So often we use a high five to celebrate something, to greet someone, to have fun with kids.
It’s a ubiquitous celebration used round the world.
However it’s origin, like many things came by mistake.
In 1982 in a baseball game between the LA Dodgers against the Houston Astros (incidentally the two teams in this years World Series) a player called Dusty Baker hit his 30th home run of the season, making the first team in history to have 4 players hit 30 home runs in a season. Glenn Burke who was next up and waiting on deck, enthusiastically and intentionally held his hand in the air in celebration and Dusty Baker gave it a slap as he ran past. He said it seemed the natural thing to do.
Burke, one of the first openly gay athletes, began using it within the gay community before it spread across the country and the world as a symbol of success.
Like many things, it started by accident and unlike many fads this one has become a part of our everyday behaviour.
That deserves a high five.