Summary

In early 1967, Johnson agrees to run the East Coast office after some negotiation with Knight. Because Blue Ribbon is growing, Knight must hire more members for the team as well. Bob Woodell was once a famous runner, but had an accident at a Mother’s Day celebration and was left unable to walk. The two met for a meal, felt a kinship, and bonded. Woodell became a Blue Ribbon employee as well.

Bowerman is designing shoes with Onitsuka, and has also written a book about jogging. This shifts the culture around running, inadvertently creating a larger customer base for running shoes. Blue Ribbon becomes a real, physical company with an office near Knight’s house and another one near Boston.

By 1968, the accounting hours are too much for Knight, and he makes the switch to teaching accounting at a nearby university. When a...