Around 1892 the first canvas sneakers were born, called Keds, being produced by U.S. Rubber Company. In twenty years Keds became very common, and they got the name sneaker from Henry Nelson McKinney, an advertising agent. They were so quiet that a person wearing them could sneak on someone. In 1917 Marquis Converse produced the first pair of shoes created specifically for basketball, the Converse All-Stars. Chuck Taylor, an Indiana hoops star, became their testimonial and made them definitely the best-selling basketball shoes of all time.