Jay County Baseball has a rich history

late 1930′s Portland High School claimed State Champs

Portland Rocket - Heath Williams Places Tag

Jay County has a strong baseball heritage with filled with teams that commanded respected when they took the field. Teams such as the Redkey Merchants, Redkey Wolves, Dunkirk Watsons, Portland Panthers, Portland Rockets and Jay County Patriots. Today, Jay County still has a quality baseball program with the Jay County Patriots, Portland Rockets and competitive little league organizations in both Dunkirk and Portland.

In the late 1930′s one of the best team ever to take the field in Jay County advertised their bid as State Champions. The information documented below is from stories from my father, Walter Hartzell and news paper clippings from 1937, 1938 and 1939.

Under the coaching of Kenneth Farris, the Portland Panthers achieved a three year record of 32-5. The following was printed in the local paper after the 1939 season.

Panthers Chalk Up 32 Victories In 37 Games In 3 Seasons

Farrismen Record Equal To Any In State – 1937, 1938, 1939

Farrismen Record Equal to Any In State - Portland Panthers 1939

The Portland high school baseball team has compiled a record during the past three years under the coaching of Coach Kenneth Farris which will stand up against any high school record in the state, barring none.

During the past three years the Panthers have won 32 games against five defeats against the best teams in eastern Indiana. It is doubtful if the teams in any other section of the state are any stronger than they are around here.

Three Portland high school seniors have played all during these three years. They are Hartzell, Valentine and Garrison and they will be sadly missed next year when the diamond season again rolls around. Several others have played two years while others were new at the game this season.

During those three years victories were chalked up as follows; Winchester (6 times), Decatur (6), Bryant (4), Berne (3), Hartford City (3), Muncie Central (2), Union City (2), Fort Recovery (1). The five defeats were administered by Berne twice, Hartford City twice and Bluffton once.

In the three years the Panthers have scored 357 runs or an average of slightly over 11 runs per game. Their opponents have scored 151 runs or an average of slightly under 5 runs per contest. During that time the Panthers were only shut out once while they shut their opponents out on four different occasions.

The entire Portland record during this time is as follows:

1937, 1938, 1939 Porltand Panthers Baseball Record

–1937 Season–

Portland 4, Muncie Central 3
Portland 9, Bluffton 3
Portland 15, Bluffton 6
Portland 7, Berne 6
Portland 12, Decatur 3
Portland 15, Winchester 5
Portland 22, Muncie Central 7
Portland 17, Winchester 5
Portland 17, Decatur 3
Portland 14, Ft. Recovery 2
Portland 2, Hartford City 7
Portland 9, Hartford City 8
Won 11, lost 1, Pct .917

–1938 Season–

Portland 10, Winchester 4
Portland 2, Bryant 0 (8 innings)
Portland 2, Union City 1
Portland 12, Bryant 2
Portland 5, Berne 1
Portland 9, Hartford City 2
Portland 18, Bluffton 6
Portland 15, Berne 0
Portland 12, Decatur 7 (8 innings)
Portland 18, Bluffton 10
Portland 4, Winchester 1
Portland 0, Hartford City 4
Portland 7, Decatur 1
Won 12, lost 1, Pct .923

–1939 Season–

Portland 2, Berne 8
Portland 18, Winchester 5
Portland 10, Bryant 5
Portland 5, Hartford City 1
Portland 9, Winchester 3
Portland 7, Union City 2
Portland 11, Bryant 0
Portland 8, Bluffton 5
Portland 13, Berne 17
Portland 4, Bluffton 5
Portland 4, Decatur 0
Portland 6, Decatur 3
Won 9, lost 3, Pct .750