Topic: Alan Shepard's moon shot: Apollo 14 golf balls
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-06-2015 12:06 PM
In "Light This Candle," biographer Neal Thompson describes Apollo 14 commander Alan Shepard's famous golf shot on the moon and what the astronaut described would "remain the world's best kept secret."
"I've never told anybody. I've never told my wife," he once said, and even sued a ball manufacturer that claimed to have made balls he used on the moon.
(Shepard's moon balls were, in fact, driving range balls made by Spalding.)
Now a recently rediscovered piece of space memorabilia has suggested that another brand of golf ball ws used. As the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette reports, the Daisy Airgun Museum has debuted a new exhibit about how Shepard's two golf balls bore the Daisy-brand logo.
...Apollo photos owned by Jack Powers were found in a Fort Smith attic, said Joe Murfin, chairman of the Daisy Airgun Museum board of directors. Powers started working at Daisy in 1960 and was a senior public relations executive for the firm for more than 20 years.
Autographed photos of the crews of Apollo 12, 14, 16 and 17 are among the items now on permanent [display] at Daisy's museum in downtown Rogers. A handwritten note with with the Apollo 14 crew photo states "To Jack Powers... Our most sincere thanks for the Daisy golf balls by Victor... They are out of this world!"
...The balls bear the Daisy logo. The company has been known for its BB guns for more than 125 years, but golf balls were part of its catalogue when it was owned by by Victor Comptometer Corp.
The balls made it to the moon because of Powers' friendship with Al Chop, who worked in public relations for NASA at the time. Powers suggested sending the golf balls along on the mission.
This article raises at least a few questions:
If Shepard was being honest in saying he didn't even tell his wife, would he have told a golf company executive? Would he have put such in writing?
Local news station KFSM filmed a segment that shows the autographed crew photo in question (see stills below). The crew's signatures appear to be autopens. But is the inscription in Shepard's hand?
Is the inscription enough to conclude that Shepard (if it is Shepard's handwriting) is referring to the golf balls he flew to the moon?
fredtrav Member
Posts: 1799 From: Birmingham AL Registered: Aug 2010
posted 10-06-2015 01:38 PM
You would think IF Shepard wrote the inscription, he would have signed the litho, not just used an autopenned one. The inscription could also just be thanks for Daisy sending him golf balls on his return since he had played golf on the moon. So no I don't think it can be stated that those were the brand he took to the moon.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-06-2015 03:06 PM
I had a good conversation this afternoon with Joe Murfin, chairman of the Daisy Airgun Museum board of directors, about the autographed piece and learned some additional details about the backstory that may offer a way to research this further (completely separate from the inscription).
More soon, but in the meantime, if any others have comments on the inscription or questions posed above, they are welcome.
Joel Katzowitz Member
Posts: 893 From: Marietta GA USA Registered: Dec 1999
posted 10-06-2015 04:55 PM
I have several hand written letters from Shepard and, in my opinion, the inscription on the photo in question wasn't written by him. I've never seen him mix upper and lower case letters within words and his style is usually more fluid.
Steve Zarelli Member
Posts: 747 From: Upstate New York, USA Registered: Mar 2001
posted 10-06-2015 07:26 PM
A few observations:
The signatures are Autopen machine signed. This does not rule out the dedication is authentically signed by an astronaut. I have seen Autopenned photos with authentic dedications before. But, it is very uncommon and weighs against the likelihood the inscription is authentic.
Shepard typically signed inscriptions in a neat, carefully applied, elegant script. I searched through dozens of verified exemplars and could not find any long inscriptions written in printed block lettering like the questioned item.
When Shepard did write in printed block, it was typically a short dedication, such as, "To Bob." In these cases, it is neatly formed with consistent initial capitalization only -- unlike the haphazard baselines and random capitalization we see in the questioned item.
Shepard would consistently dedicate "To Name -- " using a long dash. This item is dedicated "To Jack Powers ..." (Ellipsis instead of long dash.) I could not find Shepard using an ellipsis in any of the dozens of writing samples I reviewed, including lengthy handwritten letters.
Significant formation inconsistencies between this and verified exemplars. Notably, I could not find any examples where Shepard used a lower case "e" formed like the one in the questioned item. In printed block writing, his lower case "e"s were consistently formed like an upper case (E).
Note the huge gaps between the words in the questioned item. In verified exemplars, the words are spaced much closer together.
Given the accumulation of significant atypical traits, the inscription was not penned by Alan Shepard in my opinion.
Here are some images that illustrate the significant differences between this item and verified exemplars.
Posts: 1390 From: Staten Island, NY Registered: Jun 2007
posted 10-06-2015 09:52 PM
I'm going to have to side with Joel and Steve on this one.
