Special event footage. Amateur footage of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Vancouver. Shows track and field events at Empire Stadium on opening day; final day events at Empire Stadium (including the Roger Bannnister-John Landy "Miracle Mile" and the end of Jim Peters' marathon attempt); swimming and diving events at Empire Pool; rowing events on the Vedder Canal.

The item consists of film out-takes of the British Empire Commonwealth Games of 1954. Based on footage shot by amateurs at Empire Stadium and UBC, the outs include shots of ceremonies, cycling, diving, swimming, the mile run and the marathon, including the collapse of Jim Peters.

SUMMARY: "Heritage Theatre" was a series of short historical plays set in the Vancouver environs. These vignettes illustrate some of the significant events and interesting episodes from Vancouver's earliest times. First broadcast in 1977, the plays were made in co-operation with the Social Planning Department of the City of Vancouver. This series was broadcast during the summer of 1981. This episode, "The Four Minute Mile" by Joe Wiesenfeld, recreates the race at Empire Stadium on August 7, 1954 between Roger Bannister and John Landy.

The item is a film consisting of unedited footage which records the "Miracle Mile" race of Roger Bannister, John Landy and Richard Ferguson, as well as the finish of James Peters, marathon runner, at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver. Peters was disqualified before he crossed the marathon finish line. James McGee of Scotland was declared the winner instead. The critical moment where the narrator announces Peters has crossed the finish line is obscured on the film by a head in front of the camera. Peters was, however, 200 yards short of the real finish line and because he was touched by people (he kept collapsing as he struggled to finish the race), he was disqualified.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Norman Marshall RECORDED: Steveston (B.C.), 1976-02-26 SUMMARY: Norman Marshall was born in Kingston, Ontario in 1894. Came to B.C. in 1903, his father was a conductor on the B.C. Electric streetcars. Railway did belong to the C.P.R. but was sold to B.C. Electric in 1905. His father was promoted to Station Master and the family moved out then. Went to school in Vancouver. His father also worked for the Municipality of Richmond in the Water Works Department. Present (1976) house was built in 1916, when he was married. After high school he worked for the branch yard of the Eburne sawmill doing bull-work in Steveston. Tom Leslie was manager. Went to local garage and began mechanical work, then went to the Imperial Cannery in 1917, then Columbia cold storage, which belonged to B.C. Packers at that time. Worked for Moffat and Martin repairing Model T Ford and demonstrating the first Ford tractor between 1917 and 1920. Moffat was an automobile man, and Martin was a tinsmith. In 1920 he was making enough money to support his family and pay for his house. They used to have running races on No. One Road, he was quite a competitor; he won 5 firsts in the 24th of May holiday, including a 5 mile race down No. One Road to the river and back again. Everything was seasonal on account of fishing. He designed a net drum for a fishing boat with parts from a Model T Ford. 1935 he started in the machine shop, working on marine engines. He describes how the drum works. Ran his own shop at the bottom of 3rd Avenue, rented a machine and boat shop from a Japanese who was removed because of the War. His wife died in 1953 and he retired in 1956. He never belonged to any unions, he worked independently and repaired boats for various canneries. Discussion of the Japanese in Steveston. Big fire in Steveston, south side of the main street burnt right through to No. One Road. People helped each other, as there was no relief. Discusses canneries and their locations. He also lists hotels and bars in Steveston. He describes a Saturday on Steveston's main street.

News item. Interview with coach, and footage of UVic cross-country runners in a practice heat.