NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 29: Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets pitches to Dexter Fowler #25 of the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning on Opening Day at Citi Field on March 29, 2018 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, the baseball world learned that a beloved former player passed away.
John Stearns, who was a four-time All-Star for the New York Mets, passed away on Thursday, according to multiple reports. He was 71 years old.
Stearns was a two-sport athlete in college, getting drafted into both the MLB and the NFL. He eventually chose baseball, and spent just one game with the Philadelphia Phillies before he was traded to the Mets.
He went on to have a stellar career, earning four trips to the All-Star game.
Baseball fans flocked to social media to remember the iconic player.
“Sad news. A piece of my childhood as a lifelong Mets fan. I remember him making T shirts that said ‘we can win’. RIP,” one fan said.
“I’m so saddened to hear about John Stearns passing. He was always so kind to me in my youth regardless of what happened on the field. What a legacy our beloved Bad Dude leaves behind,” said another fan.
Our thoughts are with the Stearns family.
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