Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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Tony Renteria, La Ventana assistant UD photographer Candy Mathers editor, interviews Don McLean at a and Melmanette Joni Johnson talk reception after McLean ' s to Larry Bud Melman after his performance. show at the Lindsey Theater. Designed by Tony Renteria Lindsey Theater — 29

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Working together . . . making a dream become reality With a little help from my friends Flashing lights, well-known names on billboards, long lines. Sound like Hollywood? It might be Hollywood today, but it also was Lubbock in the 1940s. Lines of people formed around Avenues J and L waiting to get into the largest movie theater from Dallas to Los Angeles, the Lindsey. The Lindsey Theater closed in 1979 because of parking problems, crime and competi- tion from newer theaters. In 1981, it re-opened as the Lub- bock Community Center but closed again in 1982 because of a lack of funds. In early 1984, Dan Hely, Donnie Baker, Joe Baker and Steve Moss decided to try to rebuild the spirit of the Lind- sey. Before the men began, Moss decided to ask Doug Nelson to join. Before the theater, we had done a lot of work together, said Nelson. He got involved and then asked me to go into it and I decided to. By the end of When we got the Lindsey, it was in very bad shape. We had to hire men to paint, rewire, re- plaster, clean water damages and put in a new plumbing sys- tem. May, all five men had gathered enough money to re-open the theater for all kinds of events. When we got the Lindsey, it was in very bad shape, said Nelson. We had to hire men to paint, rewire, replaster, clean water damage and put in a new plumbing system. A new concession stand, a new stage and new seats were added to the Lind- sey as well. After three months, it was ready for another start. On Aug. 5 country singer Earl Thomas Conley hosted the grand re-opening. From then on, the theater was the place for Broadway plays to ballets to religious singers to body-building contests. On Sept. 6, Nelson brought in Don McLean to perform at the annual Buddy Holly Memorial Concert. It was the second show for the Lind- sey, and it received a lot of bad press, said Nelson. But Lindsey co-owner Doug Nelson watches off stage as Forest DeCalvert (Larry Bud Melman) entertains a Lindsey crowd. I believe that people wanted to hear him sing ' American Pie ' . It was the most incredible concert at the Lindsey, at- tended by several of Buddy Holly ' s family members. When he (McLean) finished singing, the crowd stood and cheered, Nelson said. He sang ' Vincent ' and ' Stardust ' for encores, and the audience was in tears. At that moment, we knew we had brought in someone special. On Oct. 24, Adam Ant per- formed at the Lindsey. The Nelsons opened for him. Warren Miller ' s Steep and Deep ski movie was a big suc- cess in November. ' Steep and Deep ' was the most suc : cessful show held at the Lind- sey, said Nelson. It brought in over 1,000 people, and the Lindsey seats 1,100. I feel that we have generated enough in- terest in the theatre that it will continue to be a success. It has been successful enough to sell and make money off of. On Feb. 28, the owners brought in DeGarmo and Key, Christian singers who were nominated for a Grammy. During April, a religious play called In Pieces was performed in the theater. On April 17, Forrest DeCalvert (Larry Bud Melman) of Late Night with David Let- terman was a big attraction. The Lubbock bodybuilding | competition also took place in | the theater. It was a show for | men and women to participate in, said Nelson. We had all kinds of people enter, anyone from doctors to lawyers to Tech students. Since it is becoming a fad in America, we thought it would do good, and it did do good. I feel that we have generated enough interest in the theater that it will con- tinue to be a success. It has been successful enough to sell and make money off of. But as live music venues more losing popularity all over the state, the Lindsey was having trouble drawing crowds by the beginning of summer. A May concert by Charlie Sexton was canceled, and the future of the Lindsey again looked dim. — Michelle Gilliland Alan Andrews AO — Lindsey Theater

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Moore fired after fifth year at helm; Raiders ' future lies with McWilliams The football season already had been full of letdowns and near misses. But there was one game left, and win- ning it could give the Red Raiders their best season in five years. But three days before that final game, the top headline in The Univer- sity Daily read, Tech ' s Raiders handed one Moore loss. Just three days before the 1985 season ended, Head Coach Jerry Moore was fired by T. Jones, Tech ' s new athletic director, after refusing to resign. It was the first time in Tech ' s 60-year history that a head coach had been dismissed. Moore had come to Tech in 1981 after a two-year head coaching stint at North Texas State, where he was 11- 11. Before North Texas State, he spent five years as assistant coach at Nebraska, seven years as an assistant at SMU and three years as an assistant at Cor- sicana High School. Moore said he was surprised by his dismissal but was not bitter. I ' m confused and hurt, but I ' m not bitter because I ' m just not that way, he said. He said he refused to resign because there was a matter of pride in- volved and because I had put in five hard years here trying to make this school into a football contender. During a news con- ference Jones said his decision to fire Moore was based on several factors, including his win-loss record and recruiting. Jones also said eco- nomics played a large part in his decision to make a change. Tech ' s home attendance hit a David McWilliams, with his wife Cindy, answers questions for the press after being named head football coach at Tech. peak in 1979 with an average of 46,083 but has continually de- creased since then. Much criticism was heaped on Jones by Tech students and other onlookers who said his timing in firing Moore was poor. Tim Crawford, a senior defensive end, expressed his bitterness about the firing. I ' m surprised T. Jones told us a lie, he said. He said a couple of weeks ago he would wait until after the season (to make a decision), and the season isn ' t over yet. Jones told reporters he had made the deci- sion to announce the dismissal before the season finale because there was no reason to delay anything. I thought it was best that I visit with Coach Moore and tell him my decision so he could talk to the squad and the staff. There are a lot of people involved, Jones said. I don ' t think it was fair, said senior Carl Carter. The new athletic director comes in, gives the man the shaft real quick. It ' s sad to see a man lose his job. Players said it was difficult for Moore to announce his firing to the squad. It was upsetting and moving, said junior linebacker Brad Hastings. I ' m sure it was one of the hardest things he ' s ever had to do. He said it is part of the business, said quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver. We all have to accept it now, but no one likes it. Several members of the team met two days before the final game of the season against Houston and discussed boycotting the game unless Moore was rehired as head coach. One player said they considered the boycott because they didn ' t think Jones had the best interests of the team at heart. He bleeds orange, the player said of Jones, who came to Tech after serving as associate athletic director at the University of Texas. We think he just wants to put one of his friends in the position. The boycott never became reality, as Tech Assistant Athletic Director Jess Stiles ar- rived at the late-night meeting and persuaded the players to speak with Jones before they made any decisions on the matter. Three days after the football players con- sidered a boycott, five members of a Lubbock citizens group presented Tech President Lauro Cavazos with a petition demanding the reinstatement of Moore as head coach and a public apology by Jones to the squad for lying to them. Though Moore and his squad were sur- prised by Jones ' deci- sion, a UD poll of Tech students showed that most students didn ' t seem surprised by the news. I was praying it would happen, said one student. It ' s tough to fire him, but since he lost, I guess it was deserved, said another. One student said, I kind of expected it, I guess. I think he ' s a really nice guy, so it ' s kind of sad to see. Moore ended his career at Tech with a 16-37-2 record and his final season 4-7. The players had dedicated their final game in the Astrodome to Moore, but the events of the previous week had taken a toll on the team ' s spirit. Houston sneaked by the Raiders Kevin Brinkley 30 — Moore Mc Williams Feature