Charlie's "CHUCK" Page

[Charlie: "PLEASE DON'T call me CHUCK!"]

Converse "Chuck Taylor" All Star high-top ankle patch from a "Made in U. S. A." SHOE

A Baby Boomer Boy Fondly Remembers
Converse "Chuck Taylor" All Star Sneakers


Chuck - The original:

Charles H. ("Chuck") Taylor, basketball player and shoe salesman (1901-1969)Look here for more information about Charles H. ("Chuck") Taylor, the real-life man behind the sneaker.



Chuck - the one-time factory:

Converse Rubber Shoes factoryAt one time, this was the home of "Converse Rubber Shoes." (Note the horse-drawn wagon and the antique automobile.)



Chuck - the Box Tops:

Given the number of years Converse has been producing the "Chuck," it seems appropriate that they have used a number of different box designs.


Chuck - Technology Review:

Eleven ways better, as detailed by Converse...

NOTE: Converse forgot to mention feature #12: The ankle patch provides additional ankle support! If it was strictly for product advertising, it would make more sense to put it on the outside... think about it!


Chuck - Official Care Instructions:

Converse "Chuck Taylor" care and cleaning instructions from about a half-century ago


Chuck - Notable Appearances:

Chucks on the small screen

Given that they are (after all) the most popular sneaker of all time, Chucks have been seen extensively:


Chuck - Dropping to New Lows, Rising to New Highs:

Converse "Chuck Taylor" All-Star unbleached white muleIn 2002, Converse produced a backless sneaker ("mule") based on the Chuck.


Converse "Chuck Taylor" All Star black low-topSome may call these Chucks "low," but their popularity was high for Baby Boom Boys.


Converse "Chuck Taylor" Red high-topIn addition to the low-top version, Chucks come in the traditional and beloved "high-top" design.


Converse "Chuck Taylor" All Star Knee High in DenimAround 1986, Converse even had a "knee-high" (NEEHI) version. Note the metal snaps on the sides of the shoe. They allowed the wearer to fold down the sides to merely "high-top" level.. Converse produced a similar "XHI" model starting in 2003. Converse made a "mid-high" version in 2011 that was approximately the height of a Chuck patch.


SPECIAL SUMMERTIME FEATURE: Summer come along, and you feel like you want to hang loose and low-topped all summer? A few minutes and a pair of sturdy scissors will convert your high-top Chucks into a pair of low-top Chucks!


Chucks - Known for Generations:

Chucks have been known and worn for generations that have found uses for them from A to Z. There have been some changes over the years:

  1. The inside lining by the toe:
  2. Pricing:
  3. Aroma of a new Chuck:
  4. Bar codes on the tongue:
  5. Color of side trim:
  6. Ankle Patch:
  7. Heel Patch:
  8. Colors:

One of my readers complained to Converse that the upper and sole weren't as thick as they used to be. Converse sent him a reply to the extent that "they are made the same way." I've been sent pictures of old Chucks and new Chucks that prove otherwise. And how else can you explain the "All Star 70" that they've been hawking in the 2016-17 time frame?


Chuck - In Season:

Basketball as the Baby Boomers played it... in Chucks!During the Baby Boom years, basketball season was prime time for the Chuck. My experience as a teenager was that any kid halfway serious about basketball had a pair, either the low-top or (more usually) the high-top. If the teams were named after their sneakers, the great majority of basketball games would have been "Chuck vs. Chuck." As I remember, some teams always wore the low-top version, and some teams always wore the high-top version, and some let the players decide which they preferred. Here's a picture of my high-school friend Randy coming down from on high with the basketball, wearing a pair of red low-tops, and with his opponent in the white high-tops breathing hot and heavy down his neck!


Gals ready for hot hoop action in their high-top Chucks!In the Baby Boom years, the girls' basketball team wore Chucks just like the boys did. As you can see, these Baby Boomer girls have their high-top Chucks on... and they're ready to go!



Mikey Likes His "Chucks!"

Michael's "Chuck" logo tattooOne of my many readers, Michael (I don't think his last name is "Jordan"), sent me a picture of his tattoo. He told me, "I can never be without my Chuck Taylor's."



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Last Updated: 17 June 2017


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Charlie's Sneaker Pages copyright 1995-2024 by Charles L. Perrin.

READERS PLEASE NOTE: Names of athletic shoe manufacturers, shoe styles, and technologies may be trademarked by the manufacturers. Charlie's Sneaker Pages uses these names solely to describe the shoes with the same familiar nomenclature used by the manufacturer and recognized by the reader.