美国名人 运动员 杰西·欧文斯.docx

美国名人运动员杰西欧文斯JesseOwensplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-14:46repeatByBarbaraDash2004-8-7(Note:ThisisaalmostrepeatreportofPEOP1.EINAMERICA-June9,2002:JesseOwens)VOICEONE:ThisisGwenOuten.VOICETWO:AndthisisSteveEmberwithPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.EveryweekwetellaboutapersonwhowasimportantinthehistoryoftheUnitedStates.TodaywetellthestoryofathleteJesseOwens.Heoncewasthefastestrunnerintheworld.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:Inthesummerofnineteen-thirty-six,peopleallovertheworldheardthenameofJesseOwens.Thatsummer,OwensjoinedthebestathletesfromfiftynationstocompeteintheOlympicgames.TheymetinBerlin,Germany.TherewasspecialinterestintheOlympicgamesthatyear.AdolfHitlerwastheleaderofGermany.HitlerandhisNazipartybelievedthatwhitepeopleespeciallyGermanpeople-werethebestraceofpeopleonEarth.Theybelievedthatotherracesofpeople-especiallythosewithdarkskin-werealmostlessthanhuman.Inthesummerofnineteen-thirty-six,Hitlerwantedtoprovehisbeliefstotheworld.HewantedtoshowthatGermanathletescouldwineveryimportantcompetition.Afterall,onlyafewweeksbeforetheOlympics,GermanboxerMaxSchmelinghaddefeatedthegreatAmericanheavyweightJoe1.ouis,ablackman.VOICETWO:JesseOwenswasblack,too.Untilnineteen-thirty-sixzveryfewblackathleteshadcompetedintheOlympicsfortheUnitedStates.Owenswasproudtobeontheteam.Hewasverysureofhisability.OwensspentoneweekcompetinginfourdifferentOlympictrackandfieldeventsinBerlin.Duringthattime,hedidnotthinkmuchaboutthecolorofhisskin,oraboutAdolfHitler.Owenssaidlater:"Iwaslookingonlyatthefinishline.Ithoughtofalltheyearsofpracticeandcompetition,andofallwhobelievedinme."VOICEONE:WedonotknowwhatHitlerthoughtofJesseOwens.NoonerecordedwhathesaidaboutthisblackmanwhoranfasterandjumpedfartherthananymanofanycolorattheOlympicgames.ButwecanstillseeJesseOwensasHitlersawhim.ForatHitler'srequest,motionpicturesweremadeoftheBerlinOlympicgames.ThefilmsshowJesseOwensasathin,butpowerfully-builtyoungmanwithsmoothbrownskinandshorthair.Whenheran,heseemedtomovewithouteffort.Whenhejumped,asoneobserversaid,heseemedtojumpclearoutofGermany.JesseOwenswonthehighestaward-theGoldMedal-inallfouroftheOlympiccompetitionsheentered.Intheone-hundredmeterrun,heequaledthefastesttimeeverruninthatOlympicevent.IntheIongjumpandthetwo-hundredmeterrun,hesetnewOlympicrecords.Andaspartofafour-manteamzhehelpedsetanewworldrecordforthefour-hundredmeterrelayrace.HewasthefirstAmericaninthehistoryofOlympictrackandfieldeventstowinfourGoldMedalsinasingleOlympics.VOICETWO:Owens'sOlympicvictoriesmadehimahero.HereturnedhometoparadesinNewYorkCityandColumbuszOhio,whereheattendedthestateuniversity.Businessmenpaidhimfortherighttousehisnameontheirstores.Noone,however;offeredhimapermanentjob.Formanyyearsafterthenineteen-thirty-sixOlympicgames,JesseOwenssurvivedasbesthecould.Heworkedatsmalljobs.Heevenusedhisathleticabilities,butinasadway.Heearnedmoneybyrunningracesagainstpeople,motorcyclesandhorses.Heandhiswifeandthreedaughterssawbothgoodtimesandbadtimes.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:PovertywasnotnewtoJamesClevelandOwens.Hewasborninnineteen-thirteenonafarminthesouthernstateofAlabama.Hewastheyoungestofthirteenchildren.Hisparentsdidnotownthefarm,andearnedlittlemoney.Jesserememberedthattherewasrarelyenoughfoodtoeat.Andtherewasnotenoughfueltoheatthehouseinwinter.SomeofJesse'sbrothersandsistersdiedwhilestillyoung.Jessewasasicklychild.Partlybecauseofthis,andpartlybecauseoftheracialhatredtheysawaroundthem,Jesse'sparentsdecidedtoleavetheSouth.Theymovednorth,toCleveland,Ohio,whenJessewaseightyearsold.Thelargefamilylivedinafewsmallroomsinapartofthecitythatwasneitherfriendlynorpleasanttolookat.Jesse'sfatherwasnolongeryoungorstrong.Hewasunabletofindagoodjob.Mostofthetime,noonewouldgivehimanyworkatall.ButJesse'solderbrotherswereabletogetjobsinfactories.SolifewasalittlebetterthanithadbeenintheSouth.VOICETWO:Jesse,especially,waslucky.Heenteredaschoolwhereonewhiteteacher,CharlesRiley,tookaspecialinterestinhim.Jesselookedthinandunhealthy,andRileywantedtomakehimstronger.ThroughtheyearsthatJessewasinschool,Rileybroughthimfoodinthemorning.Rileyofteninvitedtheboytoeatwithhisfamilyintheevening.Andeverydaybeforeschool,hetaughtOwenshowtorunlikeanathlete.Atfirst,theideawasonlytomaketheboystronger.ButsoonRileysawthatJessewasachampion.BythetimeJessehadcompletedhighschool,hisnamewasknownacrossthenation.OhioStateUniversitywantedhimtoattendcollegethere.WhileatOhioState,hesetnewworldrecordsinseveraltrackandfieldevents.AndhewasacceptedasamemberoftheUnitedStatesOlympicteam.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:Owensalwaysrememberedthewhitemanwhohelpedchangehislife.CharlesRileydidnotseemtocarewhatcoloraperson'sskinwas.Owenslearnedtothinkthesameway.1.aterinlife,Owensputallhisenergyintoworkingwithyoungpeople.Hewantedtotellthemsomeofthethingshehadlearnedaboutlife,workandsuccess:Thatitisimportanttochooseagoalandalwaysworktowardit.Thattherearegoodpeopleintheworldwhowillhelpyoutoreachyourgoal.Thatifyoutryagainandagain,youwillsucceed.PeoplewhoheardOwens'sspeechessaidhespokealmostaswellasheran.