#712 - Keith Hernandez All-Star

What a card: Keith Hernandez led the National League in double plays turned by a first baseman in 1984. It was the sixth and final season that he would top that category.

My observation on the front: Unlike the American League All-Stars, which I believe all feature photos from spring training, Hernandez is shown at a big-league park, Shea Stadium.

More opinion from me: This starts the National League portion of the All-Star Cards and there is no design or color differentiation between the AL and NL all-star cards, which actually irks me. Previous sets have noted the difference between the leagues.

All-Star Game performance: Keith Hernandez struck out in his only at-bat in the 1984 All-Star Game.

Legitimate All-Star card or fake All-Star card: Fake. Steve Garvey started at first base for the National League. Steve Garvey was deprived of an All-Star card.

My observation on the back: Quite the race for the On-Base Percentage King.

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#80 - Keith Hernandez

What a card: Keith Hernandez was just coming off a season in which he finished second to Ryne Sandberg in the National League MVP voting. It was Hernandez's first full season with the Mets, and he was in full-on "Take That, Whitey Herzog" mode.

My observation the front: Hernandez seems like the perfectionist sort. I wonder what his opinion of his stride out of the batter's box would be?

More opinion from me: There is no more entertaining baseball TV broadcaster working in the game today than Hernandez. His 2008 story about his panicked reaction to an approaching tornado when he was a minor leaguer should have won an Emmy.

Something you might know: Known as perhaps the best-fielding first baseman of all-time, Hernandez won 11 straight Gold Gloves.

Something you might not know: Hernandez had a cocaine habit that is well-known now. But before it came to light in the Pittsburgh drug trials, Hernandez quit the drug because he saw what it was doing to his Cardinals teammate Lonnie Smith.

My observation on the back: 300, huh? I wonder what that total is now?

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