Inducted November 3, 1990
Harvey Skirving will be remembered by many for his running during the early part of the century.
He graduated from St. Bonaventure’s College in 1918. Skirving was a member of the Church Lads Brigade since 1917 and his introduction to running was at an indoor track meet at the armoury when he won the half mile run.
His first big success came in 1920 at the annual CLB camp which was held at Topsail. On sports day he won the quarter mile, half mile and road race. On that same day he was a member of the band’s football fives which won the camp championship.
From 1920 to 1924 Skirving was reigning champion in the half mile and one mile events, winning all except his final one mile run on September 10, 1924.
It was Skirving’s ambition to get the time for the mile under five minutes and he achieved that goal July 20, 1921 at the CCC Jubilee sports. He covered the mile in 4:55, the first time it was run under five minutes in Newfoundland. On two subsequent occasions he bettered that time, recording 4:49.4 each time. The record stood for several years.