“Take me out to the ball-game.” I was up until 11:45 Monday night watching the Cardinals. They won!
I have been a Cardinals fan fro 70 years; and I am sure a lot of people reading this column have been, too.
Oh, those were the days; Harry Caray and Jack Buck. Jack Buck announced on KMOX for nearly 47 years. Harry Caray was with the Cardinals for about 25 years, 1945-1969.
Harry Caray wa fired for an alleged affair with Susan Busch, the wife of the son of August A. “Gussie” Busch, August Busch III. Harry was 51, Susan 29. Both Harry and Susan denied the rumors. Susan and Busch III divorced in 1969.
When Harry, “Holy cow,” and “It might be, it could be, it is a home run!” and Jack Buck announced together, I thought Jack Buck was an awful announcer and Harry the greatest of all time.
Harry Caray went to Chicago with the White Sox for 11 seasons, and then the Chicago Cubs from 1982 until 1997, another 15 years! In all, Harry Caray broadcast more than 8,300 games in his 53-year career. He was phenomenal.
And Jack Buck didn’t do too bad, either. Jack “Go Crazy” Buck announced for 47 years. And along came Mike Shannon, who had played third base for the Cardinals from 1962 to 1970 and then worked as a Cardinals announcer from 1972 to 2021. I thought he was a terrible announcer. He only announced for the Cardinals for 50 years.
I’m thinking, I may not be a very good judge of Cardinals announcers: Harry Caray, Jack Buck and Mike Shannon. They combined for 66 years and I revere them. They brought a lot of joy to all of our lives.
“The Cardinals are coming, tra la tra la.”
Does St. Louis have a chance? It has happened before! A little luck, a little magic, it’s not likely, but isn’t that true of a lot of things in life?
Harry Caray started the tra la la song, “The Cardinals are coming.”
This I remember.
