Bushnell to Ask Bannister to Run Against Barthel

Mile-record holder Roger Bannister will arrive in New York this morning and Asa Bushnell, Heptagonal Games director, said last night he would do everything possible to persuade the British star to run against Josy Barthel at Soldiers Field Saturday.

At the special request of the British Foreign Office, Bannister has consented to make a series of U.S. radio and television appearances, but he said in London yesterday he would return to England by Saturday.

This would rule out the possibility of his meeting Barthel, Fred Wilt, Horace Ashenfelter, Fred Dwyer, and Alec Breckenridge, in the special Heptagonal mile, but Bushnell said in New York that he would be at the airport at 8:05 this morning to meet Bannister.

"He's already been invited to compete," Bushnell said, "and we haven't received a decline. I'll talk to him when he arrives and I certainly will do everything in my power to get him to run at Harvard Saturday."

Barthel Defeated Bannister

Bannister's first television appearance will be on WNAC tonight at 9:30 on the CBS program, "I've Got a Secret."

If Bannister could be persuaded to run, Saturday's race might become one of the most famous in track history. With both Barthel and Bannister in top condition, it is conceivable that both runners could run under four minutes. Last Thursday, Bannister became the first miler in history to crack the long-sought four minute mark. His time was recorded at 3:59.4.

The only time these two runners met was in the 1952 Olympics. Then Barthel set his 1500-meter record of 3:45.2, while Bannister was fourth.

Probably the last time two runners both threatened the four minute mile was in 1945, when Gundar Haegg edged out Arne Anderson in the old mile record time of 4:01.4. Anderson was also under 4:02.