“Now, it’s Slayton’s turn”…56 years ago

In early 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth.  The next Mercury astronaut scheduled to fly in space was Sparta’s Deke Slayton.  But just a few weeks before “Delta 7” was to be launched, Slayton was grounded with a heart problem that would keep him out of space for another 13 years.  Scott Carpenter took his place on the next mission, and folks in Sparta made up for the disappointment by inviting Slayton back home for a celebration that May.

Was the U.S. government turning Socialist?  That was the fear expressed in 1962 by Robert Welch, founder of the anti-Communist John Birch Society.  Speaking at a Republican dinner in Milwaukee, Welch accused the country’s leaders of re-distributing the wealth, giving people “other men’s property,” and warning that the U.S. was being “pushed” toward its downfall.

For people who could watch NBC stations on their TV’s, the “Tonight” show was preparing for a new host.  Jack Paar was leaving the late-night show, to be replaced by game show host Johnny Carson.  On Friday nights that summer, you could watch “The Twilight Zone,” “Rawhide,” “Route 66,” and Dinah Shore…56 years ago, 1962, yesterday in La Crosse.