Ownby Stadium

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Ownby Stadium
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Ownby Stadium
Location within Texas
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Ownby Stadium
Ownby Stadium (the United States)
Address5800 Ownby Dr.
Location University Park, Texas
Coordinates 32°50′22″N96°46′56″W / 32.83944°N 96.78222°W / 32.83944; -96.78222 Coordinates: 32°50′22″N96°46′56″W / 32.83944°N 96.78222°W / 32.83944; -96.78222
Owner Southern Methodist University
OperatorSouthern Methodist University
Capacity 23,783
Acreage 1.2 acres (0.49 ha)
SurfaceNatural grass
Construction
Broke ground1926 (1926)
Opened1926 (1926)
Closed1998 (1998)
DemolishedOctober 1998 (1998-10)
Architect DeWitt & Lemmon
BuilderOsborne Engineering Co.
Tenants
SMU Mustangs (NCAA) (1926–1948, 1989–1994)
Dallas Tornado (NASL) (1976–1979)
Jordan C. Ownby Stadium
Architectural style Colonial Revival, Georgian Revival
MPS Georgian Revival Buildings of Southern Methodist University TR (AD)
NRHP reference No. 80004093 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPSeptember 27, 1980 [2]
Removed from NRHPSeptember 23, 2004

Ownby Stadium was a stadium in the University Park suburb of Dallas, Texas. It was the home of the Southern Methodist University Mustang football team. In late 1998, the stadium was demolished to build Gerald J. Ford Stadium at the site.

Contents

Background

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. [3]

As the Mustangs rose to prominence in the 1930s, they began scheduling an increasing number of games at the much larger Cotton Bowl, and finally moved there on a permanent basis in 1948, [4] while later moving to Texas Stadium. However, after massive rules violations resulted in the NCAA handing down the "death penalty" in 1987, SMU officials decided to move football games back to a heavily renovated Ownby Stadium.

From 1976 to 1979 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) side 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.

See also

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2012 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2012 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season as members of Conference USA in the West Division. June Jones led the Mustangs in his fifth season. The Mustangs played home games in University Park, Texas at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. This was SMU's last year as a member of Conference USA as they will join the Big East Conference in 2013. They finished the season 7–6, 5–3 in C-USA play to finish in second place in the West Division. They were invited to the Hawaii Bowl where they defeated Fresno State.

2014 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2014 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach June Jones for two games and interim head coach Tom Mason for the remainder of the season. They played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, an enclave of Dallas and were members of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 1–11, 1–7 in AAC play to finish in last place.

2015 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2015 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Chad Morris. They played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, an enclave of Dallas, and were members of the Western Division of the American Athletic Conference. They finished the season 2–10, 1–7 in American Athletic play to finish in a tie for fifth place in the Western Division.

2016 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2016 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, and competed in the West Division of American Athletic Conference (AAC). They were led by second-year head coach Chad Morris. They finished the season 5–7, 3–5 in American Athletic play to finish in fifth place in the West Division.

2017 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2017 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas, and competed in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference. They were led by third-year coach Chad Morris during the entire regular season until December 6, when he resigned to become the head coach at Arkansas. On December 11, SMU hired Sonny Dykes as head coach, and he led them in their bowl game. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in AAC play to finish in a tie for third place in the West Division. They were invited to the Frisco Bowl where they lost to Louisiana Tech.

2018 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2018 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas and competed in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference. They were led by first-year coach Sonny Dykes. They finished the season 5–7, 4–4 in American Athletic play to finish in fourth place in the West Division.

The 1936 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University during the 1936 college football season. The Mustangs were led by second-year head coach Matty Bell and played their home games at Ownby Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The team competed as a member of the Southwest Conference. Entering the season as defending co-national champions, SMU had high expectations once again. They lost their first regular season game in two years when they lost to Fordham at the Polo Grounds. Regardless, SMU was featured in the first ever AP Poll, released two weeks later on October 19, being ranked 19th in that poll. The Mustangs failed to defend their SWC crown, finishing in fifth in the conference with a record of 5–4–1.

2019 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2019 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University during the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs were led by second-year head coach Sonny Dykes and played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, a separate city within the city limits of Dallas. They competed as members of the West Division of the American Athletic Conference.

2020 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2020 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs were led by third-year coach Sonny Dykes and played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, a separate city within the city limits of Dallas, competed as members of the American Athletic Conference.

The 1938 SMU Mustangs football team was an American football team that represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1938 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Matty Bell, the Mustangs compiled a 6–4 record and outscored opponents by a total of 148 to 125. The team played its home games at Ownby Stadium in University Park, Texas, and the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

The 1937 SMU Mustangs football team was an American football team that represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1937 college football season. In their third season under head coach Matty Bell, the Mustangs compiled a 5–6 record and outscored opponents by a total of 93 to 80. The team played its home games at Ownby Stadium in University Park, Texas, and the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

2021 SMU Mustangs football team American college football season

The 2021 SMU Mustangs football team represents Southern Methodist University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs are led by fourth-year coach Sonny Dykes and play their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, a separate city within the city limits of Dallas, competed as members of the American Athletic Conference.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. "National Register of Historic Places" (PDF). Annual Listing of Historic Properties. National Park Service. February 3, 1981. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  3. DES Newsletter, Volume IV, Issue IV, April 2005, smu.edu.
  4. SMU Football - Historical Information