Where Triples Go To Die

by Phil Hutcheon

Phil Hutcheon illuminates the messy intersection of sports, race, and romance in contemporary college life. Black superstar Juke Jackson and white counselor Malcolm Wade, each facing a relationship crisis at home, forge a bond at school as Wade guides Jackson’s quest to join the legion of African Americans who transformed our national pastime. An array of intervening campus issues, including date rape, unplanned pregnancy, revenge porn, academic integrity violations, and the aftershocks of war, will keep even readers unfamiliar with The Infield Fly Rule turning the pages to find out what happens next. A deftly written and inherently compelling novel by an author with a genuine flair for crafting memorably irreverent characters embedded in a narrative driven story of humor and pathos from first page to last, Where Triples Go to Die will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book itself has been finished and set back upon the shelf. Unreservedly recommended.

404 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2020

About the author

Phil Hutcheon grew up in Redwood City, California, where his youth baseball teammates included Dick Sharon, later of the Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres. With his father he attended games at Seals Stadium and Candlestick Park in San Francisco during the heyday of Willie Mays. He earned a bachelor’s degree from University of the Pacific and a PhD from Rice University. He teaches composition and film at Delta College. He has also taught at Pacific and at Menlo College. Where Triples Go to Die is his third novel.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book for a class taught by the author. The main character is kind of creepy, the author comes off as slightly sexist and racist despite attempting to deal favorably with both subjects, and the whole book is in desperate need of an editor, for basic spelling mistakes at the very least (see page 180; can't even spell NAACP correctly).

The main character's car is named Aborto, because of its effects on the attempt to reproduce. I just don't know.

The sections about baseball are quite well written, though.

[Danielle Urban · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where Triples Go to Die by Phil Hutcheon is a great read. It's entertaining to follow. Sports never die out with fans. Here, readers get to explore a lot of real life issues. The struggles are believable. The characters make this an interesting journey. A contemporary piece of fiction that had me captivated page-by-page. The content held my full attention. It wasn't the kind of book, I would normally pick up to read. However, it still grabbed my attention. Engaging, intense, and enough drama to keep those pages turning. Never a dull moment. Loss, friendship, and most importantly baseball are themes found inside this novel. Overall, it was good. I recommend it to those really interested in sports fiction.

I received this copy from the publisher. This, is my voluntary review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a laugh out loud read. It deals with lots of different problems in a way which makes you want to laugh. It can get messy as everything mixes together. You will enjoy this great read

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.