The legacy of Jumbo Brown
by Frank Jackson
February 14, 2013
布朗”大仔”的遗产
Whenever a player has a nickname like Jumbo, there are two possibilities:
The name is apropos because of excess avoirdupois, or it is ironic because he
is small (think of jumbo shrimp). No player of average size will ever be
nicknamed Jumbo. Well, maybe if he has elephant ears.
当一个球员的绰号是大胖时，不外乎两种情况：对该名球员惊人超重的身材的反应，或是
对一个超小个子球员体型的反讽。从没有哪一个普通身材的球员获得这样的外号。
In the case of Walter George Brown, the Jumbo nickname was definitely
accurate. The only irony inherent in the nickname is that this 295-pound
behemoth hailed from Rhode Island, the nation’s smallest state. (Geography
fun fact: Little Rhody is comprised of a scant 1,214 square miles. The next
smallest state is Delaware, which has slightly more than twice as much real
estate.)
在 Walter George Brown 的这个例子中，大胖这个叫法是在事不能再贴切了。这个外号
唯一出人意料之处，大概只有这个重 295磅(约134公斤)的巨兽出生在罗德岛州，全美国
面积最小的一个州。
Born in Greene, R.I. on April 30, 1907, Brown made his major league debut
with the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 26, 1925 at the age of 18. He spent 1926 in the
minors, then went back and forth from minors to majors with the Indians in
1927 and 1928. From 1929 to 1931 he was strictly a minor leaguer.
1907年四月三时出生于罗德岛州的格林，布朗在 1925 年八月二十六于芝加哥小熊队第一
次登上大联盟，当时年仅十八岁。他的整个1926年都在小联盟度过，之后的1927跟1928年
都在印地安人队的大小联盟间来回升降，而1929道1931年他都待在小联盟。
In 1932, Brown returned to the majors (he was still only 24 years old at the
start of the season) with the Yankees, spending four years with them in
two-year increments sandwiched around a minor league season in 1934. A
peripatetic season was 1937, when he went back and forth from the minors,
pitched a few games for the Reds, and then was sold to the Giants.
1932年时布朗在洋基队重新登上大联盟，当时他也还只有二十四岁。他在洋基待了四年，
其中夹了两年在小联盟的时间。到了1937年他开始流浪，他在不同球队的小联盟之间流浪
，包括在红人系统的短暂出赛，并在之后又被卖到了巨人队。
During the five seasons he pitched for the Giants (1937-1941), he was
strictly a reliever. These were the best years of his career, as he went
13-12 with a 2.93 ERA. For what it’s worth, he led the league in saves his
last two seasons, but the totals (seven in 1940 and eight in 1941) wouldn’t
get him within shouting distance of the leader board today.
他在巨人队待了五年(1937-1941)，这五个球季他都担任牛棚投手。这是他生涯的巅峰，
总计拿下了十三胜十二败，ERA 2.93的成绩。值得一提的是，他的最后两个球季他在救援
成功榜上居首，尽管当年他的成绩(1940年有七次救援成功，1941年八次)放到今日不算甚
么。
His last appearance was at age 34 on Aug. 27, 1941. He was traded to the
Cardinals before the season ended but never played for them. Given the fact
that the 1940 and 1941 seasons were among his best, and that older players
were lingering longer because the draft was spiriting away younger players,
one can only conclude that injuries—related to his excess poundage?—must
have prevented him for extending his career.
他最后一次出赛是1941年八月二十七，时年三十四岁。他在球季结束前被卖到了红雀队，
但从未在红雀出赛。考虑到1940跟1941两个球季是他的生涯颠峰，而且由于当时的选秀被
神隐了，其他年纪更大的球员还可以在大联盟多苟延残喘几年，我们只能猜测他生涯的结
束跟他的伤势—可能肇因于他的体重—有直接的关联。
In old photos, Brown bears a resemblance to actor John Goodman. You might
remember Goodman in a Yankees uniform when he played Babe Ruth in a 1992
movie called simply The Babe. Casting Goodman as Ruth was a big improvement
over William Bendix, who somehow landed the role in the 1948 biopic, but
Goodman as Jumbo Brown would have been spot on. Of course, as long as Brown
was on the Yankees, the Babe didn’t have to worry about having the biggest
gut on the team.
