Roger Bannister hailed for landmark achievements

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Sir Roger Bannister, who defied contemporary 1950s science and took the first plunge under four minutes while running a mile, died Saturday. 

Bannister's historic sub-four mile on May 6, 1954, earned him a place in history and was one of the great sporting breakthroughs of the 20th century. READ MORE

Bannister, who viewed running as a hobby, was also a successful neurologist. 

In the 1950s, Bannister joined Sir Edmund Hilary, who scaled Mount Everest, as one of Britain's great pioneers of human endurance and trail-blazing spirit.

Bannister opened a door that still has meaning today, although more than 500 Americans (alone) have followed him under four minutes in the last 64 years.