R.I.P. Marv Staehle

Former Montreal Expos second baseman Marv Staehle has passed away.

October 5, 2022

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Former Montreal Expos second baseman Marv Staehle has died.

Staehle, who played for the Expos in 1969 and 1970, passed away Sept. 30 at age 80 but the news only began picking up steam today, according to a Facebook notice.

Staehle batted a solid 7-for-17 in his first tour of duty with the Expos in 1969 after he was obtained from the Seattle Pilots on Sept. 13.

Staehle hit the only home run of his big-league career late in the 1969 season against Philadelphia. It took place Sept. 21 at Jarry Park against Lowell Palmer.

"I hit a rope that wasn't very high and I took off,'' he told American reporter Bill Traughber in 2016. "I was in a full sprint. By the time it left the ballpark, I was half way to second base and had to slow down.''

Staehle, a lefty-hitting batter, was platooned at second with Gary Sutherland in 1970 and batted .218 with no homers and 26 RBI in 372 plate appearances. On the other hand, Sutherland batted much the same. He hit .206 with three homers and the same number of ribbies as Staehle.

"I got an opportunity to play in Montreal and platooned with Gary Sutherland at second base. A lot of my skills had diminished by then,'' Staehle told Traughber. "In those days, I used to play in Puerto Rico, Venezuela and in the Dominican. I was playing about 200 games a year.

"I had speed and when you are playing 200 games a year, you are more susceptible to injuries. My body basically broke down. I've had about 12 surgeries in my life for replacement of hips and knees of which I contribute to baseball."

Staehle spent most of the early part of his career in the Chicago White Sox system and played briefly for the Toronto Maple Leafs' Triple-A club in 1963.