在当年的老照片中，布朗十分神似演员John Goodman。你可能还记得John Goodman在1992
年的电影 “The Babe” 中穿着洋基队服扮演 Babe Ruth 的样子。Goodman的演出比其他
扮演Babe Ruth 的演员出色许多，但是 Goodman 如果扮演布朗大胖的话肯定要更为贴切(
不要忘了布朗也待过洋基)。此外，只要布朗还待在洋基队，鲁斯就不用担心自己是全队
腰围最粗的一个。
Like most super-sized people, Brown didn’t start out that way. In fact, at
the conclusion of the 1927 season, he was only 197 pounds, a reasonable
playing weight for someone who stood 6-foot-4. Imagine the surprise of the
Indians in March 1928 when he reported to spring training in New Orleans at
265 pounds! The weight gain continued despite the rigors of spring training,
and he eventually peaked at 295 pounds. His total weight gain was just short
of 100 pounds.
就像其他超大号的球员一样，布朗并不是一开始就那么巨大的。事实上，在1927年球季结
束时，他只有197公斤重，相对于他六尺四吋的身高可说是适中。但是1928年三月的印地
安人队发现他春训报到时足足有265磅，并且在之后逐渐增价到了295磅。他增加了几乎整
整100磅。
Now, many overweight people like to blame their obesity on a medical
condition. In Brown’s case, there might have been some truth to that claim.
His weight gain started as soon as he had his tonsils removed in the
offseason. Yeah, I know, a lot of people have their tonsils out and don’t
put on 100 pounds. But I remember once hearing a doctor say he had never
treated an obese person who didn’t have allergies... and the tonsils appear
to play a role in the immune system. So draw your own conclusions.
今日，许多超重的球员将责任推到自身的健康情况不佳导致超重。而在布朗这个例子中，
这可能真的是和他的健康不佳有关。他的增肥起始于他手术摘除了扁桃腺。是的，许多人
做了类似手术也没有爆增一百磅。但是几乎所有过重的人都有或多或少的过敏问题，而扁
桃腺在免疫系统中扮演了重要的角色….
If Jumbo Brown were around today, he would no doubt be flattered that Sony
named a video screen (the Jumbotron) after him. Of course, the country that
spawned the Jumbotron also spawned sumo wrestlers and Godzilla. Mere
coincidence or not?
(很烂的冷笑话，跳过)
As for other wide-body ballplayers, I have no information on the status of
their tonsils, but one can’t help but wonder. Consider the case of Juan
Uribe. On his 1999 Asheville Tourists baseball card, he is listed at 6 feet
and 145 pounds. When he reached the Rockies, he was listed at 5-foot-11 and
173 pounds. So he went from a beanpole to an average build, somehow losing an
inch in height. Then things got out of hand.
对于其他心宽体胖的球员，我们无从得知他们的扁桃县情况，但这还是令人好奇。以
Juan Uribe为例，在1999年的球员卡上，他是六呎高，145磅重。当他到了洛矶后，他是
五呎十一吋高，173磅重。他从一跟瘦竹竿变成一般体重，神奇的矮了一吋，然后情况就
开始失去控制。
On his 2006 White Sox card, Uribe is listed at 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds.
Finally, on my 2013 Dodgers calendar, Uribe, whose photo graced the month of
January, was listed at 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds. This is a total weight gain
of 85 pounds! Not quite in Jumbo Brown’s league, but allergies or not, such
an accumulation is nothing to be sneezed at.
2006年的白袜球员卡，有理伯是五呎十一吋，215磅。最后是2013年的道奇，有理伯是五
呎十一吋，230磅。他足足增加了85磅！还不到布朗大胖的程度，但同样难以忽视。
Uribe is not alone among contemporary ballplayers who challenge the scales.
