Happy Birthday, Le Grande Orange!

Best wishes to one of my favorite all time Mets, Rusty Staub! No April Fools joke, Rusty was one of the smartest and toughest hitters around. He’s the only man to have 500 hits with 4 different teams, and retired as one of the top pinch hitters of all time.

In 1973, Staub separated his shoulder robbing Dan Driessen of a hit in Game 4 of the NLCS at Shea. Despite the shoulder injury and a concussion from crashing into the fence, he hit .423 in the World Series against the Oakland A’s. Were it not for some questionable decisions by manager Yogi Berra (like starting Tom Seaver on 2 days rest in Game 6 with the Amazins looking to close out the Series) Staub might well have been the Series M-V-P,
I had the thrill of seeing what turned out to be his final big league homer at Shea in 1985. You’d have thought he just hit a game winning blast! I remember feeling sad for both Rusty and Tom Seaver in 1986, wishing both could be part of the championship team.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP...

Rusty was as influential in the community as on the field. The ribs at his restaurant were the best I’ve ever had! Since the 9-11 attacks alone, Staub’s Police, Fire Widows and Children’s Benefit Fund-founded in 1986- has raised nearly $120 million dollars. In 2006, Rusty was honored by The Sean Kimerling Testicular Cancer Foundation (in honor of Sean Kimerling, WPIX aports anchor who passed away in 2003) for his charitable efforts.

Rusty’s memories of Shea are here on our blog, check it out. Three cheers for one of the most popular players on both sides of the Canadian border.

So Happy 64th Rusty, I think you could still get a base hit if Willie Randolph needed you in a pinch!

Rusty Shares His Memories of Shea Stadium with the CW11: