A Pass and a Prayer: A Chip Hilton Sports Story

Chip Hilton #5

by Clair Bee

New

Genres: Sports, Fiction, Football

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1951

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sixth-published (but chronologically the fifth) book in Clair Bee's long-running sports novels series for younger readers that featured Chip Hilton. Chip is the star quarterback of Valley High's Big Red team and things are looking great for the upcoming season when tragedy strikes; popular Coach Rockwood, The Rock, is hospitalized, and his replacement is a very bad egg. Chip and his pals have to overcome not only the opposing teams on the gridiron, but their own coach and his nefarious scheme that will spoil their season and forever tarnish The Rock's legacy. There's no overt religious content in my 1951 edition (despite the title), but Bee's message of the importance of fair play, high moral and ethical standards, and good moral character shines through. It's all a bit dated, perhaps (high-lighted by the fact that the helmets have no chin guards!), but it's really an uplifting tale, and a good football story as well. Good stuff, from a simpler time.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read most, if not all of the Chip Hilton books by Clair Bee and this one is the worst that I have read. The basic plot premise is that football Coach Henry Rockwell, the Rock, comes down with a serious illness and has to be hospitalized. A man named Tom Bracken takes his place and he is someone with no scruples, little understanding of the subtleties of coaching and he considers himself infallible. Furthermore, Bracken has the backing of most of the powerful people in town.
Even though Chip has proven himself on the football field, that means nothing to Bracken. When Chip stands up for his teammates and the good of the team, he is demoted. Things move along in an erratic way until the Rock returns. Bracken is such a despicable person that he physically assaults the Rock. Eventually, Chip finds the solution to the problem and a reasonable order is restored, even though the football team no longer has the opportunity to play for the state championship.
The problem with this book is that the plot is convoluted and difficult to believe. Even under the most unusual of circumstances, no coach would be allowed to do what Tom Bracken does. There is no big game at the end. While there is a game, there is no climactic rendering, it is simply the way the story ends in a lackluster manner.

[Steve Rutherford]

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