Deerfoot
Posted by: 
GeoKs
N 51° 06.568 W 114° 02.500
11U E 707076 N 5666160
The Siksika (Blackfoot) man known as Deerfoot was one of the fastest long-distance runners of his generation.
Waymark Code: WM2NR7
Location: Alberta, Canada
Date Posted: 11/27/2007
Views: 41
Born around 1864, Deerfoot was the son of Natowes-tsitsi (Medicine Fire) and the nephew of Siksika Chief Issapo’ makkikaaw (Crowfoot). His true name was Api-kai-ees.
He showed remarkable skill as a long distance runner and served as a foot courier who carried messages between forts in southern Alberta and northern Montana.
By 1884, his reputation was known outside the confines of the Siksika reserve and he was approached by representatives of a Calgary professional running syndicate. At the time, professional running was a popular pastime, with some interested spectators wagering on the outcome of the races. For the next couple years, Deerfoot ran in minor local races at an indoor track in Calgary.
Then in 1886, Deerfoot won a four day / four hours per day endurance race, running more than eighty-four miles in the allotted time. It was after this race that Deerfoot started using the name Deerfoot.
About a year later, lacking supplies on the reserve, Deerfoot was accused of stealing two blankets. He spent the next 10 years in and out of jail before dying of tuberculosis in 1897.
However, he is best remembered for his amazing speed - he could overtake running horses! A highway, a school, an industrial park, and a shopping mall in Calgary have all been named to honour his accomplishments as an athlete. In fact, this bronze statue of Deerfoot is located just outside the main entrance to Deerfoot Mall.
URL of the statue: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.