R.I.P. Michael Collins

[n9531l]

Michael Collins (October 31, 1930 – April 28, 2021) was an American astronaut who flew the Apollo 11 command module Columbia around the Moon in 1969 while his crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, made the first crewed landing on the surface. Along with his Apollo 11 crewmates, Collins was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011.

In 1979 at Andrews  AFB, I noticed Mike Collins sitting alone having lunch at the snack bar of Air Force Systems Command Headquarters, where I was stationed. He was in uniform, since at that time he was a Brigadier General (one-star) in the Air Force Reserves. In later years I regretted that I hadn't had the nerve to approach him and ask for his autograph in my pilot's logbook, where I had previously gotten the autograph of another well-known Collins, the long-time editor of Flying Magazine Richard Collins.

[RYou]

Sometimes things are better left undone.

[mspart]

I imagine he was enjoying some peace. 

I have had the opportunity to rush famous people up close and personal, but didn't out of respect for their privacy.  Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart are two, they came to my High School (Nancy graduated from it) and were walking down the hallway.  I loved Heart at that time and thought it would be cool to go and get an autograph.  But I decided to leave them alone.  I saw them twice that day walking the halls. 

As a  result of my reluctance to bother people, I have no autographs except of a famous test pilot, Tex Johnston.  That's it. 

mspart

[n9531l]

The only other one I have is that of John Smith, on the flyleaf of my copy of Cowboy Up. Would he count as a famous person?

[mspart]

John Smith is not an uncommon name.  I guess it would depend on which John Smith you were talking about.

mspart

[n9531l]

The one who signed my book was sitting beside the mat before the start of a wrestling meet at UC Davis in 2009, so I assumed he was the John Smith mentioned in the book. I hope I didn't get the wrong one. Anyway he looked like the guy in the picture on the book cover.

[RYou]

I only have a few tucked away.

Bob Morgan - Captain of the Memphis Belle - from a WWII relic airshow.

Lawrence Taylor, Eli Manning and Michael Strahan - all on NY Giants issued rookie cards. Every year the Giants would host a blood donation day at their pre-season camp and I would bring my two sons.  You donate, then go watch the Giants practice from the sideline, then meet the rookies at lunch.  All of the Giants rookies were required to meet the donors.  It wasn't just the kids that enjoyed that day.  We all have a bunch of others but those 3 HoFers top the pile.

Rick Barry signed ABA basketball.  I used to mow his mother's lawn.  He was visiting one day when I went over and he gave me the ball.

[mspart]

The one who signed my book was sitting beside the mat before the start of a wrestling meet at UC Davis in 2009, so I assumed he was the John Smith mentioned in the book. I hope I didn't get the wrong one. Anyway he looked like the guy in the picture on the book cover.

Hopefully so.  Did he look like this?



mspart

[n9531l]

Not exactly. But he looked like someone who might have looked like that 20 years earlier.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cowboy+up+parrish&ref=nb_sb_noss

[ctc]

Thought I read that Michael Collins was a wrestler.

[ctc]

"Michael Collins competed as a varsity wrestler while attending St. Albans Prep School in Washington, D.C. and was honored as an Outstanding American by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992."
READ more about Colonel Collins -> https://bit.ly/2Qsl0Us