GET SCHOOLED @ The History on Converse Basketball/Skate sneakers

Thursday December 17th 2009 | By Bryan Britt in Basketball, Life, NBA, Press, Sports, Sportswear

Converse has taken all of their original basketball sneakers and has transformed them into a skate-worthy shoe. Has the make of a skate shoe, but the soul of a basketball shoe. All of the skateboarding Converse have extra padding, and are made with stonger materials than regular Converse. Here is a little history for those who don’t know about Converse.

1918 – Charles H. “Chuck” Taylor, an All American high school player who would later suit up with the original Celtics, Buffalo Germans and Akron Firestones, puts on his first pair of All Star shoes.

1935 – Chuck Taylor invents the modern-day basketball – the first “stitch-less” leather basketball to improve the sport through a more true bounce

1936 – Basketball is played for the first time as an official Olympic sport. The U.S team, which wore Chuck Taylor All Star shoes, defeats Canada 19-8 on a clay court for the gold medal

1949 – The Basketball Association of America and the National League merge to become the NBA. Virtually all pro players are wearing Chuck Taylor All Star shoes at the time

1986 – Converse unveils The Weapon™ with its instant hit, “Choose Your Weapons” ad campaign featuring two of pro basketball’s best squaring off in Converse