Chuck Taylor: The Man Behind the Shoe

You’ve probably totally been caught saying to someone in classic gym shoes, “Hey, nice Chucks!” Yet, the person whose name you’re saying never really occurred to you. Just who the heck is Chuck?

When we think of Chuck Taylor’s today, we don’t think of a person. Most of us tend to associate Chuck Taylor’s and Converse with youth, rebellion, nonconformity. That’s because since parent company Nike’s ownership, this particular aspect of the brand has been carefully cultivated. The truth is, in 1917, they were a standard basketball shoe, and were simply called Converse All Stars. Later, in 1922, a former professional basketball player needed a job and applied to be a salesman in the Converse Chicago office. Charles Hollis “Chuck” Taylor was hired on the spot, and almost instantly began improvements on the shoe’s design, including the now-trademark patch and star. Sales soared, so they put his name on the patch.

Chuck was a charismatic gent who drove a white Cadillac full of the trademark shoes all across the country. He went on to create the Converse Basketball Yearbook, which did wonders for sales. He also invented the modern basketball, one without stitching in the seams.

With over 1 billion Chuck Taylor All Stars made, just about one in seven people on the planet have owned a pair. But perhaps only a handful today know who he was. But Chuck Taylor’s hometown of Columbus, Indiana, aims to change all that with a special shoe for his fellow Hoosiers. Catch the informative video above for the official facts on the dude with the eterna-cool shoes.