Andy Payne facts for kids
Andy Hartley Payne (born November 17, 1907 – died December 3, 1977) was an amazing long-distance runner. He became famous for winning a huge race across America in 1928. This race was called the International Trans-Continental Footrace.
Andy ran an incredible 3,423.5 miles from Los Angeles, California, all the way to New York City. Much of his journey followed the famous U.S. Route 66. He completed this epic run in 573 hours, 4 minutes, and 34 seconds. This was spread out over 84 days of running, where he averaged about 6 miles per hour.
Andy's Background
Andy Payne was a member of the Cherokee Nation. He grew up in a town called Foyil, Oklahoma. Interestingly, Foyil was one of the checkpoints along the route of the big race. Andy's father was also friends with the famous entertainer Will Rogers. His father had even worked on Will Rogers' family ranch when he was younger.
The Race and Route 66
The International Trans-Continental Footrace was organized for a special reason. It was meant to help promote U.S. Route 66. This new road had just been built. It was a simple, well-paved route that stretched across the entire country. People even called it "the main street of America."
The winner of this challenging race would receive a big prize. The first-place prize was $25,000. Andy Payne used his prize money to pay off the mortgage on his father's farm. This was a huge help for his family.
Life After the Race
After his incredible win, Andy Payne continued to serve his community. He was elected as the clerk to the supreme court in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He was so good at his job that he was reelected five more times!
Andy Payne passed away in December 1977. He was 70 years old.
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