪神老虎棒球队向大约5万名年轻棒球运动员赠送了一份礼物：少量的泥土，纪念他们错过的赛季。

But, that dirt comes from Koshien Stadium, a beloved playing field in a country that is filled with fans of the nations most popular sport.

但是，这些泥土来自甲子园球场。棒球是日本最受欢迎的运动，拥有很多球迷，而该球场则是一个备受喜爱的运动场地。

Koshien is in Nishinomiya, Hyogo state.

甲子园位于兵库县西宫市。 

Every year, more than 3,000 teams battle through local and state competitions in an effort that ends at Koshien, the championship of high school baseball.

每年都有超过3000支球队通过地方和州的比赛争夺高中棒球冠军，而最后的冠军赛在甲子园举行。 

Many famous Japanese professionals have played on the field there, including Ichiro Suzuki, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Matsui.

包括铃木一郎、松坂大辅和松井秀喜在内的许多著名的日本职业球员都曾在这里的球场上比赛过。 

Losing at Koshien hurts, of course.But, there is a great tradition that helps ease the pain.

在甲子园输掉比赛当然很受伤。但是，有一个伟大的传统可以帮助减轻痛苦。 

Every time a team loses, each member gathers a handful of dirt from the field to take back home and keep forever.

每当球队输掉输了比赛，每个队员都会从甲子园收集一把泥土带回家，并永远保存下来。 

On a recent day, however, it was a few Hanshin Tigers players digging up dirt at Koshien, which is also home to that professional team.

然而在最近的一天，阪神老虎棒球队的一些球员在甲子园挖出泥土，这里也是阪神老虎棒球队的主场。

The Tigers are putting the dirt into clear balls to be attached to key chains.

老虎棒球队的队员们正把土放进透明的球里，以便拴在钥匙链上。 

Then, the team will send them to the thousands of high school baseball players.

然后，球队将把它们送给数千名高中棒球运动员。 

Across the ball, are the words: "2020 102nd Koshien" and images of a ball, bats and the sports center.

球上有一行字：“2020 102nd Koshien”，以及一个棒球、棒和体育中心的图像。 

The key chains are set to ship in August, when the championship usually begins.

钥匙链将在8月发售，这是锦标赛通常开始的时候。 

Hibiki Kawamato is a player for Iwamichisuikan High School in the western state of Shimane.

川内喜彦是西部岛根县岩井町高中的一名球员。 

He told the Associated Press he was excited about getting the gift, as The Tigers are his favorite team.

他对美联社表示，收到这份礼物让他很兴奋，因为老虎棒球队是他最喜欢的球队。 

The game means so much to him.

比赛对他来说意义重大。 

"When I get a hit when the team really needs it, I get praised by everyone," he said.

他说：“当团队真正需要击球时，我击中了，所有人都来称赞我。” 

"Im going to play baseball till I die."

“我要活到老，打棒球到老。” 

Akihiko Tanimoto is a social studies teacher who works with the team.

田本秋彦是一名社会研究教师，他与球队一起工作。 

He said the players were still working out hard, and the cancellation served as a lesson to not quit in the face of difficulties.

他说，球员们仍在努力训练，取消比赛是一个教训，不要在困难面前放弃。 

"Koshien was our goal, but it was not the purpose of why we play high school baseball,

“甲子园是我们的目标，但这不是我们打高中棒球的目的， 

which is about not giving up until its over," he said in a telephone interview.

我们在高中打棒球的目的是不放弃，直到结束。”他在电话采访中说。 

The school has made it to the Koshien summer tournament 10 times.

这所学校已经参加了10届甲子园夏季锦标赛。 

The history of the dirt-gathering tradition is not fully known.

人们并不完全了解收集泥土传统的历史。 

But it dates back many years.

但这要追溯到许多年前。 

The winning team also gathers dirt, but later, after the final award ceremony.

获胜的队伍也会收集泥土，但是在最后的颁奖仪式之后。 

Many Tigers players have come through the Koshien championship series.

许多老虎棒球队的球员都赢过甲子园锦标赛。 

They understood the pain when the dream of play there was stolen.

他们明白在那里打球的梦想被偷走的痛苦。 

"We all pondered what we could do for them,and I think it holds special meaning that we did this for them together as a team," said outfielder Kosuke Fukudome.

“我们都考虑过我们能为他们做些什么，我认为我们作为一个团队为他们做这些有着特殊的意义。”外野手福堂康介说。

He took part in the Koshien tournament while at PL Gakuen high school.

在PL学园高中时，他参加过甲子园锦标赛。 

"I want them all to stay optimistic," said Fukudome, formerly of the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox.

曾效力于芝加哥小熊队、克利夫兰印地安人队和芝加哥白袜队的康介说：“我希望他们都保持乐观。”