Neil Armstrong on 60 Minutes

…last night coincided with a review (by Douglas Brinkley, piTU!) in the NYT of his authorized biography “First Man“. CBS mentioned how they were ‘strolling on his family farm in Ohio’. One additional, fascinating tidbit noted in the NYT was…

…after leaving NASA in 1971 Armstrong named his farm “Rivendale“…

16 Responses to “Neil Armstrong on 60 Minutes”

1. Ken Summers says:

   November 7, 2005 at 8:49 am

   I was so disappointed when I found out the “Mr. Gronsky” story was a myth.

2. Mr. Bingley says:

   November 7, 2005 at 8:54 am

   Ah, that’s too bad. That’s a great story.

3. tree hugging sister says:

   November 7, 2005 at 9:40 am

   Armstrong hears it every once in a while.

   Anyway, as the evening was coming to a close, I made my way toward a dignitary in the audience who was looking lonesome and wanting some company, Neil Armstrong.
   Here was the first man to stand on the moon, and the man who is the subject of the most classic American joke ever told.
   It is said that after Neil declared, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” he muttered under his breath, “…and congratulations, Mr. Gronsky!”
   Being mentally trapped in the 7th grade, I could not contain myself, and asked our American icon, “Neil, have you heard the one about, ‘Congratulations, Mr. Gronsky?'”
   He leaned closer to give me his ear.
   “When Neil Armstrong was thirteen years old in Wapakoneta, Ohio he loved playing baseball. One warm summer’s night, while playing a pick-up game in the neighborhood, a ball popped over his head and landed in the juniper bushes up against the Gronsky’s house. He found the ball just below the Gronosky’s bedroom window where he overheard, “Sex!? You’ll get sex when we walk on the moon!'”
   Mr. Armstrong looked at me, smiled an indulgent smile, put his hand on my shoulder, and muttered, “Son, you told that joke better than the fourteen well intended souls who told it to me yesterday…congratulations.”

4. Ken Summers says:

   November 7, 2005 at 10:32 am

   Actually, I always knew the story was not true but I loved it and wanted it to be true.

5. tree hugging sister says:

   November 7, 2005 at 10:34 am

   It had to be crushing for you. Just crushing. Like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny to other folks.

6. Mr. Bingley says:

   November 7, 2005 at 10:40 am

   What about the Easter Bunny???????????

7. Ken Summers says:

   November 7, 2005 at 10:52 am

   The Easter Bunny was killed by the Great Pumpkin’s evil henchman Linus van Pelt. I hate to break it to you like that, B.

8. tree hugging sister says:

   November 7, 2005 at 11:15 am

   BACK SLOWLY away from the PUMPKIN, Summers! And I’ll forget you ever said that.

9. Mr. Bingley says:

   November 7, 2005 at 11:21 am

   I’m cool with that Ken. Such a violent death proves he existed.

10. Ken Summers says:

    November 7, 2005 at 11:27 am

    ‘Tis better to have lived and been foully killed by an evil henchmen than never to have lived at all.

11. tree hugging sister says:

    November 7, 2005 at 12:00 pm

    Don’t try to sugarcoat your blasphemy, infidel.

12. Crusader says:

    November 7, 2005 at 1:47 pm

    Hey, I’ve seen Bingley in a pink bunny suit hanging around with a bunch of North Koreans, but I’m not saying anything else…..

13. Mr. Bingley says:

    November 7, 2005 at 2:41 pm

    Hey, you had the pirate outfit on, if I remember correctly, Crusader…

14. Rob says:

    November 7, 2005 at 4:34 pm

    Just an observation from my seat in the bleachers: I think Neil Armstrong should be the star of any room he’s in. Hard to believe he’d be unattended.

15. it comes in pints? says:

    November 7, 2005 at 6:44 pm

    Good grief

    Why in the world would someone email me this picture?…

16. tree hugging sister says:

    November 7, 2005 at 9:55 pm

    It really wouldn’t surprise me, Rob, since he’s been the master wallflower for all these years. How many people would recognise him now if someone else didn’t point him out? He looks every bit the shy, frumpy college professor he’s been.