70年前的今天－「總仔你來當」之夜 - 美國職棒

https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/grandstand
-managers-night

https://tinyurl.com/mfneum72

A quick glance at the box score of the Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis
Browns game on Aug. 24, 1951 would suggest that nothing was out of the
ordinary. It seemed to be a typical Friday game, between two teams who were
far out of playoff contention.

你若隨便瞄一眼1951年8月24日費城運動家對上聖路易棕人（又譯聖路易布朗）的比分
表，你只會覺得那是一場平凡無奇的比賽。乍看之下那就只是一場兩支和季後賽無緣
的球隊間的週五比賽。

But with Bill Veeck at the helm of the St. Louis Browns, that game was
anything but typical.

但只要聖路易綜人是由Bill Veeck掌舵，該比賽就一點也不平凡無奇。

On that day, Veeck orchestrated “Grandstand Managers Night,” a promotion
which allowed fans to vote on key decisions during the course of the game,
using placards which read “yes” or “no.”

那天Veeck籌劃了「看台區總仔之夜」。這活動讓球迷得以用上面寫著「是」或「否」
的板子來投票為比賽中的關鍵判決做出決定。

Over 1,000 “grandstand managers” sat in a special section behind the Browns
dugout, while Browns manager Zack Taylor relaxed in a rocking chair in the
next box over, in casual clothing and a pipe in his mouth, as he enjoyed his
night off.

超過一千名「看台區總仔」坐在棕人休息區後方的特殊區域，而正牌總仔Zack Taylo則
是穿著便服、口叼菸斗一邊坐在隔壁包廂的搖椅上一邊享受他的假期。

The fans began their short-lived managerial careers by deciding the lineup of
the game. They wrote their choices on lineup cards, delivered to the Browns
prior to the game. After tallying fan responses, a lineup was decided on.

球迷們以決定打序作為他們短暫執教生涯的序幕。他們於賽前在打線卡上寫下他們的選
擇並呈交到棕人隊手上。而當夜打線就由球迷投票的統計結果決定。

Philadelphia Athletics’ manager Jimmy Dykes was far from amused, telling the
Associated Press that Veeck was “making a farce of the game.”

費城運動家隊的總仔Jimmy Dykes對此感到不以為然，他對美聯社表示Veeck根本「蔑視
比賽」。

But the controversial Veeck saw his promotions as a way to raise fan
experience to a whole new level. He would later explain to Sports Illustrated
that, “the fan comes away from the ball park with nothing more to show for
it than what’s in his mind, an ephemeral feeling of having been entertained.
You’ve got to heighten and preserve that illusion. You have to give him more
vivid pictures to carry away in his head.”

但充滿爭議性的Veeck認為他搞的宣傳活動是一個將球迷進場的體驗提升到全新境界的
方式。他日後會向運動畫刊解釋道「球迷大老遠來看球就只是為了要為了被短暫地娛樂
到。你必須要將那感覺提升並加以保存。你必須在他腦海中烙下更生動的畫面讓他滿載
而歸。」

Just five days earlier, on Aug. 19, 1951, Veeck had stunned the baseball
world and delighted fans by sending 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel up to bat in a game
against the Tigers.

就在五天前的1951年8月19日，Veeck派上3呎7寸（約1.1米）的Eddie Gaedel上場面對
老虎隊打擊，震驚了棒壇也取悅了球迷。

It’s safe to say that the “grand stand managers,” as well as the 6,000
other fans who watched on as the fate of the game was decided by spectators,
walked away with vivid pictures.

你可以很放心地說那些「看台區總仔」和其他6000多名親眼見證到觀眾左右比賽的球迷
們，當晚的確是滿載而歸。

All things considered, the managers didn’t do a bad job, as the majority of
their decisions were the right ones. They ruled for the Browns infield to
play back and try for a double play when there were two men on base for the
Athletics – and Pete Suder hit into a double play to end the inning.

整體而言，這些總仔幹的還不錯，因為他們大部分的決策都是對的。他們在運動家隊有
兩人在壘時裁示棕人隊內野抓雙殺－而Pete Suder隨後擊出結束該半局的雙殺打。

They also advised catcher Sherm Lollar not to attempt a steal from first base
to second, due to his slow speed. Lollar would drive in two runs that game.

他們也建議速度不快的捕手Sherm Lollar不要試圖從一壘盜上二壘。Lollar該賽會打下
兩分打點。

After a shaky first inning during which starting pitcher Ned Garver gave up
three runs, he would hold the Athletics to those three until the end of the
game, with the assistance of the “grandstand managers.” The Browns would
win the game 5-3, raising their record to 38-81.

多虧了這些「看台區總仔」的協助，在經過首局失三分的亂流後，先發投手Ned Garver
直到比賽結束都沒有再失分。而棕人隊就以5比3贏得比賽，並讓他們的戰績提升到38勝
81負。

The night concluded with a fireworks show that wrote out “Thanks G.S.
managers for a swell job. Zack manages tomorrow.”

那晚以寫著「感謝看台區總仔的功勞。明天Zack執教。」的煙火秀畫下句點。

Veeck’s 45 year-long career would be anything but dull, as he signed the
first African-American player in the American League, the first – and last
– midget in all of baseball, and held a “Disco Demolition Night.” But
while these promotions pushed the game to new limits, they also kept the fans
interested by creating new ways to enjoy the National Pastime.

Veeck的45年生涯可謂多采多姿：他簽下了美聯的第一位非裔美籍球員、棒球史上第一位
也是最後一位的侏儒、他也舉辦了「迪斯可炸裂夜」。但這些宣傳活動除了將比賽推向
新的境界，它們也藉由創造更多享受這「國家消遣娛樂」的方式來讓球迷保持新鮮感。

As Hank Greenberg once said, Veeck “brought baseball into the 20th century.
Before Bill, baseball was just win or lose. But he made it fun to be at the
ballpark.”

就像Hank Greenberg曾說的，Veeck「將棒球帶進20世紀。在Bill之前棒球純粹只有勝負
可言。但他讓進場觀戰這件事變得有趣。」

Veeck passed away on Jan. 2, 1986. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1991.

Veeck於1986年1月2日逝世。他於1991年入選為名人堂成員。

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