If I asked you, “When did the first high five occur?” what would you say? Think about it. It’s a very basic celebration that takes little brain power to accomplish. Two humans slapping their hands together. Well, I asked 10 of my friends when they thought the first documented high five occurred. Here are the results:
1. 300 B.C.
2. Late 1800’s
3. Late 1960’s
4. 5,000 B.C.
5. 1940’s
6. Immediately after Homosapiens got the fire going but was not mainstream until spears were invented. (Which I’m pretty sure came before fire. This guy is in Med School)
7. 500 B.C.
8. 1800 or before
9. 200 A.D.
10. One friend legitimately thought that he had read that it started in the 1920’s as a way for gay men to communicate their sexuality without needing to say it out loud. This was incorrect and I am not sure where it came from. (After research this turned out to be partially correct, just got the year wrong)*
Very interesting results. So clearly none of my friends know when the first high-five occurred because these are all incorrect. I found the answer to this question without even looking for it. I just stumbled upon it casually and my whole day was ruined.
I discovered when the first high-five occurred where the brunt of human knowledge is stored, on the “Goofs” section of The Sandlot’s IMDB page. Here is the entry for any of those who are curious.
Yep, you read that correctly. You are not being deceived with some sort of tomfoolery. When I first read this, a chill ran down my spine that I can’t explain. “What to do you mean the first high-five took place in 1977?” I asked myself. Even more puzzling, “What do you mean only 8 out of 28 people think this is interesting??”
I started sweating on my keyboard and my fingers were slipping all over the place. Typos like you’ve never seen before. Red squiggles all over my page. The first high five occurred 44 years ago? My parents are older than the high five?? It just doesn’t make any sense.
It is the most trivial of celebrations that we have. Little stupid fucking babies can do it. Yet, no one thought to do this until 1977? Clapping first started in the 6th Century BC. Hand shaking started in the 5th Century BC. You mean to tell me… that it took 2,400 YEARS to put those two together? Get the FUCK outta here man.
The Babe called his shot in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series, smashed the ball almost 500 feet, and not one single teammate thought to reach up and smack his hand? Bill Russell and the Celtics won 11 championships and not once during that run did two players reach their arms up and slap hands. The Nazis walked around all day doing that salute and two of them never connected while doing it? Not even accidentally? I just simply don’t believe that shit.
The story goes that on the last day of the MLB regular season in 1977, Dusty Baker smashed a bomb over the left field fence while playing for the Dodgers. This was important because after that home run, the 1977 Dodgers officially became the first team in MLB history to have 4 different players hit 30 home runs. A historic feat for sure, but not even the most significant event to take place that day.
As Baker rounded the bases, a young rookie named Glenn Burke sprinted from the on-deck circle to meet him. Burke ran at Baker with his right arm held high. Baker then just instinctively slapped Burke’s hand. And then Burke went up to bat and he hit his first Major League home run. And when he got back to the dugout, he saw Baker with his hand held high. So, Burke slapped his hand in return.
And there it is. The first recorded high five. If I told you before you read this that we have a photograph of the first recorded high five ever, would you believe me? Would you even believe that the high five could be traced to a single incident? I couldn’t believe it before my research, and I can still hardly believe it now.
*It turns out Glenn Burke came out as a gay man after he quit playing baseball. Since he was credited with the invention of the high five, the LGBT community in California sort of adopted the high five as a symbol of gay pride. Glenn Burke has his own fascinating tales, but that’s a story for another day.
