Collection:LPB

Genre: News, Public Affairs

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1983-09-02

Duration: 00:12:19

Subjects: Crime | Cannon, Billy Abb, 1937- | Football players | LSU Tigers (Football team) | Counterfeits and counterfeiting

Contributors:

• Courtney, Beth Host
• Leslie, Carole Reporter
• Bardwell, Stanford Interviewee
• Fiser, Jack Interviewee
• Michiels, Dave Interviewee
• Hoelter, Herbert Interviewee
• Stonebreaker, Steve Interviewee
• Cannon, Billy Interviewee

This segment from the September 2, 1983, episode of “Louisiana: The State We’re In” features Carole Leslie’s report on the arrest and sentencing of Dr. Billy Cannon for his role in masterminding a $6 million counterfeiting scheme. Dr. Cannon played football for LSU from 1957-1959 and won the 1959 Heisman Trophy. Leslie interviews: U.S. Attorney Stanford Bardwell on the investigation into the counterfeiting scheme; Jack Fiser, an LSU historian, on Cannon’s athletic career at LSU; Dave Michiels, a psychologist and friend to Cannon, on Cannon’s difficulty in living up to his image as a sports hero and his recent financial troubles; Hebert Hoelter of the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives on his disagreement with Judge Frank Polozola’s 5 year prison sentence; and Steve Stonebreaker, a former New Orleans Saints player and friend to Cannon, on his belief that most LSU fans will still celebrate Cannon’s athletic accomplishments. Leslie also reports that the College Football Hall of Fame revoked Cannon’s induction following his arrest in July 1983. This report includes an interview with Cannon from February 1983 on his excitement about his election to the Hall of Fame. Host: Beth Courtney