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课文21 丹尼尔.门多萨; p1 y- I; x: j6 z0 c- K
348. Boxing matches were very popular in England two hundred years ago.
?, n$ w; a( p8 V 两百年前,拳击比赛在英国非常盛行。% @7 U5 q( H8 |- a0 q6 b& N
349. In those days, boxers fought with bare fists for prize money., g6 D, e1 R$ ~, m( ]! v
当时,拳击手们不戴手套,为争夺奖金而搏斗。9 x/ v3 ?* f [. q
350. Because of this, they were known as 'prizefighters'.
' O9 }% e$ D: ]" S: f0 ~8 c 因此,他们被称作“职业拳击手”。
5 x) P6 f8 Z7 F$ X; N( ?, [! k351. However, boxing was very crude, for there were no rules and a prizefighter could be seriously injured or even killed during a match. x# L& _0 W, v6 V* u1 S% [7 ~8 _# g
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。7 _- @6 W- K a8 w# S
352. One of the most colourful figures in boxing history was Daniel Mendoza, who was born in 1764.
( h' B8 @1 w9 T! j- r) G8 ^ 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 Y' D6 F6 I! D* Z6 D5 ]353. The use of gloves was not introduced until 1860, when the Marquis of Queensberry drew up the first set of rules.
% I0 ^0 @2 o. j8 f 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。
4 X' s0 k6 ~, b$ A# H& Z$ P354. Though he was technically a prizefighter, Mendoza did much to change crude prizefighting into a sport, for he brought science to the game.( k% O" G: u% h! {
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。
1 q2 F8 @4 s* r* Q' F355. In this day, Mendoza enjoyed tremendous popularity. He was adored by rich and poor alike.
. x* {4 i5 o. E5 {5 E) e- \ 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。" F" i3 | N5 _0 Q: o- m, _8 [
356. Mendoza rose to fame swiftly after a boxing match when he was only fourteen years old., m/ u+ R# C2 W+ B3 T5 _
门多萨在14岁时参加一场拳击赛后一举成名。8 Z! s, ~# \$ ^/ B
357. This attracted the attention of Richard Humphries who was then the most eminent boxer in England.2 T: Z' _" K% u% Q# h! l# V
这引起当时英国拳坛名将理查德.汉弗莱斯的注意。
I4 ^, |/ O9 J# i+ y: N4 X( V i358. He offered to train Mendoza and his young pupil was quick to learn.0 g- o& n4 T3 i
他主动提出教授门多萨,而年少的门多萨一学就会。
# |6 a7 A8 n. @. y9 k# K359. In fact, Mendoza soon became so successful that Humphries turned against him.; i# O9 G: A: c9 j. L
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。
7 s, B F+ Q9 l: l: [) _5 l* w5 _360. The two men quarrelled bitterly and it was clear that the argument could only be settled by a fight.5 E9 V. Q4 @( c
两个人争吵不休,显而易见,只有较量一番才能解决问题。
8 n, b5 C- ]& D: K/ S! a/ k* H6 F361. A match was held at Stilton, where both men fought for an hour.4 N! e# W/ h6 Y2 {- R+ ?7 w
于是两人在斯蒂尔顿设下赛场,厮打了一个小时。7 U+ F' i( S" Q* x
362. The public bet a great deal of money on Mendoza, but he was defeated.
0 p' v, U3 m9 V; c- N# d4 s 公众把大笔赌注下到了门多萨身上,但他却输了。
6 `) c0 r) U+ F! ^2 r8 N363. Mendoza met Humphries in the ring on a later occasion and he lost for a second time.8 T5 k! s4 O7 K5 B% G% l
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。, }5 f5 o F- Y" `7 Z
364. It was not until his third match in 1790 that he finally beat Humphries and became Champion of England.
( I( d+ V2 N7 o9 F9 ~: F 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。0 M5 ^' z4 Q+ E0 x9 [5 g; h
365. Meanwhile, he founded a highly successful Academy and even Lord Byron became one of his pupils.
/ j: v( K4 E! u( ^) t 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。
5 L3 Q! w5 M7 z3 m$ X366. He earned enormous sums of money and was paid as much as $100 for a single appearance.
' H3 |' w7 L) A 门多萨挣来大笔大笔的钱,一次出场费就多可达100英镑。
}/ U' E c* ], @( N367. Despite this, he was so extravagant that he was always in debt.$ m. }) o, B" ^1 C) l2 o' U. q
尽管收入不少,但他挥霍无度,经常债台高筑。1 q2 C# k/ G6 x% a7 l
368. After he was defeated by a boxer called Gentleman Jackson, he was quickly forgotten.
5 F3 e/ F% ]# U 他在被一个叫杰克逊绅士的拳击手击败后很快被遗忘。) I" a8 e& t S1 W6 F
369. He was sent to prison for failing to pay his debts and died in poverty in 1836.
9 q+ o$ k2 S5 ~0 [ 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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