Charles Hollis "Chuck" Taylor (June 24, 1901 – June 23, 1969) was an American basketball player and shoe
salesman/
evangelist. He is best known for his association with the
Chuck Taylor All-Stars
sneaker, the most successful selling basketball shoe in history. A full
biography of Chuck Taylor was published by Indiana University Press in
2006.
In 1922, Taylor began the
Converse Basketball Yearbook, in
which the best players, trainers, teams and the greatest moments of the
sport were commemorated. It proved to be good publicity, and in 1928 it
was enlarged.In 1935, Taylor invented the "stitchless" basketball that was easier to control.
The basketball clinic was his main basketball interest. In 1922, Taylor led the first one at
North Carolina State University, and continued for years. His next "demonstration", as he described it, was for Fielding Yost at the
University of Michigan, followed by
Columbia and then for
Doc Carlson at
Pitt
It continued for a third of a century, in the high schools and YMCAs of
the country. Steve Stone, a former Converse president, noted "Chuck's
gimmick was to go to a small town, romance the coach, and put on a
clinic. He would teach basketball and work with the local sporting goods
dealer, but without encroaching on the coach's own system.
"
Taylor promoted basketball internationally; it became an
Olympic sport in 1936. White high-tops originated in 1947 for the 1948 Olympics
During
WWII, Taylor became fitness consultant for the US military.
GIs
were soon doing calisthenics whilst wearing Chuck Taylor sneakers that
had become the "official" sneaker of the US Armed Forces.
By 1966 Converse had an 80% share of the US sneaker market.
In 1968, Taylor retired.
Just one day short of his 68th birthday in June 1969 Taylor died of a heart attack in
Port Charlotte, Florida.
