02 Our Heritage and Our Dreams

Nike’s Defining Moment

Nike’s official birthday—May 1, 1972—marked a turning point in our story. That was the day Phil Knight received word from Onitsuka that Blue Ribbon Sports would no longer be the exclusive U.S. distributor for Tiger shoes.

Phil Knight in Doorway (1971, with Jim Ryun and Steve Prefontaine)

Phil gathered a small team of about 30 employees and reframed what could have been a crisis into an opportunity, his message was clear.

“This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. No more selling someone else’s brand. No more working for someone else. If we’re going to succeed or fail, we should do so on our own terms, with our own ideas, with our own brand. Let’s not look at this as a crisis. Let’s look at this as our liberation. Our Independence Day.”

Beginnings in Eugene

On that day, I was a freshman at the University of Oregon, living in the dorms across from Hayward Field. My world was small—washing dishes in the cafeteria to pay my way, focused on my studies and running. I had no idea that five years later, I’d start my Nike journey.

I was a walk-on for the Oregon track team, not expected to make waves. The local paper listed me last among nine half-milers. Yet, something special was happening. Seven months earlier, I’d sat alone in the Hayward Field stands, soaking in the atmosphere and realizing how fortunate I was to be part of Bowerman’s legendary running culture. I made a quiet promise to myself: do my best, and don’t screw it up.

That commitment paid off. I won my first seven races, broke the 1:50 barrier, placed second in the PAC-8 Championships, sixth at Nationals, made the USA junior team, and qualified for the 1972 U.S. Olympic Trials. Not bad for a walk-on—and it earned me a full scholarship for my sophomore year.

Carrying the Culture Forward

The culture of excellence that Bowerman built in Eugene was unmistakable when I joined Nike. Phil Knight, the athlete-turned-entrepreneur, had absorbed Bowerman’s lessons: relentless competitiveness, hard work, honesty, and a refusal to settle for anything less than excellence. As a new Nike employee, I made the same vow: do my best, and don’t screw it up.

Lessons for Today

Our journey as a company is ongoing—there truly is no finish line. The mindset that carried me from the last spot on the track roster to the Olympic Trials is the same mindset that has driven Nike from a small distributor to a global leader. It’s about honoring the past, learning from those who came before us, and using those lessons to create the future.

Stay tuned for more reflections and stories in "Steve’s Corner" as we continue to build on our heritage and shape what’s next for Nike.