ST. LOUIS — Mike Shannon, a staple of Cardinals baseball for more than 50 years between a playing career that included two World Series championships and decades in the broadcast booth has died at the age of 83, the team announced Sunday afternoon.

“The St. Louis Cardinals were saddened to learn this morning of the passing of Cardinals Hall of Famer and beloved St. Louisan Mike Shannon,” said Cardinals’ Owner & Chief Executive Officer 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.”

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

The team’s announcement did not include a cause of death.

Following a playing career at third base and the outfield that was cut short by kidney disease, Shannon ultimately landed in the radio booth, where he paired with Jack Buck to become part of the soundtrack of St. Louis for generations. 

Shannon spent fifty years behind the radio microphone before retiring at the end of the 2021 season. He has been a finalist for the national Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasting and was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014. Shannon missed opening day ceremonies at Busch Stadium which traditionally featured the team’s Hall of Famers last month.