Christa McAuliffe Vice President George H. W. Bush announced that she had been selected for the position. Another teacher, Barbara Morgan, served as her backup. According to Mark Travis of the "Concord Monitor", it was her manner that set her apart from the other candidates. NASA official Alan Ladwig said "she had an infectious enthusiasm", and NASA psychiatrist Terrence McGuire told "New Woman" magazine that "she was the most broad-based, best-balanced person of the 10." Later that year, she and Morgan each took a year-long leave of absence from teaching in order to train for a space shuttle mission in early 1986.
Dick McAuliffe his playing career as a utility infielder. However, McAuliffe was released after playing only seven more games. His career ended on September 1, 1975, in a Yankees-Red Sox game. McAuliffe dropped an easy popup for an error. Later in the inning, McAuliffe's throw pulled Carl Yastrzemski off the bag. Though it was scored a single, the Boston fans booed McAuliffe. McAuliffe was left off Boston's post-season roster, and his major league career was over. McAuliffe was among the American League leaders in triples eight times, and his ability to draw walks also increased his offensive output, ending his career with