America loves its heroes. So when astronaut Neil Armstrong thrilled the world by becoming the first human to set foot on the moon, the Rocky tried to produce a newspaper to match his feat.

Editions of July 21, 1969, were declared "Moon Landing Sunrise Extras." And beneath the page 1 headline, in a box, the paper claimed:

First Colorado Newspaper

On Great Moon Triumph;

You'll Want to Preserve

This Historic Edition

The Denver Post was still an afternoon paper, and the Rocky went to press earlier than any other morning newspaper in the state, so it probably was the first to print the story.

The Associated Press lead was a model of brevity and history:

"HOUSTON (AP) - Two Americans landed and walked on the moon Sunday, the first human beings on its alien soil.

"They planted their nation's flag and talked to their President (Nixon) on earth by radio-telephone.

"Millions on their home planet 240,000 miles away watched on television as they saluted the flag, and scouted the lunar surface."

Ads out of this world

Denver's department stores had been pouncing on historic events with solemn or honorary ads since at least 1945, when President Franklin Roosevelt died. But they out-did themselves the day after humans walked on the moon.

On page 2, May D&F (later Foleys, then Macy's) designed a full-page ad showing a young boy, head upward, searching the skies.

On page 4, rival Neusteter's ran a rough drawing of the spacecraft on the surface of the moon with Earth over the horizon, and the words: "And now . . . man begins to decode the secret of time."

On page 21, another full-page ad appeared with the cartoon character Snoopy floating in space and asking, his words in a bubble, "Where's the May D&F."

Maybe they sold more bedsheets.

Drama on Earth

The day before, the Rocky's page 1 banner heralded Apollo 11's successful moon orbit and prepared readers for the much-anticipated landing. But the second headline on the cover reported another story, which Americans would whisper about for years to come:

Sen. Kennedy Misses

Death in Auto Wreck

Young Woman Passenger Killed

Alongside the story ran photos of Sen. Edward Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne.

"EDGARTOWN, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, Mass (UPI) - A car driven by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy plunged off a narrow bridge into a pond early Saturday, killing a pretty blonde secretary who was riding with him.

"Kennedy, who escaped from the car, said he made a futile attempt to rescue Mary Jo Kopechne, 29, diving repeatedly into the 10-foot saltwater pond before wandering away from the scene in a daze."

Michael Madigan150@RockyMountainNews.com

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