Mike Shannon retiring after 2021 season

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Mike Shannon retiring after 2021 season

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Year Long Celebration of Mike Shannon
The Cardinals on Thursday announced a season-long campaign to honor radio voice Mike Shannon during his 50th, and final, season in the booth. The 81-year-old Shannon, recovering from a rough bout with the coronavirus last fall, will call roughly 50 Cardinals home games this season.

The campaign, presented by Budweiser, will feature former Cardinals players and celebrities congratulating Shannon and sharing their stories of the Cardinals Hall of Famer via recorded tributes that will become part of the in-game entertainment at Busch Stadium. Shannon’s own memories of his nine-season career with the Cardinals and his discussions with former teammates, players and broadcasters will also be featured on Cardinals radio broadcasts.

The year-long celebration of Shannon’s career will also include a Mike Shannon bobblehead promotional giveaway for fans attending a Cardinals home game later this season, display cases of Shannon memorabilia inside Cardinals Nation restaurant from his playing and broadcasting career and the launch of a website for fans to re-live Shannon’s most famous calls and highlights at cardinals.com/shannon50.

“I really appreciate this,” Shannon told the Post-Dispatch.

“The brewery has been very good to me. The Cardinals have been very good to me. Right time at the right place, you know.”

Shannon signed in 1958 with the Cardinals out of the University of Missouri where he was an aspiring freshman quarterback, so he has been with the Cardinals’ organization in eight different decades.

“They got their money’s worth,” said Shannon, laughing.

“I don’t think there’s a complaint on either side.”

Pretty fitting that the celebratory campaign is sponsored by ice cold frosty Budweiser. Well deserved.

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Re: Mike Shannon retiring after 2021 season

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Mike Shannon retiring after 2021 season

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On his 82nd birthday, Thursday, Cardinals legend Mike Shannon talked to Fox 2 News about a fan he credits with helping to save his life from COVID-19. That fan has become a friend.

Shannon attended a birthday bash at his restaurant in Edwardsville. The long-time Cardinals player and broadcaster noted someone very important was missing.

It was Cardinals fan, Rich O’Neal. He had to work and couldn’t make the party. In May, Fox 2 reported on O’Neal and his “Mike Shannon” autographed ball.

O’Neal is a vice-president for Regeneron, makers of one of the top drugs for treating COIVD-19. Part of his job is to get the medication to the most people possible.

One of those people turned out to be Mike Shannon.

“I’d be dead if it wasn’t for this guy,” Shannon said. “His name is O’Neal. he and his wife live out in St. Charles.”

In their home is that prized “Mike Shannon” ball, which Rich saw at a souvenir stand in the Houston Astro’s spring training stadium in Florida, the very same day he’d read a news article about Regeneron’s medication helping Shannon get better.

“I got out of the hospital, let’s put it that way,” Shannon laughed.

“I told the doctor, ‘I’m leaving tomorrow. If I have to leave naked, I’ll leave naked.’ he said, ‘I believe you.’ He let me out. Anyway if it wasn’t for Mr. O’Neal, I’d be a dead man … he bought that ball and he saved my tail.”

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Radbird
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Re: Mike Shannon retiring after 2021 season

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CardsofSTL
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Re: Mike Shannon retiring after 2021 season

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Good old Mike was still moving really slow on Opening Day. Kudos to the way John Rooney helped him get through his final season. I hope his health improves and that he can focus on enjoying the rest of his life. Always have had big love for big Mike.

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