Converse Trainers. The history of Converse is largely the history of one remarkable training shoe - the Converse All Star "Chuck Taylor" which is actually the oldest and best-selling trainer of all time. Charles H. Taylor played basketball for a team called the Akron Firestones. He recognised the potential of the All Star shoe and in 1921 he joined the Converse sales force. He travelled throughout the US promoting the All Star and the game of basketball. In 1923, in recognition of his work and the success it had generated, Chuck Taylor's name went onto the ankle patch and since then it has been known as the "Chuck Taylor" All Star basketball shoe. In 1966 Converse responded to market forces and began to introduce coloured version. Basketball teams had started to put coloured shoe laces into their "Chucks" and to dye the White version in their team colours. Apart from hi, lo and super-hi versions of the Chuck Taylor All-Star trainer in different colours, Converse have added a few other trainers to the range, such as the Jack Purcell endorsed badminton shoe, but the story of this brand is really all about the one style of trainer.
