Book Review: If at First, by Keith Hernandez and Mike Bryan (1986, updated paperback 1987)

My battered paperback copy of If at First, by Keith Hernandez and Mike Bryan, 1986, paperback edition 1987. (Photo by Mark C. Taylor)

Keith Hernandez doing his ritual crossword puzzle in the Mets' clubhouse, 1980's.

Keith Hernandez had a stellar 17-year career in the major leagues. Hernandez won the 1979 batting title, and he was co-MVP of the National League that year with Willie Stargell. Hernandez was renowned for his fielding prowess, as he won 11 Gold Gloves at first base, the most anyone has ever won at that position. He also played for 2 World Series winning teams, the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals and the 1986 New York Mets. Since his retirement as a player in 1990, Hernandez has remained in the public eye, famously guest-starring on an episode of Seinfeld in 1992 and working as a Mets broadcaster since 1998. Hernandez is also legendary for having one of the greatest mustaches this side of Tom Selleck.  

Hernandez has written several books about baseball. His first book was If at First, which chronicled the New York Mets’ 1985 season. Published in 1986, If at First was Hernandez’s diary of the 162-game season. It’s an excellent book, as Hernandez is a sharp observer of baseball. Hernandez is also intelligent and extremely self-reflective, two key attributes for a good writer. The paperback edition published in 1987 also includes a 70-page chapter covering the 1986 season. 1986 was an incredible season for the Mets, as they won 108 games, and defeated the Astros in a thrilling NLCS, triumphing in a 16-inning Game 6. The Mets then went on to beat the Boston Red Sox in a legendary 7-game World Series.  

Keith Hernandez had a difficult year in 1985. He was going through a divorce, and he became embroiled in the Pittsburgh drug trials, which focused on illegal drugs in baseball, and revealed that a number of star baseball players had been cocaine users. Hernandez had used cocaine recreationally from 1980 to 1982, but he makes it very clear in If at First that his drug use was in the past. Ultimately, Hernandez and several other players were suspended by the commissioner for the 1986 season, but the suspensions were commuted as long as the players paid a fine and performed community service.  

During the 1985 season, the Mets were battling Hernandez’s old team, the St. Louis Cardinals, for the NL East division title. Hernandez was drafted by the Cardinals out of high school in 1971, and by 1976 he was the Cardinals’ everyday first baseman. In 1980 Whitey Herzog became the Cardinals manager, and also general manager. Herzog was never a big fan of Hernandez. Part of the reason was Hernandez’s fondness for crossword puzzles. Really. Hernandez writes: “I worked the puzzle in the clubhouse before games, while he {Herzog} thought I should be palling around with teammates, providing leadership.” (p.11) I guess Hernandez’s batting title, MVP, and string of Gold Gloves didn’t mean much to Herzog. After Herzog took over the Cardinals, he tried to trade Hernandez every off-season. In June of 1983, Herzog desperately wanted to obtain the Mets’ relief pitcher Neil Allen. When Herzog offered Hernandez in exchange for Allen, Mets general manager Frank Cashen could hardly say yes fast enough. The trade was a huge steal for the Mets, as Keith became the team leader on the field and in the clubhouse, and Allen only lasted a little more than two years with the Cardinals before he was sold to the Yankees.  

Keith Hernandez’s identity is so tied to the Mets now that it’s hard to believe that at the time he was traded, he didn’t want to play for the Mets. He briefly considered retiring, before accepting the trade. Being traded to the Mets in June of 1983 was a bit like being exiled to Siberia. At that time, the Mets had not enjoyed a winning season since 1976, and they hadn’t even come close to one, as they had lost 95 or more games every season from 1977-1982, with the exception of the strike-shortened 1981 season. The 1983 team just barely ended that stretch of 95 loss seasons, as they only lost 94 games. However, the team had a talented young core, including 1983 Rookie of the Year Darryl Strawberry. In 1984, the Mets were pennant contenders, as the team won 90 games, and featured Rookie of the Year pitching phenom Dwight Gooden. Expectations for the Mets were high going into 1985.  

I read If at First when I was a kid, in the late 80’s or early 90’s. I’m sure some of it went over my head, and I’m not sure if I made it through all 450 pages of the thick paperback. In my head, 1985 doesn’t seem that far away, but then I did the math and realized it’s 38 years ago. 38 years before 1985 was 1947. Did a few things change in baseball between 1947 and 1985? Yes, just a few. 1947 was the first year that baseball was integrated by Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby. Baseball has changed a lot between 1985 and 2023 too.  