Average heights and weights have gone up over the years. Major league
baseball has banned human growth hormone, but you’d never know that by
looking at contemporary players.
有理伯不是唯一一个挑战体重计极限的球员。球员的平均体重跟身高不断的增加，大联盟
禁止使用人类生长激素，但从当代球员的体型上，你很难相信这一点。
Consider the case of CC Sabathia, who is listed at 290 pounds. Admittedly,
he is three inches taller than Jumbo Brown, so he doesn’t appear quite as “
fat.” Still, one sluggish offseason could change that.
看看 CC Sabathia 吧，沙胖的体重号称是 290 磅。由于他比布朗高了三吋，指使他不至
于显得那么夸张。但是一旦有一个失控的offseason….
Jonathan Broxton, now with the Reds, is listed at 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, so
he has the edge on Brown. Since he’s only 28 years old, there’s still
plenty of time to accumulate more poundage.
Jonathan Broxton，现在在红人队，资料为六尺四吋高，三百磅重。这让他甚至超过了布
朗大胖。由于他只有28岁，他还有继续挑战极限的机会。
Broxton, however, is not the heaviest man to play major league baseball.
That honor belongs to Walter Young, a first baseman and DH who made his debut
the same year (2005) as Broxton. Tipping the scales at 322 pounds (on a
6-foot-5 frame), Young is the clear winner when it comes to the heavyweight
championship of major league baseball.
但 Broxton 还不是史上最重的大联盟球员，这项荣誉属于 Walter Young，和 Broxton
同年登上大联盟的一垒手。六呎五吋高，322磅重，Young是毫无疑问的大联盟重量冠军。
We have the expanded September roster to thank for Young’s record, as his
total major league career (with Baltimore) started on Sept. 6, 2005 and ended
less than a month later. The results were not bad, 10 for 33 (.303) with one
home run and three RBIs. Since he had amassed a club record 33 homers (and 98
RBIs) with the Double-A Bowie Baysox in 2004, one can see why the Orioles
were interested. Perhaps he’d prove to be as good a fence-buster as he was a
belt-buster.
Young的大联盟生涯起始于金莺队，2005年九月六日他登上大联盟，并在不到一个月后球
季结束。该年他的成绩其实不差，.303的打击率，一发全垒打及三分打点。2004年他在2A
以33轰98打点创下球队纪录，我们可以很明显看出为何金莺队对他抱有希望。
Nevertheless, after Young’s cup of coffee in 2005, there were no refills in
subsequent seasons. He went back to the minors to stay. After a year in the
affiliated minors, he went to the independents (Winnipeg, Sussex, Sioux City,
Edmonton) before retiring after the 2009 season.
尽管如此，在2005年短暂的大联盟之旅后，他回去小联盟蹲了一整年，并且在之后到独立
联盟流浪，直到2009年退休。
Young’s poundage may be one of those records that will never be broken.
Then again, as with the steroid controversy, such records may be tainted by
the ingestion of baleful substances, albeit legal. If you believe everything
you read about obesity and high fructose corn syrup in the American diet, it
may be that today’s players have an unfair advantage over old-timers when it
comes to poundage.
Young的体重纪录或许永远不会被打破。但就像类固醇引发的禁药争议，他的纪录可能也
得要打星号，尽管他可能没用非法药物。不要忘了今日美国人的日常饮食是如何充斥了高
果糖浆，今日球员在增加体重上相比过去的确是有着不公平的优势。
As with other baseball statistics, the stats on size are subject to
interpretation. For example, Walter Young may have been the heaviest player
in major league history, but he didn’t have the highest body mass index.
Prince Fielder (5-foot-11, 275 pounds) has the lead in that department with a
BMI of 38.4, over Young’s 38.2. His dad Cecil, by the way was listed at
6-foot-3 and 230. Respectable, to be sure, but no record-setter.
