R.I.P.: Mike Shannon, MLB Cardinals Voice of Summer

Thomas Michael Shannon (1939-2023)

Mike Shannon, a three sports star , heralded Missouri Tigers quarterback prospect, member of Cardinals World Series winners and team radio broadcaster for a half-century, has died. He was 83, reports St. Louis public radio.

“My dad’s life was encapsulated by his devotion to his family, his friends, the Cardinals organization and the St. Louis community,” Shannon’s son, Tim, said in a statement Sunday. “My dad lived his life to the fullest, and he squeezed every drop from it.”

Shannon was known for entertaining listeners with his baseball insight and confounding them with his singular remarks.

He developed distinctive calls. “Ole Abner has done it again” credited Abner Doubleday, often said as a team’s best hitters came up to bat with the game on the line.

When a runner was on base and a ball was hit between outfielders, Shannon pronounced it “a peck of trouble.” His signature home run call, spoken as a fly ball sailed toward the outfield fence, was “Get up, baby! Get up!”

When there were no words, there was the chuckle. “He can save any situation with that little cackle that he had,” the “heh heh heh,” Joe Buck wrote. “When he does it, it just makes you smile.”

Remarks that went off track became known as Shannonisms, and there were articles and websites devoted to them. They included:

• “It’s Mother’s Day today, so to all the mothers out there, happy birthday.”
• “It's raining so hard I thought it was going to stop.”
• “The outfield is deep and playing him straight away and the infield is the same except first, second, third and short are playing him to pull.”

Bob Costas wrote, “The bloopers and the malaprops were as endearing as they were legendary.”

He was our voice, our friend, and an icon for generations.

We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Cardinals legend and St. Louis native son Mike Shannon. pic.twitter.com/4JPRbnUUaj

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) April 30, 2023

Mike Shannon

With his talent and longevity, Shannon crossed eras. He was recruited by, played for or worked with coaches and managers including Frank Broyles, Dan Devine, Johnny Keane, Red Schoendienst, Whitey Herzog and Tony LaRussa. He played alongside Stan Musial’s son in high school, then the Man himself in the major leagues. Once there, his teammates included Bob Gibson, Roger Maris and Lou Brock.

As a broadcaster, he described the play of Cardinals stars Ted Simmons and Keith Hernandez through Albert Pujols and Paul Goldschmidt. After Shannon made the Cardinals roster, Musial, who played into his 40s, famously said, “When your teammates are your kids’ playmates, it’s time to retire.”

The KMOX broadcast booth was where Shannon made his biggest imprint, partnered with Hall of Famer Jack Buck. Shannon was not an immediate success there. A kidney ailment had forced his retirement as a player, and he lacked experience as a broadcaster.

“The St. Louis Cardinals were saddened to learn this morning of the passing of Cardinals Hall of Famer and beloved St. Louisan Mike Shannon,” Cardinals owner and CEO Bill DeWitt Jr. said in a statement. “Mike’s unique connection to Cardinals fans and his teammates was reflected in his unbridled passion for the game, the Cardinals, and the St. Louis community. On behalf of the entire Cardinals organization, we share our condolences with Mike’s family and friends, and his many fans.”

Shannon played nine seasons for the Cardinals, hitting a home run in each of the three World Series in which he played. He homered off New York's Whitey Ford in his first World Series game, at Busch Stadium I in 1964. He homered in his final at-bat, off Detroit's Mickey Lolich, in his 21st and last World Series game, in 1968 at Busch Stadium II. In between homered against Boston at Fenway Park in the 1967 World Series. The Cardinals won two of those three World Series, in 1964 and ’67.