Hall of fame coach Eddie Shannon celebrates 93rd birthday at McKechnie Field
BRADENTON -- Armed with a gigantic smile, Eddie Shannon took his place next to the Pirate Parrot to have his photo taken before Saturday's Grapefruit League meeting between the Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates at McKechnie Field.
The Pirates marked Shannon's 93rd birthday by honoring him in pregame festivities on Manatee County Schools Appreciation Day.
"It's real great, especially on my birthday," Shannon said. "This is something real special for me, and somebody thought enough of me to bring me."
The legendary Shannon was elected to the Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2012 for a career at Lincoln Memorial and Manatee High that saw him step to the fore of integration in Manatee County schools.
He has met or coached some great athletes, including Henry Lawrence, a Super Bowl champion with the Oakland Raiders; Ray Bellamy, who broke the color barrier for college football in the South at the University of Miami; and Althea Gibson, who broke the color barrier at Wimbledon.
Shannon said there isn't one person who stands out about the rest. They're all special to him. "It's just (an) honor for me to have met, been around those guys and been their trainer and know them," Shannon said.
The county has changed quite a bit for Shannon. That includes McKechnie Field, which has been renovated over the years.
"We used to come over and throw bricks and things like that," Shannon said. "They've made a whole lot of progress."
On Saturday, Shannon said a poem is the secret to his longevity.
"The secret is to keep going, and I've got a poem that I use," Shannon said. "If the weather kills your crop, keep a' goin'. If you fail to get on top, keep a' goin'. Suppose you're broke and out of every dime, getting broke is not a crime. Tell the world you're feeling fine and keep a' goin.'"
This story was originally published March 7, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Hall of fame coach Eddie Shannon celebrates 93rd birthday at McKechnie Field."