Nike Co-Founder Bill Bowerman Handmade University of Oregon ‘Waffle Spikes’ | 1979

Offered in this lot is a pair of Nike University of Oregon SMU (Special Make Up) Waffle Spikes, custom-made for runner Bruce Nelson by Bill Bowerman.

The pair is accompanied by a letter of provenance by Bruce Nelson and has been evaluated by Michael Friton, who worked with Bill Bowerman for 16 years. 

Custom-built in 1979, this one-of-a-kind pair was made specifically for Bruce Nelson, who competed in track and cross country at the University of Oregon from 1977 to 1980. The shoes are SMUs—Special Make Ups—crafted in green and yellow and were never made available to the public. Nike got started on the track at the University of Oregon, and these green and yellow Waffle Spikes match the colors of the University of Oregon's singlets and shorts worn by the athletes.

Bowerman personally designed the pair in response to Nelson’s individual bone structure, as part of his ongoing experimentation with spike placement. Bill Bowerman created these shoes by tracing Bruce Nelson’s feet and X-raying them.

Constructed in the United States, the uppers resemble the Nike Verdun and were made from nylon, suede, leather, and rubber. The tongues are marked with NIKE in bold capital letters, and the shoes remain entirely original, including their laces and insoles. Sizing to a men’s 8.5, this pair is consistent with Nelson’s competition footwear.

Bowerman adapted the spike plates from the Nike Vainqueur model, which originally featured seven spikes from the factory. Two additional spikes were custom-nailed into the forefoot, placed according to Nelson’s unique bone structure. The custom midsoles are mismatched: the left shoe features a white midsole that extends beneath the spike plate, while the right features a blue midsole that stops above it. 

It is worth noting that Bowerman kept most of the custom spikes that he built. It is rare for a pair to be in the possession of an athlete because Bill typically asked for his custom spikes to be returned to him after races. Bruce Nelson has held onto these shoes for the past 46 years. 

The Waffle Soles, handmade by Bowerman, were a signature innovation that later earned him induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. On this pair, the waffle tread is flared at the heels—more prominently on the left shoe—and wraps up the back of each shoe. The outsoles are partially stamped with U.S. Patent No. 3793750, though the marks are truncated. The Waffle Sole is considered the first major innovation at Nike.

A testament to the innovation and rarity of this pair, a corresponding drawing of Nelson’s foot by Bowerman—used to inform the shoe’s spike layout—is archived in the University of Oregon’s Knight Library, alongside a similar study of Friton’s foot.

These shoes are an incredibly unique example of the dedication to design and performance that Bowerman had. Tied to Nike’s origins through their green and yellow colors, Waffle soles, custom spikes, and handmade midsoles, this pair reflects Bill Bowerman’s inventive approach to crafting shoes that enhanced athletic performance.