Bill Bowerman’s 1970s Handmade Waffle Spikes Up for Auction!
If you're a fiend, then you must be familiar with Bill Bowerman. One of Nike’s founding fathers, he was way ahead of his time when it came to the innovation of shoes. He was obsessed with weight and using running shoes to enhance the performance of the Oregon athletes he coached. He modify already existing shoes and also build his own from scratch. If you’ve read you would be very familiar with Bowerman’s obsession over running shoes, how they function, and how they could better his athletes.
A piece of Swoosh history has been put up for sale: a pair of Waffle spikes made by the legendary Bowerman. Created around the 1970s by hand in his house, the shoe has glued materials, the holes have been hand-punched, and the now historic Waffle sole has been placed on the right shoe.
This pair was created specifically for John Mays, whose name can be seen scripted along the heel. Mays was a runner at the Oregon University in the early 1970s, and later became their sprint coach. The historic pair of shoes also comes with a letter to Mays reading:
1961 E. 19th 10/14/74
John - the right shoe interval heel is the one we are testing for wear.
Can you write on this sheet the approximate mileage or yardage you put on this on the track.
Example Oct 14 4 X 110 - 3 X 165 - 110 - 55 - = 3/4 Mi
Track Jogging M/2Mi
Call me occasionally & tell me what the situation is
Bill Bowerman
This pair is available for auction right now on , with a starting bid of $110,000. Bids close on June 27.