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This is the most unlikely debut in baseball history
大聯盟史上最不可能發生的初登板
The only player with three hits and a 1.000 batting average
唯一打出3支安打保持完美打擊率的球員
作者／Michael Clair
This isn’t how things are supposed to go. When young stars come up to the Major Leagues, and they show off a sweet swing, a patient batting eye and a solid glove all at once, it's easy to start dreaming of the future.
世道不應該是這樣運作的。年輕的球星升上大聯盟，並且同時展現令人著迷的揮擊、耐心地選球，以及堅實的守備，容易讓人對他們的未來充滿憧憬。
That wasn’t the case for John Paciorek, who had perhaps the greatest -- and shortest -- career in Major League history.
但John Paciorek的故事不是照這樣的套路發展的，他或許擁有大聯盟史上最佳又最短的棒球生涯。
On the final day of the 1963 season, the then-Houston Colt 45s gave the 18-year-old Paciorek his big league debut against the Mets.
1963年球季的最後一天，當時的「休士頓柯特點45手槍隊」（Houston Colt 45s）對戰大都會，讓18歲的John Paciorek得以實現大聯盟初登板。
It was an unexpected move. Paciorek was in Houston to have his back examined and was playing in intrasquad rookie games while he was there. He hadn’t been particularly good that year in the Minors, either -- hitting only .219 with nine home runs in 78 games at Modesto.
這項調度是出人意外的。Paciorek正在休士頓檢查他的背部， 正在打新人對抗賽（intrasquad rookie games）。那年他在小聯盟的表現也並不是特別好。在加州Modesto市的78場比賽中，只有.219的打擊率，打出9支全壘打。
Still, the team was high on the bonus baby. Since he was already in town and Houston was locked into ninth place, the team asked him if he wanted to play.
儘管如此，柯特點45手槍隊還是對這個剛簽下的業餘選手抱以期待。而且既然他已經到了休士頓，而且柯特點45手槍隊已確定排名第9（譯者註：倒數第二），所以就決定讓Paciorek試試身手。
（譯者註：此處業餘選手的原文是bonus baby。大聯盟球隊1947到1965年有跟業餘選手簽約的制度，簽約金超過4000美金者，稱作bonus baby）
"I said, ‘Uh, yes, I would, there’s no doubt about that,’” Paciorek told MLB Network. “I didn’t care how bad my back was hurting at the time, I wanted to play.”
「我回答：『喔，好啊，我願意。沒有任何遲疑』」Paciorek跟MLB電視台（MLB Network）說：「我完全不在意我當時的背傷有多嚴重，我就是想打球。」
He would go on to have one of the finest debuts possible.
他即將完成史上最佳的初登板之一。
Batting seventh in a lineup almost exclusively made up of rookies, including Joe Morgan and Rusty Staub, Paciorek stepped to the plate in the bottom of the second. He walked against the Mets’ Larry Bearnarth, and came around to score on John Bateman’s triple.
他被安排在幾乎是為菜鳥量身打造的第7棒，包括Joe Morgan和Rusty Staub都打過（譯者註：兩人菜鳥年都在休士頓，前者是名人堂球員），Paciorek在2局下半上場打擊，被大都會隊的Larry Bearnarth保送，並且被John Bateman的三壘安打送回得分。
He came up again in the fourth and laced a two-run single, scoring on Pete Runnels’ sacrifice fly.
他在4局再次上場，打出帶有兩分打點的一壘安打，並且因Pete Runnels的高飛犧牲打得分。
He hit an RBI single the next inning, and scored on Bob Lillis’ hit.
他又在下一局擊出帶有一分打點的一壘安打，而且被Bob Lillis的安打送回本壘。
He followed that with a walk in the sixth and one more base hit in the eighth inning -- getting a standing ovation from the crowd in his final at-bat.
