when and how did the first Mexican wave start? | Notes and Queries

when and how did the first Mexican wave start?

Gerard O'brien, Dunedin New Zealand

• 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 first answer is correct, hence the name. The term has now been added to the Dictionary as 'Mexican Wave'.

  I McGirr, Glasgow

• 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

• 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

• 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 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

• 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

• 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

• 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 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

• It was started at a child's softball game by four people in 1945, in Chemainus, BC

  Bcboy, Chemainus, Canada

• 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

• 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 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