RIP Rusty Staub

[Snapolit1]

Knew it was coming but still a gut punch.

He was a wonderful person. Did a lot for other people. I dont have a lot of expectations for the hereafter, but if there is a place good people go who showed charity towards others he is a lock.

[Leon]

That is too bad. I remember watching him play. RIP Rusty...

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...icle-1.3902929

.

[AustinMike]

I've also only heard good things about him.

RIP Le Grand Orange

[barrysloate]

I was at the World series game in 1973 when Rusty went 4 for 4, and that is my best memory of him. He was an important part of the history of the Mets and the Colt 45's. Great hitter, great personality. Sad day.

[packs]

Damn, that's sad. Just the other day I was watching the Mets and the announcer had said he'd seen Rusty earlier that day and he was in high spirits.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Believe he's still the only player with 500 hits for 4 different teams. Loved the final act of his career with the Mets, but I have always had a weird thinks for pinch hitters. Also loved Cliff Johnson and Manny Mota.

[barrysloate]

I think Pete Rose did it too.

Nope, not Rose. Just looked it up. But I thought two players did it.

[Snapolit1]

Daily News article indicates that Rusty's charity served more than nine million meals to hungry people. Damm.

[darwinbulldog]

A tip of the hat to my fellow Jesuit Blue Jay. Requiescat in pace, Mr. Staub.

[Cliff Bowman]

According to Wikipedia he is the only player to have 500 hits with four different teams. He, Ty Cobb, Alex Rodriguez, and Gary Sheffield are the only players ever to hit a home run before turning 20 and after turning 40.

[ALR-bishop]

[ejharrington]

Caught him at the end of his career, one of my all-time favorites. I remember him winning the Skoal Pinch Hitter of the Year award in 1983...

[guy3050]

My First Sports hero , I grew up a 5 minute walk from Jarry Park , my second home was the left field bleachers known as jonesville (Named after Mack Jones) , heres the watch I recieved at my first communion I still have it , and a picture I got signed by Rusty a few years ago of him playing right field in Jarry park

IMG_0224 by Guy Bourque, on Flickr

IMG_0218 by Guy Bourque, on Flickr

[Stampsfan]

Guy, you and I share similar memories growing up.

I lived a 20 minute walk from the Olympic Stadium, and a 90 minute bus, subway, subway, and bus to Jarry Park. And when you're 10, 11, or 12 years old, it simply didn't matter.

As I've said before, a small part of my youth disappears forever when someone of this stature (for me) passes on. I still have the newspaper clipping when he was traded to the Mets for Jorgensen, Singleton, and Foli.

Thanks for the childhood memories, Mr. Staub.

[guy3050]

Originally Posted by Stampsfan

Guy, you and I share similar memories growing up.

I lived a 20 minute walk from the Olympic Stadium, and a 90 minute bus, subway, subway, and bus to Jarry Park. And when you're 10, 11, or 12 years old, it simply didn't matter.

As I've said before, a small part of my youth disappears forever when someone of this stature (for me) passes on. I still have the newspaper clipping when he was traded to the Mets for Jorgensen, Singleton, and Foli.

Thanks for the childhood memories, Mr. Staub.

Yes alot of memories , If you notice in the upper leftside of my picture you will see the diving board of the Jarry Park swimming pool , I use to watch games from that diving board when I was not even ten yet , If I remember right Rusty and Willie stargell are the only players to hit a homerun into the pool.

[RichardSimon]

I don't remember every detail of a game I was at but he came up very late in a Mets game as a pinch hitter. Clutch situation, hits a long drive that just goes foul. Then he hits a HR.
RIP Rusty.

[btcarfagno]

Rusty Staub was one of those guys who could roll out of bed and spray line drives all over the field. I only ever saw him during the last 5-6 years of his career and he never looked like much of a ballplayer physically. Even when he was at the plate, his stance never screamed "this guy can hit". But my goodness could he hit.

RIP Rusty. Thanks for the memories.

[mybuddyinc]

A true gentleman's gentleman

[seanofjapan]

Love that watch, Guy.

A sad day for Expos nation.

[Tiger Eye]

Here is a link to an article in the Advocate from New Orleans- Baton Rouge area.
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orlea...7f3a5902d.html

I graduated from the same Jesuit High School as Rusty ( a few years later) and I saw him play his first season in Houston at the Astrodome. I have collected just about all of his baseball cards.

I think that although he was a pretty good baseball player, he was a better person. He was well liked wherever he played. After baseball, he was involved in many charities and I remember after the 9/11 Attack, his charity, the New York Police and Fire Widow’s Fund, raised 10’s of millions and aided so many impacted by that tragedy.

It is a shame there isn’t an Hall Of Fame category for outstanding humanitarian, as he would have surely entered on the first round. He will always be my top sports hero.

[Yoda]

Le Gran Orange certainly made Montreal his second home.

[whitehse]

Many have mentioned how much of a gentleman Mr. Staub was and I am certainly not going to go against that way of thinking.

I have mentioned before that I had the incredible opportunity to work for the Chicago Cubs for seven years with the first four of those years being in the security division starting in 1982. My responsibility was to be the supervisor of security for the concourse, field and clubhouse areas which meant I had to ensure the both home and visitor players were safe from the time they entered the ball park to the time they left. The first time I met Rusty Staub I was shocked when he stuck out his hand, introduced himself as he came off of the team bus and asked my name. Of course I knew who he was as I had collected his baseball cards and watched him on the game of the week many times but it was shocking to have someone like him be so forward and act like the lowly security guy was on the same level as he was.
From that point on, whenever he would see me he would call me by name and ask how I was doing. On the last day of the teams last visit to Wrigley Field for the season he would be sure to shake my hand, wish me a great off season and let me know he would see me next year. For someone who was used to ball players "big leaguing" me, Mr. Staub was an incredible change of pace and quite honestly, someone I looked forward to seeing when the Mets came to town....which if you knew the Mets from that era you knew that was saying something.

I had always wanted to write him and thank him for his incredible kindness but always knew I would have time to do so. Hearing a few weeks ago that he was ill made me incredibly sad and hearing of his death brought me nearly to tears. One of the good ones has left us and baseball will now be a much sadder place without Rusty Staub to make it special.

[egbeachley]

Great posts and thanks to all who shared their stories. My first year in little league was 1971 or 1972. Didn't have a glove so my Mom took me to the store to buy one and it was a Rusty Staub model, probably because it fit the best. I'm glad I still have it and am going to pull it out for my 9-yr old.

[Peter_Spaeth]

One of the great nicknames for sure.

[chris6net]

Happy Birthday Rusty!

[thetruthisoutthere]

R.I.P. Rusty Staub.

Although I was never a Mets fan, I still enjoyed watching the Mets and then watching Kiners Korner.

For me, those were the days.