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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨
6 H7 \2 W: X. h8 j. q! V348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
% O8 {1 S1 t* e3 N 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。
" P0 s6 n; z. i349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money.% _8 n- g) X- C- R. o5 p% f
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。0 ^( s4 y: Y& W! |# Q
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
) L% P3 p8 y: T" R 因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。2 B& h/ {5 t% q5 \# G6 G; b' y
351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match.
2 M& E2 t! W8 I+ N9 d 不过,拳击是十分野蛮的,因为当时没有任何比赛规则,职业拳击手有可能在比赛中受重伤,甚至丧命。$ B, f5 q) P. t& M7 M, p+ s) V2 t
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
/ _) G) x& Y+ a+ t 拳击史上最引人注目的人物之一是丹尼尔.门多萨,他生于1764年。
1 t8 [( a) o- a/ Y. W" U8 \ c353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
; X- P' p7 u1 k 1860年昆斯伯里侯爵第一次为拳击比赛制定了规则,拳击比赛这才用上了手套。
/ R0 W, o! c7 N/ N5 r0 |) S7 x354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.6 V$ F1 q2 S; e2 V5 F# S
虽然门多萨严格来讲不过是个职业拳击手,但在把这种粗野的拳击变成一种体育运动方面,他作出了重大贡献。是他把科学引进了这项运动。
% K v% }, U( J355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
) Y% [6 o: O0 ] d* N* k- H 门多萨在的全盛时期深受大家欢迎,无论是富人还是穷人都对他祟拜备至。. L+ Z% G4 s" {% P% N. ^
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old.7 H1 l% n4 t# y" l3 [% h! `
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。% ^& [" _. p5 y: O! G+ l0 M% d
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.- [) u) k* R! F8 ~; l" N
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
& q# ~+ b2 w2 G5 G358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.3 j8 A3 M, V( x
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
4 N. Z' [. [+ t* I; ?' W5 i& N359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.
% Y4 T, G/ L8 M 事实上,门多萨不久便名声大振,致使汉弗莱斯与他反目为敌。
; W' k9 e. s/ r( ~+ _5 k360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.
1 `! A) G" E6 d 两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
& }1 c( W0 b0 T, e s; y361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.
4 r# q. s7 A% s: D, s" T 于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。
) {8 N0 E3 V! v* M8 t362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
9 o: O& k5 m! ^6 \! \ 公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
0 `2 @( |+ _# k6 K363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time." J8 O! [, m+ o) u! A' l& d H$ \6 f
后来,门多萨与汉弗莱斯再次在拳击场上较量,门多萨又输了一场。
: X$ I6 ~; |1 u# m364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.; z0 X& ~ b3 I" ^9 s
直到1790年他们第3次对垒,门多萨才终于击败汉弗莱斯,成了全英拳击冠军。
# f4 e- H6 a, Y) o365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
6 n9 E$ G9 X+ G D; E5 R 同时,他建立了一所拳击学校,办得很成功,连拜伦勋爵也成了他的学生。
0 d4 v/ j4 _; w1 a/ ^5 X366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
* p" ^* J: u- a$ _0 p/ d: H 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。& V' ?* ?' U' E) ]: K
367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.# J. e: I5 g. b. b3 u% _( a
尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。
' s/ S! R$ u I/ S# j6 Q' x5 B6 c368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
2 t6 e7 R! F# m/ D6 x6 Q& F 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。
( W" p/ J6 P' l$ W! E! Q6 d1 Z1 x369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.% Y1 H$ O& L1 i% R
他因无力还债而被捕入狱,最后于1836年在贫困中死去。 |
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