Mike Breen might have been a little too starstruck when he was in the Mets locker room during the halcyon days of 1986.
Breen, the avid Mets fan and Knicks play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, joined the SNY booth in the middle innings of Wednesday’s game against the Brewers and told the tale of how Keith Hernandez made him nervous.
Breen explained on the broadcast that he was working with WNBC radio during the ’86 playoff run. And even though Hernandez was known as a great quote and a favorite of the media, Breen was still, as an early career journalist, intimidated.
“I called you Mr. Hernandez, which I realize was a mistake at the time,” Breen told Hernandez and Gary Cohen, who shared a few laughs over the retelling.
“I tried to ask a question, and you wouldn’t answer the question, but the writers were glad because they didn’t want the radio reporters there,” Breen continued. “I couldn’t tell you how intimidated I was, first off, because I was standing in front of Keith Hernandez. … You were a great quote back then, writers loved you. But I was 25, probably looked 17, and I was scared.”
Breen also revealed during the Mets’ World Series Game 6 against the Red Sox, he was also in the Red Sox radio booth as most of the Shea Stadium press areas were swarmed with members of the media.
As Mookie Wilson’s grounder went through Bill Buckner’s legs in the bottom of the 10th inning, Breen said he “lost any professional conduct” and the Sox announcers were “not happy” as he jumped up and down.
Breen, who called the Knicks’ 2026 NBA Finals run for ESPN, said that Wednesday, when he got to sit on the SNY pregame show before sitting in the TV booth for a few innings.
“I can’t believe I’m sitting here. I’m like a kid in a candy store,” Breen said. “You guys have no idea how fun this has been for me tonight. I got to meet Sean Manaea, who I’m such a big fan of. I got to meet Zac Thornton, who I’m so impressed with. This is a big deal — I was on the field!”
