Did you know that early basketballs had laces? They had to be unlaced, pumped up, tested, and re-laced repeatedly until the air pressure of the rubber bladder inside was just right. These balls evolved to include external air pump holes, but the laces remained until the 1930s, when laceless designs were first introduced. The version… Read more »
Early Laced Basketballs
A close look at the last line of copy in this 1904 advertisement for gum bottom “basket ball” shoes may explain why Spalding lost its grip on the athletic footwear business a century ago.