68 young years in the world and 50 years in Baseball, Mike Shannon is a true treasure to the St. Louis Cardinals, the state of Missouri and to Sports Broadcasting.
Born Thomas Michael Shannon, he was the second oldest of six kids, raised on the south side of St. Louis. His senior year in high school he was, Player of the Year in Football and Basketball (only student ever to win both in the same year) ... but not...? okay LOL He went on to play football at the University of Missouri but would leave in 1958 to begin his baseball career with the Cardinals. His former coach, Frank Broyles said that if Shannon had stayed at MU Football, he might have won the Heisman.
With the Cardinals as a player, he helped the team to two World Championships in 1964 and 1967, in July of 66 he was named NL Player of the Month. Shannon hit the final home run in the original Busch Stadium and then hit the first homerun in the second Busch Stadium, his playing career was cut short in 1970 when he was diagnosed with a kidney disease. He would go on to be part of three more World Championships as part of the Cardinals broadcast team.
In 1971 he began in the radio broadcast booth alongside the legendary, Jack Buck and was partnered with him for almost 30 years, in 2002 Shannon was named as the lead broadcaster, and he's been there ever since. Shannon was inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014 and in 2016 he moved to only broadcasting home games, 2021 will be his final season broadcasting for the team.
For many years he was the proprietor of, Mike Shannon's Steak & Seafood House in downtown St. Louis (I've got four of the original dinner menus) and still has two, Mike Shannon's Grill, one in Edwardsville IL and one, that many eat at, in the St Louis airport, I always stop in for a bite when traveling.
Growing up a Royals fan, I missed the last part of the Jack Buck era, but since becoming a Cardinals fan, Mike Shannon has been the The Man when it comes to the radio calls of the Cards games and it's not going to be the same without him.
Happy Birthday Mike, and Thank You. 💖⚾
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My sports collection shelf, dedicated to Mike Shannon, just to the left is a couple of things for Michael Wacha (wacha wacha) 😆
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