The New York Mets announced Friday that four-time All-Star catcher John Stearns passed away late Thursday night at 71. Stearns had been battling cancer.

Stearns appeared in 810 games during an 11-year MLB career, 809 of those appearances coming with the Mets.

"No one played the game with more spirit or determination than John Stearns. He literally willed himself to attend Old Timers’ Day last month so he could visit friends and old teammates. Despite his illness, he even managed to step into the batting cage to take a few swings," Mets President Sandy Alderson said in a statement.