Photography by Dilip Vishwanat
It’s not every sports announcer who has such a gift for the comical bon mot, he’s honored with a website that randomly generates his classic quotations. Mike Shannon, the subject of Shannonisms (shannonisms.com), clearly has a way with words, though sometimes words have their way with him. On the occasion of the former Cardinal and longtime radio announcer’s induction into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame, we explain four favorite Shannonisms.
“Mmm-mmm-mmm, mmm-mmm mmm-mmm.” It sounds like Shannon has just taken a bite of something delicious, but in truth, he’s enjoying the deliciousness of the situation. When, say, the game is tied and a Cardinals runner takes a huge lead at third, clearly rattling the opposing pitcher, Shannon is enjoying himself, and the radio audience is, too.
“The worm has turned!” When the pre-sumptive winning team takes a fall and begins to smell much more like the losing team, Shannon may well offer this charming expression for the vagaries of fate.
“Get up, baby, get up!” Like a golfer or a bowler willing the projectile to its target with body English, Shannon’s imprecations to the ball to clear the fence for a Cardinals home run may not affect the game, but they often make listeners “get up,” right out of their seats.
“Ol’ Abner has done it again.” Shannon’s famous gush of gratitude for the apocryphal inventor of baseball, Abner Doubleday, this one is reserved for late in the game, when the drama has made for a particularly wild and satisfying affair.
