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How Nike started:
1962 - Bill Bowerman (former Olympian and track coach at University
of Oregon) and Phil Knight (distance runner at the U of O) formed
Blue Ribbon Sports on a handshake agreement. The nascent company won
a distributor license from Onitsuka Tiger, a Japanese footwear
company that made value priced, high performance athletic shoes.
1964 - Blue Ribbon Sports began distributing imported Onitsuka Tiger
sneakers in the USA (or mostly just from the trunk of Knight's car
at local track meets).
1965 - Jeff Johnson (Knight's ex-competitor on the tracks) became
BRS first employee.
1966 - Bowerman and Knight formally converted their casual agreement
and incorporated BRS Inc. BRS opened their first retail outlet in
Santa Monica.
1971 - Johnson made his legendary contribution by suggesting that
the company's new soccer cleat should be named "The Nike",
after the Greek Goddess of victory. The unmistakable
"Swoosh" trademark of Nike was created by Carolyn Davidson
for a fee of $35.
1972 - BRS and Onitsuka Tiger ended their trade relations due to a
distribution dispute. Bowerman revolutionized the traditional design
of running shoes by incorporating a rubber waffle sole.
1973 - Steve Prefontaine, American long distance runner and
record-holder, became the first prominent athlete to wear Nike
sneakers. Ilie Nastase, Romanian tennis player, became the first
professional sportsman to pen an endorsement deal with Nike.
1976 - Nike shoes were seen worn by many of the competing athletes
at the US Olympic Track and Field events.
1978 - BRS was officially renamed Nike, Inc.
Continue reading the rest of the company's history here.
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