1914

HOOD'S FIRST BASKETBALL SNEAKER MAKES ITS DEBUT - The origin of the first basketball specific sneaker is debatable but by the second decade of the 20th century the popularity of this relatively new sport was undeniable.  Hood took notice and introduced its first shoe designed for the sport in its 1914 catalog,  cementing the brand's place in history as one of the sports earliest pioneers and innovators.

THE FIRST PATENTED TENNIS SHOE – 1914 was a year of many firsts for the now 18 year old Hood Rubber Company.  Before long, the company took another leap forward in shoe innovation. No one had ever produced a canvas shoe with a rubber sole and an offset heel, but on Nov. 3, 1914, Hood received a patent for its “Tennis Shoe” – a lightweight version of the well-heeled leather footwear of the time.