The History of the Converse All Star "Chuck Taylor"

One of the original All Star basketball shoes.

What is the oldest, most popular, and all time best selling basketball shoe of all time? (As a matter of fact, 60% of all Americans own or have owned at least one pair of these sneakers!) Well it is not the expensive Air Jordans that the Nike Corporation produces! Nor is it made by Fila, Reebok, New Balance, or Adidas. It is the Converse All Star "Chuck Taylor"!
It was in 1908 that the Converse Rubber Corporation opened for business. At first the company only made galoshes and other work related rubber shoes on a seasonal basis. But eventually the company decided it was more efficient to keep their work force employed year round, and began making athletic shoes. With the popularity of basketball, the Converse Corporation saw the need to develop a shoe that people could wear while playing basketball. After lots of research and development, the very first version of the All Star basketball shoe was produced in 1917. The All Star shoe originally came in natural brown colors with black trim. In the 1920s, Converse All Stars were made in all black canvas or leather versions. The All Star was to be the first mass produced basketball shoe in North America. It consisted of a very thick rubber sole, and a ankle covering canvas (or sometimes leather) upper. At first sales were slow. They would rapidly increase a few years later, thanks to Charles "Chuck" H. Taylor.

The optical white model was introduced at the 1936 Olympics.

 Charles H. Taylor was a basketball player for the Akron Firestones. He liked what he saw in the All Star shoe and saw its potential for the sport of baskteball As a matter of fact, he believed in the shoe so much that in 1921 he joined the Converse sales force, and later became the player/coach for the Converse All-Stars, the company's industrial league basketball. team. Throughout his career with Converse, Taylor traveled all across the United States hosting basketball clinics and promoting the All Star shoe. His personal salemanship plus clever marketing devices like the Converse Basketball Yearbooks put his imprint on the sport at all team levels. But the Converse Corporation also bestowed something else on him. Because he was so successful in promoting the All Star sneaker, as well as making important changes in the original All Star shoe, in 1932, his name "Chuck Taylor" was added to the ankle patch. Hence the "Chuck Taylor" All Star basketball shoe was born!

T Black Monochrome Black Navy Blue Pink Red Optical White Natural White