In his late 30s, Marquis Mills Converse, who was previously a
respected manager at a footwear manufacturing firm, opened the Converse
Rubber Shoe Company (unrelated to the Boston Rubber Shoe Company
founded by fourth cousin elisha converse) in Malden, Massachusetts in
February 1908. The company was a rubber shoe manufacturer, providing
winterized rubber soled footwear for men, women, and children. By 1910,
Converse was producing 4,000 shoes daily, but it was not until 1915
that the company began manufacturing athletic shoes for tennis.
The
company's main turning point came in 1917 when the Converse All-Star
basketball shoe was introduced. Then in 1921, a basketball player named
Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor walked into Converse complaining of sore
feet. Converse gave him a job. He worked as a salesman and ambassador,
promoting the shoes around the United States, and in 1923 his signature
was added to the All Star patch. He continued this work until shortly
before his death in 1969.
Converse also customized shoes for the
New York Renaissance (the "Rens"), the first all-African American
professional basketball team.
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