David Carey Member
Posts: 1059 From: Registered: Mar 2009
posted 10-13-2015 01:18 PM
The inscription seems very similar to that of a Goldberg auction and an ASTP piece that crossed my path recently (PAO origin; sorry crummy pic).
There is no explicit statement that Daisy balls went to the moon - only an implication, if that - so along with the inscription writing style and span between Apollo 14 and ASTP I would think the Apollo 14 item most likely a NASA PR piece and nothing more.
Your additional information may fill in some blanks but on the surface I'd say the NW Arkansas Democrat and Gazette, along with Daisy Museum, are promoting a questionable association.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-13-2015 02:07 PM
Now we may be getting somewhere.
The lead I was hoping to follow is not possible because the individual has died. According to Joe Murfin, the connection between Daisy and the astronauts was the close friendship between Jack Powers and Al Chop, who at the time was director of public affairs at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston.
According to Murfin, relaying a story told to him by Powers' son, it was Chop who gave Al Shepard the idea to fly golf balls and it was Chop who sourced the balls through his friend, Powers.
My hope was that Chop was still alive, but he died on Jan. 15, 2006.
Now, this is just speculation, but given the mention that the above pictured piece came through PAO, perhaps the inscriptions are in Al Chop's hand? If that is the case, then it removes Shepard's involvement entirely in thanking Daisy for the golf balls.
Are there any documented examples of Chop's handwriting?
hidaleeho Member
Posts: 87 From: Denver, Colorado, USA Registered: Dec 2011
posted 01-03-2020 06:04 PM
Does anyone know what brand golf ball Alan Shepard hit on the moon? I know he used a Wilson Staff golf club head, but would like to know what kind of golf balls they were.
Editor's note: Threads merged.
Ken Havekotte Member
Posts: 3942 From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard Registered: Mar 2001
posted 01-03-2020 06:44 PM
Missed this post beforehand, but I do agree with most of the above comments.
The signatures on the matted photo are indeed autopen and the inscription is not in Shepard's hand. At least those two "facts," even though its only my own opinion, I will stand by.
With no solid connection with the Daisy golf balls tied to Shepard himself, not much can be said or proven at this time.
Jonnyed Member
Posts: 620 From: Dumfries, VA, USA Registered: Aug 2014
posted 01-03-2020 08:05 PM
Regarding the "secrecy" of the golf shot prior to the flight, Shepard claimed in an interview in the late 90s that he discussed the whole thing ahead of time with Bob Gilruth. What's more, Shepard claimed that he bought the golf club and the golf balls with his own money — no taxpayer money involved — so that seems to scuttle the whole Daisy gift story too.
Below is the Shepard interview video I'm referencing — start at about 1:02:00 in. Alan says pretty definitively, "There was no commercialism [tied to the moon golf shots]. One company tried to claim it was their golf balls but we cut them off quickly."
Maybe the brand name of the golf balls is a mystery that will not be solved until a lunar tourist(s) finds them!
Philip Member
Posts: 6299 From: Brussels, Belgium Registered: Jan 2001
posted 01-04-2020 03:53 AM
I know there are golf photos of Alan Shepard with his wife Louise from the Mercury days...
The golf issue is an interesting story, which is slightly touched on in the 2019 movie "Fallen Astronaut" by Dutch filmmaker Frank Herrebout. A little part talks about a golf pro named Danny Lawler who was asked by Deke Slayton to provide some golf lessons and via Lawler, the astronauts ended up wearing the Lacoste polo.
Apollo 14 moonwalkers carried the MET - Modular Equipment Transporter, a pull-cart worthy of a lunar caddy. I believe Shepard carried an Iron-6 at the base of a geologic instrument.
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4609 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 01-25-2025 10:28 AM
Interesting inconsistency in Al Shepard's recollection of his golf shot. He suggests the ball, when hit was in the "air" for "some 35 seconds" travelling over 200 yards.
But enhanced images published by Andy Saunders in "Apollo Remastered" show both golf balls much closer to the divots than one might expect: the second ball approximately 40 yards from when Al hit it.
I asked Al, when I interviewed him in 1995, which brand of golf ball he used, but he cagily declined to answer.
Ted Peterson Member
Posts: 16 From: Registered: Jun 2024
posted 01-25-2025 10:47 AM
What would be the expected condition of the golf balls at this late date? I’m guessing they would be turned into dust by now, but I don’t really know. Someday soon, aerial (lunarial?) observation or drone-like fights should be possible of these historic sites, maybe putting to rest once and for all these important matters.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-25-2025 10:56 AM
Other than being hit by a micrometeorite (a possibility, for sure, but not very likely), the concerns would be how well a typical ball can hold up to extreme temperature, direct sunlight and radiation.
