![]() Plus, the fact that the ‘local hero’ wore them.” The style/design of the shoe immediately appealed to me. “I just remember walking into a Nordstrom and seeing them on display and discounted. Bought them in ‘96, but not during launch,” he says. That led him to seek out a pair of the star’s sneakers. “All I knew at the time was to pay attention to some dude named ‘Griffey,’” says Sin, who’s known on NikeTalk and social media as SinnerP, his avatar bearing Griffey’s Swingman logo. To get up to speed on his new home, he studied all things local, including the baseball team. He moved from Hong Kong to attend college in Seattle in 1994, just as Mariners Mania took over the city. The choice was obvious for buyers like Patrick Sin. Not an easy task considering guys like Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Allen Iversonall had signature lines to compete against. ![]() The three launch colorways-the two Mariners uniform-friendly “Freshwater” colors and the more eye-popping “Varsity Royal” pair-stood out on store shelves. Heel and forefoot Max Air put it on par with the tech featured in top models from other categories. An internal bootie and an adjustable ankle strap adorned with The Kid’s number 24 created a secure fit. Initially released in 1996, the Air Griffey Max 1’s design sported an upper mixed with synthetic leather and Durabuck. Griffey’s turf-ready model arrived at a time when Jordans and Nike basketball shoes dominated the market. Teague and company delivered on all of Griffey’s asks. He desired a shoe that could “be fashionable wearing them with jeans I was really adamant about that.” ![]() I think I was really adamant about the strap.”Īny shoe bearing his name needed to be a multipurpose shoe that could go from working out and batting practice to activities away from sports. A big ol’ Swoosh on there, too, and I wanted a strap. I think that was the one thing that I wanted. “At that time, I wanted to be different than everybody else. “Just make it loud,” he told longtime designer Terry Teague, per a 2009 Sole Collector interview. When the time arrived for his first model, Griffey knew the main things he wanted for his shoe. With his charisma and talent, Griffey added new life to the game needed. The big smile and hat turned backward from a young guy playing the game with flair stood out against baseball’s stoic traditions. He also had Nike powering him to megastar status with its savvy marketing.īy the mid-1990s, Griffey’s popularity was sky-high, making him the best option to succeed Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders as the face of Nike’s burgeoning Cross-Training category. It earned him adulation from adults and kids alike. Griffey had it all: skills on the field, a magnetic smile, and endless amounts of swagger. As the son of a pro player, he went from number one pick in 1987 to 13-time All-Star, winner of 10 Gold Gloves, 1997 AL MVP, and the first Mariner to enter Cooperstown. And his sneaker line is still one of the most storied in footwear.įor Griffey, the story started on the field. The man affectionately known as “The Kid” may have been the closest thing to Michael Jordan that baseball ever saw in terms of star power. With his first signature model’s recent retro, a new generation of sneaker enthusiasts are learning about longtime Nike athlete Ken Griffey Jr.
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