Mike Shannon

Thomas Michael "Mike" Shannon (born July 15, 1939) is an American former Major League Baseball player and current radio sportscaster.

Shannon is a radio broadcaster for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was raised in St. Louis, Missouri and played with the Cardinals during some of the team's most successful years. Additionally, he is the proprietor of Mike Shannon's Steaks and Seafood in downtown St. Louis, but the restaurant is set to close January 30.

Biography

Early life

Shannon was born and raised in south St. Louis at 7045 Winona Avenue. Mike was the 2nd oldest of six children of Thomas A. Shannon and Elizabeth W. Richason Shannon. Mike's dad was a St. Louis Police Officer and after getting his law degree, worked in the Prosecuting Attorney's office before becoming the Prosecuting Attorney for the City of St. Louis in the early 70's.

Mike attended grade school at Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic School, and graduated from Christian Brothers College High School in 1957. While at CBC Mike was the Missouri High School Player of the Year in both football and basketball his senior year. He is the only athlete to win both awards in the same year. He attended the University of Missouri before leaving in 1958 to begin his professional baseball career after signing with Bing Devine, GM of the St. Louis Cardinals. Shannon has commented that if football players were paid better during his era, he probably would have stayed at Missouri and sought a professional football career. He believed himself a better football player, and his former coach, Frank Broyles, commented that had he stayed in school, Shannon might have won the Heisman Trophy.