Re: The Knockoffs - who sold them?
Yeah, I remember Red Ball Jets. They were both available for both men & women and looked nearly the same (and in those days I could easily fit into either). The shoes that are shown date back to the early to mid 60's; you could get them with either the pointed or round toe. They came in many colors: red, black, dark blue, light blue, white....and only for women were colors yellow, pink, lime, & tan. The shoe string eyelets matched the color of the shoe. The last pair I remember buying was back in 1971 when Gordon's Dept Store was closing its doors for good. There were two giant piles of these sneakers, mainly white, on two large tables: one for men, one for women. I always got the round toe model. Back then I could only afford to buy two pairs (which I did buy) and wore them for years until they fell apart. The soles of those shoes are exactly the same as the pictured above. You had to be picky in those days because the insole could be cloth like Keds or a slippery insole simular to early Vans of the same style. I felt the fit was better than Keds in those days (having the chance to buy & own both brands) with more room for your instep. Although most of my Keds & Red Ball Jets were white, my favorite shoes were a pair of black Red Ball Jets with matching black laces. Damn, I wish I could get a pair today!:icon_mrgr
