[1][2] The Koyo Bear brand is credited with having created the first purpose built table tennis shoe called the Sharpman.
[1][2] The Sharpman was introduced to the market in cooperation with Japanese table tennis player and world champion Ichiro Ogimura who also designed the shoe.
[3] The white canvas shoe had two parallel running blue lines bordering the lace eyelets as well as the upper edge of the ankle- and heel-part.
[4][2] Wearers of the Sharpman included Shigeo Itoh, Stellan Bengstsson, Hans Alser, Kjell Johansson, George Braithwaite and Pak Yung Sun.
[5] In addition, the Sharpman was worn by Glenn Cowan who was one of the key figures in an event that was triggered during the 1971 World Table Tennis Championships in Nagoya and became historically known as the “Ping-pong Diplomacy”.