The Barber, the Astronaut, and the Golf Ball - Paperback

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by Barbara Radnofsky (Author), Ed Supkis (Author)

In 1971, famed astronaut Alan Shepard returned from the moon and went to get a haircut. Before settling into the barber's chair in Webster, Texas, near NASA's Mission Control, Shepard gave his longtime barber and friend, Carlos Villagomez, an autographed golf ball.

During his Apollo 14 moonwalk, Shepard had conducted a world-famous demonstration of gravity by hitting a golf ball in an out-of-this-world sand trap. It took him two tries.

Carlos, a Navy combat veteran and barber for numerous astronauts, says Shepard gave him the ball immediately after he returned to earth and was released from quarantine.
Had Shepard taken a third ball to the moon? And did he give it to his barber as a token of their long friendship?

The debate provides a backdrop for The Barber, The Astronaut, and the Golf Ball, a story of two extraordinary men and their lasting friendship. The book is based on recollections of Carlos himself, the authors--both children of NASA scientists--as well as other astronauts, memorabilia experts, and family and friends of Shepard, who died in 1998.

Is the ball one of the most significant pieces of sports memorabilia in history, or simply a gift of enduring friendship? Did the barber's golf ball fly to the moon?

In seeking the answers, this extensively researched account of NASA history provides readers with insight into some of America's greatest space explorers, including Michael Collins, Deke Slayton, and Charles Duke.

The Barber, The Astronaut, and the Golf Ball offers a rare glimpse behind the scenes of America's space program at its pinnacle and shows the ordinary people who supported one of the nation's most monumental scientific endeavors.

Author Biography

Barbara Radnofsky and Ed Supkis grew up in the 1960s in the shadow of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center and married in 1982. They have three children and five grandchildren. The couple --with many other community members -- are co-owners of Brazos Bookstore, an independent bookseller.
As children of NASA scientists, Barbara, and Ed had front-row seats to the development of the space program and the community built around it on rural cow pastures near Webster, Texas.

Barbara Radnofsky is a mediator, teacher and lawyer. She was named the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas in 1988. Practicing on both sides of the docket, she's been listed for more than thirty years in "Best Lawyers in America" in multiple areas. She's the author of A Citizen's Guide to Impeachment, a nonpartisan explanation of U.S. constitutional impeachment history and practice.

Barbara co-founded the Houston chapter of the National Association of Urban Debate Leagues. She's served on many other charitable boards and as a volunteer peer mediation teacher in public and private schools.

Ed Supkis MD is a board-certified anesthesiologist specializing in cardiac anesthesia, and he worked with Dr. Michael DeBakey and his associates for over a decade. He then practiced anesthesia at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he served as Director of Quality Assurance for the Division of Anesthesiology and as Medical Director of Respiratory Care for the Division of Surgery and Anesthesiology. He later served as Medical Director for the Houston Methodist Hospital Anesthesia Preoperative Assessment Clinic where he was awarded the Hospital's Patient Safety Award.

Throughout his anesthesia career, Ed worked on numerous national and international committees, devoted to quality improvement, standards, testing, and patient safety. Among his many inventions, he is best known for the Supkis Catheter, a specialized, patented device used for safe exchange of breathing tubes in patients with difficult airways.
He currently serves as a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration. Ed is also an instrument-rated, multi engine, private pilot.

Number of Pages: 202

Dimensions: 0.6 x 8.9 x 5.9 IN

Publication Date: October 22, 2024