Return remembered

• By GARY LANEY AND SCOTT HOTARD
• Advocate sportswriters
• Published: Nov 1, 2009

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If you’re a fan of LSU football, you recognize Halloween night for more than ghosts and goblins and tricks or treats.

Maybe you were there Oct. 31, 1959, when Billy Cannon warded off seven Ole Miss defenders en route to the most famous touchdown in LSU history.

If not, you’ve seen the replay.

LSU showed “The Run” again Saturday between the first and second quarters of the Tulane game. The crowd watched Cannon’s likeness on video boards in each end zone.

When the replay finished, Cannon walked to a spot on the field near where he fielded a Jake Gibbs punt 50 years ago. He waved his right hand as fans cheered.

Cannon, winner of the 25th Heisman Trophy, remains the only player at LSU to win college football’s greatest individual honor. A display featuring the running back’s name and number was unveiled in Tiger Stadium last year when the school recognized his College Football Hall of Fame induction.

A two-time All-American, Cannon remains synonymous with LSU’s 7-3 victory over Ole Miss his senior year and the tackle-breaking run that cemented his Heisman status.

Saturday marked LSU’s sixth Halloween game since then. But the Tigers hadn’t played at home on Halloween since 1964, an 11-10 victory over Ole Miss.

More anniversaries

The Golden Girls celebrated their 50th anniversary with alumni from over the years taking the field with the band at halftime.

Also, a group of players from LSU’s 1949 Sugar Bowl team, the “Cinderella Tigers,” were recognized during the first timeout for the 60th anniversary of that team that went 8-3 and won its last six regular-season games, including wins over North Carolina, which was ranked No. 6 in the country, and a 21-0 win over Tulane, ranked No. 10.

On hand for the ceremony were five members of that team: Jeff Adams, Billy Baggett, Charles Cusimano, Joe Reid and Elbert Van Buren.

During a third quarter timeout, LSU also reflected on the 1964 Ole Miss game. In that game, Doug Moreau, a member of LSU’s radio broadcast team now, caught a two-point pass from Billy Ezell for the game-winning points.