The origin of "the wave"

I was wondering what the origin of the wave is in sports. For those of you who don’t get out much, I am talking about that cute little thing where the person on one side of you stands up throwing his/her arms in the air and yells. You follow suit, and then the person on the other side of you and so on…

I am an avid soccer (or futbol, if you will) fan. While watching some soccer games, the wave is referred to as the Mexican wave. This attributes the wave to originating during the 1980 World Cup which was held in Mexico. I have always associated the wave with baseball (ever since I was knee high to a june bug).

I am hoping to attain some undisputable insight into the origin of this silly, yet over-whelmingly international phenomenon. And, of course, to set the record straight. (I can only hope that some of those sports casters have the humility to read this and be set right - one way or the other).

Thank you in advance - tink

Everyone in Seattle believes it was invented here, in the late Kingdome.

My guess is every sports stadium in the world has this as a local UL.

This site claims it was invented at Seattle’s Husky Stadium in 1981.
This one says it was invented in Husky Stadium in the late 70s.
This site says that some Rob Waller guy has taken the credit for being the inventor.

Reminds me of the time a handful of guys tried to start a wave at Yankee Stadium. The general response was “Whaddya think this is, fucking Shea?”

I always heard and been told (take that FWIW) that it was the Seattle Seahawks fans in the very early 1980’s, as Pluto says.

BTW, Alpha, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sigline fit a poster better than your current does you.

Claims from different web sites:

“While several places claim to be the home of the Wave (a dubious distinction, to be sure), most people give the University of Washington the nod–the Wave started appearing there in the mid-1970’s.”

“The one tradition that Michigan has made famous is the wave. We weren’t the first school to do this, but we made it famous,” Madej said. The wave first appeared in Michigan Stadium mid-season, 1983."

No back-up information from either source.

I do distinctly remember seeing “the wave” at a Seahawks game on television. I also remember Manu Tuiasasopo (Yes, I’m sure I butchered that) playing. Don’t ask why I remember this, I just do. It could not have been any later than 1982. I’m thinking more like 80 or 81. So I’m pretty sure that debunks (In my mind, anyway) the claim of Michigan, 1983.

Can anyone spell that Manu guy’s last name? And then, what year did he retire?

I think the Michigan article wasn’t claiming that the wave was invented there in 1983, but that that was the first year they used it. I don’t know what the claim that they made it famous it is based on, if a major league baseball team’s fans were already doing it.

That’s great everyone, but there is proof of the wave at the World Cup in Mexico in 1980. This is definite. I was kinda hoping for something in the 70s or even earlier. This is one of those things that I seem to remember from my collective conscious - you know, i think I remember seeing it done in past lives. :wink:

And no… I don’t believe in past lives. :rolleyes:

I have no idea where it actually started, but the first I ever heard tell of it was at Michigan football. Those guys kept it up at Tiger Stadium in the spring and it spread like wildfire throughout Major League Baseball. I agree with those Yankee fans - bush league!

I had always heard it started with the University of Washington, not the Mariners or Seahawks.

I think it was made popular in professional American sports by the Detroit Tigers in 1984. That’s the year they were the talk of baseball, starting 35-5 and ran away with the pennant and World Series.

They got some stadium-rocking Waves going that year.

Fleetwood. You are correct that it began in the Football (soccer) World Cup in Mexico, however, that world cup was held in 1970, not 1980.

Sorry about the 1980 bit, that was my fault. But it does bring to light that if the Mexico World Cup was in 1970 and all of the football claims are from the late 70’s, these are good points to reference.

I still haven’t found anything that points to any place earlier that could take credit. Does that mean that the soccer/futbol fans of the world may have come up with one of the most popular (albeit annoying) crowd rallying tradition in sports? Hmmm…

Here’s a completely unsubstantiated claim.

I had heard the Reggie Jackson started it with the Yankees.

That explains why the longest and loudest wave I’ve ever witnessed/participated in was at a US Women’s Soccer game. It’s a futbol thing!

This is very interesting. We’ve (ok you) traced it back to 1970 World Cup. So, someone MUST have thought of it. Things like that don’t just happen. How can figure this one out?

I can see it now…History Channel “History’s Mysteries: the origin of the wave”. :stuck_out_tongue:

I agree that it was popularized by the fans in Detroit. With Tiger Stadium’s unique double decked all around feature, the upper deck could race the lower deck and have the wave go all the way around.

BTW, I hate it!