Shoe Dog

On April 14, 1974, Knight sits in a courthouse in downtown Portland alongside Cousin Houser and Strasser. At the opposing table are the lawyers representing Onitsuka. Onitsuka’s head lawyer is Hilliard, a short man who makes everything he says sound “sinister” (238). Blue Ribbon’s head lawyer is Cousin Houser.

Knight is called to the stand and does not perform well under the pressure. Johnson discusses the trial with a local retailer the day after the judge demands that the case not be talked about outside of court. The judge berates the Blue Ribbon team for this breach of orders. Bowerman is called to the stand but does not perform well either. Still, the judge decides in Blue Ribbon’s favor. Onitsuka makes a settlement offer of $400,000. Cousin Houser and Knight accept.

After the case, Knight offers Strasser full-time employment at Blue Ribbon. After consulting with his father, Strasser becomes Blue Ribbon’s “first-ever in-house counsel” (250).

Due to fluctuating conditions in Japan, Knight seeks factories in new locations. He settles on a plan to send materials from Puerto Rico to factories in New England. Johnson and Knight drive to a broken-down factory in Exeter, New Hampshire. They meet with a local man named Bill Giampietro, who agrees to help them clean and staff the factory.