Saturday, September 18, 2010

Mystery of the Football game mentioned during Apollo 17.

What's up with this?

At one point in a file called "a17v.1203905.rm" the Apollo 17 video archives, the astronaut says it is Apollo 17 and confirms with Ground Control back on Earth that it is a Monday Evening. That would have made it Monday December the 11th, 1972.

Astronaut on Moon: "Hey, who's winning the football game? "

Ground Control: "Stand by, we'll find out." (pause) "Okay, Jack and Gene, the score is 10 to 10 at the half."

Astronaut on Moon: "It's Oakland and uh, and who?"

Ground Control: "Kansas"

Astronaut on Moon: "... Kansas City...."

But wait, on Monday the 11th, Oakland was playing the New York Jets.  Okay, but perhaps Ground Control was watching a re-run? No, because Kansas City a few weeks ago never got to 10. The final score was 26 Oakland, 3 Kansas City.

1972 Oakland Raiders season






























11November 26, 1972Kansas City ChiefsW 26-3
12December 3, 1972at San Diego ChargersW 21-19
13December 11, 1972New York JetsW 24-16
14December 17, 1972Chicago BearsW 28-21


Was Ground Control was just wrong about who was playing?

Answer: No, I heard the audio wrong.

Ground control actually answers "Jets" not "Kansas".

Once again, no conspiracy.

Here is the transcript:
120:39:26 Parker: On a Monday evening. Roger.
[Fendell pans away from Jack.]

120:39:31 Cernan: Yeah, on Monday evening. That is what it is, isn't it? Hey, who's winning the football game?

120:39:39 Parker: Stand by; we'll find out. (Long pause, presumably while somebody makes a phone call. Most likely, nobody in the MOCR is watching the game.)
[In 1969, the American Broadcasting Company began broadcasting a weekly, Monday night National Football League game. Prior to this time, almost all NFL games had been played on Sundays and, for a few years, at least, Monday Night Football was immensely popular.]

120:40:08 Parker: Okay; and, Jack and Gene, the score is 10 to 10 at the half.
[It is about 9:33 p.m. Central Standard Time on Monday, December 11. The games started at 8 p.m. CST and, therefore, the first half has probably just ended.]

120:40:18 Cernan: Yeah, that's Oakland (Raiders) and who?

120:40:21 Parker: (New York) Jets. (Pause)

120:40:30 Cernan: Not Kansas City (Chiefs). What am I thinking of?

http://history.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/a17.deepcore.html

1 comment:

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