I don't play golf, so I am not familiar, but is it typical to find degraded balls that have been lost on the course after years of outdoor exposure? Or do they hold up pretty well to the elements?
Rick Mulheirn Member
Posts: 4609 From: England Registered: Feb 2001
posted 01-25-2025 11:06 AM
I would imagine a pretty degraded nub looking more like rock (on the sun facing side at least) than a golf ball.
I'm guessing the Spalding "First Golf Ball on the Moon", boxed individually in the gold coloured outer is the company that tried to profit commercially, and were shut down by Shepard. Not before a good number were produced.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 01-25-2025 11:33 AM
That would seem to be the case. That said, there have been examples of the Spalding commemorative ball that appear to be authentically signed by Shepard, so he didn't absolutely avoid them.
For those not familiar, Spalding didn't sell the "Commemorative Moonball," but offered one as a free bonus in return for buying a dozen of their "regular" balls.
Headshot Member
Posts: 1365 From: Vancouver, WA, USA Registered: Feb 2012
posted 01-25-2025 12:50 PM
Those golf balls have sustained about 120 4-week long thermal cycles ranging from +250 deg F to -210 deg F. I would believe that somewhere during the time, the outer shell would have developed cracks from thermal stresses. (Not certain what the outer shell composition of 1970-1971 off the shelf golf balls were.) Once the crack(s) penetrated the thickness of the hard shell, the interior would have been subject to vacuum. All the internal rubber-like components would have become desiccated and eventually crumbled into fragments.
As pointed out above, the portion of the ball directly facing the sun would darken from white to brown to probably dark brown. Any insignia on the outer coating would have absorbed addition radiation, before fading, if it faced the sun. Today, they would probably resemble two-tone walnuts.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
Carlos Villagomez owns a golf ball that he believes was flown to the moon. If indeed it was, he may also hold the answer to a more than 50 year old bit of trivia that otherwise may be forever lost to time.
Villagomez was gifted the ball by Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut to fly into space, fifth human to walk on the moon and the world's first (and to date, only) lunar golfer. Wrapping up his second of two moonwalks on NASA's 1971 Apollo 14 mission, Shepard took a swing at a couple of golf balls.
GACspaceguy Member
Posts: 3146 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
posted 02-06-2025 08:01 AM
I struggle with if he had three why would he not hit three? Golfers usually play all 18 holes not stop at 17 and say that's enough.
I think gifting your barber a signed golf ball from a moon walker is special enough without it being the left over flown to the surface ball.
We will never know I suppose.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-06-2025 10:08 AM
The presumption is that Alan Shepard would have only hit one ball had he not shanked it on his first try. He pulled out the second ball to try again (and connected).
As the authors of "The Barber, the Astronaut and the Golf Ball" explain it, the simplest explanation why Shepard might have had three balls is that golf balls come in packs of three. So why would he not give himself another try if needed?
ejectr Member
Posts: 2033 From: Killingly, CT Registered: Mar 2002
posted 02-07-2025 09:48 AM
That is correct thinking, Robert. A dozen balls are packaged in four individual boxes of three, called a sleeve. There is no way you're going to open a sleeve of balls and not take them all.
Axman Member
Posts: 689 From: Derbyshire UK Registered: Mar 2023
posted 02-07-2025 10:43 AM
Just because an item comes prepackaged in a certain quantity hardly qualifies it's usage in that amount!
I very much doubt that a 'sleeve' of golf balls was opened on the moon. Not only would it be impossible to do in space gloves, but storage in the spacesuit would have been awkward to state the obvious.
The question arises, when did this theoretical sleeve get opened? As I have pointed out, not on EVA. So, in the LM? in the CM and three balls transferred through to the LM? Or on Earth?
When you think about it logically, it is doubtful that a sleeve of golf balls makes any more sense than any other random number of golf balls.
ejectr Member
Posts: 2033 From: Killingly, CT Registered: Mar 2002
posted 02-07-2025 11:35 AM
I didn't say it was opened on the moon. It most likely was opened on Earth and the whole "sleeve" of balls were stored in his suit pocket.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 53925 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 02-07-2025 01:11 PM
The evidence that Shepard didn't take three balls is that in every interview he gave after the mission, he always referred to there being two balls. He never slipped up and said three.
Of course, that is only circumstantial; he could have been purposely hiding the existence of the third ball or he could have been so well practiced at only referring to the only those he swung at that it became second nature to him for just say two.
posted 10-06-2015 12:06 PM
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