John Rooney

UPI/Bill Greenblatt

John Rooney is about to enter his sixth year of broadcasting Cardinals games with partner Mike Shannon. Rooney, a Richmond, Mo. native, came to St. Louis from the Chicago White Sox where he spent 18 years (1988-2005) – one in TV and 17 seasons following in the radio booth. The Cardinals World Championship crown in 2006 gave John the privilege of working with the World Champion team in back-to-back seasons, following the White Sox win in 2005.

Rooney, 54, called his first major league game in 1983 with Shannon and Hall of Fame Broadcaster Jack Buck during a three-game series between the Cardinals and host Cincinnati Reds. He began his baseball broadcasting career at the class AAA level, spending the 1981-82 seasons with the Oklahoma 89ers and the 1983-84 campaigns with the Louisville Redbirds.

John juggled two stints in the 1980′s as a sports reporter for KMOX around his baseball broadcasting and also called University of Missouri basketball games for 20 seasons. His major league baseball radio assignments have included the Division Series (1995-97, 2002-03), League Championship Series (1987-97), All-Star Games (1990-1998), World Series (1987-97), and the FOX Saturday afternoon “Game of the Week” (1996-98). John also has broadcast several college football bowls as well as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, including the Final Four (1984-2002).

Rooney was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in February 2004. He and his wife, Susan, have two daughters, Colleen and Rachel.