It was September 28, 1987 and I had gotten off the bus and was heading for home when I stopped off to get the mail. Inside the box was an envelope addressed to me from NASA. I wasn’t sure what this could be, but when I opened it up, I found a personally autographed color photo of the first man to step foot on the moon, Neil Armstrong. I was legitimately surprised to find this, as it had been more than two years since I had sent this request. It was, in fact, the sixth autograph request I had sent since starting full-force with the hobby early in 1985.
Interestingly, I still recall that I had only sent a letter (no photo, no S.A.S.E) to Neil Armstrong addressed to “General Delivery” in Lebanon, Ohio around the middle of May in 1985 – so I’m not sure what route this letter eventually took. Needless, to say I was thrilled with this addition to my collection, which has gradually picked up value and is now one of the most valuable items in my collection (hands down, the most valuable living celebrity), due to his nearly-complete unwillingness to sign autographs. I see these sell occasionally at around $500 or more.
I would later have the opportunity to visit the Neil Armstrong Museum in Wapokeneta in 1998 AND get the chance to actually meet Neil Armstrong at the Pioneers of Flight Homecoming on July 19, 2003. Bob and I attended this function in Dayton in hopes of meeting up with some of our hero aviators. We approached Mr. Armstrong at exactly the right time. He had just finished with his dinner and was getting ready to be escorted out of the dining area. We each had exactly the right amount of time to get our photos taken with him – Bob, while he was seated, and me, as he was getting up to leave. Although I had a photo of him with me, there wasn’t even a chance to get refused a signature as he was whisked away.
Still, it was an honor to meet such a legend to cap off the inclusion of his autograph in my collection.
The autographs from the Summer of ’85 will conclude in the next posting…
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