The Barber, The Astronaut, and The Golf Ball by Barbara Radnofsky and Ed Supkis on LSLL!
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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.
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 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.
Praise for The Barber, The Astronaut, and The Golf Ball:
It’s perfect!! Barbara and Ed capture Daddy and his long friendship with Carlos. --Laura Shepard, Daughter of Alan Shepard
Brings back the glory days of the U.S. Space Program and the importance of the "little people" who made it happen. We see stern Shepard in a new and admirable light - in Shepard's high regard for the vast team of dedicated supporters who enabled astronauts to succeed. --Charlie Duke, Apollo Astronaut
The Barber, The Astronaut, and the Golf Ball is more than a well-researched, historical look at astronaut Alan Shepard and his barber, Carlos Villagomez. It is a loving homage to the fathers of the two authors and a narrative of an unexpected friendship.
The book draws from personal interviews conducted by both authors, insights from the memoirs and autobiographies of several astronauts, and information sourced from periodicals published during the space race era.
While I enjoyed the factual details, I was drawn in by the personal vignettes and the “glimpse behind the curtain” the authors offered. Their history as children of the NASA community during its heyday made them trusted insiders with shared experiences, giving them access to people, information—and emotions—that make their story unique.
At the beginning of the book, the authors describe each of their fathers’ contributions to the NASA programs of the 1960s—significant contributions—to give context to their passion for telling this story. Their love and pride are evident in the details and are the threads that weave the whole book together.
This also includes their affection and respect for Carlos, the barber they describe as a savvy businessman who uses his voice and influence to benefit his community. While they defend the authenticity of Carlos’ small piece of space memorabilia and go to great lengths to explain how the legitimacy of such items is determined, the fact that there is no definitive resolution to the mystery of the golf ball given to Carlos by Alan Shepard does nothing to detract from the story.
After all, as the authors share, “This story isn’t really about a golf ball... it’s a tale of the wonderful friendship between two Navy men.”
To that, I would add: It is a love note from two children to their fathers, thanking them for their unusual upbringings and celebrating their heroic contributions.
If you loved this story, you’ll enjoy the following films: The Right Stuff, Apollo 13, and Interstellar
You might enjoy listening to the Spotify playlist, Space-Themed Classical Music
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