{Re: W. appearance in NYC)
I certainly recall this in the context of the 1980 Olympic Hockey team, but no earlier (note: I was born in 1968). I’ve never seen it any earlier, even on the History Channel, etc. Could that possibly have been the first use? If not, when?
I was born a little earlier than you, but I would give a WAG that it’s long been a part of Olympic competitions. That’s the only event where you have large parts of the audience identifying with a particular country, rather than a person or a team. That is, I don’t expect people to chant this at the Super Bowl.
Perhaps a doper who had been to one of the previous Olympics could enlighten us on this.
The first time I heard it was the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey tournament, too.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=87393
Look what this idiot has to say about it.
We do not insult fellow member in GQ, even if in reference to a thread in the Pit.
Please do not do this again.
my bad