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If Keith Hernandez ever decides to stop calling New York Mets games, he will always have another source of income.
The team’s legendary former first baseman became a broadcaster for the team in 1999 and is a multi-time local Emmy winner for his skills on the mic. But after he hung up the cleats, he tested out his acting skills.
Hernandez was one of numerous New York baseball stars to appear on “Seinfeld,” playing himself in three episodes. His most famous appearance, though, came in the two-part episode, “The Boyfriend,” in 1992, when he becomes a love interest to Elaine despite Kramer’s and Newman’s grudge against him stemming from a spitting incident on June 14, 1987.
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Keith Hernandez and Jerry Seinfeld at Shea Stadium in New York, New York. (Stephen Lovekin/WireImage)
The episode prompted Hernandez’s infamous line, “I’m Keith Hernandez.” Two documentaries about him have even used the line for the title.
Due to the massive success of the episode, Hernandez still receives some nice residuals.
“It varies, but I can tell you that on an annual basis I’m getting close to $5,000 still. It’s the gift that keeps giving,” Hernandez told the “SI Media Podcast.” “Remember one thing: I was the guest star.”
Ron Darling, Gary Cohen, Jerry Seinfeld and Keith Hernandez pose as Jerry Seinfeld Celebrates Seinfeld on Netflix at Citi Field on Sept. 29, 2021, in New York City. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix)
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Former New York Yankees outfielder Paul O’Neill also appeared in a famous episode, “The Wink,” in Season 7, where Kramer (played by Michael Richards) promises a boy in the hospital that he would get the right fielder to hit two home runs in a game in an effort to get back a birthday card for George Steinbrenner, signed by members of the Yankees, that he had sold.
O’Neill revealed in 2024 that he, too, still gets residuals, but they’re not nearly to the same level as Hernandez’s.
“Yeah, they’re like 57 bucks,” O’Neill said while calling a Yankees game. “It’s not big time. It’s a good reminder, though, that you were on the show. It’s kinda cool.”
Former New York Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez speaks to the press prior to his jersey retirement ceremony at Citi Field. (Wendell Cruz/USA Today Sports)
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In addition to O’Neill, Yankees players Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams and Danny Tartabull and manager Buck Showalter also appeared on the series, while a stunt double was used for Steinbrenner who was voiced by co-creator Larry David — the real Steinbrenner did film a scene that was never used.
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