List of illustrations -- Prologue -- pt. 1. Two brothers, one feud -- 1. The Dassler boys -- 2. Two brothers at war -- 3. The split -- 4. Olympic handouts -- 5. The Alsatian plot -- 6. Dirty tricks in Mexico -- 7. The Puma swinger -- 8. Stars and stripes -- 9. From rags to riches -- 10. Soccer punch -- pt. 2. Champions of the world -- 11. Under the influence -- 12. The bountiful game -- 13. The clandestine empire -- 14. Olympic friends -- 15. The return -- 16. Collapse -- 17. The emperor strikes back -- 18. Puma's demise -- pt. 3. Multibillion-dollar rescue -- 19. Shark attack! -- 20. The sellout -- 21. Stir it up -- 22. Triple bluff -- 23. The comeback -- 24. Soccer punch 2 -- 25. Sneaker wars 2 -- 26. Cool cats -- 27. High noon -- Epilogue -- Sources -- Bibliography -- Acknowledgments -- Index
Summary:
Traces the fierce rivalry between brothers Adi and Rudi Dassler, who launched a successful shoe business from their mother's laundry room in Germany before a bitter feud prompted their separation and launch of competitors Adidas and Puma.