BANGOR, Maine — It was supposed to be a weekend to remember for Matt Stairs, with his induction into New Brunswick’s Sports Hall of Fame.
But the weekend was marred for the former Major League Baseball player when his home in Bangor was burglarized while he was away in Canada.
Stairs, a native of Moncton, New Brunswick, was in that city Saturday night when one of his daughters called him and told him the house had been broken into.
“As soon as I heard I jumped in the car and drove the five hours to get back,” Stairs said in a telephone interview Wednesday morning.
Stairs said the burglars took jewelry, including his National League and American League championship rings, a National League championship pendant belonging to his wife and some watches.
Stairs declined to say whether he had notified any pawnshops in the Bangor area of the thefts. The NLCS and ALCS rings have his name on them.
“I just basically reported what was taken, and [I’ll] let Bangor PD take care of the rest,” said Stairs, who was wearing his World Series ring, which he won in 2008 with the Philadelphia Phillies, at the time of the Hall of Fame induction.
He is happy his family was OK, and said he hopes police are able to catch the perpetrators soon.
“What makes me angry is that someone violates your privacy and breaks into your house,” said Stairs. “Let me put it this way: It won’t happen again.”
Stairs’ Bangor home does have a security system, but he said the burglars went through a window in the home that didn’t trigger the alarm.
“The bottom line is it was some punk breaking in and making an easy [getaway],” he said.
Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards confirmed that police responded to a report of a burglary in the area on Saturday, but he declined to give specifics. He said no arrests have been made.
Stairs, who broke into the major leagues in 1992 with the Montreal Expos, played 19 seasons in the big leagues with 12 different teams, the most of any position player in MLB history. He also holds the MLB record for most career pinch-hit home runs with 23, including one for the Phillies in the 2008 NLCS against the Dodgers.
That blast, in Game 4 of the series, proved to be the game-winning run for the Phillies, who won the series in five games en route to their World Series triumph.
Stairs played for the Expos, Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals.
He was a member of the 2006 Detroit club that won the American League pennant.
Stairs, who currently works as a studio analyst for NESN on a part-time basis, finished his career with a .262 batting average, 265 home runs and 899 runs batted in.
Stairs hung up his cleats after the Nationals released him 2011.
He said the New Brunswick Hall of Fame typically waits until an athlete has been retired for five years before nominating him for induction.
“They passed that and put me in through eight months of retirement, so it’s quite an honor,” he said.
very sad
That stinks. He seems like a good dude.
Often times when someone is breaking in to steal valuables its not so much the price that makes it bad but it takes away a very large piece of someones life to remember… So sad… I hope he gets his memorabilia back!!
it also takes away something money can’t buy and can’t be replaced, and thats a persons sense of security in their OWN home… where Mr. stairs has money, i’m sure the police will find the perps, and the courts will make an example of them as well… Hope you get your things back Mr. stairs. I hope one day your family will get over this.
“Stairs, who broke into the major leagues in 1992” What are you thinking BDN? Awful pun given someone took advantage when they knew he would be away. Probably a sports buff. Jerks anyway.
He probably posted on Facebook that he would be out of town…
burglars should get the death penalty
death penalty for stealing? Geesh
That’s too harsh. Maybe just their hands chopped off.
calm down, now
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deterrence_%28legal%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremism
The stolen goods are going to show up somewhere . Amazon EBAY some hole in the wall shop. Keep your eyes and ears open. The thief will be bragging. Someone will turn em in.
The people who did this are scumbags. No doubt they did it to feed some drug habit.
I can’t wait for the day when I can move my family out of this State. Maine was once a good State to live in and raise a family in but now it full of dealers, crackheads and low lives who are literally ruining all that was good and decent about this place.
Going to jail is not enough of a penalty for such people.
what a shame. he seems like such a down to earth dude. no doubt bangor pillheads on the loose. hope they catch em…
that’s terrible, he is such a down to earth, blue collar guy. hope they catch the bangor pillheads.
Watch , they will be stupid enough to try and pawn them in bangor too. lol thats how they will get caught.
Matt, I am so sorry the Bangor community let you down. I hope those jokers get what’s coming to them. And I hope some Bangorites help bring them to justice for you.
This is pretty sad, he is nice man with a nice family and to have his weekend ruined is crap!! I hope they catch the person responsible this isn’t right. Whoever did it is pretty stupid cause you can’ t sell that kind of stuff without getting caught.
That is terrible and I hope someone turns in the persons who did this.
That is just awful I met Matt, when he was assistnt coach for the JOhn Bapst Hockey Team, Sorry that Happend to you Matt
Did that alarm system have motion detectors? If so that route from the window (and back?) seems to have been outside the motion detector range. Would a druggie burglar think enough to go back out through the window or would they walk out the door after robbing the place? Maybe they should check out those that knew about the layout of the security system? Maybe not a lucky amateur but someone who knew what they were doing.
Hmmmm… Steven King fires two, long standing, radio sports guys and within days, sports memorabelia is stolen…. gotta’ check that one out (Not really, just needling King).
Don’t hold your breath on Bangor PD sleuthing. When my dinghy was stolen at the waterfront, I handed them a pair of partially-emptied beer cans most certainly left by the thiefs.
“Couldn’t get usuable prints” was the response. Geesh, everyone who watches CSI and NCIS knows you can get not only print; but also DNA from two beer cans!
Unfortunately my experience with a burglary was similar in regards to investigation. I thought there were cameras on the waterfront docks.
Actually, just about every other marina in the area, including the metropolis of Ellsworth, has employed security cameras for many years. Our earstwhile City Fathers didn’t think it fit their budget, even with Federal assistance.
I’d want cameras on the waterfront to include the summer concerts and Folk Festival attendees.
Oh right CSI and NCIS… Those shows are real….
You mean they’re not? Gosh, and I was hoping to visit the crime lab at CSI Miami and CSI NY when next in town…
So, you’re saying the Bangor Police should NOT have been able to get fingerprints nor DNA off of two, recently used, beer cans? Guess all the finger printing I’ve had done for a Carry Permit and Federal TWIC background check weren’t needed.
Matt is a class act as a ballplayer and a human being and it truly is frustrating to see someone take advantage of his not being there and doing this to him. Obviously whoever did this knew what that stuff was worth and who’s house they were breaking in to. I hope that Matt recovers his rings and watches and his wife also recovers her items. I wouldnt imagine they would try pawning it right here in bangor but i would certainly check pawn shops in Waterville and Portland as well as Newport if any are there. Far too many scumbag in Bangor these days. Good Luck Matt, i know you are insured but that doesnt return what these items are truly worth to you.
Matt Stairs problem could be his notoriety, in that the news media announces when he will be out of town.
A lot of people who are on the internet announce their travel plans well in advance through Face Book or other social networks. Your friends may not be thieves but are you sure about all their friends or their friends friends?