St. Louis-born Mike Shannon, who played for the Cardinals and then was their broadcaster for 50 years, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 83.
“He was our voice, our friend, and an icon for generations,” the team posted to social media. “We are heartbroken to learn of the passing of Cardinals legend and St. Louis native son Mike Shannon.”
“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,” Cardinals owner and CEO Bill DeWitt, Jr. said. “On behalf of the entire Cardinals organization, we share our condolences with Mike’s family and friends, and his many fans.”
While the team did not announce his cause of death, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said he suffered from long-haul COVID-19. He most recently attended a game in St. Louis on April 19 and had been “ill off and on” because of the virus, per the report.
Born July 15, 1939, Shannon played multiple sports at Christian Brothers College High School and collegiately at Missouri. He made his major league debut on Sept. 11, 1962, and played his final game on Aug. 12, 1970, retiring due to nephritis, a kidney condition.
In between, he won World Series with the Cardinals in 1964 and 1967. He hit the final home run at old Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis and, in 1966, the first homer by a Cardinals player at the new Busch Memorial Stadium.
An outfielder in his first five seasons and primarily a third baseman in his final four, Shannon played 882 games for the Cardinals. He had a lifetime average of .255 with 116 doubles, 68 home runs and 367 RBIs.
Shannon moved to the broadcast booth in 1972 and was the teams radio voice for 50 years until his retirement. He also was a local restaurateur.
“My dad’s life was encapsulated by his devotion to his family, his friends, the Cardinals’ organization and the St. Louis community,” one of his children, Tim Shannon, said in a statement to the Post-Dispatch. “My dad lived his life to the fullest, and he squeezed every drop from it.”
–Field Level Media