Newsday’s Neil Best was fortunate enough to meet with Keith Hernandez recently. Keith was gracious enough to allow his camera crew to film him and his lovely wife Kai in their beautiful Long Island home in Sag Harbor.
I absolutely loved all the vintage bobblehead dolls that you could see everywhere, as well as all the hardware he accumulated throughout his career including two miniature versions of the 1986 and 1982 World Series trophies.
You can read more about Neil’s visit on Newsday.
I’m looking forward to the day that the Mets retire his number.
Here is a short list of Keith’s amazing achievements:
- Won 11 consecutive Gold Glove Awards (1978–1988) at first base (the largest total by any first baseman).
- Won the 1979 National League MVP award along with Willie Stargell.
- Holds the career record for game winning RBIs, a statistic that was only official from 1980–1988. His career record is 129. The season record (also by Hernandez) is 24, set in 1985.
- Batted over .300 seven times in his career.
- Was a member of two World Series Championship teams (1982 Cardinals, 1986 Mets).
- Was selected to the All-Star Game five times (1979, 1980, 1984, 1986 as a starter, and 1987).
- Was the National League Silver Slugger at first base in 1980 and 1984.
- Led the National League in runs scored (1979 and 1980), doubles (1979), on-base percentage (1980) and walks (1986).
- Inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1997.
- Voted Mets’ all-time first baseman by fans in celebration of the team’s 40th anniversary in 2002.
