To Keith Hernandez… getting No. 17 retired is a quite an achievement—for a second choice! On that franchise-shifting day when he arrived out of the (baby) blue and put on a Mets jersey in June 1983, he knew he was going to need a new number to go with his new surroundings. He well knew that the Mets had retired No. 37 for Casey Stengel. Mex came up with a new number to honor childhood fave Mickey Mantle while maintaining his Keith-like individuality.
I don’t know how to say it without sounding like I’m bragging, so I’ll just say it—years ago I wrote a book with Keith on his view of the Mets and the last days of Shea from his unique perspective. He far eclipsed that book effort with his recent memoir, I’m Keith Hernandez, which I had nothing to do with—as far as I can tell, neither used a ghostwriter, nor needed one. I listening to the audio book, which has the added bonus of Keith reading Keith. I cannot recommend that book enough. He and I don’t cross paths much, but whenever I have needed to ask him something or interview him for a project, he has been nothing but kind, generous, and friendly. So I felt I owed it to Keith, the baseball gods, and myself to be in the “upper tank”—Keith’s term—for the occasion with a couple of old friends, trying not to get sunburned while taking it all in. What a ceremony! What a win!
Keith joins the retired numbers of Tom Seaver (41), Gil Hodges (14), Stengel (37), Mike Piazza (31), and Jackie Robinson (I was at Shea in 1997 for the surprise announcement that 42 would be retired forever throughout baseball). Honestly, I don’t think the Mets need to retire any more numbers. Keep it special. Keep it for the precious few. For the difference makers. The Mets don’t win in 1969 without Seaver and Koosman; they don’t revitalize the fan base without bringing in Piazza in 1998 and, like Keith, tying him up with a contract worthy of the man; and the Mets don’t win in 1986 without Keith arriving before almost everyone else in 1983 to set the groundwork and—using another Keith favorite—be on point. We were all on point for him at Citi.
The Ozzie Smith of first base, the perennial All-Star, the blue-and-orange icon, the broadcast legend—Keith belongs in the upper pantheon of Metdom. In case that was not obvious enough before, now it is official.