Andrew "Andy" Hartley Payne (November 17, 1907 – December 3, 1977) was the winner of the International Trans-Continental Footrace in 1928.[1] [2] He ran the route from Los Angeles to New York City, much of it along U.S. Route 66, in 573 hours, 4 minutes, 34 seconds, (23 days) averaging over an 84-day staged run.
Payne, a member of the Cherokee Nation, grew up in Foyil, Oklahoma which was one of the check point towns along the route of the race. His father, Doc, was a friend of Will Rogers and had worked on the ranch of the latter's family during his youth.[3]
The footrace was organized to promote U.S. Route 66 which had recently been built as a simple, well-paved route across the country, and dubbed "the main street of America".
The museum of history of Claremore, Oklahoma, near his hometown, notes: "The grand prize for winning first place was $25,000. When Andy returned to Oklahoma, he paid off the mortgage on his family’s farm and built his parents a new home. He bought some land of his own and a Ford sedan. Looking for an occupation that would allow him to use his fame as a runner, Payne decided on theater. He learned to rope and billed himself as a “Dancing Cowboy from Oklahoma.” That didn’t work out for the audiences in California. Andy found work as a reporter in Arkansas for the Fayetteville Leader. In addition, he also did some sales work and did work in the oil field. Andy moved back to Oklahoma and became clerk of the Oklahoma State Supreme Court. [4]
Andy Payne was re-elected from multiple terms, serving from January 1935 through December 1972. [5]
He died in December 1977 at the age of 70.