I met my first college roommate (1977) yesterday for a Purdue baseball team. Purdue is very mediocre in baseball and, while it was close, we lost yesterday to Nebraka. It was Senior Day, the weather was spectacular, and it was a wonderful afternoon. After the game, we drove 15 minutes to the 6th Street Dive Bar in Lafayette. At the "Dive Bar, between the two of us, we enjoyed 3 premium beers and 3 well vodka tonics (mine) for a whopping $21 plus tip. From there we drove to the Purdue Memorial Union for dinner at 8 Eleven.
It would be noted that the restaurant's name comes from "Gemini 8", which was Neal Armstrong's (and the world's) first space craft docking in space. The "Eleven" is from Neal's Apollo 8 walk on the moon.
Many don't know this, and certainly Kevin doesn't, but Purdue has generated more far more astronauts...including Neal Armstrong, Gus Grissom, Gene Cernan, and 24 more, than any other university on the globe. Kevin won't know this, but Purdue's Neal was the first man on the Moon, while Cernan was the last man on the Moon.
Interesting story....I lived many years ago in Lebanon, Ohio. Neal Armstrong lived about 15 minutes north of me. My neighbor was Mark Armstong's oldest son's best man in his wedding. I only lived in Lebanon for four years, but another neighbor was golf buddies with Neal. I was invited to this neighbor's summer party 4 times, but was only able to attend two, Neal also attened two summer parties during this stretch Unfortunately for me, our stars didn't allign. We also had the same barber, but I never crossed paths with Neal. Lot's of interesting stories from my three friends, but I never met Neal. The most common story that my friend's told was that Neal didn't like to talk about his history is space and his celebrity. He just wanted to be another guy and wanted to live his live in obscurity.
