Sperry's Top-Sider Battles a Flotilla of Imitators

The storied 'boat shoe' not just for boatmen anymore

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As legend has it, Paul Sperry—Dartmouth man, World War I naval officer—was sailing his cutter Sirocco on a cold day in 1935 when he nearly slipped on the wet deck and killed himself.

Apart from his near-death experience, Sperry also noticed how his shipmate (a cocker spaniel named Prince) navigated the slippery teak without trouble. Later, examining his furry friend’s paws, Captain Sperry noticed the fine ridges in the pads of Prince’s feet and had an idea.

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