OrangeXtreme
The Mayor of Dewitt
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RIP Billy Cannon
- Thread starter OrangeXtreme
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bevosu
Living Legend
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Not sure where to post this? NY Times obit.
Billy Cannon, a charismatic college and professional football hero whose world came crashing down when he went to prison for counterfeiting, died on Friday at his home in St. Francisville, La. He was 80.
For much of Cannon’s life, he was a hero for the ages. When he won the 1959 Heisman Trophy as the nation’s outstanding college player — he remains Louisiana State’s only Heisman winner — it was presented by Richard M. Nixon, then the vice president. Cannon then spent 11 years as a pro, the first five as a running back and the rest as a tight end.
In those off-seasons, he earned a degree in dentistry. He became an orthodontist and a real estate developer in Baton Rouge, the home of the university.
Billy Cannon, Football Hero With a Troubled Life, Dies at 80
Billy Cannon, a charismatic college and professional football hero whose world came crashing down when he went to prison for counterfeiting, died on Friday at his home in St. Francisville, La. He was 80.
For much of Cannon’s life, he was a hero for the ages. When he won the 1959 Heisman Trophy as the nation’s outstanding college player — he remains Louisiana State’s only Heisman winner — it was presented by Richard M. Nixon, then the vice president. Cannon then spent 11 years as a pro, the first five as a running back and the rest as a tight end.
In those off-seasons, he earned a degree in dentistry. He became an orthodontist and a real estate developer in Baton Rouge, the home of the university.
Billy Cannon, Football Hero With a Troubled Life, Dies at 80
