The swoosh has become one of the most recognizable logos in all of America. By signing such world renowned athletes as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova and LeBron James to commercial deals, the company became the leader in athletic gear across the world.

It was on this day, January 25th, in 1964 that Nike launched.  At that time, the company was called Blue Ribbon Sports.  The company would later take the name of Nike in 1978.

Blue Ribbon Sports was co-founded by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight.  Like many companies, Blue Ribbon Sports struggled at the beginning.  In fact, in the early days, most of the sales were done at track meets with the inventory being stored in Phil Knight’s car. Today, the company is the leading supplier of athletic shoes and apparel in the world.