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Bill Bowerman Research Paper

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Inspiration can hit at any moment for Bill Bowerman, it came at breakfast one morning. He took his wife’s waffle iron and poured rubber into the mold, without his wife knowing. Thus the new lightweight, durable, and comfortable running shoe was created. First tested out by Phil Knight since he was an average runner. “I wasn’t one of the best runners on the team. Bowerman knew he could use me as a guinea pig without much risk,” ("Bill Bowerman: Nike’s Original Innovator").
Bill Bowerman was a track coach at the University of Oregon, he wanted to find a lighter shoe that still provides comfort and held up after a painful workout. The shoes his team were running with were made of a thick cow leather and a heavy metal plate with spikes on it (Glaeser).

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