Intro

Rusty Staub's great batting stroke kept him in the big leagues for more than two decades. He was a non-typical ballplayer, preferring fine cuisine and the theater to ballpark food and strip joints. Staub almost carried the 1973 Mets to a World Series championship, hitting .423 with 11 hits in the seven-game loss. An accomplished chef, after his playing career Staub devoted his time to a successful New York restaurant before entering the Mets' front office.

Best Season

He led the NL in doubles (44), and finished in the top ten in hits, OPS, OBP, and slugging. Staub batted .333, 5th in the league.

Factoid 1

Rusty Staub is the only player to collect at least 500 hits with four different teams (Houston, Montreal, New York Mets, and Detroit).

Factoid 2

In 1984, Rusty Staub became the second player to hit a home run in the major leagues as a teenager and a 40-year-old. The other player is Ty Cobb.

Transition

In the '82 off-season Staub nearly signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent, but declined at the last minute and returned to the Mets.

Notes

Staub was known as one of the slowest runners of his era, especially after he turned 30. In his last 1,268 games Rusty attempted just 16 steals, but was successful 12 times... On September 27, 1963 Houston fielded a lineup of nine rookies. In the lineup that day was Joe Morgan at second base and Rusty Staub at first. The Colt 54s lost 10-3 to the Mets.