Baseball statistics have changed a lot since 1985, and Hernandez is decidedly old school in his focus on batting average and RBI’s. Part of that was his role batting in the third spot in the Mets’ lineup: his job was to drive in runs. If there were runners on base, Hernandez was going to do his best to get them home, whether that was by driving a pitch the other way into left field or hitting a sacrifice fly so the runner on third scored. Hernandez’s skills as a batter were a mixture of old school and new school: he had the old school “go with the pitch, hit it to the opposite field” kind of mentality, he was not an all or nothing slugger, but Hernandez was also a patient hitter who walked a lot, a skill that was often overlooked during his career. Hernandez finished in the top ten for walks 7 seasons during his career, and in 1980 and 1982 he reached base more times than anyone else in the NL.  

After a solid April in which he hit .309, Hernandez slumped in May and June. On July 1st, Keith’s batting average was just .251. He said to the press, “I’m in a dark forest. I’m killing this team.” In the book Hernandez added, “Where no sunlight penetrates, without map or compass; a batter without a clue.” (p.209) I love this beautiful poetic language, and it inspired me to write my own Keith Hernandez haikus: 

In a dark forest 

A batter without a clue 

I’m killing this team 

 

Full of doubt at bat 

I need to remember that 

I’m Keith Hernandez 

When Keith had a problem with his swing, he went to his father for advice. John Hernandez was a first baseman who played in the minor leagues for 6 seasons during the 1940’s. John instilled a love of baseball into his two children: Keith and his older brother Gary. Like Keith, Gary was a left-handed first baseman who was drafted by the Cardinals. Gary played in the minor leagues for 4 seasons. Keith had a sometimes difficult relationship with his father, but he knew he could always rely on his father because his father knew Keith’s swing better than anyone else. In the photo section of If at First, there’s a great picture of Keith and his parents on the field at Shea Stadium. Keith and his mother Jacquelyn are smiling and looking straight at the camera. John Hernandez is looking at Keith and smiling, no doubt full of pride at his son, .300 hitter and Gold Glove-winning first baseman for the Mets.  

After a disappointing June, Hernandez was able to get back on track, and he had a torrid July, hitting .392 with a .475 OBP. Hernandez was named NL Player of the Month for July 1985. In September, Hernandez had to travel to Pittsburgh to testify in the Pittsburgh drug trials, resulting in a lot of negative national publicity for him. Amazingly, Hernandez was able to remain laser focused at the plate, and for September and October he hit .395 with a .457 OBP. It wasn’t quite enough for the Mets, as they finished the season 3 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. In those days before the wild card, the Mets were done for the season, even though they won 98 games.  

If at First chronicles the many ways that baseball has changed since 1985. Hernandez sometimes smoked cigarettes in the dugout, but it was more of a nervous habit than anything else. Keith reveals to us that he never smoked a full cigarette, he just took a few drags of it. He didn’t smoke off the field or during the off-season. When Hernandez’s left ankle is in pain after seven games on artificial turf, his solution is: “Tape it up, gulp three aspirin, and keep on truckin’.” (p.181) In these days of “there is no off-season,” and every player on the roster looking like they could use their abs as a cheese grater, it’s refreshing to read Keith’s admission that he doesn’t work out during the off-season: “In my pro career I’ve exercised in the off-season for strengthening (as opposed to remedial) purposes only once, prior to the 1977 season. It helped: I hit fifteen homers, but I haven’t exercised since. I’m just lazy.” (p.249) Keith had other things to do in the off-season, like read books about the Civil War. When Keith grounds into a double play with the bases loaded to end a game, he faces the reporters: “Sitting on my stool, fresh beer in one hand, cigarette in the other, waiting.” (p.312) That’s so 80’s.  

Because Hernandez lived in New York City while he played for the Mets, there are some fun celebrity encounters in If at First. My favorite is when Hernandez and Rusty Staub go out for dinner with actors Paul Gleason (the vice-principal in The Breakfast Club) and Len Cariou, known for starring in the original Broadway casts of A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd. Len Cariou is also known in pop culture for his frequent appearances in crossword puzzles, something that I’m sure Hernandez was aware of. If only they had run into Omar Sharif. The next day, Keith is mentioned in a New York Times interview with novelist and Mets fan Philip Roth. Now I want to read a Philip Roth novel about a Jewish first baseman for the Mets whose intelligence and compulsion to over-analyze his problems wreaks havoc with his batting swing. Along the way, the first baseman meets a sexy French flight attendant who may hold the key to him being able to unlock his swing. Coming soon to a bookstore near you! 

If at First is a great look at the grind that is a 162-game baseball season, written by an intelligent and astute player. If you’re interested in 1980’s baseball, or if you just really like Keith Hernandez, you should check it out.