Inductees

The start of John Rooney’s storied broadcasting career dates back to 1971, when he launched his career as a play-by-play sports announcer in Lexington, Mo. With some experience under his belt, he later secured a position with KFRU in Columbia. He then headed to Okmulgee, OK to do play-by-play for local high schools, while also covering Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tulsa University football. In 1977, Rooney returned to Missouri and became the first sports director of the Missourinet, the state wide news broadcast network.

John joined the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1983 as the play-by-play voice of the AAA Louisville Redbirds. Respected nationally as a play-by-play announcer, he was signed by CBS/Host Communications in 1984 to broadcast the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. He held that position for 19years. He joined the Chicago White Sox as their play-by-play voice in 1988.

Now now look:

Rooney is in his 19th season of broadcasting Cardinals games, and 2024 is his 53rd year in broadcasting. A Richmond, Mo. native, Rooney came to St. Louis from the Chicago White Sox where he spent 18 years (1988-2005) – one in TV followed by 17 seasons 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 was inducted into the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2021, and he was named the 2021 Missouri Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. It’s the second time he’s won an award of such prestige from NSMA, as he previously won the Illinois sportscaster of the year award in 2005.

Rooney called his first major league game in 1983 with Mike 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 City 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 serving as the voice of Missouri Tigers football and basketball on radio and TV for 20 seasons. Rooney’s National Assignments over the years include the MLB Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series, Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Night Baseball for CBS Radio, the Fox TV Saturday Baseball Game of The Week and ESPN Radio Saturday and Sunday night baseball assignments. Rooney has worked 20 MLB All Star Games on National Radio, called NFL games on CBS and Sports USA Radio and has broadcast 19 NCAA Tournaments on the National Radio Network, including 10 National Championship Games.

Over the years Rooney has been an announcer on various college basketball telecasts including the Big 10, Conference USA, Big East and has been the Voice of the Missouri Valley Conference telecasts. He has broadcast College Football Bowl Games including the Cotton, Orange, Fiesta, Sun, Independence and Capital One Bowls.

Rooney was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in February 2004 and received the 2018 Tom Hammond National Sports Media Award presented by the Kentucky Bluegrass Sports Commission. He and his wife, Susan, have two daughters: Colleen and Rachel.