Bannister’s Shoes of Track History

It was May 6, 1954 and a medical student from Oxford, England was about to make track history.

A barrier no one felt would ever be broken was shattered on a wet English afternoon as Roger Bannister covered the mile in under four minutes. 3:59.4 to be exact a milestone that has since been repeated and bested many times but at the time it was global news.

Bannister, who turned 88 this year, died over the weekend from complications of Parkinson's disease.

Look at the cleats he wore that day! The look like the most uncomfortable shoes ever made and yet they and Bannister made history.

Bannister, born in 1929 had become a world sports hero but would always say he was more pleased with his contributions to medicine especially in the field of neurology.

Ironically, just months after Bannister did what many felt to be the impossible, he and John Landy of Australia competed in what was called the miracle mile. Bannister won with both men breaking the four minute barrier.

Landy was second not only that day but in history as well and the name Roger bannister was etched in track lore.

The current record in the mile is 3:43.13 by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco held since 1999. But ask anyone about the mile and records and Roger Bannister is the standard.