Shoes

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

There will be a quiz on this, so pay attention.

Styles change over the years. When I first started it was shoes that looked just like real street shoes (weighed a ton) but with a thick rubber waffle soul (Spot Bilts) that I actually got resoled every year. The uppers lasted forever and gave me great support. But they had to be polished every night.

Then we moved to sneaker like shoes, much lighter than the previous styles, and much more comfortable, but not very durable (replaced not resoled), with a flat finish that didn't have to be polished very often. And I could buy them in any store that sold athletic shoes, not just from an officiating dealer.

Then we moved to patent leather shoes (Zigs), and I paid more for these shoes than I ever paid for any kind of shoe in my entire life.

Now we're into mesh shoes, light, comfortable, and they breathe.

I had a pair of mesh training shoes for running on the treadmill at the gym, eventually my big toe tore though the mesh.

When I first started in 1971, Converse made a basketball officiating shoe. It was a low cut that all leather and needed to be shined at least after every other game but could not be resoled. I wore my one pair for my first two seasons of officiating. The low cuts were not good for my right ankle, which has since caused problems for my right knee and hip joints, but that is a story for another time. The sporting goods store that provided the Chuck Taylor All Stars to my H.S. for which I played and gave my right ankle, had one pair of black kangaroo leather high tops with a waffle sole. The leather was so soft and thin that I hardly knew I was wearing shoes. I would get them resoled every other year. That pair were my basketball officiating shoes until the start of the 1984-85 season. The leather was starting to stretch because it was so thin and the mileage was starting to shoe.

At the start of the 1984-85 season I managed to find two pair of all black leather Converse high tops basketball playing shoes and these two pair lasted through the 1994-95 season when I bought two pairs of the mid-highs that Converse started making. Once Converse stopped making them it has been a constant search for all leather black high top playing shoes. Currently, Mark, Jr., I have been wearing all leather black Nike high top playing shoes. We each own two pair and rotate them. We have had them for about 5 years now.

You can see a pattern. I am old school, and fortunately for me, Junior is also old school. We like the all leather look. Yes you have to keep them shined but they have a professional look that the mesh shoes do not have.

Right now, the base shoes that all of the show manufacturers are making are predominantly mesh, and they collect soil dust in them and they are a pain in the tuchus to clean. Fortunately, plate shoes are still all leather and yes they have to be shined but they have that professional look that we prefer.

MTD, Sr.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Freddy

"I'm a Sole Man" -- Joliet Jake

You're one mean son of a gun. Don't tempt me. I'm trying to finish up the week on my best behavior.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

... black kangaroo leather high tops ... all leather black high top playing shoes ...

I remember a few kids on my high school track team wearing kangaroo skin track shoes, it was only the rich kids.

Black high tops? Bill Buckner wore black high tops playing first base for the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 World Series. How did that work out for him? I never want to hear the phrase "black high tops" ever again.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

You're one mean son of a gun. Don't tempt me. I'm trying to finish up the week on my best behavior.



I remember a few kids on my high school track team wearing kangaroo skin track shoes, it was only the rich kids.

High tops? Bill Buckner wore black high tops playing first base for the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 World Series. How did that work out for him? I never want to hear the phrase "black high tops" ever again.

Boston Red Sox! Sorry, but Junior and I have never heard of them, LOL! We are loyal fans of the Cleveland Indians and the world famous Toledo Mud Hens!

MTD, Sr.

[BigT]

I just got Brooks running shoe. Its light flat breathes and supports my ankle. Get out there try stuff and do what you need to make you comfortable.