Today is National High Five Day
Today is National High Five Day: "Imagine that while on your way to class, you pass a dignified looking middle-aged man in a suit. You, of course, are wearing the same underwear as yesterday, a pair of pants off your floor, and a T-shirt with something ironic printed on it. Instead of noticing this respectable pillar of society fifteen seconds or so before your interaction is fated to occur, and lowering your head to avoid his disapproving scowl, you take another course of action."
Interestingly enough (as pointed out to me by Cyd Zeigler at Outsports), the high five was invented by baseball player Glenn Burke in 1977. Burke was the first ball player to declare his homosexuality (in 1982, after his retirement). Sadly, he died of AIDS in the mid-90's. Said Cyd, "And to think all of these straight guys are just doing what a gay man taught them in 1977!!!"
Posted Apr. 20,2006 at 10:54 AM EST by Andy Towle in Sports | Permalink
Of course! Straight guys are always imitating gay trends--see Nick Lachey's amrband tattoo below.
Posted by: Mike | Apr 20, 2006 12:05:37 PM
Today is also 420, ahem!
Posted by: Chef Boyardee | Apr 20, 2006 12:13:03 PM
It wasn't invented by Glenn, but he and another player introduced it to professional sports. You can verify this in his obituary in Sports Illustrated.
They said before that it was a part of black street culture and the true origin is unknown.
Posted by: peterfrnd | Apr 20, 2006 1:04:11 PM