May 26, 2004

Charleston, SC - Note to future Lowcountry rec league softball coaches: You might want to sign up that tall, mild-mannered dentist who just gave your kid a check-up. Especially if his name is Dr. Cannon.

"To be a good dentist, you have to be a social person," says Chip Cannon. "And I enjoy being around people. So in thinking about career choices, that seemed to make sense to me."

Of course, another career option might present itself before Cannon enrolls in dental school next year. As one of the top hitters in Citadel baseball history, the 6-5, 223-pound senior first baseman ought to get a shot at some sort of professional playing career, Bulldogs coach Fred Jordan said.

"If Chip Cannon does not get a chance to play pro ball, it would be an embarrassment," Jordan said. "He truly deserves that opportunity, and hopefully he'll get it. If not, he'll head off to dental school, and that's not a bad alternative." Jordan, in his 13th year as The Citadel's coach and himself a former Bulldog, calls Rhame "Chip" Cannon the "prototype" of a Citadel baseball player, and it's easy to see why:

-- In class, Cannon has made Dean's List five times, the Athletic Director's Honor Roll seven times and is a member of the Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society.

-- In the Corps of Cadets, he has held rank every year and is now a Regimental Captain.

-- And on the baseball field, Cannon ranks among The Citadel's best hitters in several career categories and has been the Bulldogs' Sunday starter on the mound the last two seasons.

"Chip has been the prototype Citadel player," Jordan said. "He came in and played about 30 percent of the time as a freshman. He's been a starter the last three years and has improved his talents and his productivity throughout his career."

With 38 career home runs, Cannon ranks second on The Citadel's career list, and he's in the top 10 in RBIs, slugging percentage, walks and total bases. He's hit three career grand slams, the school and Southern Conference record, and fans of The Citadel and College of Charleston won't soon forget his prodigious blast over the trees beyond the right-field fence at Patriots Point Field this season.

That power made Cannon one of the most respected hitters in the SoCon this season. He set a school record and led the league with 65 walks.

Of course, hitting is only half the story. He's also pitched the last two seasons, with a career 7-7 record and an earned run average of around 3.40.

It's not every player who can go 1- for-3 at the plate while pitching a complete game, as Cannon did in a 6-3 win over Western Carolina on March 21. Or hit a homer and drive in four runs while working six innings of a 13-9 win over Appalachian State on April 4. Or going 2-for-2 and scoring three runs while pitching eight innings of a 6-2 win over Davidson on April 25.

"We feel like being a two-way player is a little over-rated," Jordan said. "If a guy is a ball player, he's a ballplayer. And Chip is a ballplayer."

His achievements are made even more remarkable by what Cannon has had to overcome. He was born with club feet and had three operations on each foot as a child. The son of Rooster and Sherry Cannon, Chip grew up in North Charleston and was well-acquainted with The Citadel. But when the Charleston Naval Shipyard shut down, the family moved to Fort Hood in Texas, where Chip played baseball at Killeen High School.

Now, he's down to his last few games as a Bulldog.

"It's hard to believe how fast it went," Cannon said. "It feels like I just started school, and now it's four years later. I'm grateful to Coach Jordan for giving me the chance to play here, and I'm happy with what the game has given me so far."