Boots under glass

Press, 18 July 1979, Page 25

Boots under glass

A shoe museum, to house the footwear of famous New Zealand sportsmen and women, is to be set up. According to Mr Gary . Sturgess, the general manager of M. O’Brien and Co. Ltd, the museum will either be at the company’s plant or Queen Elizabeth II Park, if the authorities approve. To get the scheme underway the company hopes past members of the sporting fraternity will donate their running shoes or boots along with newspaper articles and photographs. "O’Brien’s have been making football boots, running shoes, climbing boots and other styles of footwear for more than 100 years,” said Mr Sturgess. “In recent years O’Brien’s have become the New Zealand manufacturing agents for Adidas of Germany and many famous runners such as John Walker, Rod

Dixon and Dick Quax have had their running shoes made on custommade lasts constructed by that company at its headquarters in Herzogenaurach. “Naturally we hope to obtain some of their shoes, but we would like to obtain running shoes or boots worn by such people as Peter Snell, Don Clarke or Fergie McCormick, pre-World War II runners and rugby players, top mountaineers and so on. “Many examples must be gathering dust in attics and spare rooms and we would be most grateful if the public would contact us and let us know what they have.” So if you have an old pair of O’Bs which enabled you to run, kick ■ or climb your way to I fame drop a line to Mr Sturgess at O'Brien’s in Christchurch. Your soles could yet gain immortality.