THIS SPORTING LIFE



when and how did the first Mexican wave start? Gerard O'brien, Dunedin New Zealand We first saw them during the 1986 World Cup. It was held in Mexico (hence the name given to the wave), and by all accounts these had been a regular event at Mexican football matches for years before. John Eccleston, Liverpool UK It's now known as the Mexican Wave because it was first seen internationally at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico City. It appeared at American football games for a few years before that. It first appeared at a University of Washington Homecoming Game in 1981, led by UW Husky "Yell Leader" Rob Weller and UW Marching Band director Bill Bissell. Scott McKinstry, Seattle USA Didn't it start during the Mexican world cup in 1986, hence the name? Duncan, London UK I think Duncan might be right. As to why it started, I think someone spilt hot enchilladas on their lap during a boring match, and the rest is history. Nick Simmons, Cardiff UK The short answer to that "answer" is - no, it didn't start in Mexico. Whatever the rather witty coffee add (and the title) might suggest I attended a baseball game in Boston 1984 and we all partook in a "??" wave. Two years before the famed world cup. I'm afraid I don't know where it really did come from. Donal Owens , Luxembourg Luxembourg The first answer is correct, hence the name. The term has now been added to the Dictionary as 'Mexican Wave'. I McGirr, Glasgow Actually I think the phenomenon started during the LA Olympics, but was only called the Mexican Wave during the 1986 World Cup. Keith Wood, Perth Australia When the first Mexican left home of course! paul, Derby UK It was in existence before the 1986 world cup, although not common in europe. American football coverage on channel4 featured waves several years before '86. they were known as "waves", not mexican waves. Ceri, Glasgow Scotland The Mexican Wave is called that as it did indeed first become popular in Europe after the '86 Mexico World Cup. It is, however, older than that, and its origin in dispute. US College football team the Washington Huskies claim to have invented it on October 31, 1981, while "Krazy" George Henderson claims to have started it at an Oakland vs. New York baseball game on the 15th of that month. Either way, by 1982 it was gaining popularity in the US, and by 86 it had clearly reached Mexico. Gaz Owen, Crewe UK I think it's been going on in the States since well before Mexico 86, that was just the first time it was seen by a wider audience. If you ever listen to American sports commentators they always just call it 'the wave'. James Geldart, London UK The americans have been doing something similar for years, but the first time i saw it was during World Cup '86. ps/ Gerard, did you go to St.Edmunds school, Dunedin around 1976-79, as i remenber a GOB from there. Steve Dickenson, Billingham England For some hard proof that the Mexican wave predates the Mexico World cup of 1986 just rent a copy of Teen Wolf. During the basketball game at the end of the movie you will see the 'kids' in the hall performing a 'Mexican' wave. The movie was released in 1985 which means it was probably shot in 1984. The movie also proves what an acting talent Mr Fox was. Matt, London UK Sorry guys!, but the Mexican wave is indeed Mexican, it started in a Football soccer game in the 70's here in the city of Monterrey in a game between the 2 principal football teams of the city: Monterrey against Tigres. Alan Lopez, Monterrey Mexico Allan Lopez is nearly right! The Mexican Wave did start in Mexico but it was first seen (internationally) in Mexico City in the Azteca Stadium in 1968 during the Mexico Olympics. Mexico's right of ownership was confirmed during the Mexico World Cup two years later. Steve, Kirkcaldy Fife The wave was a Mexican invention. I had never heard or seen it anywhere in the United States before the World Cup in 86'. Jorge Perez, Celaya Mexico The wave existed pre-'86 for sure. During the 1983 football season, Michigan played at Washington, and the Michigan cheerleaders brought it back to the Big House, where it was fine tuned (Dual waves, silent waves, simultaneous waves in opposite directions.) UW may not have invented it, and it may pre-date '83, but it certainly existed before '86. Andrew Ross, Denver US It gained fame two years before the 1986 World cup, when it was used in the opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Having thus gained a worldwide audience it became a craze at the World Cup finals in Mexico. terry wilson, brighton UK I definitely remember first seeing a "Mexican" wave watching the 1984 LA Olympics on television. Whether it originally started in Mexico or not I don't know, but I am sure that we know it as a Mexican wave due to the 1986 World Cup. Serge Grainger, London UK The "Mexican" wave was a common feature in North American ice hockey games way before '86. I remember seeing them on telly back in the '70s MJ, London uk My European friends who claim the wave (or "Mexican Wave," as they call it) originated in the Mexican World Cup of 1986 are mistaking the name for the origin. While Europe and other parts of the world outside the US & Mexico saw it for the first time in that spectacle, it was commonplace in the US long before that and nobody should be surprised the practice spread to our Mexican neighbours (to their credit, I don't think I've seen any Mexicans claim the invention). Personally, I know that I was participating in the wave at National Basketball Association games prior to 1986. The wave, as it's called in the USA, is usually attributed to the University of Washington. The University's website claims that the wave was first choreographed on October 31, 1981 at a football game against Stanford University (yes, American football). Feel free to call it the "Mexican Wave." Just remember it's not from Mexico! Gavin, Denver, USA La Ola was invented in Mexico in the 1970's ... and was well known (and used) through most of latin american soccer matches well before 1986. Ask any Colombian who ever assited the classic matches of the Cali against America (soccer team), or America vs. Millornarios druing that period can tell you. It was taken up as a marketing ploy by Coca-Cola in Mexico for the 1986 World Cup, and named: La Ola de Coca-Cola. Now you know. Nicolas Guzman, Paris, France You might have to know some Spanish to do some research but it indeed started in a latin american country whether Mexico or not. It had been sighted even before the '80s during several Mexican soccer league. My dad's uncle says that the one sighted at the 86's world cup in Mexico was preplanned as to show off. Whether it was later adopted by the Americans or simultaneously invented in the US or not will never be known... but just at the wright brothers went into history as the first in flight (even tho they weren't) the Wave will be called the "mexican wave" ScrubMonkey, Nashville, Tennessee, US The wave was created by "Krazy" George Henderson on October 15, 1981 at the televised A's/Yankees playoff game in Oakland. The Washington Huskies claim to have invented it some two weeks later. They still stand by this claim even though there is video proof of the contrary! As to it's origins in Mexico or the NHL, there is no written or video documentation of it ever occuring before 1981. Kevin Umezawa, Oakland, California, USA The Wave started in the late 1970's by fans of the Vancouver Whitecaps - a team in the old NASL. Matt Judd, Vancouver, Canada You guys are all wrong! The wave orginally started way back during the dawn of civilization, at events at The Coliseum. Although, fans didn't stand up in succession as they do now, back then they would raise their left hand and let out a mighty grunt, this process would be repeated with the person on the left. Then, when the music stopped, they would all race to find a seat until eventually only one person was left, and that person would win a cake. Plato wrote about this phenomenon in The Meno, when he said "Socrates doesn't grunt for nobody, I don't care if George is crazy." Max, Rome, Italy I was told a story in mexico city in 2003, then I went to the Azteca Stadium to see the phenomenon for myself. Some reports say the 'Wave' started at the Mexico Olympics in 1968 but I've been told differently ... Locals say the wave started in that same stadium in late 1966 because of the home soccer team based there called 'American Eagles'. Half time entertainment was was a trained eagle released from the centre of the playing field. The eagle circles inside the stadium until it nears the roof line. As the eagle circles to gain altitude it flies over the crowd and cues the Mexican Wave because spectators in the stadium raise their arms to 'whoosh' the bird up as it passes above them. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Joe Pelle, Canberra, Australia The mexican wave was started by Krazy George Henderson at a baseball game in Oakland, California on October 15, 1981. Jonny, Melbourne Australia The Mexican Wave was not invented by a Mexican at all, but an American called "Krazy" George Henderson at a baseball game in Oakland, California on October 15, 1981. The Oakland Athletics fanatic got the modest stadium crowd going section by section to create the wave effect and it caught on, spreading to ice hockey games around the US. It wasn't used in Mexico until the 1986 soccer World Cup, when a world audience saw for the first time what Krazy George had started during a break in play five years before. Jonny, Melbourne, Australia La ola has been around before 1982 and the krazy husky George. Well before he was playing American Football. The origins were in Mexico in the late 1960's before the first Football World Cup in Mexico in 1970 "El Mundial" Mario Burrola, Chihuahua Mexico I beleve the 1st ever mexican wave was on the 3rd June 1986, only know this as its the day i was born and its in almost every one of those novalty birthday books you get! Stevie Blythe, Dundee Scotland I hate to break the bad news to ya, but we were doing the "wave" at Tiger Stadium in 1984 when the Detroit Tigers won the World Series. I was only a senior in high school at the time, but I remember it clear as day. Jeff Ivey, Detroit, Michigan, USA I was at a boules match in Western France sometime in 1529 and saw it then. Glen, Watford England The wave is not mexican, it started in the USA in the state of