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.”
“Le Grande Orange” RIP people forget about what he meant for the upstart Expos as their first true superstar. Great player, RIP
Sad news, on the eve of a very exciting day.
But this transcends that. Rest in Peace, Rusty Staub.
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
He was a great man and I know your heart was in the comment. All good.
RIP Rusty!
Sad news 🙁
Classy guy – left us way too soon
Loved him. RIP Grande Orange..,
Rest easy brother
Very sad he was one of my favorite players in the 70’s, R.I.P.
Rusty is the only player in major league history to have at least 500 hits with four different teams. Solid trivia. RIP, sir.
That has always been a favorite trivia nugget for me. Staub was very good for a very long time.
Hell of a ball player, even better human being. RIP
A very underrated ball player . Injuries hurt his career . Great teammate
Very popular in Montreal and NY. I don’t think he was on 69 Mets WS team but on pennant winning 73 team
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.
Much respect for his charity work. Incredible guy.
RIP
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.
Sad news indeed…He was a great ballplayer, and had one heck of a knack for pinch hitting..
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.
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.
One of my most memorable and famous Mets of all time, RIP Rusty.
Dang it! So sorry for your loss. Although I never had a chance to see him in person he is my favorite player
RIP Le Grande Orange! Thank you for helping the hungry! You will be missed!
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)
Great teammate. Great friend. Rest In Peace Big Orange!
Rest In Peace, Rusty. You’ll never be forgotten.
A wonderful player and a wonderful human being.God rest your soul,Rusty
Article said it all. Great ballplayer but an even better person.
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.
A sad day. RIP Rusty.
My favorite baseball name of all time! RIP sir. You will be missed.
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
And Sheffield and A-Rod.
Loved watching you play.
Rest In Peace Rusty.
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.
when i hit left handed in wiffle-ball in early 1970’s, i was always “rusty staub”…r.i.p.
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.