Rusty Staub facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rusty Staub |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Staub at Citi Field in 2010
|
|||
| Right fielder / Designated hitter / First baseman | |||
| Born: April 1, 1944 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
|||
| Died: March 29, 2018 (aged 73) West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 9, 1963, for the Houston Colt .45s | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 6, 1985, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .279 | ||
| Hits | 2,716 | ||
| Home runs | 292 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,466 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
 Baseball Hall of Fame |
|||
| Induction | 2012 | ||
Daniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub (born April 1, 1944 – died March 29, 2018) was an American professional baseball player. He also worked as a television sports announcer. Rusty played in Major League Baseball for 23 seasons. He was a right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman.
Rusty was a six-time All-Star. He was known for his great hitting skills. During his career, he made 2,716 hits. This was just 284 hits short of the amazing 3,000-hit milestone. He was one of the first players for the Montreal Expos team. He became their first big star. Even though he played only 518 games for the Expos, he was so popular that they retired his jersey number in 1993. The New York Mets also honored him by adding him to their team's Hall of Fame in 1986.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting with Houston
Rusty Staub began his professional baseball journey in 1961. He signed with the Houston Colt .45s team. In 1962, he played in a lower league and was named an All-Star. After that, he signed a big contract to play in the Major Leagues.
At just 19 years old, Rusty played regularly in his first season. He split his time between first base and the outfield. He was only the second rookie since 1900 to play 150 games as a teenager. His hitting improved steadily over the next few years. In 1967, he had a fantastic season. He led the league in doubles with 44 and was chosen for the All-Star team. He was an All-Star again for the Astros in 1968.
Becoming "Le Grande Orange" in Montreal
Rusty Staub was traded to the Montreal Expos in 1969. This was before their very first season. He quickly became the team's first big star. Fans loved him, especially in Quebec. He learned to speak French, which made him even more popular. Because of his red hair, he earned the nickname "Le Grande Orange" (The Big Orange).
In his first year with the Expos, Rusty played 158 games. He had 166 hits, 29 home runs, and 79 RBIs. His batting average was .302. He was named to the All-Star Game for the third year in a row. He was among the top players in the National League for many stats.
The next year, he played 160 games. He hit 30 home runs, which was a career high for him. He was chosen for the All-Star Game for the fourth time. In 1971, he played in all 162 games. He had 186 hits and a .311 batting average. He was an All-Star for the fifth straight year.
The number 10 jersey worn by Rusty Staub was the first number retired by the Montreal Expos. He also holds the team record for on-base percentage. This shows how good he was at getting on base.
Time with the New York Mets
After three great seasons in Montreal, the New York Mets traded for Rusty in 1972. He was hitting well for the Mets until he got hurt. A pitch hit his right wrist, breaking a bone. He played through the pain for a while. But he eventually needed surgery and missed several weeks.
In 1973, he was hit by another pitch. Despite playing with pain, he led the team in RBIs. During the playoffs, he was amazing. In the National League Championship Series, he hit three home runs. In one game, he made two incredible catches. On the second catch, he crashed into the outfield wall. This caused him to separate his right shoulder. This injury led to Major League teams adding padding to outfield walls.
Even with his injury, the Mets won the National League Championship. In the World Series, Rusty still played. He batted an impressive .423. He hit a home run and had six RBIs. For the entire 1973 postseason, he batted .341 with four home runs and 11 RBIs.
In 1974, Rusty had a healthy season. He led the Mets in hits and RBIs. In 1975, he set a Mets record with 105 RBIs. He was the first Mets player to get over 100 RBIs in a season.
Playing for the Detroit Tigers
Rusty was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 1975. In his three years with the Tigers, he hit .277. He also hit 70 home runs and had 358 RBIs. He was voted to start the All-Star Game in 1976.
In 1978, Rusty made history. He became the first player to play all 162 regular-season games only as a designated hitter. This meant he didn't play in the field at all. This helped him focus on hitting. He finished second in the Major Leagues with 121 RBIs. He was also named an All-Star designated hitter.
Later Career Years
In 1979, Rusty was traded back to the Montreal Expos. He played 38 games with them. In 1980, he played for the Texas Rangers. He had a .300 batting average that year.
He then signed with the New York Mets again in 1980. The Mets used him as a part-time player and coach. He was still a good hitter. In 1983, he set a National League record with eight straight pinch-hits. He also tied a Major League record with 25 RBIs as a pinch hitter. His final game was on October 6, 1985.
Retirement and Honors
 |
|
| Rusty Staub's number 10 was retired by the Montreal Expos in 1993. |
Rusty Staub's career ended in 1985 when he was 41 years old. He was only 284 hits away from reaching 3,000 hits. He is the only Major League player to have 500 hits with four different teams. He is also one of only a few players to hit home runs both before turning 20 and after turning 40.
Rusty was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1986. He also received an honorary degree from Niagara University. His high school, Jesuit High School, gives an award named after him to their baseball team leader. In 2006, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In 2012, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Charitable Work
Rusty Staub was also known for his amazing charity work. In 1986, he started the Rusty Staub Foundation. This foundation helps provide scholarships for young people and fights hunger.
In 1985, he founded the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund. This fund supports the families of New York City police officers, firefighters, and emergency workers who died while on duty. After the events of September 11, 2001, Rusty's organization helped many families affected by the tragedy.
After Baseball
After his playing career, Rusty worked as a television announcer for Mets games from 1986 to 1995. He also served as a goodwill ambassador for the New York Mets. He was a vice president for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.
In 2006, Rusty teamed up with Mascot Books to publish his first children's book, Hello, Mr. Met.
Illness and Death
In 2015, Rusty Staub had a heart attack while on a flight. Doctors on the plane helped save his life. He was taken to a hospital in Ireland for surgery. Rusty Staub passed away on March 29, 2018, just a few days before his 74th birthday. He died from multiple organ failure after being in the hospital for several weeks.
See also
- Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders
