National High Five Day
National High-Five Day is a fun observance that happens on the third Thursday of April. The day celebrates the well-know hand gesture which is often exchanged between people as a way of congratulation, greeting or celebration. So, to celebrate this day, you just have to high-five everyone you see.
How was the High-Five first created?
The origins of the high-five are not certain, and it is impossible to track down an exact moment in history of when the first high-five was exchanged. It is believed, however, that it was inspired by the low-five that has been around since World War II.
While it is not possible to know exactly how the high-five originated, two stories are credited with being the first known high-five exchanged in public.
The first one took place in 1977 at the last game of the regular season between the Dodgers and the Houston Astros. After hitting a home run, player Dusty Baker was greeted at the home plate by teammate Glenn Burke and they both raised their hands and slapped them in a high five, as a way of celebrating the play.
Another moment credited with being the first known high five happened at a practice of the Louisville Cardinals basketball team, in 1978 when Wiley Brown was going to give colleague Derek Smith a low-five, but they high-fived instead, beginning a new team tradition of giving each other high-fives as a way of celebration.
History of National High Five Day
National High Five Day was born in 2002 when some students at the University of Virginia set up a stall on campus giving away free lemonade and free high-fives. The idea spread across the United States and grew in popularity until it became its own holiday.
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