Everyone knows that Nike was founded back in the day—the story of the brand is one of the most lauded among homegrown businesses. But fewer know the actual details. We know the shoes, we know the Swoosh, but even some dedicated trainer fans don't know how the brand got its start.

It happened in the kitchen. On a waffle iron.

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Back in the 1960s when Bill Bowerman was coaching track at the University of Oregon, he wasn't happy with the running shoes that his athletes had access to. He knew there had to be a better option. He wanted something that would give as much grip as spikes without all that extra work–and while keeping it light. So he went into his kitchen, poured some rubber on a waffle iron, and made a new sole.

The shoes worked, and inspired the first mass-produced sneaker that Nike every made. (Although Bowerman and Phil Knight were already selling shoes through Blue Ribbon Sports by 1964–mostly Asics–it wasn't until 1971 that they took the "Nike" name.) Bowerman was training some of the best athletes in the world at the time, running them straight into Olympic competition. And in 1972, he sent some athletes to the Olympic trials in the new "Moon Shoes" or "Waffle Racers," the first shoe to ever feature Nike's Swoosh.

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These sneakers represent the very first chapter of Nike's story, one that's still being written today. And you can now own a piece of that history thanks to the ShoeZeum and eBay.

Up for auction is a pair of the 1972 Moon Shoes from the Olympic trials in a size 10.5. Not that the size matters: You'd never want to wear these. Not only are they a priceless piece of history, they're also totally falling apart. That's what happens when you use 1972 technology on a pair of trainers that were then worn in a marathon. (Bruce Mortenson wore them in that race, finishing in 2 hours and 36 minutes.)

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You don't have to qualify for the trials to get your hands on these shoes this time, but the auction is already at $8,200 with four days left, so be ready to shell out some major cash.

If you want something with a retro flavor but don't want to spend eight grand (and want to be able to wear the shoe), check out Nike's Internationalist. The trainer was designed much later but still decades ago, and it's a genuine modern classic.

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From: Esquire US