History of Athletic Shoes
Athletic shoes are probably one of the most popular choices in shoes for men, women, and children. They are often worn as everyday shoes rather than sporting events. However, there is quite a long history to the athletic shoe and how it has evolved to what it is today.
The English in the 18th Century
During the 18th century, running became a popular sport among the English, and they needed a shoe that was lightweight as well as having the ability to dig into or grip the dirt under their feet. This was the first time a leather athletic shoe with spikes on the bottom was created. The shoe further developed so that it continued to become lighter in weight with better spikes for traction and gripping. The official date of the creation of the spiked athletic shoe was 1852.
The Early 1900s and the Athletic Shoe
Companies during the early part of the 1900s started putting in lace in the front of the athletic shoe so the runner could tighten them to their own comfort level. It was in 1927 that the first athletic shoe became a hit in America and this shoe was made by the Keds brand.
Soon high-top athletic shoes came on the market, which were originally made for basketball players, but soon the general public began wearing them. As the popularity of all the athletic shoes continued even in the 1920s, many adults wore the shoes recreational rather than for running or other sports and this continues today.