Kano Took Koshien and the World of Baseball by Storm

Kano Took Koshien and the World of Baseball by Storm

by Leigh Goldberg

This historic team from Chiayi, Taiwan made baseball history and then changed it.

　　For many high school baseball players in Japan, getting to Koshien is the ultimate honor. Held at the Hanshin Koshien Stadium, the _(1)_ National High School Baseball Championship, known simply as Koshien, is the longest-running nationwide tournament in Japan. Revered by all Japanese high school sluggers, Koshien is where scouts from professional teams go to check out prospective players to draft to the professional leagues. It's so sacred _(2)_ many treat it as a shrine to baseball.

　　Koshien also _(3)_ a special place in the hearts of the people of Taiwan, especially those on the famed 1931 Kano baseball team. These sluggers from the Chiayi School of Agriculture and Forestry, which was nicknamed Kano, were brought together in 1928, _(4)_ Taiwan was still under Imperial Japan's rule. This team was unique because it consisted of Japanese, Han Chinese, and aboriginal _(5)_, unlike all the other high school teams around the island with all Japanese players. What really set Kano apart from the rest was the fact that they had qualified to _(6)_ Taiwan at Koshien in 1931. Needless to say, they were the underdogs in a tournament roster that included 630 other teams from throughout the Japanese empire. However, beyond all _(7)_, Kano breezed through their first three games and miraculously landed themselves in the finals. Sadly, they were beaten by a more powerful Japanese squad _(8)_ a score of 4-0, garnering them second place.

　　Despite the loss, Kano earned the respect of their Japanese _(9)_. Furthermore, this truly amazing experience sparked more interest in baseball in Taiwan, eventually propelling it to become its national sport. Baseball in Japan and Taiwan would not be the same _(10)_ Kano and Koshien.

(A) by (B) holds (C) without (D) that (E) counterparts

(F) annual (G) miniature (H) when (I) about (J) expectations

(K) represent (L) athletes

 

 

嘉农旋风

一支来自台湾嘉义且别具历史意义的球队，不但创造了棒球界历史，也改变了这项运动。

　　对于许多日本高中棒球选手而言，打进甲子园是一份殊荣。每年全国高中棒球锦标赛（又称夏季甲子园）会在阪神甲子园球场举行，又简称甲子园大赛，这是日本历史最悠久的全国性比赛。这项赛事受到日本所有高中的打击好手所崇敬，各个职业球团也会派球探到这里来看看这些具未来发展性的球员，好将他们网罗进职棒。这项赛事相当受人崇敬，因此许多人都把甲子园视为棒球的圣地。

　　甲子园亦在许多台湾人心中有着一种特殊的地位，尤其是对 1931 年那支相当知名的嘉农棒球队成员而言。这些来自嘉义农林学校（别名：嘉农）的打击好手于 1928 年成军，当时台湾仍由日本帝国所统治。这支球队很特别，因为它是由日本、台湾以及原住民的运动选手所组成，不像其他台湾的高中球队都是日本球员。而真正让嘉农与众不同的一点就是这支球队获得代表台湾参加 1931 年举办的甲子园大赛资格。不用说，这支球队在包含全日本帝国其他六百三十支球队的所有出赛队伍中处于劣势。不过出人意料的是，嘉农轻松打赢了前三场比赛，奇迹似地打进决赛。遗憾的是，他们被另一支实力更强的日本球队以四比零的比数所击败而屈居亚军。

　　尽管输了这场比赛，嘉农却赢得了日本对手的尊敬。此外，这个相当令人惊奇的经验激发了台湾更多人对棒球产生兴趣，最后还使得棒球成了全民运动。如果没有嘉农以及甲子园，日本和台湾的棒球就会截然不同了。

答案： 1. F 2. D 3. B 4. H 5. L

6. K 7. J 8. A 9. E 10. C