Delvin G. Miller (1913-1996)
North Strabane Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
An excellent horseman and among the most influential names in harness racing, Miller won 2,442 races in 8 decades, including the Hambletonian and the Little Brown Jug. He bred and trained many champions, including Adios, a winning stallion with numerous champion offspring. Inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1968, Miller promoted racing safety and technology. He founded The Meadows in 1963 to bring the sport to his southwestern Pa. home.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
In the mid-20th century, harness racing—the sport of trotters and pacers pulling a driver in a light two-wheeled sulky—was one of America's most popular pastimes, and few names loomed larger than Delvin Miller. Over an extraordinary career spanning eight decades he won thousands of races and captured the sport's crown jewels, while breeding and training champion horses whose bloodlines shaped the sport for generations. In 1963 he brought the action home to southwestern Pennsylvania by founding The Meadows, cementing the region's place on the racing map.
Why it matters
Miller embodied an American athletic tradition rooted in horse and harness that predates the automobile, and his push for safety and technology helped a rural sport modernize and endure into the modern era.
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