Sperry: Origin of the American Boat Shoes

Sperry boat shoes have the distinction of being the first modern boat shoe, invented in Connecticut by Paul Sperry in 1935. Paul, whose brother was author of the Newberry Medal-winning book Call It Courage Armstrong Sperry, was a former naval officer and an avid sailor. He had been trying to create a shoe design that would provide traction on a slippery boat deck without leaving marks, but to no avail.
Did you know that it was his dog that helped him solve the mystery? According to legend, while Paul was struggling to find the best way to create boat shoes with the most traction, he noticed his cocker spaniel maintaining traction while running across a frozen lake in Connecticut. After inspecting his dog’s paws, he realized the small grooves of the paws provided the dog’s traction. This simple concept gave Paul the idea for a leather upper-shoe with a herringbone pattern of grooves on the sole, much like the small cracks on a dog’s paws. To this day, Sperry boat shoes still feature this unassuming yet revolutionary feature. (img: http://sneakerking.com/images/products/detail/10281683.jpg)
If you’re looking for a pair of these canine-inspired shoes, visit SneakerKing.com today to see the selection of Sperry boat shoes we have to offer!