DETROIT — While playing for the New York Mets in the 1980s, Clint Hurdle had a standing card game. He, Wally Backman, Ron Gardenhire and Rusty Staub played on every flight.
“He demanded a lot of himself, he demanded a lot of his teammates,” Hurdle said of Staub, who died Thursday at 73. “A great big man with a bigger heart, a huge laugh, a zest for life. Loved to compete, loved to play the game.”
In 23 seasons in the major leagues, Staub made six All-Star teams. He spent nine years with the Mets, six with the Houston Astros, parts of four with the Montreal Expos and Detroit Tigers, and one season with the Texas Rangers.