接著他在6局被保送，又在8局擊出另外一支一壘安打——他還在最後一個打數得到觀眾的起立鼓掌。
''It's funny, but I can't remember a whole lot about the game,'' Paciorek told the New York Times in 1983. ''It was around 120 degrees in Colt Stadium for a Sunday afternoon game, I remember that. Paul Richards was the general manager and Harry Craft was the manager, but I don't remember who asked me to play.”
「一切很有趣，但我記不得那場比賽的所有細節。」Paciorek在1983年告訴《紐約時報》：「我記得那場星期天下午，在Colt Stadium的比賽，氣溫大概有華氏120那麼高吧（譯者註：相當於攝氏48度，Paciorek在開玩笑），Paul Richards是總經理，Harry Craf是總教練，但我不記得是誰問我要不要上場的。」
All in all, Paciorek’s debut was a dream come true: 3-for-3, two walks, three RBIs and four runs scored.
總而言之，Paciorek的初登板簡直是夢想成真，3支3，兩個保送，3分打點，還得了4分。
To put that in perspective, 22 other players have picked up at least three hits and never made an out in their debut. But every other player on that list also played in more big league games, and watched their batting averages drop.
與之相較的是，還有其他22名球員在初登板至少打出3支安打，而且從未出局。但這些在名單上的球員也都打更多的大聯盟比賽，只能看著他們的打擊率往下掉。
Some, like Mike Piazza, even went on to have Hall of Fame careers -- which may have been the future that Houston fans were dreaming up for for Paciorek.
名單中的一些球員，像是Mike Piazza甚至打出了前進名人堂的生涯，休士頓的球迷本來也夢想Paciorek假以時日能達成那樣的成就。
Hopes were high for the young outfielder when he reported to camp the next spring, and there was talk that he could be the team's starting center fielder.
大家對這位年輕外野手的期待很高，當時他被報導在隔年春天繼續跟著球隊，而且也有人討論他可以勝任球隊的先發中外野手。
That only intensified when Paciorek -- in his first exhibition game of the new season -- faced the Mets (again) and lit them up (again). This time, Paciorek laced a bases-loaded triple to drive in three runs in the Houston victory.
而且這樣的願望越來越強烈，因為新球季Paciorek在他的第一場表演賽，對上大都會隊（再一次），並且修理他們（再一次）。這一次，Paciorek在滿壘扛出一支三壘安打，打進三分打點，最後休士頓取得勝利。
But the back issues hadn’t gone away. If anything, they were worse.
但Paciorek的背傷還是沒有解決，其實是這樣，反而更糟了。
“The following Spring Training, they played me every game,” Paciorek said. “I was supposed to be the starting center fielder. I could run all right and I swung the bat pretty good, but every time I bent over, my back just killed me. I didn’t really tell anyone about it because I was a naive 18-year-old.”
「接下來的春訓，他們讓我每場都出賽。」Paciorek說：「我當時應該要擔任先發中外野手的。我還跑得動，而且打擊狀況還不錯。但每次我彎下身的時候，我的背傷讓我快死了。我沒有告訴任何人這件事，因為我是天真的18歲少年。」
After a rough Spring, Paciorek was sent down and, after hitting just .135 in the Minors, finally admitted to the pain he was experiencing. That led to spinal fusion surgery, and he missed all of the 1965 season.
因為春訓打得不好，Paciorek被下放，而且在小聯盟只有.135的打擊率，他才坦承他正遭受的傷痛。Paciorek接受了脊柱融合手術，錯過了整個1965年球季。
The surgery helped his back, but it came with consequences.
手術幫助了他的背部，但有後遺症。
“I'd go to the ballpark hours before anybody else just to get loose,” Paciorek said. “But I kept hurting my arm and pulling my hamstrings because my back was so tight.
「我需要比別人提前幾個小時到球場，就為了伸展放鬆，」Paciorek表示，「但我還是一直傷到我的手臂以及拉傷我的腿筋，因為我的背實在太緊了。」
''I did everything I could to get back. I'd back up every play. I even had putouts at third base and second base because I hustled. The fans would see this jerk running 100 miles per hour while other players were lollygagging across the field, but I had to do it. I had such a bad arm, I had to charge everything.''
