First published 2020
Keith Hernandez revolutionized first base defense while winning eleven consecutive Gold Gloves and sharing National League MVP honors. He captured a batting title and won championships with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets before becoming a television personality on Seinfeld. Hernandez recounts his baseball journey from Northern California Little League through grueling minor league bus trips and adventures in Mexico. He describes major league struggles including benchings and plate adjustments, plus his participation in a memorable batting race with Pete Rose. The memoir traces his path from triple-A ballparks to the spotlight at Busch Stadium. Hernandez provides honest self-examination of his route to baseball greatness. He blends wit, intelligence, and fierce competitiveness that distinguished him from ordinary athletes. This autobiography delivers fresh perspectives on baseball while exploring the psyche of one of the sport's most unique figures.
Genres: 20th-century, autobiography, sports, biography-memoir, baseball
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: memoir, sports
Setting: Busch Stadium, New York, Northern California
Period: 20th-century
341 pages · Hardcover · little brown