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From: 147 Spring 2018
Author: Howard Crapper
I am old enough to remember the historic achievement of Sir Roger Bannister breaking the four minute mile. The excitement in Oxford was amazing. Folk queued for the Oxford Mail to get all the details.
To a young lad like myself, it was brilliant to have a world wide event on our doorstep. It was a day after my Birthday. A breezy Spring day in May 1954 and Roger stepped out on the Iffley Road Track. A medical student at Merton College who trained at lunchtimes.
With two pace makers out front, he kept up and then on the last lap overtook and sped for the line. Time keepers compared and shrieks of surprise and celebration erupted from the crowd of reporters. Roger later beat his time of 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. He went on to qualify for his medical degree and established himself as a consultant in nervous diseases during 1963.
He was knighted in 1975 and also made an Honorary Freeman of the City of Oxford.
Sir Roger graced the Oxford Town Hall on many occasions and was a pleasure to talk with and he was always generous with his time. He became Master of Pembroke College in 1985. Parkinson’s disease was diagnosed in 2011 but he never gave in to the effects. My childhood hero, a tremendous ambassador for Sport and the City of Oxford. He will be missed.
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