"That git Clarke told me it's what everyone wears over here"

[major_clanger]

File 770 has posted this tribute to Fred Ordway, space scientist, author, and technical consultant on 2001: A Space Odyssey. It includes this photograph:



As the caption at the File 770 post notes, the foreground figures are (L-R) Ordway, astronaut Deke Slayton, Arthur C Clarke, Stanley Kubrick and NASA senior manager George Mueller, during a tour of the 2001 sets at MGM's Borehamwood Studios.

What isn't explained is why Ordway appears to be dressed in cricket whites.

Indeed, from Slayton's expression, I think he might have been about to ask.

Comments

[legionseagle]

Perhaps he's cottoned on to the ultimate truth of the universe; namely, any given man in daylight will look much sexier in cricket whites than otherwise (after dusk it's black tie and tails).

The Italian cricket team manage to achieve dangerous levels of sheer chic in team photos.

[clanwilliam]

Thankfully the Irish team restore balance to the universe by showing up looking like a pub team and proceeding to thrash the opposition in any match they wear whites for.

The O'Brien boys are many things, but dapper and dashing are not among them.

Something Wicket This Way Comes

[hairyears]

I know what you mean: not a crease out of place.

[pauldormer.livejournal.com]

The humorist Miles Kington in his column in The Independent used to have this recurring bit when someone famous died that he'd run a spoof obituary quoting someone called Sir George "Gubby" Trotter, who'd reminisce about the deceased's love of cricket, whether it be Frank Sinatra or the Ayatollah Khomeini. Maybe he actually liked cricket. :-)

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/columnists/miles-kington/memories-of-a-thinker-and-cricketer-6155202.html

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

Ordway actually explains this beginning at 28:10 in this talk. (Mueller wanted to return to see more of the studio on a Sunday; Ordway had a tennis game scheduled; Kubrick said "Don't cancel it, just come in your tennis clothes.")

But I like your explanation better.