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The First High Five
The high five is one of the most popular and recognizable gestures in the world, often used to celebrate accomplishments or to greet or acknowledge peers. The gesture is so popular that a National High Five Day is celebrated today and every third Thursday of April. But where did it come from?
It is generally accepted that the high five was “invented” on October 2, 1977, when Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Dusty Baker slapped teammate Glenn Burke’s upraised palm after a home run. Moments later, Burke also hit a home run, and Baker then high-fived Burke back. Although not televised, these gleeful moments of celebration launched the high five into the public consciousness.
Other possible originsExamples of the high five, however, can be found throughout modern history and popular culture. There are reports that the high five was a friendly greeting among American military service members stationed in post-World War II Japan, and characters can be seen high-fiving each other in Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960 thriller Breathless. Another story attributes the high five to University of Louisville Cardinals basketball players Wiley Brown and Derek Smith. We may never know when the first high five occurred, but if somebody figures it out someday, they will surely deserve one.
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