Jerry Grote, the longtime New York Mets catcher and part of their 1969 World Series championship team, died Sunday due to respiratory failure after a heart procedure in Austin, Texas, his family announced. He was 81.

Grote, known especially for his defense, played 16 seasons, 12 for the New York Mets, before serving as the backup catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977-78. In 1981, his final year in the majors, he played in 22 games for the Kansas City Royals and two for the Dodgers.

After seemingly coming out of nowhere to win the World Series over the Baltimore Orioles in five games in 1968, Grote and the Mets also reached the Series in 1973, falling in seven games to the Oakland Athletics. The Dodgers won the National League pennant in 1977-78, but fell to the New York Yankees in six games each time.

In a statement released by the Mets, Ed Kranepool, who spent his entire 18-year career with the team, called Grote “the best defensive catcher in the NL when he played. Johnny Bench once told me, ‘If he was on the Reds, I would be playing third base.'”

Jon Matlack, who pitched for the Mets for seven seasons, said, “He was the best catcher I ever threw to. I don’t think I ever shook him off once.”

Grote, a two-time All-Star, had a career .252 batting average with 39 home runs and 404 RBIs.

–Field Level Media