「為了回到球場，我盡了一切努力。我每天都準備好自己，我甚至在二壘及三壘前出局，因為我太積極進壘。球迷看到的是一個跑時速100英哩的混球，而其他球員只是漫步通過球場，但我必須這樣做。我的手臂是如此糟糕，我必須付出我的一切。」
It wasn't enough. The maladies kept Paciorek from ever playing in 100 games, and when he was on the field, he didn't hit much.
但這樣的努力還是不夠的。傷病讓Paciorek缺席了100場比賽，他上場時也打得不好。
He stuck it out in the Minors until 1968, but only reached Double-A and never played in the Majors again.
直到1968年他都卡在小聯盟，而且只升到2A，也再也沒打過大聯盟。
So, with the back healed up well enough for real life, but not for baseball, he went on to become a PE teacher in San Gabriel, Calif. It also meant that he could only watch as his brothers, Tom (18-year big league career) and Jim (one year with the Brewers in 1987), put together much longer careers.
所以，當他的背傷痊癒得差不多了——對他的場外人生，而非棒球生涯。他在加州San Gabriel市擔任體育老師。這也意謂他只能看著他的弟弟們——Tom Paciorek（在大聯盟打了18年）、Jim Paciorek（1987年待過釀酒人）加起來比他長多了的大聯盟生涯。
While that was disappointing, it did have one upside: Paciorek kept the record for the most hits with a perfect batting average.
雖然這很讓人失望，但也有焉知非福的一面：Paciorek是以最多安打保持完美打擊率的紀錄持有人。
“It’s kind of a dubious honor,” Paciorek told Stephen Wagner in the book "Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder." “But I guess I’m immortalized. I did something no one else has ever done."
「這個紀錄有點不真實。」Paciorek告訴《完美：John Paciorek的崛起和衰落，棒球史上最佳的一場懸念》（Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder）作者Stephen Wagner：「但我想我將永垂不朽，我完成了別人從未做到的事。」
This isn’t how things are supposed to go. When young stars come up to the Major Leagues, and they show off a sweet swing, a patient batting eye and a solid glove all at once, it's easy to start dreaming of the future.
世道不應該是這樣運作的。年輕的球星升上大聯盟，並且同時展現令人著迷的揮擊、耐心地選球，以及堅實的守備，容易讓人對他們的未來充滿憧憬。
That wasn’t the case for John Paciorek, who had perhaps the greatest -- and shortest -- career in Major League history.
但John Paciorek的故事不是照這樣的套路發展的，他或許擁有大聯盟史上最佳又最短的棒球生涯。
On the final day of the 1963 season, the then-Houston Colt 45s gave the 18-year-old Paciorek his big league debut against the Mets.
1963年球季的最後一天，當時的「休士頓柯特點45手槍隊」（Houston Colt 45s）對戰大都會，讓18歲的John Paciorek得以實現大聯盟初登板。
It was an unexpected move. Paciorek was in Houston to have his back examined and was playing in intrasquad rookie games while he was there. He hadn’t been particularly good that year in the Minors, either -- hitting only .219 with nine home runs in 78 games at Modesto.
這項調度是出人意外的。Paciorek正在休士頓檢查他的背部， 正在打新人對抗賽（intrasquad rookie games）。那年他在小聯盟的表現也並不是特別好。在加州Modesto市的78場比賽中，只有.219的打擊率，打出9支全壘打。
Still, the team was high on the bonus baby. Since he was already in town and Houston was locked into ninth place, the team asked him if he wanted to play.
