Converse for the U.S. Olympic Basketball team (1968)
Just because the U.S. Olympic Basketball Team will wear Converse basketball shoes, should you?
Lightning-fast breaks … split-second stops … pivots so swift, you’ll miss them if you blink … That’s Olympic basketball. Fierce and fast, because every team is out to beat the world.
It’s probably the world’s most demanding sport on sneakers, too. Tough on sneaker insides (because they have to stay comfortable and non-chafing). And brutal on sneaker soles (because the treads have to give action-traction in every direction).
Which is why the U.S. basketball team will take the court in Converse basketball shoes. Asa matter of fact, nine U.S. Olympic teams will wear Converse athletic or casual footwear at the Olympics.
So it stands to reason: Converse must be the greatest. (Why else would so many U.S. teams wear Converse footwear at the world’s most demanding competition – the Olympics!) Converse! The shoes to wear when you’re out to beat the world.
Converse All Stars (1971)
Now basketball shoes are more colorful than ever.
Converse, the athlete’s style-setter, creates a new line of All Stars in 8 team colors, 5 action styles, in suede, leather, and canvas.
The leader leads again — with the greatest basketball shoe ever. No wonder more high school, college, Olympic, and professional basketball players wear Converse All-Stars.
This kind of leadership, this kind of style option, these built-in player advantages are what serious athletes have come to expect from the people who have made athletic footwear their business for 50 years.
Chris Evert shoes by Converse (1977)
How do you step into your backhand so nicely, Chris?
Chris Evert steps in Chris Evert shoes by Converse, the shoes of the stars.
Chris wanted new comfort, new style, and exceptional stress support for the toughest tennis competition in the world. She got what she wanted. Stars and stripes and everything nice.
Converse: The shoes of the stars
Converse and Voit want to introduce you to soccer. (1979)
To encourage more young people to get into the great sport of soccer, Converse and AMF Voit are offering a pair of Converse AYSO soccer shoes and a Voit AYSO soccer ball at a savings of $5. These are the only shoes and ball officially recognized by the American Youth Soccer Organization.
We sincerely hope you will enjoy, and benefit from, this truly marvelous sport.
The Winner (1977)
Converse makes ’em, but Sears gives ’em soul.
Padded comfort all-around. Thick, tough, rubber soles. Extra heavy weave canvas for long wear. Full cushion insoles.
Dr J’s magic moves (1978)
Dr J’s magic moves and made in Converse Shoes.
When you have the best moves in the business, you make them in Basketball’s Shoe — Converse. With high-performance traction soles, extra shock absorption, game long comfort and protection.
Julius Erving gets all these along with Converse Pro-game styling and the distinctive star and chevron look.
Basketball stars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson from Converse (1978)
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. When they play, they push themselves to the limit. And they trust their performance to Converse.
The shoe they choose to do battle in is the Converse Weapon — a shoe biomechanically designed to help players play their best.
These shoes offer superior traction because of their natural rubber outsoles. They’re incredibly cushioned as well, due to the Center of Pressure outsole and a shock-absorbing EVA midsole. And for the strong ankle support that Bird, Magic, and every other ballplayer needs, there’s the unique Y-Bar Ankle Support System.
Besides all these features, the Converse Weapon has a comfortable, removable insole and an extra padded collar that combines with the Y-Bar System for enhanced ankle support and comfort.
Bird and Magic have chosen their weapons. Now choose yours. The Converse Weapon. One more reason why athletes like Bird and Magic depend on Converse for the best possible performance.
Converse Baseball shoes (1978)
Every base Lou Brock steals, he steals in Converse shoes. To get the kind of jump Lou Brock gets, he needs light and flexible shoes.
Converse Tennis shoes (1978)
Every ace Roscoe Tanner serves, he serves in Converse shoes. That’s Roscoe Tanner’s style.
Converse TD’s (1979)
Converse and Tony Dorsett create TD’s, the all-around athletic shoe.
“Get into a pair of Converse TD’s and you’ll move like you’ve never moved before. Whether your sport is baseball, football, soccer, or even if you play them all, TD’s are the shoes to play in. Each shoe has 21 super-traction cleats to help you start fast, stop quick and turn on a dime. And these shoes have style, or I wouldn’t put my name on them.”
“So make your move to TD’s now. You’ll find them at your store in the display with my picture.”
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Name your game. We’ll name your shoe. (1980)
When your game is basketball with its fast starts, stops, jumps and pivots, it can be really tough on your feet if you’re wearing the wrong shoes.
So before we sell you basketball shoes — or shoes for any sport — there are some things we’d like to know first. How hard do you play? How often? On what surfaces? Because believe it or not, the answers to these questions can make a big difference in how well you play.
If you play the field, try Tony Dorsett TD’s, an all-purpose 21-cleat shoe that’s great for little league baseball, soccer and football.
If basketball’s your game, try the Converse Pro Leather Basketball Shoe, with natural rubber, single unit outsoles and meatier tread design.
Play hard? The Converse Pro Canvas Basketball Shoe gives you extra heavy-duty canvas uppers and an extra-firm counter for support, as well as all the features of the Pro Leather.
And for tough competition, try the durable Canvas All Star. You’ll play your game in style in Converse shoes.
Converse baseball Base Stealers (1980)
It got locked up for stealing.
Familiar birds of North America (1982)
- The American Flamingo
- The Ring Billed Gull
- The Ruby Throated Hummingbird
- The Golden Crested, Green-footed Larry Bird
Great basketball players, like birds, may be readily identified by studying their feet.
Converse running shoes (1983)
The longest road for any runner is the one to recovery.
Just what the Doctor ordered. (1984)
Basketball star Dr.J for Converse StarTech!
ALSO SEE: ’80s shoes for men: What stylish guys were wearing
Shoes of Magic (1982)
Magic Johnson wears Converse shoes at every performance he gives. The reason? In addition to being handsome and lightweight (even in size 14-1/2), no other basketball shoe feels like a Converse or protects like a Converse.
But that should be obvious. Magic Johnson wears ’em. And he’s still up to his old tricks.
The Converse StarTech (1985)
Larry Bird, Dr.J, Magic Johnson and the only basketball shoe that lives up to their standards. The Converse StarTech. The StarTech’s unique uni-saddle, designed in cooperation with our experienced biomechanics team, provides unparalleled midfoot, heel and ankle support.
The upper is double stitched for added durability, and the outsole tread design has flex bars for increased flexibility. The superior shock absorbent sole is unbeatable for providing sustained comfort during extended play.
The Converse StarTech is designed with the dedication to biomechanics we put into all our shoes. That’s why it’s number one with basketball’s greatest stars. It’s why it will be number one with you, too.
Limousines for your feet (1985)
Converse All Stars. The original canvas high tops and oxfords in eighteen fun and flashy colors and prints for people who want to go places in style.
A lightweight for the heavyweight (1984)
The Converse Fastbreak. It’s easy to see why top pros like Isiah Thomas wear it.
It’s designed with a super lightweight nylon/leather upper that has the kind of support you’ll find in full leather uppers. But it weighs a lot less.
Plus, we designed the Converse Fastbreak the way we design all our athletic shoes. By working with top athletes and coming up with improved biomechanical designs to satisfy their needs. Which is the reason a shoe as light as the Converse Fastbreak carries so much weight with the pros.
Converse Energy Wave shoes (1989)
The wave is now in court. All rise.
