Portland in Jay County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Wall of Dreams

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 3, 2023

1. Wall of Dreams Marker

Inscription. For years men from all over Indiana and Western Ohio have benefited and lived the dream, every little boy's dream, since their first visit for peanuts and cracker jacks. The Rockets play good old fashion baseball. It may not be New York, or Boston. There may not be thousands of fans or million-dollar endorsement deals. But for 60 years the Portland Rockets, a semi-pro, wood bat baseball team, have been giving players an opportunity to grow as a player and as men, to get noticed, and for some, a last chance to play the great American pastime before hanging up the cleats for good. The name itself may not be important to a player trying to get a few more years in the sun, but to everyone else with the organization just the name "Portland Rockets" bring history, respect, and community to a small town in East Central Indiana.

The Rockets Franchise, founded in 1959 by Dick Runkle, is one of the oldest franchises in amateur baseball. Ray Miller took over the team in 1972, when his son and current Rockets' Manager Randy Miller started playing. Ray made it possible to keep amateur baseball alive and well in Portland. Giving

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everything he had to his family, his team, and his community.

The Rockets call Runkle-Miller Field home. Located in Portland's southwest side in what's locally known as "Sportland," Runkle-Miller Field named after the founders of Portland's baseball legacy.

The Rockets are a big thing in a small town. And it does matter because without the community, without sponsorship of local business, the Rockets wouldn't be here. The Runkle and Miller dreams were much like that of the movie "Field of Dreams." In the movie James Earl Jones says, "People will come Ray".

So, we continue to dream. Now we have an initiative to salute the team's contribution to Portland by stamping its history on the side of the Ritz Theater, an icon of its own. Record the timeline of events that mark the steady existence of this Portland symbol, the Rockets, by commissioning a mural crafted by Pamela Bliss, the same nationally renowned artist who graced the Eagles building at the corner of Meridian and Arch streets with the Elwood Haynes creation.

MURAL CONTRIBUTORS
Jay County Commissioners, City of Portland Council, Jay County Council, Bollenbacher and

Photographed by Tom Bosse, June 3, 2023

2. Wall of Dreams Marker

Associates LLC, Barry & Elizabeth Hudson, The Williams Family Ed, Rocky, and Heath

HISTORICAL SUPPORT

Jim Runkle Family, Nick Miller, Coach Randy Miller MURAL COMMITTEE
Randy Fisher, Dru Hall and Chuck Huffman.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1959.

Location. 40° 26.066′ N, 84° 58.688′ W. Marker is in Portland, Indiana, in Jay County. It is at the intersection of West Walnut Street and Meridian Street (U.S. 27), on the left when traveling east on West Walnut Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Portland IN 47371, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Indiana.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: First National Bank (about

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400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Major General John P. C. Shanks (about 400 feet away); Elwood Haynes (about 400 feet away); American Legion Post No. 211 Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away); Jay County W.W. I and W.W. II Honor Roll (about 500 feet away); Elwood Haynes (1857-1925) (about 700 feet away); Jay County Veterans Honor Roll (approx. ¼ mile away); In Honor of our Nation's 200 Years (approx. 6.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Portland.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 4, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 170 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 4, 2023, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.