groundpad, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

groundpad n.

(US black)

1. in pl., feet.

1938		Newark Advocate (OH) 2 Sept. 12/6: Never saw the ground pads net high like that before in my life.
1944		D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 76: Feet—Groundpads.

2. a shoe; usu. in pl.

1942		D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam Star-News 7 Feb. 16: Togged in some hipchick legsacks with a pair of hardhitting [...] groundpads.
1955		Babs Gonzales ‘The Be-Bop Santa Claus’ 🎵 His ground pads was red shoes.
1962		Ragen & Finston World’s Toughest Prison 802: ground pads – Shoes.
1971		(con. 1930s–50s) D. Wells Night People 117: Ground-pad. A shoe.

groundpad bag (n.)

(US black) in pl., socks.

1943

D. Burley N.Y. Amsterdam News 18 Dept. 22: Dig yourself a groundpad bag.

groundpad spade (n.)

(US black) a shoehorn.

1944

D. Burley Orig. Hbk of Harlem Jive 54: Then you latch onto a groundpad spade and ease your pair of horned corns into your dagger pointed goldies.