就像其他的棒球数据一样，体重这项数据需要深入解读。以 Walter Young 为例，他虽然
最重，但是在 BMI 这项指标上，Prince Fielder以 38.4 略胜 Young 的38.2。小王子的
老爸 Cecil Fielder则为六呎三吋，230磅。很重，但黎纪录还遥远的很。
Of course, just how much a player weighs is sometimes a mystery. A good case
in point is Eric Gagne, who was listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds. Well, they
might have gotten the height right, but if you ever watched him pitch, you
know the weight is a gross underestimate. The same goes for Wilbur Wood, whom
Baseball Almanac lists at 6 feet and 180 pounds. Thinking back to when I saw
him pitch for the White Sox in the 1970s, I think another 35-40 pounds would
be warranted.
当然，球员真正的体重其实是个谜。一个好例子是 Eric Gagne。干爷的资料上写六呎二
吋高，195磅重。身高或许是对的，不过任何一个看过干爷投球的人，都不会相信他只有
195磅重。另外一个例子是 Wilbur Wood，棒球年鉴上他是六呎高，180磅重。但是看过他
1970年代在白袜时的英姿的人，都会同意他至少有220磅。
Also worthy of note is another pitcher who acquired the nickname Jumbo,
namely Jim Nash, who pitched for the A’s, Braves and Phillies in the late
1960s and early 1970s. He is listed at 6-foot-5 and 230, which wouldn’t turn
heads today, but in a Phillies’ double-knit uniform, he appeared to be
heavier than that.
还有一个需要注意的投手，他也获得了”大胖” 的称号 – Jim Nash。他在1960年代到
1970年早期在运动家，勇士和费城人队出赛过。他资料上写六呎五吋高，230磅重。在今
天这不算什么，但是穿上费城人球衣，他看起来远不止这个数。
Jim Bibby, who debuted in 1972, Nash’s final season, was also 6-foot-5,
though he bested Nash by anywhere from five to 20 pounds, depending on your
source. Since Bibby was a late bloomer (he didn’t reach the majors 'til age
27) and was pushing 40 when he retired, he certainly could have hit 250
pounds.
Any article about ballplayers and weight gain must include a reference to
Terry Forster, who started out with 200 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame, but
ballooned to 270 during his playing career, which spanned the 1970s and the
first half of the 1980s. Since Forster made his debut with the White Sox in
1971, when Wilbur Wood was the bellwether of the starting rotation, one
wonders if he adopted the eating habits of the master.
(另外两个例子，懒得翻)
Today, if you’re handicapping prospects in the big man sweepstakes, how
about Luis Jimenez, a longtime minor leaguer who recently signed up with
Toronto? Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 280 pounds, this massive Venezuelan
has intrigued a number of organizations: Oakland, Baltimore (twice), Los
Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota, Boston, Washington, and Seattle. His major league
experience (18 at-bats) is even less than Young’s, but he hasn’t retired,
so there’s still time for some more at-bats (and more weight gain) in the
bigs.
今天，如果你在找适合挑战体重纪录的”新秀”的话，你可以考虑 Luis Jimenz，一个在
蓝鸟系统的万年小联盟球员。他身高六呎三，重280磅。这位沉重的委内瑞拉球员引起了
包括奥克兰，巴尔蒂摩，道奇，双城，红袜，水手等多队的兴趣。他在大联盟只有18打席
，但他还没退休，所以还有继续挑战的机会。
Now that Walter Young and Jonathan Broxton have broken the 300-pound
barrier, the bar has been reset. Perhaps in the future 300-pounders will be
as numerous as .300 hitters. As for 400-pounders? Probably as rare as .400
hitters, but one never knows.
在 Walter Young 跟 Jonathan Broxton 超过了三百磅门槛后，标准已经不同了。或许在
未来，三百磅体重的球员就会像三成打击率的球员一样多，而四百磅就会像是四成打击率
一样成为追求的圣杯。
Management remains tolerant of wide-body players so long as they get results
on the playing field. But all it takes is one off-year to inspire the
refrain, “Ever think about losing some weight?”
球队制服组们对于胖仔都还很容忍，只要他们在球场上的表现过关。但是只要一个表现不
佳的球季都会让他们说出”考虑过减肥吗？”
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