In 1915,Harry "Curley" Byrd, head coach for what was then theMaryland Agricultural football team, petitioned the school for funds for a stadium. At that time, the football team lacked any dedicated facilities and had one poorly suited athletic field on which to practice and play games.[4] The new stadium was originally to be called the University of Maryland Athletic Field, but the student body protested for a better name.[2] The Board of Regents voted to name the stadium after Byrd, who was a formerquarterback, the current coach, and futureuniversity president.[5]
The stadium was built by the H. D. Watts Construction Company, which was owned by Harry Watts, an alumnus who played as afullback on thefootball team from 1901 to 1903.[6] Construction was completed in 1923 at a cost of $60,000. The inaugural game was played againstRandolph-Macon on September 29, which Maryland won, 53–0.[4] The stadium was officially dedicated on November 24,[7] for theHomecoming game againstCatholic. Maryland won that game as well, 40-6, in front of a crowd of 3,000.[8] Between 1924 and 1947, Maryland played most home games in the facility, but for major games often traveled toGriffith Stadium inWashington, D.C. orMemorial Stadium inBaltimore, both of which were significantly larger.[8] In 1944, Byrd Stadium hosted the first night game in College Park, which pitted the Terrapins againstHampden-Sydney College.[9] During the1948 season, the Terrapins played all of their home games atGriffith Stadium inWashington, D.C. In 1950, the old stadium was replaced by the significantly largerByrd Stadium (which was renamedMaryland Stadium in 2015),[10] and the original stadium was razed in 1953.[11]
