We’re going to be doing something a little different today on “The Cooperstown case”!
When it comes to announcers, they aren’t inducted into Cooperstown like typical players and managers, but instead are presented with the Ford C. Frick Award. Legendary Cardinals announcer Jack Buck was presented with the Ford C. Frick Award, but there’s another Cardinals announcer who hasn’t.
And he has been with the Cardinals organization since 1962.
That man is Cardinals Hall of Famer Mike Shannon.
In 1962, Shannon made his Major League Baseball debut for St. Louis. He was a part of the highly-successful Cardinals’ teams of the 1960’s, and took part of three World Series teams (1964, 1967, 1968).
1966 was one of Shannon’s best seasons in the majors. He posted a .288 batting average in 137 total games played, to go along with 16 home runs and 64 RBI’s. But overall, 1968 (which was dubbed the “Year of the Pitcher”), is the season considered to be his best. That season, he played in 156 games, hit 15 home runs and 79 RBI’s, along with a batting average of .266. A lot of those statistics were enough for Shannon to place seventh in the voting for the MVP (which eventually went to teammate Bob Gibson).
He also was notable for his performances during the postseason. In Game 3 of the 1967 World Series, Shannon hit a crucial home run off of Red Sox pitcher Gary Bell. He also hit a solo home run in Game 7 of the 1968 World Series off of Tigers pitcher Mickey Lolich (though the Cardinals wound up losing the game).
In total, he had a career batting average of .255, 68 home runs, and 367 RBI’s.
After contracting a kidney disease known as nephritis, his playing career was cut short in 1970.
Immediately, Shannon joined the broadcast booth at KMOX, where for nearly 30 years, he was paired up with the legendary Buck. Since 2006, he has worked alongside John Rooney, who was formerly an announcer with the White Sox.
He’s known for his famous signature line when a home run is hit: “Here’s a long one to left/center/right, get up baby, get up, get up…oh yeah!”
With every legendary announcer, Shannon has cut back his schedule. Despite that, he still is a fixture in St. Louis, and has been for 55 years.
So does that make him a worthy recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award?
Feel free to give your thoughts, and tune in next week for another edition of “The Cooperstown case!”
