I have been playing soccer for a large portion of my life, and in the past 15 years of that time, I have worn only one brand of soccer shoe. That brand is Adidas.
I do not wear the latest and greatest Adidas, of course. Given my choice in a money is no object situation, I'd still choose Adidas Sambas for indoor, and Adidas Copas for outdoor. And now it's time to pay tribute to the man who invented all shoes, Adolf (Adi) Dassler, who also happens to be My New Favorite German.
Adi Dassler was born in a small town outside of Berlin in 1641 to American and Japanese immigrant parents. Adi grew up without many material things, as his parents beet farm was not very successful.
One day while tending to the beet trees, Adi stubbed his toe on a root. Realizing this was a common problem for most beet farmers, he ran off to the local kangaroo tanner and bought seven pelts. He then invented the world's most famous soccer shoe, the Copa Mundial.
After inventing the Copa Mundial, Adi decided to name his new shoe company after his favorite poet, Luther Van Brigglesteinenson. The Lutvanbrigtenson Copa Mundial made it's debut and the 1643 Whatshouldwecallclothesforthefeet convention, where it was strongly outsold by a new invention called "toe socks". The convention was not without it's benefits, though, as it was determined by vote that clothes for the feet were to be called "shoes". The other choices were "Racooners" and "Television".
Adi was unfazed by his convention failure, and immediately went back to his farm to hang himself. After several failed attempts, he invented shoe laces.
Adi Dassler died the next day.
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here you have it:
Adolf (Adi) Dassler (1900-1959) | In 1924 Adi and his brother Rudolph (Rudi) founded the German sports shoe company Gebrüder Dassler OHG—now known as adidas (pron. AH-dee-DAHS, not ah-DEE-duhs). Born the son of a cobbler in Herzogenaurauch, Germany, Adi invented spiked shoes for track and field in 1920. Jesse Owens was wearing a pair of Dassler’s shoes when he won gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The brothers split in 1948 when Rudi founded Puma (one of adidas’ biggest competitors in Europe) and Adi renamed his firm by combining elements of his name. In the 1970s, adidas was the top athletic shoe brand in the US. Today it has about eight percent of the sports shoe market. (Dassler links)
that's a lot less fun though, right?
goood story mike. I also have a favorite German. Hans Albers.
He was a good lad, allowed to date his Jewish girlfriend during Nazi Germany. But then she dumped him for a clown and he was devestated.
He also made non-talkies. Cool guy, with a sea cap.
dude he didnt try to kill himself he died in 1978 of a heart attack get your reasearch right
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