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Rusty Staub Passes Away

By Steve Adams | March 29, 2018 at 8:43am CDT

While baseball brims with excitement for the onset of the 2018 season, there’s also sad news for fans and industry folk alike to mourn on Thursday, as Bill Madden of the New York Daily News reports that six-time All-Star Rusty Staub has passed away just days before what would have been his 74th birthday. Staub had previously survived a severe heart attack in 2015, but as Madden notes, he’d been in the hospital for the past eight weeks battling a blood infection and kidney failure before experiencing multiple organ failure.

Staub spent nine of his 23 Major League seasons starring for the Mets, for whom he batted .276/.358/.419 in two separate stints, although his best seasons very arguably came with the Houston organization and the now-defunct Expos in his mid-20s. From 1967-71, Staub posted a terrific .302/.397/.472 slash with 94 homers — good for a 148 OPS+ and five consecutive trips to the Midsummer Classic.

In all, Staub’s outstanding career drew to a close with 2,716 hits, 292 homers, 499 doubles, 47 triples, 1189 runs scored, 1466 RBIs and more walks (1255) than strikeouts (888). He batted .279/.362/.431 in 11,229 plate appearances across 23 seasons split between the Mets, Astros/Colt 45s, Expos, Tigers and Rangers.

After his playing days, Staub set to work on helping those less fortunate than he’d been in life, establishing the Rusty Staub Foundation, whose mission to this day is to “give children the opportunity to live full, happy and productive lives and to give aid to the hungry.” Established in 1985, the RSF has established pantries around New York City and, to date, has raised more than $17MM for like-minded organizations, per the RSF’s web site. Staub also established the New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund, which, as Madden notes in his column, has raised more than $112MM in total contributions since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Madden’s column provides a terrific, heartfelt look at Staub’s legacy both on and off the field and stands as an excellent tribute to a beloved baseball figure.

The Mets, for whom Staub suited up more than any team in his career, issued the following statement:

“The Mets family suffered another loss earlier today when Daniel “Rusty” Staub passed away in a West Palm Beach Hospital after an illness. He was almost as well known for his philanthropic work as he was for his career as a baseball player, which spanned 23 seasons. There wasn’t a cause he didn’t champion. Rusty helped children, the poor, the elderly and then there was his pride and joy The New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund. A six-time All-Star, he is the only player in major league history to have collected at least 500 hits with four different teams. The entire Mets organization sends its deepest sympathy to his brother, Chuck, and sisters Sue Tully and Sally Johnson. He will be missed by everyone.”

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View Comments (39)
Post a Comment

39 Comments

  1. walls17

    7 years ago

    “Le Grande Orange” RIP people forget about what he meant for the upstart Expos as their first true superstar. Great player, RIP

    3
    Reply
  2. xabial

    7 years ago

    Sad news, on the eve of a very exciting day.

    But this transcends that. Rest in Peace, Rusty Staub.

    3
    Reply
    • xabial

      7 years ago

      Sad news, on the onset* of a very exciting day.

      I’m sorry; even if you knew what I meant, I can’t get something like that wrong on this page. Rest in Peace

      1
      Reply
      • conch

        7 years ago

        Reply
      • sheff86

        7 years ago

        He was a great man and I know your heart was in the comment. All good.

        1
        Reply
    • brucewayne

      7 years ago

      RIP Rusty!

      1
      Reply
  3. CowboysoldierFTW

    7 years ago

    Sad news 🙁

    3
    Reply
  4. chuck123

    7 years ago

    Classy guy – left us way too soon

    3
    Reply
  5. MrMet62

    7 years ago

    Loved him. RIP Grande Orange..,

    2
    Reply
  6. mcdusty31

    7 years ago

    Rest easy brother

    1
    Reply
  7. oaksbossko

    7 years ago

    Very sad he was one of my favorite players in the 70’s, R.I.P.

    2
    Reply
  8. jekporkins

    7 years ago

    Rusty is the only player in major league history to have at least 500 hits with four different teams. Solid trivia. RIP, sir.

    6
    Reply
    • Monkey’s Uncle

      7 years ago

      That has always been a favorite trivia nugget for me. Staub was very good for a very long time.

      1
      Reply
  9. goat

    7 years ago

    Hell of a ball player, even better human being. RIP

    3
    Reply
    • brucewayne

      7 years ago

      A very underrated ball player . Injuries hurt his career . Great teammate

      2
      Reply
  10. padreforlife

    7 years ago

    Very popular in Montreal and NY. I don’t think he was on 69 Mets WS team but on pennant winning 73 team

    5
    Reply
    • User 4245925809

      7 years ago

      Always thought of him as a Met, yet he played for those many teams and was a solid player for so long. never a superstar, just a very solid player.

