The Sneaker History Archive
A community-built record of the sneakers that matter. A few quick things before you dive in.
- ▲Upvote the best shotsTap the ▲ arrow on any photo to vote it up. The top-voted shot becomes that pair’s lead image.
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Air Jordan 3 "Oregon Ducks Pit Crew"
2011
Top@nickengvall OfficialFounding
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The Pit Crew Jordan 3 is one of the cleanest examples of a true player exclusive, a shoe you could not buy. It was made for the University of Oregon, specifically for the Pit Crew, the student cheer section, and it carries the school throughout. The design came together in 2011 with input from Tinker Hatfield, the Nike designer and Oregon alum who drew the original Air Jordan 3, working alongside former Oregon player Jason Williams. The Oregon O is stitched into the tongue and duck feet are worked into the heel, with the school’s green and yellow running through the makeup. This black version pairs leather with the Jordan 3’s signature elephant print on the mudguard and heel and grey accents around the collar.
The Pit Crew pairs were earned rather than sold. Students who showed up and supported Oregon athletics could win a pair through a raffle, while the related white version went to athletes and friends and family, which puts both squarely in player-exclusive territory. The shoes turned up on the feet of stars like Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, which only raised their profile among collectors who could never get one through normal channels. For the archive the Pit Crew 3 documents the deep relationship between Nike, Jordan Brand and the University of Oregon, and the way a college booster culture produced some of the rarest Jordans in existence.