Page 80 - Johnny Miles Wins the Boston Marathon

ISSUE : Issue 59

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1992/1/1

On Monday, April 26, Johnny and his parents finally boarded a train for home. The delivery boy from Cape Breton had become the toast of Boston, offered advice to school children, signed autographs, and given countless speeches. Through it all, the clean-living, modest runner must have seemed a breath of fresh air. Here was a young man who really meant it when he said, "Everything I am today, I owe to my parents." Enjoying the relative calm of the train, the Mileses could hardly ima? gine the reception they would receive upon crossing into Canada. They had read in the Boston papers about the numerous post-victory celebrations throughout Nova Scotia, of the blowing of whistles at the coal mines and the steel plant, of the unfurling of flags, and of the outpouring of praise. But they did not expect to be received in a fash? ion usually reserved for royalty. At the age of 86, Cape Breton's Johnny Miles continues to be a model for young athletes everywhere. His honours include the Order of Canada (1983), and induction into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (1967) and the Nova Scotia Sports Heritage Hail of Fame (1980). In 1991 he was inducted into the Canadian National Roadrunner Hall of Fame. Thanks to Dr. John Williston, for ptiotographs for this article., and to Floyd Williston for permission to print from Jotinny Miles: Nova Scotia's Marattion King, available in bookstores or from 283 Elm St., New Glasgow, NS B2H 1Y9 ($12.95 plus $1.50 postage). Johnny Miles went on to run the Boston Marathon in 1927, but he had to drop out. The hot, sticky asphalt worked its way through his deliberately thin running shoes, burning his feet. In 1928 he placed I6th when he ran for Canada in the Amsterdam Olympics. Sand I and grit got into his shoes during that race, creating blisters that burst and bled. Johnny was determined to finish that race. After- { wards, he was taken back to his hotel in an ambulance. Then in 1929, he ran and won the Boston Marathon, setting the new world record • 2 hours, 33 minutes, 8 4/5 seconds. Betow is the front-page headline from the Boston Record-Advertiser, April 21,1929. MILES BREAKS RECORD IN MARATHON; KOSKI 2D ?SUBUJ(1V' We feel recording our culture is very important to us Cape Bretoners. Congratulations on 20 years of superb stories. 403 Charlotte Street, Sydney, N. S. (nexttotheYMCA) 539-SUBS WE BUY AND WE SELL AND WE'RE AS NEAR AS YOUR TELEPHONE Sid's Used Furniture Phone 564-6123 ''''''436Chaj1ott'treet'ydi' NEW AND/OR EXISTING BUSINESS We Offer Financial & Technical Assistance. For More Information, Please Call Our Office: Oceanside Assistance Group Limited 17 Commercial Street • Glace Bay, NS B1A 389 Tel. 849-0544

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