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the angels & mlb remember

learned their language. players and coaches donated their entire salaries
He made three straight All-Star teams with Mon- from their first game back, about $450,000, to
treal and hit a career-high 30 home runs for the Staub’s foundation.
last-place Expos in 1970. Though he spent only Staub also has helped serve up meals to thou-
three full seasons in Montreal, plus a 38-game sands of hungry and homeless people at food
reunion in 1979, his No. 10 became the first uni- pantries all over New York City through Catholic
form jersey retired by the team in 1993. Charities, with funds from his annual golf tourna- in memoriam
Long after the Expos moved to Washington and ment and wine auction dinner.
were renamed the Nationals before the 2005 Playing mostly right field and some first base,
season, he remains one of the most beloved too, Staub retired with a .279 (2716/9720) career
players in franchise history. average, 292 home runs and 1,466 RBI.
Staub was traded to the Mets in 1972 and one He was the only player with at least 500 hits for
year later helped lead them to a surprising N.L. four teams (Astros, Expos, Mets and Tigers) and
pennant. Spurred by a now-famous rallying cry he joins Ty Cobb, Alex Rodriguez and Gary Shef-
from reliever Tug McGraw — “Ya Gotta Believe!” field as the lone players to homer in the Majors
— the Mets upset heavily favored Cincinnati, before age 20 and after 40.
with Staub registering three home runs in the Staub had a .362 career on-base percentage. He
first four games of their best-of-five N.L. playoff. drew 1,255 walks and struck out only 888 times
Staub separated his right shoulder when he in over 2,951 games.
crashed hard into the outfield wall to make a
fantastic catch in the 11th inning of Game 4. He BOB WAGNER, a former ex-
sat out Tom Seaver’s decisive win in Game 5 and ecutive who served with both
missed the World Series opener against Oakland, the Angels and Anaheim Ducks,
yet returned to the lineup the following game. passed away last May 23rd. He
Barely able to make weak, underhand throws was 60.
during the Series, he still batted .423 (11/26) Known to his family and friends
with a home run, two doubles and six RBI as as “Bob”, “Wags” or “Daddy
New York lost in seven games. In all, Staub hit Wags,” Bob was a proud native of
.341 (14/41) with 11 RBI in his only postseason, a Seal Beach, CA.
clutch and gritty performance that endeared him Bob was a well-known executive in the Sports
to Mets fans forever. and Entertainment industry in the Southern
In 1975, he became the first Mets player to drive California area for 35 years, working for organi-
in 100 runs in a season, setting a club record with zations such as the Angels, Anaheim Ducks, the
105 that wasn’t broken until 1990. National Hot Rod Association, Cedar Fair Enter-
New York traded Staub to Detroit in December tainment and the LA84 Foundation.
1975 and he made his final All-Star team with the The ultimate accomplishment of his distin-
Tigers in 1976. He had 121 RBI and finished fifth guished career in the sports world was in 2007
in A.L. MVP voting in ‘78, becoming the first Ma- when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup.
jor Leaguer to play all 162 games in a season at A strong family man, Bob’s greatest personal
designated hitter. honor was in 2011 when he was awarded “Father
Staub re-signed with the Mets before the 1981 of the Year” by the American Diabetes Associa-
season and was a player-coach for them in ‘82. tion of Orange County.
Late in his career, often sporting black batting He volunteered and served on the boards of nu-
gloves and choking way up on the bat, he be- merous organizations including CHOC Hospital,
came one of baseball’s best pinch-hitters, tying the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, Santa Margar-
an N.L. record in 1983 with eight consecutive ita Catholic High School, Long Beach State Sports
pinch-hits and equaling a Major League mark Advisory Council, the LA84 Foundation, and Spe-
with 25 pinch-hit RBI. cial Olympics just to name a few. He also was a
His final season was 1985, one year before the guest speaker, mentor and teacher at several
Mets won the World Series. After spending nine MBA programs throughout the country special-
seasons with New York, he was inducted into izing in Sports Management.
the team’s Hall of Fame in ‘86 and when he was The Angels family also remembers others who
honored at Shea Stadium, smiling ex-teammates worked or were affiliated with the organization
such as Keith Hernandez and Darryl Strawberry we lost in recent months: STACEY DONOVAN
wore long, orange wigs for the on-field ceremo- – daughter of former Los Angeles Times sports-
ny. writer Pete Donovan, KEN HAMILTON – Event
Staub worked as an announcer on Mets televi- Staff Captain, NICK O’LOUGHLIN – former An-
sion broadcasts from 1986-95. He was inducted gels minor leaguer and San Bernardino County
into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006 and Sheriff’s Department Deputy, JERRY TOBOLSKI –
the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2012. Usher and RANDY WINGFIELD – Parking Cashier
At the end of his distinguished career, Staub Captain.
founded the New York Police and Fire Widows’
and Children’s Benefit Fund. The charity has
raised tens of millions of dollars and provided
additional support to families of first responders
killed in the line of duty.
Following the 9-11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Mets
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