22 years ago I was a young kid working at a running shoe store. A customer told me a story which I never forgot. He said that Roger Banister was not the first person to break the 4 minute mile. He told me it was Wes Santee and he saw him do it. Now at the time I had no clue who Wes Santee was and just remember thinking this guy was crazy. He explained that Santee ran 3:59 in a meet a few weeks before Banister. However, AAU officials learned that Santee pocketed travel money he was given to get to the meet and obtained another means of transportation. AAU officials were so angry that during his mile race they kept it one official short of being able to certify a record if Wes was to set one. Sure enough he ran 3:59!
Can anyone add any credibility to this story?