Ray Hatton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ray Hatton
Born	(1932-02-04)February 4, 1932 Lichfield, England
Died	March 4, 2015(2015-03-04) (aged 83) Eugene, Oregon, United States
Occupation	College professor
Education	University of Idaho (BS, M.Ed.); University of Oregon (MA, PhD)
Notable works	High Desert of Central Oregon; Bend in Central Oregon; The Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes
Notable awards	USATF Masters Hall of Fame USATF Masters Runners of the Year (45–49 Age Division), 1981 USATF Masters Runners of the Year (50–54 Age Division), 1982
Spouse	Sylvia Hatton
Children	R. Peter Hatton and Janice E. Hatton

Ray Hatton (born February 4, 1932, died March 4, 2015) was an amazing person from England. He was a teacher, a writer, and a super fast long-distance runner. Ray moved to the United States in 1956 for college. He studied education and geography at the University of Idaho and the University of Oregon.

For many years, he was a respected geography professor at a college. Ray wrote ten books about the land, history, and weather of Oregon. In the 1970s and 1980s, he won many championships in running for older athletes, called 'Masters' events. He even set American records! Ray was so good that he was added to the USATF Masters Hall of Fame in 2001.

Ray's Early Life and Education

Ray Hatton was born on February 4, 1932, in Lichfield, England. He started running in races when he was just 11 years old, in 1943. He ran with a club called the Birchfield Harriers. He was very fast, running a mile in 4 minutes and 11 seconds, and two miles in 8 minutes and 57 seconds.

In 1952, he ran for England in a big race called the 1952 International Cross Country Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. He finished 16th, and his English team won the silver medal!

In 1956, Ray got a special scholarship to run track at the University of Idaho. He graduated in 1960 with a degree in education. Later, in 1966, he earned another degree in secondary education from the same university.

Ray as a College Professor

In 1969, Ray Hatton earned another degree, this time in geography, from the University of Oregon. His main project for this degree was about how tourism affected Central Oregon. Later that year, he started teaching at Central Oregon Community College.

As a professor, Ray was interested in many topics. These included how money works (economics), how people use land, and how weather patterns behave (climatology). In 1973, he published his first book, which was about the weather in Central Oregon. The college even gave him time off in 1975–1976 to write his second book, High Desert Of Central Oregon.

Ray earned his highest degree, a doctorate in geography, from the University of Oregon in 1989. In 1990, he received a special award from Central Oregon Community College for his achievements as a teacher. During his time there, he wrote six books about Oregon's geography, history, and weather. He retired from teaching in 1993. Even after retiring, he kept researching and writing about Oregon. He published four more books after leaving his teaching job.

Ray's Books About Oregon

Ray Hatton's research helped save many stories from the early settlers of Central Oregon. He often interviewed people who lived there a long time ago. This important work led to him writing ten books. Most of his books are about the land, history, and weather of Central Oregon. His last two books focused on the weather of the entire state of Oregon and the Portland, Oregon area.

Here is a list of the books Ray Hatton wrote:

• Bend Country Weather and Climate, 1973 (updated in 1977)
• High Desert of Central Oregon, 1977 (second edition in 1981)
• Bend in Central Oregon, 1978
• High Country of Central Oregon, 1980
• Pioneer Homesteaders of the Fort Rock Valley, 1982
• Oregon's Big Country: A Portrait of Southeastern Oregon, 1988
• Sisters Country Weather and Climate, 1994
• Oregon's Sisters Country (co-written with Lawrence A. Chitwood and Stuart G. Garrett), 1996
• The Oregon Weather Book: A State of Extremes (co-written with George Taylor and George H. Taylor), 1999
• Portland, Oregon Weather and Climate: A Historical Perspective, 2005

Some of his books were reviewed in the Oregon Historical Quarterly. This is a very important history magazine published by the Oregon Historical Society.

Ray as a Champion Runner

Ray Hatton

Sport
Sport	Distance running
Achievements and titles
World finals	Cross country, 1952: 16th
Personal best(s)	Mile run: 4:11 Two-mile: 8:57
Medal record Representing  England Men's athletics International Cross Country Championships Silver 1952 GlasgowTeam {{{2}}} Representing  United States AAU Masters Championships Gold 1972 (40–44 age division) 1,500m Gold 1972 (40–44 age division) 5,000m Gold 1972 (40–44 age division) 10,000m Gold 1974 (40–44 age division) 5,000m Gold 1974 (40–44 age division) 10,000m Gold 1976 (40–44 age division) 10,000m Gold 1979 (45–49 age division) 5,000m Silver 1979 (45–49 age division) 10,000m USATF Masters Championships Gold 1984 (50–54 age division) 10,000m Silver 1987 (55–59 age division) 1,500m Gold 1987 (55–59 age division) 5,000m

Ray Hatton went to the University of Idaho on a running scholarship from 1956 to 1960. He competed in both track and cross-country races. In 1959, he won the Pacific Coast Conference cross-country championship.

After college, Ray kept running in top-level events. In the 1970s and 1980s, he won many national championships. He also set several American records in long-distance running for older athletes, known as 'Masters' competitions.

In 1972, at the national Masters championship, Ray won three races in his age group (40–44 years old): the 1,500 meters, 5,000 meters, and 10,000 meters. He won the 5,000 meters and 10,000 meters again in 1974. In 1976, he won the 10,000 meters national championship for his age group once more.

In 1981, Ray Hatton was named Masters 45–49 Age Division Runners of the Year. This award came from USA Track and Field, which is the main group for track and field in the United States. The next year, he won the same award for the 50–54 age group. In 1984, he won another national Masters title in the 10,000 meters.

Ray continued to compete and win even as he got older. In 1987, at age 55–59, he won the 5,000 meters and came in second in the 1,500 meters. In 1988, he was the top-ranked runner in the United States for his age group in both the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters. He stopped competitive running in 1992 after having back surgery.

Ray Hatton set many American running records during his career. He set records for the 1 mile, 2 mile, and 10,000 meters in the 40–44 age group. In 2001, he was honored by being added to the USA Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame. As of 2013, four of his American records for the 50–54 age group still stand!

Ray's Personal Life

For most of his life, Ray Hatton lived in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Sylvia. They had two children, R. Peter Hatton and Janice E. Hatton. Ray also helped his community by serving on Bend's Planning Commission.

Besides running, Ray enjoyed other outdoor activities. He loved hiking, cross-country skiing, and rock climbing. Even at 77 years old in 2010, Ray was still running about 30 miles (48 kilometers) every week! Ray Hatton passed away in Eugene, Oregon, on March 4, 2015.