The company's first factory was founded in 1898 in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, on the high banks of Saucony Creek (from which the company would be named) by four businessmen. In 1910, Russian immigrant AR Hyde founded a shoe company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, called Hyde Athletic Industries.Over the years, Hyde became known for producing sports footwear, including brands such as SpotBilt and PF Flyers; Hyde Athletic Industries bought Saucony in the late 60s and moved it to Cambridge. In 1979 two of Saucony's running shoes were selected in the top 10 by Runner's World magazine (hornet was chosen as the best value) and by the following spring the demand for the product had increased 20-fold. In the late 80s, when Saucony became the dominant brand of Hyde, the name of the company was officially changed from Hyde Athletic Industries to Saucony.The Saucony Jazz was born in 1981 as a running shoe. They have suede and nylon upper, a comfortable padded tongue and the classic Maxitrac rubber sole.