      1
      Reply
  11. HalosHeavenJJ

    7 years ago

    Much respect for his charity work. Incredible guy.

    RIP

    4
    Reply
  12. morebreakdowns

    7 years ago

    over 2700 hits, that’s a good player, more importantly was a good man. Sad day for the Mets, lets go get him a win today.

    2
    Reply
  13. kcroyals

    7 years ago

    Sad news indeed…He was a great ballplayer, and had one heck of a knack for pinch hitting..

    Reply
  14. bleedingpurple

    7 years ago

    I remember sitting in the RF stands at Shea, right behind him. I was young, don’t remember all the details, but I remember he had a dislocated shoulder and couldn’t throw. He made a catch and underhanded the ball to the CF who threw it in.
    Special guy, great PH and obviously a great human being. Thanks for that memory and many others. RIP brother.

    3
    Reply
    • ABCD

      7 years ago

      The first WS I remember watching was Mets and A’s. Rusty had to throw sidearmed.

      A decade later and quite a bit heavier, Rusty would come through with some pinch hits. Fun player to watch.

      2
      Reply
  15. Bobbig

    7 years ago

    One of my most memorable and famous Mets of all time, RIP Rusty.

    Reply
  16. rycm131

    7 years ago

    Dang it! So sorry for your loss. Although I never had a chance to see him in person he is my favorite player

    Reply
  17. jorge78

    7 years ago

    RIP Le Grande Orange! Thank you for helping the hungry! You will be missed!

    1
    Reply
  18. Gomez Toth

    7 years ago

    Le Grand Orange repose en paix.

    Such a fabulous human being and terrific player. It’s too difficult at the moment to write about the former, but the latter – just think about this for a minute: 1255 walks, 888 strikeouts. THAT, mes amis, is a batter. If his knees had only been half-decent, he would have walked into the HoF (sorry about the unintended pun, which I just recognized, but somehow I suspect Rusty would have liked it)

    2
    Reply
  19. Ed Lynch

    7 years ago

    Great teammate. Great friend. Rest In Peace Big Orange!

    1
    Reply
  20. MrMet19

    7 years ago

    Rest In Peace, Rusty. You’ll never be forgotten.

    1
    Reply
  21. met man

    7 years ago

    A wonderful player and a wonderful human being.God rest your soul,Rusty

    Reply
  22. deweybelongsinthehall

    7 years ago

    Article said it all. Great ballplayer but an even better person.

    1
    Reply
  23. mrbrklyn

    7 years ago

    Houston, Montreal Expos… Mr Expansion team. Staub was terrific as a player and as human being and two things need to be kept in mind about his career:

    First, he was underrated. He played in one of the hardest periods for batters and this suppressed his career numbers.

    Secondly, although he was beloved by the Mets and lead the offense in 1973, the Expos made out like bandits on that deal of Singleton, Jorganson, and Foli for Staub. If the Mets never made this deal, they might have made a few more playoff runs. Losing both Amos Otis and Ken Singleton all but gutted there future offense.

    1
    Reply
  24. Chris from NJ

    7 years ago

    A sad day. RIP Rusty.

    1
    Reply
  25. djtommyaces

    7 years ago

    My favorite baseball name of all time! RIP sir. You will be missed.

    1
    Reply
  26. Sheep8

    7 years ago

    1 of only 2 players to hit a HR as a teenager and one 40+….Ty Cobb was the other

    And you can look it up

    Reply
    • darthbusey

      7 years ago

      And Sheffield and A-Rod.

      Reply
  27. 377194

    7 years ago

    Loved watching you play.

    Rest In Peace Rusty.

    1
    Reply
  28. Gwynning's Anal Lover

    7 years ago

    I was really sad to see this. As a kid, I was at Shea to see his last homerun to right. For years I listened to him as an announcer. Thank you for the memories.

    1
    Reply
  29. bucky sizemore

    7 years ago

    when i hit left handed in wiffle-ball in early 1970’s, i was always “rusty staub”…r.i.p.

    1
    Reply
  30. maxorange33

    7 years ago

    As a young Canadian kid, he was my first baseball idol. He was such a good man that upon arrival in Montreal, he learned French just so he could converse with ALL the kids, a truly honourable man, R.I.P.
    La Grande Orange.

    Reply

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