Who the Heck Is Billy Cannon?

July 27, 2012 0 Comments

If You Don’t Know, You’re Obviously Under 60 or From Outside Louisiana

CENTRAL — For anyone who grew up in the 1950’s in Louisiana, there is no more famous name than Billy Cannon, perhaps the greatest football player in the history of the state. But, as each new generation comes along, fewer and fewer people know the names of sports legends of the past.

Perhaps that’s one reason Earl Heard of BIC publications decided to honor Louisiana’s Sports Legends with the new book, Louisiana Sports Legends and Heroes by Earl Heard and distinguished sports writer David Moorman.

If they wanted to “refresh our memories,” Heard and Moorman certainly did a good job of telling the stories of the athletes, in a way that is enjoyable, both to those who thought they already knew the stories and younger sports fans who never knew a thing about the legends.

In Central, any mention of Cannon brings a lot of comment. Many people here went to school with him at Istrouma High or played against him or were in Tiger Stadium for the great moments in Cannon’s career at LSU.

But it is Billy Cannon the man — not the athlete — who evokes the fondest memories.

Here is what one Central resident posted on-line this week:

Rusty Jacobs, Istrouma ’67:

“I think I’ve told you all this before but I’m in the 6th grade at Howell Park Elementary School. Our football season had just finished, and there was going to be a father-son football banquet held on a Friday night at the school cafeteria. My 4th grade teacher, knowing that my Daddy had long been gone, stopped me in the hallway one day and asked me if I was planning on going to the banquet? I kinda looked down at the floor and said, ‘No, ma’am, I guess not.’ Then she asked me, ‘If Billy Cannon came to your house and picked you up, would you go?’ ‘Oh, yes ma’am, I sure would!’ Billy Cannon had just won the Heisman Trophy and was going to be our guest speaker. Me and Billy arrived just a tad late, and here I go walking into the school cafeteria with Billy’s big ol’ hand on my shoulder and me carrying his Heisman Trophy! A couple of hours out of his schedule that made one little boy feel like he was on top of a mountain! Thank You, Dr. Billy Cannon!”

Billy Cannon • Louisiana Sports Legend

• All-State at Istrouma High School, led Indians to State Championship

• Two-time All-American at LSU

• Led LSU Tigers to National Championship in 1958

• Won Heisman Trophy as nation’s best all-round football player in 1959

• Won SEC Championship in 100 yard dash and shot put, indicating he

was one of the fastest and strongest athletes in the nation

• Selected No. 1 in the NFL and AFL draft

• Star of first two AFL championship games

• Outstanding pro player, both as running back and wide receiver

• Rushing, receiving, and on kickoff returns, he ran for 8,003 yards and

63 touchdowns in professional football