Athletic imports up 8.1% in '84.

NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Imports of athletic footwear were up 8.1 per cent in 1984, one of the smallest increase categories in the sporting goods industry, in which imports surged ahead 18.9 per cent from 1983, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA).

Sebastian DiCasoli, director of marketing services for SGMA, said he attributed the small increase to a slowdown in the overall athletic market and a scalling down in overseas production during the year.

DiCasoli noted that in the overall athletic footwear category, leather athletic imports increased 43 per cent for the year, while nonleather athletic footwear showed a 27 per cent …