Riots, The Boss, and Big Earl: What did Houston look like in 1978?

PHOTOS: Houston in 1978

What did Houston look like 40 years ago? Well, you could probably see Patrick Swayze at the grocery store that June out in Oak Forest while he was visiting his mom at her dance studio.

See Houston as it was just as the '70s were nearing the end... less

What did Houston look like 40 years ago? Well, you could probably see Patrick Swayze at the grocery store that June out in Oak Forest while he was visiting his mom at her dance ... more PHOTOS: Houston in 1978 Photo: Tom Colburn/Houston Chronicle Photo: Tom Colburn/Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 87 Caption Close Riots, The Boss, and Big Earl: What did Houston look like in 1978? 1 / 87 Back to Gallery

What did Houston look like 40 years ago?

Well, you could probably see Patrick Swayze at the grocery store that June out in Oak Forest while he was visiting his mom at her dance studio.

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There was a killer Bruce Springsteen show to look forward to at the Summit that December. Maybe you got tickets from Ticketron?

Houston Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini was taking so many dirty hits on the field at the Astrodome and elsewhere that he took to wearing a fan-made flak jacket under his jersey. He had some extra firepower in the backfield that year as rookie Earl Campbell was making monstrous waves.

In more serious news, a clash in May 1978 between police and Cinco de Mayo revelers at Moody Park spawned a riot that left 15 people in the hospital and nearby businesses in ashes.

The year before 23-year-old Vietnam War veteran Joe Campos Torres' body was found washed up on the banks of the Buffalo Bayou. He had been arrested at a bar for disorderly conduct.

Instead of being taken to jail, police took Campos Torres to "The Hole," an isolated area behind a warehouse along Buffalo Bayou where Houston Police Department officers could write reports, question suspects and sleep.

RELATED: 40 years ago police killed Joe Campos Torres sparking massive Moody Park Riots

He was beaten by six officers for hours before they took him to the city jail. Once there, officials refused to book him because of the extent of his injuries, and ordered that he be admitted to a hospital. The six arresting officers instead took him, once again, to The Hole.

Following another beating, Campos Torres was pushed off the raised platform and fell 20 feet into the bayou, where his body was found three days later.

More than 40 people were arrested during the riots, which became nationwide news and led to the creation of HPD's internal affairs department.

Years later, Houstonians are still waiting for a marker of some sort to remember that riot and the reason behind it.

Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. He's an intolerable native Texan with too much ink in his skin and too much brisket stuck in his teeth.