On the eve of another baseball season, one of its great ambassadors passed away with the great loss of Rusty Staub. He was 73 years old.
Opening Day is here once again, the eternal renewal of spring for so many across America. Unfortunately, the baseball world must give due pause on Thursday morning, as the news of Rusty Staub makes it way around the country. Staub, a star with the Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Houston Colt .45’s/Astros, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers, passed away at 73 years old. The cause of his death is multiple organ failures.
Staub was a fantastic hitter during his playing days, racking up 2,716 hits and 292 home runs, along with a .279 average. However, Staub’s impact went well behind the box score. The man known as Le Grand Orange for his bright hair played on the expansion Expos in 1969, the first Canadian team in Major League Baseball.
Staub played the first six years of his career in Houston before going to Montreal via trade. He immediately endeared himself to the bilingual fanbase by learning how to speak French, showcasing a willingness to become one with the Canadian faithful. He was the franchise’s first big star in a period where wins were hard to come by. Ultimately, Staub was traded to the Mets in 1972, following five consecutive All-Star campaigns.
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In New York, Staub played in the 1973 World Series during his four-year stint with the Mets before being dealt to the Tigers in exchange for Mickey Lolich. Staub’s first year in Detroit would be his sixth and final All-Star appearance.
The red-haired star finished out his 23-year career by returning to Montreal in 1979, moving to Texas for one year in ’80, and then enjoying five more campaigns with the Mets before retiring after the 1985 season.