儘管如此，柯特點45手槍隊還是對這個剛簽下的業餘選手抱以期待。而且既然他已經到了休士頓，而且柯特點45手槍隊已確定排名第9（譯者註：倒數第二），所以就決定讓Paciorek試試身手。
（譯者註：此處業餘選手的原文是bonus baby。大聯盟球隊1947到1965年有跟業餘選手簽約的制度，簽約金超過4000美金者，稱作bonus baby）
"I said, ‘Uh, yes, I would, there’s no doubt about that,’” Paciorek told MLB Network. “I didn’t care how bad my back was hurting at the time, I wanted to play.”
「我回答：『喔，好啊，我願意。沒有任何遲疑』」Paciorek跟MLB電視台（MLB Network）說：「我完全不在意我當時的背傷有多嚴重，我就是想打球。」
He would go on to have one of the finest debuts possible.
他即將完成史上最佳的初登板之一。
Batting seventh in a lineup almost exclusively made up of rookies, including Joe Morgan and Rusty Staub, Paciorek stepped to the plate in the bottom of the second. He walked against the Mets’ Larry Bearnarth, and came around to score on John Bateman’s triple.
他被安排在幾乎是為菜鳥量身打造的第7棒，包括Joe Morgan和Rusty Staub都打過（譯者註：兩人菜鳥年都在休士頓，前者是名人堂球員），Paciorek在2局下半上場打擊，被大都會隊的Larry Bearnarth保送，並且被John Bateman的三壘安打送回得分。
He came up again in the fourth and laced a two-run single, scoring on Pete Runnels’ sacrifice fly.
他在4局再次上場，打出帶有兩分打點的一壘安打，並且因Pete Runnels的高飛犧牲打得分。
He hit an RBI single the next inning, and scored on Bob Lillis’ hit.
他又在下一局擊出帶有一分打點的一壘安打，而且被Bob Lillis的安打送回本壘。
He followed that with a walk in the sixth and one more base hit in the eighth inning -- getting a standing ovation from the crowd in his final at-bat.
接著他在6局被保送，又在8局擊出另外一支一壘安打——他還在最後一個打數得到觀眾的起立鼓掌。
''It's funny, but I can't remember a whole lot about the game,'' Paciorek told the New York Times in 1983. ''It was around 120 degrees in Colt Stadium for a Sunday afternoon game, I remember that. Paul Richards was the general manager and Harry Craft was the manager, but I don't remember who asked me to play.”
「一切很有趣，但我記不得那場比賽的所有細節。」Paciorek在1983年告訴《紐約時報》：「我記得那場星期天下午，在Colt Stadium的比賽，氣溫大概有華氏120那麼高吧（譯者註：相當於攝氏48度，Paciorek在開玩笑），Paul Richards是總經理，Harry Craf是總教練，但我不記得是誰問我要不要上場的。」
All in all, Paciorek’s debut was a dream come true: 3-for-3, two walks, three RBIs and four runs scored.
總而言之，Paciorek的初登板簡直是夢想成真，3支3，兩個保送，3分打點，還得了4分。
To put that in perspective, 22 other players have picked up at least three hits and never made an out in their debut. But every other player on that list also played in more big league games, and watched their batting averages drop.
與之相較的是，還有其他22名球員在初登板至少打出3支安打，而且從未出局。但這些在名單上的球員也都打更多的大聯盟比賽，只能看著他們的打擊率往下掉。
Some, like Mike Piazza, even went on to have Hall of Fame careers -- which may have been the future that Houston fans were dreaming up for for Paciorek.
名單中的一些球員，像是Mike Piazza甚至打出了前進名人堂的生涯，休士頓的球迷本來也夢想Paciorek假以時日能達成那樣的成就。
Hopes were high for the young outfielder when he reported to camp the next spring, and there was talk that he could be the team's starting center fielder.
大家對這位年輕外野手的期待很高，當時他被報導在隔年春天繼續跟著球隊，而且也有人討論他可以勝任球隊的先發中外野手。
That only intensified when Paciorek -- in his first exhibition game of the new season -- faced the Mets (again) and lit them up (again). This time, Paciorek laced a bases-loaded triple to drive in three runs in the Houston victory.
