After a protracted battle with cancer, John Stearns, the fiery catcher who spent a decade playing for the Mets in the 1970s and 1980s, passed away on Thursday. He was 71.
Less than three weeks before his death, Stearns “literally willed himself to attend” Old-Timers’ Day at Citi Field, as Mets president Sandy Alderson put it, “so he could visit friends and old teammates.” Stearns even stepped into the batting cage to swing a bat before the game.
“His nickname, ‘Bad Dude,’ couldn’t have been more appropriate,” Alderson wrote in a statement.
Stearns, a four-time All-Star, began his career with the Phillies in 1974 before joining the Mets in the five-player trade that sent Tug McGraw to Philadelphia.
During 11 seasons, he hit.260 with 46 home runs. With the Mets, Stearns established a reputation as a dynamic presence behind the plate, accruing more defensive WAR than every other catcher in franchise history—all but Jerry Grote—during his time there.
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Perhaps Stearns’ most infamous moment occurred on June 30, 1978, when he stood his ground to block home plate while playing against the Pirates, tagging out Dave Parker for the game’s final out. Parker was hurt in the collision, breaking his jaw.
“No one played the game harder than John,” said former teammate and manager Joe Torre. “He never came to the park in a bad mood. All he wanted to do was win. To be a four-time All-Star is something special.”
A tweet from New York Mets’ official account remarked, “RIP Bad Dude. ”-
RIP Bad Dude. pic.twitter.com/9BHG9FQXQn
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 16, 2022
Stearns, a recognized basepath player, has the six highest single-season totals for stolen bases by a Mets catcher. His 91 career saves are more than six times as many as the next Mets catcher.
In his later years, Stearns worked as a scout, coach, and Minor League manager for the Mets and other clubs. Before visiting New York for Old-Timers’ Day this August, he last played in a Mariners affiliate game in 2013.
“As a coach, he always had your back,” said John Franco, a former Mets closer. “I saw how sick he was at Old Timers’ Day, and I think he was holding on just to get back to the ballpark and see some of the guys one more time.”
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