Nike Cortez shoe

In 1971, Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman released a lightweight running shoe under their compan's then-new name, Nike.

Bowerman, an Olympic-class track coach, felt that athletes needed a comfortable and durable running shoe designed for distance training and road running.

The Nike Cortez was released at the peak of the 1972 Olympics, which is why it gained rapid exponential interest by the general public.
_