Interesting sneaker history

Hmm, I got this in my inbox (thanks to BeachBody.com - yes, I bought turbo jam and I liked it) and thought it was interesting and so I'd share.

Test Your Sneaker IQ! By Joe Wilkes


What is the oldest sneaker?

Plimsoll shoes were developed in Britain in the 1830s by a rubber company. They were made of canvas with rubber soles and were sold as beach shoes. Vulcanization enabled better sole-making in the mid-to-late 19th century, and, in 1892, U.S. Rubber Company created a new line of shoes, called Keds. In 1917, advertising agent Henry Nelson McKinney coined the word "sneaker" to spotlight how quiet the shoes were when you walked.


What is the most popular sneaker ever?

Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. Celebrating their 90th anniversary this year, over 750 million pairs of these basic rubber and canvas shoes have been sold. They were originally marketed as just "All-Stars," until basketball player/shoe salesman Chuck Taylor suggested adding a reinforcing patch on the ankle for extra support and, thereafter, the shoes were called "Chuck Taylor All-Stars." In World War II, the shoes became the official sneaker of the U.S. Armed Forces. At their peak in the 1960s, Converse controlled 80 percent of the sneaker market. Today, Converse is owned by former competitor Nike.


Who produced the first tennis shoe?

The first tennis shoe was created by brothers Adi and Rudolf Dassler in Germany in 1931 through their company Gebr der Dassler Schuhfabrik. Later in the 1940s, the brothers became estranged and split off into their own companies. Adi Dassler renamed the original company, using a conflation of his own name, Adidas. Rudolf founded a competing athletic shoe company, which he named Puma. Puma became the first shoe to use Velcro in its design in 1968.


What company did Blue Ribbon Sports become?

Nike. Founded by University of Oregon business major Phil Knight and coach Bill Bowerman in 1962, Blue Ribbon Sports was renamed Nike, after the Greek goddess of victory, in 1968. They added the famous "swoosh" in 1971, which they purchased from design student Carolyn Davidson for $35.


What was the first company to charge $100 for a pair of athletic shoes?

New Balance charged $100 for its 990 model in 1983. It's rumored that if you divide the model number of New Balance shoes by 10, you'll get an approximation of the price. New Balance was originally founded in the early 1900s as a manufacturer of shoes for people with foot problems, specifically those who needed arch supports. In the 1970s, New Balance became known for its popular running shoe, and, despite its limited advertising, has become the fourth largest athletic shoe company behind Nike, Adidas/Reebok, and Puma.