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Football Legend Cannon Dies, 80

BATON ROUGE – LSU legend Billy Cannon passed away peacefully in his home early Sunday morning at the age of 80.

Cannon, a Baton Rouge native and 1959 LSU graduate, was the winner of the 1959 Heisman Trophy as a halfback, and he led the Tigers to the 1958 national championship. He was inducted into the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

"There may be no other figure in LSU sports who was more beloved and revered,” LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva said.