A creative attempt to level the playing field in college basketball on this day in 1955.
Players at Los Angeles State College tested special shoes designed to add height to shorter players.
The idea was to even things out. If a 6-foot player was matched up against a 7-footer, the so-called “equalizer” shoes could help bring them a little closer — literally — by adding extra height.
The experiment did not slow down the game. Instead, it was meant to make the competition more even.
The shoes never really caught on in basketball, but they did give a whole new meaning to trying to get a leg up on the competition.