Billy Cannon: They Called Him Legend

Billy Cannon: They Called Him Legend surveys the life of football hero Billy Cannon, LSU’s first Heisman trophy-winner. Beginning with Cannon’s achievements at Baton Rouge’s Istrouma High, the exhibition explores his meteoric rise at LSU and triumphs in the AFL and NFL, where he was among the highest-paid players. When he retired from the gridiron, Cannon operated a successful orthodontics practice in Baton Rouge until he was arrested in 1983 for producing counterfeit money. After completing his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Texarkana, Texas, Cannon dedicated himself to improving inmates’ medical care. He served as a dentist in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as Angola, for twenty-three years. In honor of his accomplishments on and off the field, inmates and staff affectionately nicknamed him “Legend.”

“Many football fans remember that famous Halloween Run against Ole Miss in 1959, but not many remember Billy Cannon’s story after LSU!” Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser exclaimed. “This exhibition tells his whole story from football MVP to Angola’s finest dentist—this man is indeed a legend.”

The exhibit includes many artifacts from the Cannon family’s extensive collection of trophies, photographs, uniforms, and other memorabilia. Highlights include Cannon’s Heisman Trophy, Houston Oilers jersey, Istrouma High School letterman jacket, and the lab coat he wore while working at Angola.