Miracle Mile's starter gun shell donated to Sports Hall

The Miracle Mile was the highlight of the British Empire Games in 1954. That Aug. 7, 35,000 people jammed Empire Stadium to watch the race, along with an estimated 70 million on television.
Vancouver police Sgt. Cookie Ryan had one of the best viewpoints for the race — he was guy that started it.
“It was 2:30 o’clock,” said an Erwin Swangard story in The Vancouver Sun. “The stands hushed as the runner took their marks. Cookie Ryan, veteran Vancouver police offi