Mike Shannon, a two-time World Series winner and longtime St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster, has died. He was 83.
The Cardinals said he died Saturday night in St. Louis. The team did not cite the cause of death.
“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 Bill DeWitt Jr. said in a statement Sunday.
Shannon spent 50 years in the broadcast booth, starting in 1972. That followed a short stint in the front office and a nine-year playing career with his hometown team, the first two seasons with future Hall of Famer Stan Musial.
Joe Buck, a longtime friend of Shannon’s and onetime radio partner, said Shannon was a big influence on his career.
“I learned broadcasting from my father (Hall of Fame announcer Jack Buck) but I learned baseball from Mike,” Buck said in a phone interview. “He was a loyal and great man. I didn’t know anyone who had more fun. He had the best schedule and always had stuff going on.”
Shannon was the regular right fielder for the 1964 championship team and moved to third base in 1967, when St. Louis acquired Roger Maris and won another World Series.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.