A Curious Tale of Athletic Shoes
The modern sneaker has its roots in sailing and tire manufacturers. In 1892 the Goodyear company, who made shoes long before they started making tires introduced a type of shoe similar to a canvas covered rubber soled shoe manufactured in the nineteenth century intended for use aboard boats where hard soled shoes were a danger to both to boats and their passengers.
In 1908 Marquis Converse started selling a shoe made especially for basketball. The sport’s popularity was exploding and Mr. Converse heard opportunity knocking. His new shoes changed the way the game was played and contributed to its growth. Ten years later basketball player Chuck Taylor approached the company and complained about sore feet and an Iconic brand name was born. Taylor went to work for Converse as a salesman and spokesman and in 1923 made history by becoming the first person to get their name on a pair of shoes.