washington, and it got known in mexico by the televised games of the Seattle Seahawks (american football). A lot of comentators call it the "mexican wave" because they saw it for the first time by the Soccer World Cup in Mexico 1986. Carlos Becerril, Mexico The Mexican wave's roots are clearly in the USA. The debate is whether the wave started with Krazy George or Rob Weller at the U of W. Krazy George's "wave" was done by section, close by not the real wave. Rob Weller started a "wave" where someone stood right after the person next to them. This was the start of the wave that has endured for over 20 years. Craig Nowlin, Longview, WA USA Don't know when it started but I was part of a full blown Mexican Wave at the final of the Olympic football final between Brazil and France at the Pasadena Rose Ball in LA in August 1984. I claim I started it by jumping up to order two ice creams from a vendor. Peter Harling, Witney, England The wave was started by Native Americans on the great plains. They would line up and raise spears in order to get bison running in a certain direction and eventually over a cliff to their death. It's documented in the famous Sioux City cave drawings, which include star charts dating it to 215 BCE by current calendars. Brian, Ann Arbor, United States It was started at a child's softball game by four people in 1945, in Chemainus, BC Bcboy, Chemainus, Canada The wave was happening in Vancouver Canada in the late 1970's at Whitecap soccer games. I know because I was there. Laura Commodore, Vancouver, Canada There are allegations of it happening in Monterrey, Mexico, in a soccer match back in the 50s. It was very probably invented then. Yes, it was maybe seen in American football and hockey games before Mexico '86, but not before the 80s, let alone the 50s. (I have done some research and haven't come across a single claim about it). The thing here is, worldwide it is called -if not just wave- Mexican wave. And that's probably not going to change anytime soon. Gaius, Mexico City, Mexico The answer from the Australian gentleman is without doubt correct about how the wave started.I recall when watching football matches in Edinburgh when the home side scored a goal a supporter released a homing pigeon which circled the stadium a couple of times before flying off.The circling eagle with the crowd standing and pointing it's progress solves the problem perfectly Thank you OZ Ian McLaren, Edinburgh UK The wave started back in the caveman days. There are cave drawing in west africa that suggest that early homo sapiens enjoyed raising there fists into the air while surrounding wild beast. In attempt to eat. joey olvera, texas usa conclusion: who knows! It is clear it came to international attention @ the 86 world cup but also clear it started prior to this. big up the wave (mexican) james smith, london england I started the wave in my living room in 1954 while watching a re-run of Miami Vice. Every time Tubbs would get up out of the passenger side of the car, I would jump up and raise my arms. I have even patented the move. Check patent #47554316573. I eventually sold it to Monterey in the late 1960, and then to Washington State, the 1984 Olympics, the 1986 World Cup, to some guy named George etc. But it was definitely started by me. This worthless debate can now stop since the truth has been revealed! Efce Kazan, Kazan Russia The origin is in North America... but in Monterrey city and then in other stadiums, during Mexico's 1986 FIFA World Cup, was made famous for all the world. Diego Perez, Monterrey Mexico It was started in 1932 in the match between Swansea City and Newport County when Dai Davies scored an own goal for Newport County. The Welsh Wave was forgotten about until Dai's grandson went to Mexico starting it in a World Cup football match! True story Alan Roberts, Swansea, Wales Actually the first documented wave was in 1963 in a movie called Son of Flubber. The Mexicans did not invent the wave. Melonna, Norfolk, Virginia USA The wave is American in origin and if you know anything about the crowds at college football it had to originate there. They are very into crowd participation. I was part of a crowd in probably 1982 that did the wave at a NYC concert by Howard Jones (Brit) and he stopped the show and turned the lights up so he could see us do it - he had never seen it before. It had existed for years before that. I did it as a kid at baseball games in Yankee stadium, I am sure there is footage of it throughout the early 80s. And as everyone knows, Americans don't care about soccer at all, so there really is zero chance that US football crowds ever saw it happen via a Mexican soccer/football match. In the US and Canada its just "the wave". Not Mexican at all sorry. Susan, Los Angeles USA What scene from 'Son of Flubber" are you talking about? At 1:12:13 a section of the audience stands up and down again in an organized fashion, but it is hardly a rolling wave. So no, it wasn't around that early, in any case you can argue who started it, but I don't think there can be any argument that Seattle made it popular in the early 80s. It had nothing to do with Mexico. Joe, Portland USA



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