Bill bowerman

Bill Bowerman spent 23 years as the head track coach at the University of Oregon, where he was known as a thinker and a tinkerer. He was constantly working to improve training procedures and equipment. His top priority was making shoes lighter and faster, and he holds multiple patents related to athletic shoe design. In 1964, Bowerman would start a partnership with former athlete Phil Knight, forming a little company called Nike Inc. Learn more about him at http://www.invent.org

bill bowerman

Oregon Track & Field coach Bill Bowerman 1972. ©University of Oregon Libraries - Special Collections and University Archives

"A shoe must be three things...”

Before there was the Swoosh, before there was Nike, there were two visionary men who pioneered a revolution in athletic footwear that redefined the industry. Bill Bowerman was a nationally respected track and field coach at the University of Oregon, who was constantly seeking ways to give his athletes a competitive advantage. He experimented with different track surfaces, re-hydration drinks and – most importantly – innovations in running shoes. But the established footwear manufacturers of…

Phil Knight cofounder of NIKE! Phil Knight Along with Bowerman, Knight helped launch Nike and turn it into one of the highest grossing sportswear brands of all time during his 50-year leadership term. Today Knight is worth an estimated $21.6 billion.

Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. Nike, Inc.: M-Z

Before there was the Swoosh, before there was Nike, there were two visionary men who pioneered a revolution in athletic footwear that redefined the industry. Bill Bowerman was a nationally respected track and field coach at the University of Oregon, who was constantly seeking ways to give his athletes a competitive advantage. He experimented with different track surfaces, re-hydration drinks and – most importantly – innovations in running shoes. But the established footwear manufacturers of…

Legendary track coach Bill Bowerman held the head post at Oregon from 1948 to 1973, where he led the Men of Oregon to 24 individual NCAA titles and four team championships. In 1964, Bowerman helped start Blue Ribbon Sports, which later became Nike, Inc., with one of his former athletes Phil Knight.