Tripacer had a hand brake only, as did early Cherokees, Cessna Airmaster had dual handbrakes (only 4 hands required in a crosswind), Austers (and lots of others of that era) had heel brakes only, and Doves had a yoke-mounted lever that applied pneumatic pressure to the brake on the side of the deflected rudder.
Toe-brakes are a luxury, but I think they might just catch on.