回想：「おやじのせなか」
「札付きのワル」にやさしかった父

By Kazue Suzuki, Asahi Weekly

　心では感謝していても、面と向かって話すのは照れくさい。そんな父親の姿を各界の著名人に語ってもらう朝日新聞の連載「おやじのせなか」は16年間続く人気コラム。先月開かれた読者交流月間シンポジウムでは、ゲストのガッツ石松さんの話が聴衆の胸に響いた。

Former World Boxing Council champion "Guts" Ishimatsu warmly recalled his "gutsy" mother and somewhat obedient father at a recent symposium titled Father's Way.

TV personality Ishimatsu, in an interview with Asahi Shimbun reporter Shu Nomura, said his mother was a day laborer and the breadwinner for her family -- a sickly husband and four children. Her daily income was 250 yen, he said.

"She used to say, you don't have to be a big man; but be a respectable man," Ishimatsu said. "My father washed and mended my clothes and did daily chores." Even though he was not outspoken, he understood Ishimatsu well, he said.

"When I was in the second year in junior high school I was labeled a notorious rascal and was called to the police and a court. True, I picked up potatoes and watermelons from the neighborhood garden because I was hungry. Father accompanied me to the court. Unlike many parents who would have yelled at their kids, my father just said, 'I know you are not as bad as people say.'

"Since then I stopped doing what was considered bad."

Upon graduation from junior high school, Ishimatsu went to Tokyo to find work, although he aspired to become a boxer. When he stopped by to say goodbye to his mother at work, she gave him 1,000 yen from her pocket.

"I don't know how she had such money from meager income. I did not use the money, I could not."

Ishimatsu worked some 21 jobs in all to pay for his gym fees and training as he pursued his boxing career.

All the hard work paid off in 1974 when he won the WBC lightweight title with an 8th-round knockout of Rodolfo Gato Gonzalez in Tokyo.

When he won the championship, his father climbed into the ring, grabbed a microphone and told the audience, "I am the father of Ishimatsu. Thank you, thank you, for your support."

Ishimatsu presented his parents all 2 million yen of his purse.

"Interest from Mom's gift money of 1,000 yen grew to be 2 million yen," Ishimatsu said.

• obedient father　従順な父親
• day...breadwinner　日雇い労働者で大黒柱
• respectable　(社会的に) 立派な、ちゃんとした
• was...rascal　札付きのワルというレッテルをはられた
• meager income　わずかな収入
• All...off　懸命ながんばりが身を結んだ
• Interest from　〜から生まれた利息