Analysis Of Robert P. Parker's Double Play

In an era filled with war, racial divides and tensions, two men signify the true meaning of human compassion. Written by Robert P. Parker, the book Double Play creates a vivid picture on the troubles of segregation and the breaking of the color barrier in baseball. The book provides insight on the reality of famous baseball player Jackie Robinson and his fictional bodyguard Joseph Burke. Joseph Burke is a war veteran marine who is hired by Branch Rickey, owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers, to be Robinson’s bodyguard as he entered major league baseball as the first African American. Double Play is a phenomenal book that describes the difficult lives of two men who weren’t consumed by the ideals of racism throughout the rest of society. The book dates back to post-war 1940’s when it was unsure if baseball would remain a popular sport in America. At the time of war, President Roosevelt

Through the eyes of many, a black man should not be on a white baseball team, and a white man certainly shouldn’t be a black man’s bodyguard. Burke’s careless attitude, one obtained from his time at war and divorce, sometimes proves fatal in the book. He fends off multiple threats and failed assassinations of Robinson, and also falls for a girl who has troubles stemming from a mafia. Throughout the novel, author Robert P. Parker breaks up the narrative of the story with short passages titled Bobby, prior to beginning the next chapter. Parker uses this to explain the baseball game through the eyes of a young boy named Bobby who grew up during the war listening to Dodgers games on the radio. Each passage recalls the little boy’s experiences throughout the breaking of the color barrier and his love for the game. Bobby was not old enough to attend games and so he would recall hearing about Jackie Robinson vividly on the radio. A proud moment for him was opening day when Robinson first