mat, but the sandpaper created too much wear on the other surface. Finally he found the solution: loose sand in a low-lipped box. "People went for the scraping sound ... So I made a sound board by sprinkling sand on a flat platform. That was in 1935." His sandbox remained his trademark throughout his career, with some venues even telling Sims, "If you don't bring your sandbox, don't come at all."

During this period, it was common for dancers to carry tap shoes with them and, when they encountered another dancer on the street, throw down