Ownby Stadium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Ownby Stadium | |
|---|---|
| Location | 5800 Ownby Dr Dallas, TX 75205 |
| Opened | 1926 |
| Closed | 1998 |
| Demolished | October, 1998 |
| Owner | Southern Methodist University |
| Operator | Southern Methodist University |
| Surface | Natural Grass |
| Tenants | SMU Mustangs (NCAA) (1926-1948, 1989-1994) |
| Capacity | 23,783 |
Ownby Stadium was a stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. It was the home of the Southern Methodist University Mustang football team.
Named for Jordon Ownby, the stadium was built at the south end of the campus. There was controversy at the time of the stadium's inception, as the school had spent the gift from Ownby on a stadium (per his wishes) rather than a full-sized library, which the school did not have at the time.[1] Interestingly, with the exception of a few seasons after the school received the "Death Penalty" from the NCAA, the team had not played at the stadium since 1948.[2] In the interim, the team played at the Cotton Bowl, as well as several years in the 1980s at Texas Stadium.
In most of the 1970s, the chief tenant at Ownby was the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer League.
The 23,783 seat stadium consisted of four grandstands, one on each side, with the west (home) size being larger than the rest. In late 1998, the stadium was demolished to make way for Gerald J. Ford Stadium, which stands on the same site.
