Category: Special Collections

Texas League opening day

April 6 is opening day for the Texas League, the minor league baseball organization that includes teams from Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, and Tennessee. The Frisco Rough Riders are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, and over the years these notable players have moved up to the Texas Rangers: Elvis…Continue Reading Texas League opening day

Gerry York — A Team Player

The DeGolyer Library lost a shining light and mentor on March 18. Gerry York, 87, class of 58, Southern Methodist University sports historian, fan, volunteer, and loving husband, father, and grandfather, died from complications from a stroke. Almost 25 years ago, Gerry and Ed Wisneski created Heritage Hall, a museum documenting SMU’s athletics history and…Continue Reading Gerry York — A Team Player

Tender Mercies 40th anniversary

Tender Mercies was released in American theaters forty years ago this month. The story of a troubled Texas country singer on the verge of a comeback who must choose between his career and new family was nominated for multiple Academy Awards. Although the film did not win the Academy Award for Best Picture, Horton Foote…Continue Reading Tender Mercies 40th anniversary

Happy Birthday, Ebby!

Ebby Halliday lived to see 104 birthdays and once she turned 90 years old each succeeding  milestone was celebrated with more festivities and more grandeur. Ebby’s photographs, scrapbooks, and correspondence document the public adoration of the Queen Mum of Real Estate. In 2001, for her 90th birthday, the Communities Foundation of Texas honored her with…Continue Reading Happy Birthday, Ebby!

Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form at the DMA – featured in Glasstire

In the first of a two-part essay in Glasstire, Ruben C. Cordova writes about the artist, Octavio Medellín, featured in his retrospective show at the Dallas Museum of Art. Curated by the DMA’s Mark Castro, Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form extensively features the artist’s archives from SMU Libraries Bywaters Special Collections at the Hamon Arts…Continue Reading Octavio Medellín: Spirit and Form at the DMA – featured in Glasstire

Ebby’s Christmas Greetings

The Ebby Halliday Papers contain 25 years of Christmas holiday greetings sent by Ebby and her husband Maurice Acers. These undated, paper postcards and folded cards are all 8 inches by 9 inches and feature a photograph of Ebby and Maurice from a special event or celebration that took place that year. The back of…Continue Reading Ebby’s Christmas Greetings

Ebby’s Thanksgiving Wish

Texas didn’t make Thanksgiving an official holiday until 1848. But in 1961, the Lone Star State became a special place in the holiday’s history, as home to the world’s only Thanksgiving shrine, known as Thanks-Giving Square. Today, Thanks-Giving Square is a unique, interfaith, multicultural site and research center on a 3.5-acre site in the heart…Continue Reading Ebby’s Thanksgiving Wish

Ebby Halliday Sings

Ebby with ukulele FWST

Almost as famous as Ebby Halliday was Ebby Halliday’s ukulele. Whether she was the recipient of an award or welcoming a new class of real estate agents to Ebby Halliday, Inc., Ebby channeled charm and humor through her ukulele. She had a penchant for changing lyrics to well known songs to suit her topic and…Continue Reading Ebby Halliday Sings

Texas League: we knew them when…

Lance McCullers

                        Baseball fans have waited all season to see who will battle for the World Series championship. The formidable Houston Astros swept the Yankees and now they are looking to beat the wildcard Philadelphia Phillies. Many of these players began their career in the…Continue Reading Texas League: we knew them when…