Where did doing 'The Wave' at sporting events originate?

Origin of the Wave

Competing claims for inventing the wave come from hockey, baseball, American football, and soccer, and from Canada, the US, and Mexico. The evidence does seem to indicate that the wave traveled primarily north to south, from its introduction at a 1980 hockey game in Edmonton, a cameo appearance at a baseball game in Oakland, a few years at Seattle football games, an Olympic appearance at Stanford University, and finally its big breakthrough at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, from which it emerged with global fame as the Mexican Wave.

According to professional cheerleader Krazy George Henderson, the first wave was created by accident at an Edmonton Oilers hockey game. Different sections of the arena standing and cheering at different times was already somewhat common. Krazy George was pointing to different sections of the arena, which generally resulted in that section's fans jumping to their feet and shouting. A delayed reaction by one section one night was then followed by the next section jumping a few seconds later, initiating an impromptu wave. George refined the routine through season, and then took it to other games and stadiums, including a nationally televised Major League Baseball playoff game in Oakland between the A's and the New York Yankees on October 15, 1981.

Two weeks later Seattle fans began using the wave, first at a University of Washington football game, and then at the Seahawks' NFL games,

The Wave was introduced to soccer fans at a 1984 Olympic soccer match between Brazil and Italy at Stanford Stadium, before achieving global fame at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The discussion that helped contribute to this answer:

• The wave originated at the University of Washington in Husky Stadium. I don't know the date but it pre-dated the Tigers in 1984.

• My uncle, "Crazy George" Henderson started it back in the late 70's, I believe, while cheering for the Aztecs, a Southern California soccer team. He's the crazy-haired blonde cheerleader who banged a drum when he performed. He's also seen in the Dire Straits video "Walk of Life"

• During the 1977-78 University of Michigan Basketball season, the fans at Crisler Arena started doing the wave. I held season tickets and was there. No one had seen or heard of it before. A few years later while watching some sporting event, sports announcer Howard Cosell, noticed the fans doing "The Wave" and mentioned that the UoM basketball fans were credited with starting it.

• In 1986, the Mexican fans at their home Soccer World Cup matches started doing the wave which gave it the most international audience ever...and it is now known outside the US as the "Mexican Wave". I saw the "Mexican Wave" in Cardiff, Wales in 1999 during the Rugby World Cup and again in June 2004 during an Ireland vs. South Africa rugby match played in South Africa, the announcers referred to it as the "Mexican Wave".

• I remember doing "the Wave" at Husky Stadium (U of Washington) in the early 1970's. The yell leader at the time, a guy named Rob Weller, was looking for something to motivate the student body as the Huskies were not having particularly good luck against the other teams in the then-PAC 8. I remember he came to one of the games with a new idea, the wave, and the rest is history.

• "Krazy George" invented the wave on October 15th, 1981 in Oakland at an A's/Yankees game...the Washington Huskies claim to have invented it in their media guide on October 31st, 1981.

• I saw a special on ESPN about college hoops and they said it originated at a UW game when it was the PAC-8.

• "The Wave" originated as a challenge between The Seattle Sounder fans and The Vancouver Whitecaps fans in 1975 at Memorial stadium in Seattle, during an NASL soccer game. "Bill the beer man" challenged the two sides of the stadium to out yell each other. As the two sides would rise to their feet and yell, "Go Sounders" or "Go Whitecaps," it would give the appearance of waves. As they added seating at the end of the field, it went in "the round", going all around the stadium in the form of the "Wave". When the Sounders moved into the King Dome, it was a tradition that anytime the Sounders had a free kick at the opponents end of the pitch, "Bill the beer man" and "Pete the peanut guy" would fire up the crowd. The Huskys at the U.W. adopted the wave as did all sports teams and hence it has become an American Tradition as well as an international phenomenon. I believe that you should give credit where credit is due. I was at that game and every other Sounders game from 1975 through 1980 as a spectator and a player.

• The wave originated in Washington State at the University of Washington "The Huskies."

• The reason that Krazy George is sometimes not given credit for inventing the wave is because he pointed to one section of fans at a time. Each section stood and was seated by Krazy George while beating his drums in the late 1970's. It was not as smooth and continually rhythmic as the waves that are conducted today; however, it is what got it all started. Krazy George still deserves the credit for the invention of "The Wave"!

First answer by Adam. Last edit by Gilr. Contributor trust: 384 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 550 [recommend question]

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