KAMU Local
(2007-02-08)
Onboard that monumental lunar flight, Shepard was the only member of Project Mercury, the original group of seven astronauts, to actually land on the moon. Although he was commander of the 1971 mission, he planned a special prank that continues to define the American fascination with space. Sneaking a six iron golf club head and four golf balls onboard the space capsule, Shepard rigged a lunar sampling tool into a makeshift golf club. After a few missed swings, he finally made connection with the golf ball, sending it flying for the longest drive in golf history, further even than Tiger's best shot!
Not surprisingly, Shepard's dedicated career with the NASA space program, and his personal battle with health issues that threatened to keep him firmly in Earth's atmosphere, have earned him widespread recognition and fame. Shepard died in 1998 after a battle with leukemia, but the golf club and original video footage of this famous prank at the Museum serve as a testament that he will not be forgotten.
The Museum at the George Bush Presidential Library hours are Monday - Saturday, 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 until 5:00 p.m. Museum admission is $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for senior citizens 62+ and active retired military with ID, as well as groups of 20 or more with advance reservations. Children 6 and older are $2.00; TAMU and Blinn College students as well as children under 6 are free.
For more information on Museum Exhibits and other events, check http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu or call
979-691-4069. © Copyright 2013, kamu
