Joseph Burke left Guadalcanal with five .25 caliber slugs in his stomach, and it wasn't long afterward that his wife left him. In Robert Parker's novel Double Play Burke's physical wounds heal quickly, but it's only in trying to save another man's life that Burke really begins to recover.
Being a bodyguard is rarely an easy job. Burke's been hired to protect Jackie Robinson, who in the midst of segregation has just broken major league baseball's color barrier by signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. As hard as it is for Burke to guard the Dodger's new first baseman, Robinson himself has the far more difficult job. Parker gives us a small glimpse into the scrutiny, pressure and overt racism Robinson faces. It's eye-opening for Burke, who is white, to see the day to day difficulties Robinson encounters, from death threats to just hailing a taxi. Inspired by Robinson's courage and character, Burke begins to rebuild his life.
Double Play is a serious novel, but it's also a tight story filled with crime bosses, hitmen, and romantic interests that might be more trouble than they're worth. The dialogue is spare and sharp; Burke doesn't waste words and neither does Parker. There's action in the stands of Ebbots Field, fitting for this evocative story surrounding the more important story of Jackie Robinson.
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