1970's Nike 'Moon Shoe' | Single-Piece Outsole & Nike Branding

Offered in this lot is an extremely rare example of one of Nike’s most iconic sneakers, the Nike Moon Shoe. 

Purchased during the 1970s by former Garden Grove High School runner, Tom Utterback, the sneakers feature several notable details, which are not commonly found on other Moon Shoes. 

From a construction perspective, the pair features a single-piece outsole and suede paneling on the lateral side and heel panel. On most widely known examples of the Moon Shoe, the outsole is comprised of two pieces of rubber, and the panels are constructed of perforated nylon. 

The pair also features Nike branding on the tongue label and a padded foam tongue, two additional elements rarely seen on Moon Shoes in the market. 

A similar example of this Moon Shoe style, which was attributed to Mark Covert, also featured these elements. That example has been referred to as the ‘Most Progressive Nike Moon Shoe’

There is no visible size indication on the shoe, though the shoes measure approximately 11 ½ inches from heel to toe. Mr. Utterback recalls them being a size 10. 

Sotheby’s received the below letter of provenance from Tom Utterback, the original owner of the sneakers. Tom recalls using them around 10-12 times.  

I went to Garden Grove High School Class of ‘76 and ran Cross Country and distance running for four years. In 1972 we were introduced to Mark Covert and we all thought he was a madman for running every day for the past 5 years. He ran training with us a few times and was a good inspiration. In the past month, I have learned more about his relationship with Nike and that he used Moon Shoes in the 1972 Olympic trials. Mark was managing a Nike Athletic Department store in Garden Grove and we all bought shoes from him. At some point, one of the guys on my team heard there was a pair of custom-made shoes from Nike available at the Athletic Department. I heard the shoes were new and unusual. I went to check them out and even though they were not my size I had to have them. I think that was 1973.

I used my Moon Shoes as a secret weapon and only wore them for the races, probably 10-12 times. After High School, I put them in a loose plastic Ziploc bag and my Mom found a Nike shoe box in her closet. I put the Moon Shoes in the box and they went up on a shelf where the shoes have been for almost 50 years!

I have always known where they were and on a recent game show on TV two of the guests were sneaker collectors. That made me go get them and open the box to have a look. They are still in good condition. I have done some research and verified what I heard in 1973 that there were only 12 pairs made. Mine seem a little different in a few subtle ways, I’m sure you will notice as well.

I’m really happy to bring these shoes out of the closet and let the world know that there is one more pair of Moon Shoes known to exist.

The Nike “Moon Shoe” is one of the most significant artifacts in the history of the multi-billion-dollar athletic brand. One of only a handful of pairs known to exist, this Moon Shoe is a handmade running shoe designed by Nike co-founder and legendary Oregon University track coach Bill Bowerman. As the famous story goes, Bowerman was first inspired to create the innovative waffle sole traction pattern found on the brand’s early running shoes by tinkering with his wife’s waffle iron, pouring rubber into the mold to create the first prototype of the sole. The finished design of the traction pattern created a better grip and cushion than most running shoes of the time, and the waffle sole was Nike’s first major innovation as a brand.

The “Moon Shoe” got its name from the resemblance between the impression of the waffle pattern left in the dirt and the famous tracks left on the moon by astronauts in 1969.