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Media Views: Shannon could be entering final season as Cards broadcaster https://t.co/AewmKFd9uG
— STL Cardinals News (@STLCardsNews) January 15, 2021
One of my earliest memories is at a game in old Busch on Grand, sitting above the outfield fence and the outfielder in front of us was Mike Shannon. I’m guessing 1966. He’s been a big part of my enjoyment of the game my whole life.
Mike is a Cardinal institution. He has noticeably slipped some the last few years with trouble recalling names.
My first memory of Mike was probably from 1964. My dad mentioned that the Cardinals have this kid who Harry Caray said has the best outfield arm we’ve seen in a long time.
Mike played a big part in the Cardinal’s second half surge to the pennant that year. He stabilized right field, like Brock did left.
Funny bicyclemike, but I didnt realize Mike Shannon played RF until after I started playing Strat-O-Matic. He was always the Cardinals 3rdbaseman to me. I guess when I got old enough to know what the game was about was about the same time that he moved to 3rd because Roger Maris came onboard.
r/Esteemed Rat
Mike was also an outstanding college football player at Missouri. Frank Broyles, the longtime Arkansas football coach who briefly coached at Missouri, said that Mike was good enough to win the heisman if he had stayed with football.
I was raised on Mike Shannon and Jack Buck. They are Cardinal institutions indeed. I hope he has a great final year. I imagine he will still be seen around the ballpark like Red was.
Good point about Shannon’s football prowess gscottar. He was one of the better high school athletes in the St. Louis area. Charlie James was similar – in fact I think James played football for Missouri.
In the early years of Mike’s broadcasting career I was not real fond of his style. He was a little gruff, and I preferred more fluent styles that Caray and Buck had. But after a few years the Buck/Shannon team found their rhythm, and throughout the ‘80s were a terrific team. Mike had a lot of enthusiasm back then. He has lost most of that now as quite often he sounds tired and almost bored during the broadcasts.
Somewhat ironic that he had to switch positions when Roger Maris came over to the club, as he and Maris developed a great friendship.
I don’t think Mike ever liked playing third base. He would have much preferred staying in the outfield, but was a team player and worked hard to be a passable third sacker.
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