Monday, July 20, 2015

46th anniversary of the first moon landing

Seems like only yesterday, but at the time I was using a wired landline phone, writing grad school papers on a portable typewriter, and listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival on a record player.  Let the whippersnappers snicker, but I saw this happen on a TV set without a remote control.  It's something I'll never see again in my lifetime and something they'll never see at all.

Deseret News: On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to step foot on the moon, making history forever with their "giant leap for mankind."

11 comments:

Jeff Meyerson said...

We had spent the weekend visiting Jackie's parents in the Catskills but got home in time to watch this on television. A month later was Woodstock.

Jeff

Deb said...

Summer of 69: my first summer in the U.S. I was following the Braves (it was the year they won the NL West--yes, West) and lost to the Mets in the League Championship Series. I was simultaneously following the moon landing. I had a big scrapbook full of newspaper clippings of the Braves and Apollo 11. Sadly, the scrapbook is lost to the mists of time now--how I'd love to page through it again.

mybillcrider said...

I liked the Braves when they were in Milwaukee. I watched this on the TV set in our apartment in Austin. I still remember some of the people discussing it afterward. A great time in space history. We won't see its like again, although the Pluto photos were excellent.

Rick Robinson said...

I also remember exactly where I was when Armstrong took that first step. An amazing time, indeed.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Of course, some people believe it was all staged in the studio.

I remember that series vividly. The vaunted Mets pitching staff gave up 11 runs in the first two games, but the Braves pitchers were much, much worse. Nolan Ryan won the third game.

Deb said...

Who knew it would take another two decades for the Braves to recover?

Don Coffin said...

I was doing all those things, as well...except I was probably listening to Bob Dylan...

Gerard said...

You just described a modern day hipster. All that's missing is a hat and a beard.

mybillcrider said...

I haven't shaved today. Does that count?

James Reasoner said...

I watched it in my parents' living room. I know my dad was still up watching with me, but I think my mom had gone to bed. She didn't care about the moon. It was a remarkable experience, that's for sure.

Todd Mason said...

I was not quite five, and wonder if we were on the road while this was happening, because I have no memory of seeing it. We probably did leave Alaska for Oklahoma in the summer of '69, and were in Massachusetts by September or October.

So, if I was able to catch it at all live, I might've out-antiquated you, Bill...I might've heard it on the radio.

For me, the one I remember best is the Viking lander. Mars.