One day in May 1964, three athletes walked onto the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) track in Toronto. They were there to compete in a pre-Olympic invitational track meet. Jim Emberley, who now resides in Harbour Grace South, found himself in good company that day, poised for the 100-yard dash with Bob Fisher and the great "Harry" Jerome.
"I was about 60 yards out when I heard heavy breathing," Emberley recalled. "Then Jerome put into it something I didn't know he had, and he was gone by me like a shot."
Jerome came in first in 9.3 seconds, Emberley 9.5 and Fisher 9.7.
"That was the high point in my track and field career," Emberley told The Compass last week.
The St. John's native had travelled a lengthy track in only 23 years. However, on more than one occasion during those years, his future was far from assured. Nevertheless, he persevered, determined to triumph over overwhelming odds.
When Emberley was only two years old, his mechanic father, George, was killed in a horrific industrial accident at Argentia.
For five years Jim's mother, Agatha, now a single mother, struggled valiantly to care for her son and daughter. In 1947, she surrendered him to the infamous Mount Cashel Orphanage in the capital city.
Emberley had reached the impressionable age of seven.
"I waited every day to get out of there," he said. "Each day was a trial for me. It was the worst seven years of my life."
Sometimes, he was treated with respect. "But the majority of times, there was a lot of bullying going on. Many of the Christian Brothers were pretty strict," he added.
While he did not experience any sexual abuse, beatings were a regular occurrence.
His mother visited him monthly and gave him treats.
"I had to hide them, though, because they'd be stolen from me or the older guys would beat me up for them," he said.
Mount Cashel had its bright spots, one of which was the brass band. Emberley played the soprano sax.
"We were only school kids," he recalled. "Our band travelled everywhere, and we won at all kinds of festivals."
One such trip took them to New York.
"I was frightened to death," Emberley admitted. "But it was wonderful."
Early on, Emberley developed an aptitude that enabled him to cope with the curveballs life threw at him.
"The only thing that got me through was sports," he said. "In fact, sports saved my life. I never ever liked school; I lived to get out of there. The only reason I stayed in school was because of the sports."
In 1954, Emberley's mother remarried.
That was also the year he left Mount Cashel. His mother's second husband, Ned Tilley, took Emberley and his sister in.
"I didn't know my Dad, but Skipper, as he was known, was a prince," Emberley said. "He took me away from something I'm sure would have killed me. He was my surrogate father, the father I didn't have. He was more than a father to me."
Supported and encouraged by Skipper, the lad began to excel in a variety of sports.
He initially attracted attention in track meets while attending St. Pat's in St. John's in the late 1950s. His high school years were marked by winning sprints in exceptional times. In 1957, he emerged as the St. Pat's junior victor ludorum winner ("the winner of the games").
There was no denying him the privilege of active engagement with team sports.
"The team aspect of sports also kept me going," he said.
In the city high school championships in 1958, he captured three firsts and a second, followed by a first, second and third placement at the provincial juvenile championships on Bell Island.
Leaving school that year, he worked first as a stationary engineer, then in the plumbing and heating trade.
In 1960, he came both first and second at a meet at the Feildien Grounds.
He ran for the province at the CNE track championships in 1961, placing fourth in the 100 and 220-yard events against the nation's best. As a member of the Manitoba team, he earned second place in the relay.
The following year he ran for St. Pat's in the provincial championships in Gander. He won with first in all heats, as well as the finals for the 100, 220, and 440-yard sprints.
In 1963, Emberley established records at the provincial track championship for the 100 and 220-yard dashes, with times of 10 and 23 seconds flat. This performance gained him the overall recognition he deserved.
Then came 1964 and his head-to-head contest with the great "Harry" Jerome, the renowned Canadian track and field runner.
When it was over, Jerome approached Emberley and shook his hand.
"A great race there, sir. A good job," Jerome said. "I thought you had me."
Awestruck and almost speechless, Emberley managed to mutter, "Yeah, it was a great race for 60 yards."
"Well, my fastest 50 is the last 50," Jerome responded.
Later that year Emberley signed up with the Canadian Armed Forces, one of four medics who passed through Black Watch infantry training.
"We did all the blood work and took blood pressure," he said. "As medical assistants, we helped the doctors treat wounded soldiers."
From 1964 to 1997, Emberley served in Cyprus, Germany, Norway, Yugoslavia, Saudi Arabia and the United States.
Through those 33 years his interest in sports continued unabated.
"I did my work as a medic, always putting that first," Emberley explained. "But after that it was sports. It was always sports for me."
As a standout sprinter, he excelled at all levels of track. As a globe-trotting Army medic, he became recognized as one of the best runners Newfoundland and Labrador ever produced. A combination of speed, determination and confidence led to the emergence of an exceptional athlete.
As late as 1980, Emberley was still in fine form, performing well in a Masters' track meet.
The Newfoundland athlete was inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Athletics Association at Mount Pearl in 2009. The website defines the organization's purpose as recognizing, honouring and paying tribute to provincial individuals "who have attained extraordinary achievements in the sport of athletics (track and field, road running, cross-country running)." Such records encourage sport development.
Sports saved Emberley's life. As did Skipper, his surrogate father.
But there's a second person who played a major role in his life ... Marilyn, his wife. They married in 1975. She has stood with him in good times and bad.
For example, she was by his side in 2003, when he was mere minutes from death.
"I came down with meningitis, but I thought it was the flu," Emberley said.
A doctor at the Carbonear General Hospital told Marilyn, "If you were 20 minutes later, he'd be dead."
"If it wasn't for that women there," Emberley said as he pointed to his wife, "I would never be here today."
Now retired, the Emberleys have lived in Harbour Grace South since 2001. They keep active by walking in summer and skating in winter.
burtonj@nfld.net
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