sneakers go back a long way. In the late 18th century, people wore rubber soled shoes called plimsolls, but they vere pretty crude for one thing, there was no right foot or left foot. Around 1892, the U.S. Rubber Company comfortable rubber sneakers with came up with more canvas tops, called Keds, By 1917, these sneakers began to be mass produced. They got the nickname sneakers because they were so quiet, a perron wearing them could neak up on someone.)