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Nike unearths the original waffle iron for shoes

This final note today. I'm dating myself here, but I remember when running shoes didn't have much more than waffle prints on the soles. Nike's in particular. The true story is that University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman made the first pair of waffle-soled running shoes on his waffle iron, a machine long thought lost to history.

I read today on OregonLive.com Bowerman's daughter dug the thing out of an old box last year. It was put on display at Nike headquarters on Monday.

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Kai Ryssdal is the host and senior editor of Marketplace, public radio’s program on business and the economy. Follow Kai on Twitter @kairyssdal.
shoemaven's picture
shoemaven - May 17, 2013

That is so interesting! I didn't know a waffle iron is able to be used on shoes! I wonder what other products can the waffle iron be used for? Perhaps patterns on clothes or wallpapers! Now, that's a breakthrough in innovation!
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Shawn - http://www.bigshoes.com