而且這樣的願望越來越強烈，因為新球季Paciorek在他的第一場表演賽，對上大都會隊（再一次），並且修理他們（再一次）。這一次，Paciorek在滿壘扛出一支三壘安打，打進三分打點，最後休士頓取得勝利。
But the back issues hadn’t gone away. If anything, they were worse.
但Paciorek的背傷還是沒有解決，其實是這樣，反而更糟了。
“The following Spring Training, they played me every game,” Paciorek said. “I was supposed to be the starting center fielder. I could run all right and I swung the bat pretty good, but every time I bent over, my back just killed me. I didn’t really tell anyone about it because I was a naive 18-year-old.”
「接下來的春訓，他們讓我每場都出賽。」Paciorek說：「我當時應該要擔任先發中外野手的。我還跑得動，而且打擊狀況還不錯。但每次我彎下身的時候，我的背傷讓我快死了。我沒有告訴任何人這件事，因為我是天真的18歲少年。」
After a rough Spring, Paciorek was sent down and, after hitting just .135 in the Minors, finally admitted to the pain he was experiencing. That led to spinal fusion surgery, and he missed all of the 1965 season.
因為春訓打得不好，Paciorek被下放，而且在小聯盟只有.135的打擊率，他才坦承他正遭受的傷痛。Paciorek接受了脊柱融合手術，錯過了整個1965年球季。
The surgery helped his back, but it came with consequences.
手術幫助了他的背部，但有後遺症。
“I'd go to the ballpark hours before anybody else just to get loose,” Paciorek said. “But I kept hurting my arm and pulling my hamstrings because my back was so tight.
「我需要比別人提前幾個小時到球場，就為了伸展放鬆，」Paciorek表示，「但我還是一直傷到我的手臂以及拉傷我的腿筋，因為我的背實在太緊了。」
''I did everything I could to get back. I'd back up every play. I even had putouts at third base and second base because I hustled. The fans would see this jerk running 100 miles per hour while other players were lollygagging across the field, but I had to do it. I had such a bad arm, I had to charge everything.''
「為了回到球場，我盡了一切努力。我每天都準備好自己，我甚至在二壘及三壘前出局，因為我太積極進壘。球迷看到的是一個跑時速100英哩的混球，而其他球員只是漫步通過球場，但我必須這樣做。我的手臂是如此糟糕，我必須付出我的一切。」
It wasn't enough. The maladies kept Paciorek from ever playing in 100 games, and when he was on the field, he didn't hit much.
但這樣的努力還是不夠的。傷病讓Paciorek缺席了100場比賽，他上場時也打得不好。
He stuck it out in the Minors until 1968, but only reached Double-A and never played in the Majors again.
直到1968年他都卡在小聯盟，而且只升到2A，也再也沒打過大聯盟。
So, with the back healed up well enough for real life, but not for baseball, he went on to become a PE teacher in San Gabriel, Calif. It also meant that he could only watch as his brothers, Tom (18-year big league career) and Jim (one year with the Brewers in 1987), put together much longer careers.
所以，當他的背傷痊癒得差不多了——對他的場外人生，而非棒球生涯。他在加州San Gabriel市擔任體育老師。這也意謂他只能看著他的弟弟們——Tom Paciorek（在大聯盟打了18年）、Jim Paciorek（1987年待過釀酒人）加起來比他長多了的大聯盟生涯。
While that was disappointing, it did have one upside: Paciorek kept the record for the most hits with a perfect batting average.
雖然這很讓人失望，但也有焉知非福的一面：Paciorek是以最多安打保持完美打擊率的紀錄持有人。
“It’s kind of a dubious honor,” Paciorek told Stephen Wagner in the book "Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder." “But I guess I’m immortalized. I did something no one else has ever done."
「這個紀錄有點不真實。」Paciorek告訴《完美：John Paciorek的崛起和衰落，棒球史上最佳的一場懸念》（Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder）作者Stephen Wagner：「但我想我將永垂不朽，我完成了別人從未做到的事。」
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