🤠This Week in the West 🎙️ Episode 82: Andy Payne and the Brutal Craziness of the Bunion Derby 📢 Episode Summary: In this episode of This Week in The West, listeners travel back to 1928 for one of the strangest and toughest athletic events in American history: the Transcontinental Footrace, better known as the “Bunion Derby.” Created by sports promoter Charles C. Pyle, the race challenged nearly 300 runners to travel more than 3,400 miles from Los Angeles to New York City for a massive cash prize. Following much of what would later become Route 66, the race became a national spectacle filled with carnivals, crowds and daily hardship. At the center of the story is Andy Payne, a 20-year-old Cherokee runner from Foyil, Oklahoma. Payne entered the race hoping to save his family’s farm from financial trouble. Unlike many competitors who pushed too hard early, Payne relied on patience, discipline and endurance. He survived brutal weather, illness, dangerous traffic and exhaustion while steadily climbing through the ranks as other runners dropped out. Along the way, he became a folk hero across Oklahoma, greeted by cheering crowds, politicians and even humorist Will Rogers. The episode concludes with Payne’s dramatic finish at Madison Square Garden on May 26, 1928. After 84 grueling days on the road, Payne won the race by more than 15 hours, earning enough money to pay off his family’s mortgage and invest in land back home. The podcast reflects on how Payne’s victory transformed his life and secured his place in Oklahoma and Route 66 history. Today, a statue in Foyil honors the humble runner who crossed America on foot. 🔍 What You’ll Learn: How the 1928 “Bunion Derby” became one of the most extreme endurance races in American history Why Cherokee runner Andy Payne became an Oklahoma hero during the race How Route 66 played a major role in the race and helped turn the event into a national spectacle 👥 Behind the Scenes Host: Seth Spillman Producer: Chase Spivey Writer: Mike Koehler 🔗 Further research: Runner’s World article on Bunion Derby: https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20787316/the-great-bunion-derby/ A look at the African-American runners of the Bunion Derby: https://blackpast.org/african-american-history/1928-bunion-derby-america-s-brush-integrated-sports/ Rare footage of the Bunion Derby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s-kS_Ye4mw 📬 Connect With Us: 🌐 Website: www.thecowboy.org 📖 Read Our Blog: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/blog/ 📩 Email: [email protected] 📲Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ncwhm/ 📷Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalcowboymuseum ❎X/Twitter: https://x.com/ncwhm 💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-cowboy-&-western-heritage-museum 🗺️ Visit Us: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73111. See us on the map 🎟️: You can now buy tickets to The Cowboy online, go to https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/tickets/ 💡 Support Us:🏅Become A Member of the Museum: https://nationalcowboymuseum.org/support/memberships/ 🛒Shop at Persimmon Hill, our Museum store: https://persimmonhillstore.com/ 🎧 Listen & Subscribe: 🔹 Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-the-west/id1776228708 🔹 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2KYmd2BumVtQVH1ez1Cr2U 🔹YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFoE2kU21JpX9T6W9NonXuD9UapS1TsmN 🔹Podbean: https://thisweekinthewest.podbean.com/  ⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate & review!