麻豆传媒映画

Terry O鈥橬eill loves watching reality TV programs like Antiques Road Show and American Pickers. So he鈥檚 well-versed in the old adage that one man鈥檚 trash is another man鈥檚 treasure.

Tuesday, it happened to him.

O鈥橬eill, a former Coquitlam city councillor, was searching through the racks and shelves at the on Barnet Highway after dropping off a donation of used clothing when he spied an old purple and gold felt banner hanging from a nail on the wall.

The banner, with a price tag of $15 attached, commemorated the 1954 British Empire Games, where British runner Roger Bannister contested Australian John Landy in the 鈥淢iracle Mile.鈥�

鈥淚 did a classic double-take,鈥� O鈥橬eill said of his disbelieving find and subsequent purchase. 鈥淢y first thought was 鈥榯his is a historical treasure.鈥欌��

His second thought was to contact the BC Sports Hall of Fame, which he did, on speakerphone so staff at the shop could listen in.

Jason Beck, the hall鈥檚 curator, said he gets two or three such calls almost every day. Usually they鈥檙e from people cleaning out a closet or attic, never from the sales counter of a thrift shop.

But O鈥橬eill鈥檚 call had a particular interest to him.聽

Beck also happens to be a collector of memorabilia from the 1954 games, that were a precursor to the modern Commonwealth Games, so he knew the significance of O鈥橬eill鈥檚 find.

鈥淭hat was the event that put 麻豆传媒映画and B.C. on the world sports map,鈥� he said. 鈥淏efore that you would very rarely see 麻豆传媒映画or a 麻豆传媒映画athlete end up on the front page or in headlines in newspapers around the world.鈥�

Beck has a similar banner in his own personal collection, along with other souvenirs like tea sets, plates, autographs from athletes including Bannister and Landy, as well as timing slips from the famous race, ticket stubs, programs and even the South African flag that flew at 麻豆传媒映画city hall during the event.

鈥淚 knew exactly what he鈥檇 found,鈥� Beck said of the banner O鈥橬eill described to him over the phone.

O鈥橬eill said the banner had likely been stored away in a box or a drawer for many years, because it鈥檚 colour hadn鈥檛 faded and there was a crease down the middle of the felt.

Beck said when he takes such calls, he tries to glean as much information as he can about the artifact鈥檚 history, where and how it was found, who owned it and how they got it, as well as the motivation of the person to contact the hall.

鈥淭he story is as much a part of the item,鈥� Beck said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 get the background, you鈥檒l never know.鈥�

For an item to be added to the hall鈥檚 collection of more than 27,000 artifacts, Beck said it has to have some sort of definable connection to B.C. sport, either to an athlete or event held in the province, or an achievement attained here. Then he has to ascertain the hall doesn鈥檛 already have the item in its collection.

If it meets those parameters, he said, paperwork is filled out and arrangements are made to collect the item.

O'Neill said he鈥檒l bring the banner to the hall, which is located at BC Place stadium, in the next couple of weeks, or mail it in. He鈥檚 thrilled his little shopping stop reaped such a reward.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad people repurpose things and not just throw them away,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important we treasure these things.鈥�

Beck said the banner will eventually get a place in the hall鈥檚 current small display dedicated to the 1954 games that includes a stop watch that timed the Miracle Mile and even the shell casing from the bullet in the starter鈥檚 pistol that set the runners off.

鈥淲e rotate our exhibits regularly,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ver the course of a five year period, more than three-quarters of our items will go on display at any given time.鈥