However it was his exploits in the clutch that would cement his status as a Mets icon. Rusty re-signed with the Mets in 1981 and was named player-coach the following season. 423 against the Oakland A’s with a busted shoulder.Īnd that was just in his first stint with the Mets.
How he almost helped us win a third World Series when he batted.
How he was the first Mets player to drive in 100 runs in a season… How he led the Ya Gotta Believe team to the postseason in ’73… How he almost single-handedly defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the championship series…. I could spend hours chronicling all of Rusty Staub’s amazing achievements with the New York Mets… Long story short, the fundraiser was an enormous success - like anything else Rusty sets his mind on. I can laugh about it now… What a remarkable man he was, I had never met anyone so giving of himself and so willing to help others. Little did he know but he was actually making me feel exponentially worse. I was a nervous wreck that day, but Rusty sensed my anxiety and tried his best to help me get through that day. Of course I was only too happy and thrilled to help out. I was fortunate enough to play a small part in one of Rusty’s charities when he reached out to me personally and asked if I could help him raise funds and awareness for his New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund. Sadly, we lost Rusty two years ago when he succumbed to organ failure on Maafter losing his battle with pneumonia.Ī six-time All-Star and the only player in major league history to have at least 500 hits with four teams, Rusty’s on-field accomplishments are well documented in baseball lore, but paled in comparison to his many philanthropic endeavors that touched millions of people and children, especially here in New York City. “Le Grande Orange” as he was often called hailing back to his days with the Montreal Expos, would have been 76 years old today.
I wanted to take a few minutes today to remember one of the most beloved Mets players of all time, Rusty Staub.