Portland Rockets
| Founded | 1944 |
|---|---|
| League | American Football League |
| Based in | Portland, Oregon |
| Arena | Multnomah Stadium |
| President | Henry J. "Sandy" Sandberg |
| Head coach | Robert L. Mathews |
| Championships | none |
| Division titles | none |
The Portland Rockets were a professional American football team based in Portland, Oregon for two nonconsecutive seasons during World War II. They were members of the Northwest War Industries League as the Portland Boilermakers[1] in 1942[2] and the American Football League (AFL) in 1944. The Rockets played their home games at Multnomah Stadium and its colors were green and orange.[3] In 1944 team president Henry J. "Sandy" Sandberg asked people to submit suggestions for the team's nickname, the winner of which was L. J. Maclin of Salem, Oregon. Six other people made the same suggestion, but Maclin had submitted his entry first. They all received season tickets.[4]
Robert L. Mathews, former head coach of the Portland Pilots football team, was hired to coach the Rockets during the 1944 season.[5] Their first game was held at 2:30 on September 3 against the Seattle Bombers.[6] In front of 10,213 attendees at Multnomah Stadium Seattle beat Portland, 21–13.[7] The Rockets finished their first season with a 3–6 record.[8] At the end of the 1944 season, Rockets owners were out $40,000 after plans to farm the league's talent to the National Football League (NFL) failed.[9]
See also
[edit | edit source]References
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- ^ Gill, Bob (1989). Other minor leagues Archived 2010-11-27 at the Wayback Machine. Coffin Corner (Professional Football Researchers Association). Retrieved May 11, 2014.
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- American football teams established in 1942
- American football teams disestablished in 1944
- American football teams in Portland, Oregon
- Sports clubs and teams in Portland, Oregon
- Defunct American football teams in Oregon
- 1942 establishments in Oregon
- 1944 disestablishments in Oregon
- American Football League (1944)
- American football team stubs
- Western United States sports team stubs
- Oregon sport stubs