How Jackie Robinson inspired one man 'to be somebody'

How Jackie Robinson inspired one man 'to be somebody'

Transcript¹

It's been 75 years since Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier. In this week's StoryCorps, we hear from a man who watched him play.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

For today's StoryCorps, we look back on April 15, 1947, 75 years ago today, when Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in Major League Baseball. Before he took to Ebbets Field as a Brooklyn Dodger², Robinson was in spring training at Daytona Beach, Fla. That's where Harold Lucas Jr. grew up. He remembered Robinson with his daughter, D'Lorah.

D'LORAH BUTTS-LUCAS: Why was baseball so important to you as a kid?

HAROLD LUCAS JR: Well, baseball was one of the few things that you didn't have to have a whole lot of equipment for. You just had to have a glove, a ball and a bat. We used to go out and watch Jackie practice at the local playground where we used to all play at, which was about a quarter of a mile from where I lived. He used to hit fly balls out, and we would catch them. And he told us that he was just the beginning of what was going to be the future. He said, if I can do it now, there's no telling what you'll be able to do when your time comes.

BUTTS-LUCAS: What did you expect to see when you saw Jackie Robinson play that first game?

LUCAS: Everybody wanted to see Jackie play. In the Black community, we all were very excited. And when we found out that we could go, people took off of work to go down and see him. But, you know, with segregation³, white people wre wondering why we were down there. So we didn't know what to expect because we were concerned about the atmosphere. And I didn't know that then, but I knew that something important was happening. Baseball is America's pastime⁴. So if he was going to make it, then he had his job cut out for him. Jackie was a fiery⁵ competitor. He hated to lose, but he also had a lot of common sense because he knew that they're going to call you this word. They're going to throw popcorn⁶ on it. And of course, there was some heckling going on. But Jackie was so enthralling⁷ that they couldn't help but watch him. You know, even though you might not like somebody, if they can play baseball that well, then you'll cheer for them.

BUTTS-LUCAS: When Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, did you feel more hopeful for Black Americans?

LUCAS: Well, it gave me a stepping stone. I felt that Jackie was intelligent enough to realize that he was going to open the doors for many Black people in the areas other than the hotel or motel⁸ work. And as I look back at it now, I'm thankful for the advice that he gave us to try to prepare ourselves to be somebody. You see, you have to build on what people that come before you do. So if you can remember them first and the trials and tribulations⁹ of the things that they had to go through, then that should make you want to do the best that you can do.

FADEL: That was 89-year-old Harold Lucas Jr. with his daughter, D'Lorah Butts-Lucas. This StoryCorps interview will be archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress¹⁰.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 dodger   

n.躲避者；躲闪者；广告单

参考例句：

• They are tax dodgers who hide their interest earnings.他们是隐瞒利息收入的逃税者。
• Make sure she pays her share she's a bit of a dodger.她自己的一份一定要她付清--她可是有点能赖就赖。

3 segregation   

n.隔离，种族隔离

参考例句：

• Many school boards found segregation a hot potato in the early 1960s.在60年代初，许多学校部门都觉得按水平分班是一个棘手的问题。
• They were tired to death of segregation and of being kicked around.他们十分厌恶种族隔离和总是被人踢来踢去。

4 pastime   

n.消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Playing chess is his favourite pastime.下棋是他最喜爱的消遣。
• Baseball is the national pastime.棒球是全民性的休闲运动。

5 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。

6 popcorn   

n.爆米花

参考例句：

• I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时，喜欢吃爆米花。
• He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后，嘴里塞满了爆米花。

7 enthralling   

迷人的

参考例句：

• There will be an enthralling race tomorrow. 明天会有场吸引人的比赛。
• There was something terribly enthralling in the exercise of influence. 在这样地施加影响时，令人感到销魂夺魄。

8 motel   

n.汽车游客旅馆

参考例句：

• Late that night he landed at a motel.那晚他到了一家汽车旅馆。
• The motel manager showed the guests to their room.汽车旅馆经理把旅客领到他们房间。

9 tribulations   

n.苦难( tribulation的名词复数 )；艰难；苦难的缘由；痛苦

参考例句：

• the tribulations of modern life 现代生活的苦恼
• The film is about the trials and tribulations of adolescence. 这部电影讲述了青春期的麻烦和苦恼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。