“It’s a long one; it’s gotta chance, it’s a goner!”

“Molina with a drive, c’mon, get up; Get up, Baby! Home run, Yadier Molina!”

Those are just awesome, beautiful words.

These are the voices of Mike Shannon and Dan Mclaughlin as they broadcast the St. Louis Cardinals games over the radio and on television.

St. Louis Cardinals are the topic of all conversations for anyone who lives or works in the city of St. Louis and the St. Louis metropolitan area from April till usually October. That team brings life to this city. With Busch stadium being right in the heart of the city for all to see, whether driving on interstate 64 or at work in your cubicle, you always feel that pulse from just seeing the seats and the field.

Mike Shannon, who broadcasts on the radio has been the voice of the Cards for about 20 years!

Personally, I grew up hearing him as my dad would cook outside about every day in the summer. It was music to his ears, and now music to mine as well. I would so much rather listen to the Cardinals game on the radio than my favorite band, Green Day. Ask me that anytime and the answer will be the same.

I remember as I was driving back to MBU campus a few weeks ago I left right in the middle of a Cards game on the TV. It was a very close duel, so I turned it on the radio in my Jeep. It was a slow game, kind of like a lullaby for a baby in my case. I was enjoying listening to the game, but there was just no action.

Then in the bottom of the 9th inning with a tied game, the Cardinals started cranking out a couple of hits, I started to get a little giddy as I drove across the Mississippi. I could hear the excitement in the voice of Mike Shannon as he was calling out each delivery from the pitcher and each swing of the bat from the hitter. Going from casual small talk about the players and coaches to, “(name) with the delivery…A lined shot straight up the middle – a base hit for (name)!” was constantly keeping me on the edge of my seat.

So, with two men on, the next batter was ready to swing away with a huge chance to deliver for the team at home in STL. Shannon announces, “1-1 count, the pitch, (name) makes some good contact (as you hear the crack of the bat crush the ball), get up, get up…It’s a goner! It’s a goner!"

Cardinals win in dramatic fashion!

This is a beautiful sound. Now, that is just a normal regular season game; post season is so much more intense and electrifying. I remember that day I listened to that game, I was yelling in my car. As Mike Shannon called out that home run, I would have been jumping if I could. I felt the crowd roar; I seemed to be a part of that stadium’s chaotic sense in that moment. Although I couldn’t even see what it looked like, the words on the radio sent these feelings of exhilaration through my body as if I was sitting first row right behind the dugout.

Although some people think that they can only listen to Spotify or Pandora or their own apple music in their cars, I find such enjoyment and excitement while being a part of a St. Louis Cardinals game through 1120 KMOV.